I am planning on doing the halfIM in early September and I need to book a place to stay. I tried searching the forum as I remember some posts from a couple of years back covering this subject, but my searching was mostly in vain. I saw posts where people stayed at Cartier Place Suites and the Aristocrat Hotel, but there was no hospitality review. Any hot tips? I wouldn’t mind a suite-like place where I could burn my own food, but any decent hotel/motel recommendations would be gratefully received.
Thanks,
Dan
I do leave in Ottawa, however I cannot make a recommendation since I never stayed @ a hotel/motel!
That being said, it will really depends what you want to do while you stay in Ottawa in addition to the 1/2 Canadian. Downtown is not that far from the event and very nice and you can walk and enjoy the Byward Market, Parliement Hill, etc… and very rapidly hit Casino Lac Leamy, the Gatineau on the Quebec side. There are a bunch of options downtown including Cartier Place Suites.
The Chimo hotel is the official event hotel, with a nice deal, however you will need a car to move around.
Fred.
I can tell you where not to stay!! There was this hostel that used to be a prison before and the rooms were actually cells with all the bars and everything unmodified. I thought it was cool so I went there, but man! the people freaked me out!!! It was super cheap though 20$/night!
There is a Westin right downtown, I’ve stayed there quite a bit, its pretty nice. The Brookstreet Hotel is a great place but its a bit of a drive, its in Kanata about 20 mins from downtown. Do not stay at the Ramada. They still allow smoking on some floors and the whole building stinks.
Tons of places downtown/market area. I live there and its a 20 min drive to the race. There’s the Chateau Laurier, Lord Elgin, Marriott, Westin, Les Suites and a few others I think in that area.
Ah, the jail.
A highlight on the haunted tour of Ottawa. Supposedly, at one time, staying on the top floor was free, if you could stay there all night long. Stories of people running downstairs totally freaked out before the night was done…happy to pay for a room below, or elsewhere altogether.
Scene of Canada’s last hanging. Suicide fences on the staircases. Some Creepy cells, very narrow, maybe 4 feet. The haunted tour makes a stop by the gallows, and packs a surprise.
Creepy.
I stayed in the top floor and it wasn’t free… Actually the place was alright and kind of cool, my roommates freaked me out, as if they were really criminals…
Thanks for all of the tips. Fortunately I have reached a position in life where I can afford to spend more than $20 on a room, so I will pass on the jail, er, hostel. Cheers, everyone!
Dan
Residence Inn by Marriott or the Courtyard. – both are close to the byward market (the Courtyard is in it). So lots to see and do close buy, also only a couple blocks from the bike path along the canal.
We just stayed at the Residence Inn a couple of weeks ago it includes a complimentary breakfast (eggs, waffles, pancakes, oatmeal…). I felt like I was stealing.
Another nice thing about the Residence Inn is that it is very easy to get to from the 416 (or 417 I always screw those up) just take Nicolaus toward downtown and you are there.
Oh and there is a Tim Hortons attached and a Starbucks around the corner.
sorry no offense meant, I sometimes forget that not everyone is a poor grad student like me…
sorry no offense meant, I sometimes forget that not everyone is a poor grad student like me…
Oh, none taken, I assure you. 25 years ago when I was PGS with a negative checking account balance I would have been all over that suggestion. 
I have the place for you. Only about 5k from the race site and right around it has TONNES of places to eat. It also has it’s own kitchen and underground parking/secure entrance. The Arosa Suites. I believe the rates were under $100 when I stayed there last year for a course I took in Ottawa.
They are more or less converted apartments.
http://www.arosahotel.com/
pitch a tent at Dev’s house
.
The Brookstreet in Kanata is a REALLY nice hotel. Definitely recommended. See you at the race - I am doing the 1/2 Iron as well.
I’m staying at the Hampton Inn just up the road from the race site.
It is a great hotel with breakfast, though I will be eating my own food on race day.
Good luck,
Andrew
The Brookstreet in Kanata is a REALLY nice hotel. Definitely recommended. See you at the race - I am doing the 1/2 Iron as well.
The Brookstreet is a nice hotel, but, it’s 30km from the race site wedged between a golf course and a hi-tech industrial park. great place to stay if you’re in town for business with Nortel or Alcatel or here for Senator’s game but not ideal for someone who needs to be at Mooney’s Bay for a race.
If this is your first time in Ottawa and you want to see a bit of Ottawa before or after the race, stay downtown. The Marriott, the Lord Elgin, the Chateau Laurier ( if money is no object and you like the elegance of an older hotel ), there are tons of places to stay downtown. There are nice B&Bs in the golden triangle ( between Elgin St and the Canal ).
Downtown has the advantage of very quick access to the Gats for biking and open water swimming, the Canal for running and Colonel By Drive if you want to ride on the bike course for the race. There are a number of pools in the area ( the Y, Ottawa U, Carleton U ) as well.
Do what others said and stay at one of the hotel options downtown as it gives you access to lots of restaurants, site seeing (parliament, museum, art gallery) and the Byward Market. Then race morning, put your stuff in a backpack and ride ~7-8K warmup to race start on the closed course.
I would not stay in Kanata options (although Brookstreet is a very nice hotel) or camp in my front lawn as both are ~25K to the race start. While I’d consider this as a nice warmup ride for an Olympic tri, it might be a bit excessive for a half Ironman. See you at the race.
Dev