The Hostelz.com Review
The HI - Ottawa Jail Hostel can be summed up in four words -- it's in a prison! The hostel's location in an old stone prison (where Canada's first -- and, thus far, only -- political assassin was executed) gives it a unique and slightly spooky feel. It also makes the hostel hard to miss -- not only is it right beside the Mackenzie King Bridge bus stop, it's also a giant stone structure that's easy to spot and is within walking distance of all the main attractions.
The hostel offers great packages that include sheets, internet time, meals, and museum passes. If you don't get the package, it's still worth shelling out a few dollars for all-you-can-eat breakfast (ask for chocolate chips in your pancakes!) or a few more for dinner. The rooms are clean and surprisingly cheery, considering their location, and there's a big common kitchen and eating area downstairs.
However, a hostel in a prison can't be expected to have the best amenities. The bathroom on our floor only has one toilet, which leads to serious lineups (the rooms each have a sink and a mirror so at least guests aren't all crammed into the bathroom to brush their teeth). The coin-operated, one-use lockers are a bit of a pain -- make sure you don't lock something up that you'll need that day, otherwise you'll be going through a lot of loonies! And the lack of air conditioning could be an issue in the hot summer months.
But overall, it's a fantastic place to stay. Be sure to go on one of the evening prison tours, complete with ghost stories!
The hostel offers great packages that include sheets, internet time, meals, and museum passes. If you don't get the package, it's still worth shelling out a few dollars for all-you-can-eat breakfast (ask for chocolate chips in your pancakes!) or a few more for dinner. The rooms are clean and surprisingly cheery, considering their location, and there's a big common kitchen and eating area downstairs.
However, a hostel in a prison can't be expected to have the best amenities. The bathroom on our floor only has one toilet, which leads to serious lineups (the rooms each have a sink and a mirror so at least guests aren't all crammed into the bathroom to brush their teeth). The coin-operated, one-use lockers are a bit of a pain -- make sure you don't lock something up that you'll need that day, otherwise you'll be going through a lot of loonies! And the lack of air conditioning could be an issue in the hot summer months.
But overall, it's a fantastic place to stay. Be sure to go on one of the evening prison tours, complete with ghost stories!
— Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
September 2006
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HI - Ottawa Jail Hostel Details
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HI - Ottawa Jail Hostel Reviews on Other WebsitesHostelz.com Guest Reviews
Perfect location, clean, comfortable I stayed in one of the male dorms for 4 nights; couldn't have hoped for anything more. Knowing it's a haunted old jail make me expect dark and worn out rooms, with spiderwebs and bloodstains but I was nicely surprised. The entire building is perfectly clean by any standard. The beds were comfortable, although a bit noisy when you move around. The lockers in the room were a good size, and there were larger ones in the hall (but only some of them seemed to be free). The bathrooms are more modern than the cell, and were also clean. I think this is one of the few hostels I've seen that has a dry place outside the shower stall with enough hooks and shelves for clothes and getting changed. The only downside to the building could be the noise; the design of the building forces noise to travel so that prison guards could hear inmates whispering quietly in their cells. The door is solid, but the space above is just open metal bars. There was a background noise of what I guessed was distant water dripping and something like footsteps. It's really just a bit creepy at worst, and in the end, its much better than many other hostels (and hotels) with heavy doors that you hear slamming from everywhere in the building all night long. — Anonymous , Canada (2011-12-23) Poor customer service I did not stay over night. however my friend was trying to plan a stay over for her birthday. they said that they would rent her a room, and that it wouldn't be any problem. however when she tried to call the manager back to finalize the booking, he wouldn't answer, so she kept calling, till eventually she called the front desk and asked when he would be in, they said that he had been in a lot of meetings all week and that was why he hadn't been answering. a couple minutes after getting off the phone with them she got a text telling her that they were no longer able to host her party and to stop calling. very rude, couldn't even call her and tell her. — Anonymous , Canada (2010-11-11) Visited with my boys for one day March Break 2009. The experience of the tour was so so. The tour guide was a bit creepy and kept looking at my 2 and half year old when he was fussy. All in all I got and gave the kids the experience I intended. — Anonymous , Canada (2010-09-19) Different Nice, clean hostel and the location is perfect. They have a big kitchen to cook for yourself and a cozy bar. No lockers in the room though and only one light in the cells. But the fact that you sleep in a cell makes it worth to stay there. I can only recommend it. — Simona , Switzerland (2010-07-29) Well, good but I have seen better Wireless internet access service not reliable, breakdown attends internet service. Clerk was a bit rude with me when I ask her to change bunk. I requested for a lower bunk and someone took my bed. The only one available was the upper one. I asked "Do you mind to