While on a getaway to visit relatives in the Ottawa/Gatineau region, we opted for the Delta Hotels Ottawa City Centre. It is located in the west end of downtown Ottawa, a 15-minute walk from the federal Parliament.
During our stay in this quiet mid-December at the hotel, there was a Points Savers promotion, where it cost 17,500 points for a regular room with 2 Queen beds. These points have a value of $157 according to the milesopedia calculator.
However, there was a $184 package, including a 2 Queen bed room, parking included (value of $25) and a $50 gas card (from Petro-Canada). This amount covered the cost of gas for our hybrid car for the return trip from Montreal to Gatineau.
Thus, the room cost us $109 net plus taxes, which is less than if we had paid with points ($157). So it was more advantageous for us to pay for our room in cash – using our Marriott BonvoyTM American ExpressMD Card to earn 5 points per dollar – and save those precious points for another time.
Tip: if you are a Marriott Bonvoy member, charge all your hotel expenses to your room bill to earn a minimum of 10 points per US dollar! More information in this article.
When we arrived around 2:30PM, our room wasn’t ready. The employee at the front desk told us that we would be contacted as soon as te room was ready. Unfortunately, they “forgot” about us and never warned us.
However, Delta made up for it later with hot cookies and gifts for the kids at the official check-in.
A few steps away from the reception is a convenience store/gift shop and a Tim Hortons.
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Thanks to my Platinum status, we were upgraded to a suite with 2 queen size beds and a sofa bed. There was an adjoining door that separated the two rooms and that could be locked.
The second room had a vintage look.
With a useful refrigerator and the usual coffee maker.
This room can easily fit 6 people: two people in each queen size bed and two more on the sofa bed.
As for the bathroom, it was very small in proportion to the rest of the room, but it was modern.
We had two bottles of water in the room.
And cables for all sorts of devices, if you’re there to work.
Here is the view from the 16th floor, where the roof of the Supreme Court of Canada can be seen in the distance (top left).
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With the kids, I can’t pick a hotel without a swimming pool! There were a multitude of floating mattresses of different shapes and water noodles. Hours of fun.
Next to the pool is the training room with several machines, a rowing machine, weights, stationary bikes and televisions.
As a Platinum Member, we are entitled to Marriott lounges. However, at check-in, we were informed that the Delta lounge was closed for the weekend. But we still had access to the Prova restaurant on the ground floor for a free selection of hors d’oeuvres in the evening.
The kale caesar salad was fine. The chef’s choice was Beef Wellington Bites and they were good.
As for breakfast the next morning, it was at the restaurant on the second floor, and was offered between 6:30 and 10:30 am.
There was a variety of sausages, oatmeal, bacon, scrambled eggs, potatoes and waffles in the hot part.
I thought the chia pudding was excellent, my husband loved the smoked salmon and the smoothies were the children’s favourites. There was something for everyone.
And since it’s the holiday season, let’s take the opportunity to finish the meal with candy canes!
Last thing: the elevators!
All the other provinces were also featured, because of course we are in Canada’s capital.
The hotel seems to be used for a lot of meetings and business events. There was even a penthouse at this Delta and we were told that the view is superb.
After a bad start during the check-in, the Delta caught up very well afterwards.
This is a good choice of hotel if you are visiting Ottawa. Parking costs $25 per night and there is no charging station for electric vehicles. There are few of them in the area, by the way. There is a Baton Rouge restaurant across the street and also a Copper Branch (vegetarian/vegan restaurant).
The Lyon bus stop is just around the corner.
If you’re going to the Ottawa Marathon in May or come skating on the Rideau Canal in the winter, the Westin Ottawa or the Residence Inn Ottawa Downtown would be closer to the action.
If you want access to a lounge that is open on weekends, there is the Ottawa Marriott Hotel or the Sheraton Ottawa Hotel, which are further east from downtown.
For a visit to Winterlude in Gatineau in the winter or to tour the Canadian Museum of History, the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel and Conference Centre Gatineau-Ottawa is within walking distance. It’s a decent hotel and can be convenient.
Enjoy your visit!
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