give me back my bed?" and she said "Well, I have to!" Bunks are to change, too small and squeaky. Free walking Tour of Ottawa twice a week, very interesting. — Sylvain F , Canadian (2009-10-19) Interesting We only did the tour here, but it is definitely somewhere that I would consider staying for one night, as it does have a strange atmosphere to it. Those who are into seeing hosts would enjoy this, as I myself, did in fact see a ghost in a picture one of my friends took. It was very real, and very interesting. Something to look into if this is what you're into. It's also an interesting history lesson if you just wanted to know a little about the history of the jail. — Brendan , Canada (2009-06-05) Good Fun Drove for four hours from Toronto to get to Ottawa this past weekend (March 20-21). It was our first trip to Ottawa. I thought it would be a fun and interesting way to end the march break for my boys. It was! We got lost trying to find the hostel with all the one way streets in Ottawa, I was a bit frustrated with driving in the city. We got there just in time for the tour and a tour it was. The tour guide all dressed in black, I guess for added spookiness -- was very informative. The Jail itself was in great condition and is properly kept to maintain the historic roots. Overall it was a great weekend and one more place we can say, " been there, done that!" — P , Canada (2009-03-23) Bring earplugs I visited in spring -- most people were still in school, and while the weather was warm it wasn't hot or muggy (which is typical of Ottawa in the summer). The hostel was fairly empty at the time, except for a big group of boy scouts who kept to themselves and had a curfew. Even though it was empty, the hostel was very noisy. It's not the fault of the other guests, who were very obliging when asked to quiet down in the wee hours of the morning, but because of the hostel's construction -- it's all concrete and stone. Every floor is a gigantic echo chamber. Things might be better if you're on the non-prison side, but most of the rooms are in the cells. The staff were helpful and friendly, but didn't really go out of their way to make you feel welcome. That was alright for me, since I was only there for a short time and know the city decently well, but it might be more difficult for others. The food in the servery was uninspiring. The portions were large and filling, but it wasn't a five-star restaurant. However, the Byward Market is just across the street. There's bakeries, cafes, bars, night clubs, and lots of quirky little shops. It's in a great location, too -- just down the stairs from a bus stop, across the street from a mall, only a couple of blocks from all the museums and parks and Parliament buildings. Overall, it's a great hostel. But if you're even a moderately light sleeper, think twice, since you won't be able to enjoy the city without any sleep. — Adi , Canada (2009-03-06) Friendly, but can be a little noisy. An interesting experience! I stayed in a twin cell room with a friend. Very, very clean. Everything was well-maintained and taken care of. The floors were clean, the rooms were clean, the beds were clean, and I was highly satisfied. The kitchen was organized and had everything I needed. People were quite respectful and washed their dishes accordingly and cleaned up their own messes. The TV and games room was clean and comfortable. There were five couches to sit on, so there was lots of room. Watch out if there's hockey on TV! You might not have a say in the programming if there is. The couches in the room were also clean and there was a bathroom to the side, which was nice. The staff were friendly and helpful, and showed us where some good places to shop and eat were. It was warm, which was good, since I went in the winter. Well-heated so you didn't get a chill. This may be minor, but the pillows are very thick. I'd advise using a towel and a pair of pants or something else as a pillow, as the one they had made my neck sore. Also, the cells are not completely closed. They cover most of it, but there are bars left in place, so light comes in if you do not turn off the lights in the hall when you sleep, and you can hear people walking in the hall, snoring next to you, and even people shoveling snow outside. If everyone is quiet and respectful, it's not too bad. On two different nights, I did have to tell some people to quiet down, since noise travels very, very well in the floor. — TN , Canada (2008-12-30) Interesting experience! I have never stayed in a hostel before, but this is pretty much what I would have imagined it would be. I had read the comments about it being stuffy ahead of time, so we brought fans with us and that worked well. The girls on the desk were very helpful and polite. My friend and I stayed two nights there with our four boys in the twin cells on level six. The traffic was a bit noisy for a light sleeper such as myself (bring a louder fan for white noise), but it didn't bother my friend at all. The guy selling coffee at breakfast was also courteous. Also, the Crime and Punishment tour was excellent! — Bonnie , Canada (2008-07-31) Unique The hostel is quite weird. If you like to sleep in a cell, then it's ok. Because it used to be a jail, and it still looks like a jail, it is not cozy and comfortable. The rooms are dark and cold. You can buy breakfast there, but I would say it is quite expensive and not good. Internet is not available in the rooms, it works only in the lounges, but there is not many power outlets there, so it's better to charge your laptop in your room. — ket (2008-06-08) Great Experience! Exciting and Fun! this is a very old jail house not the marriott! If you want to be comfy go somewhere else! However if you like history and adventure I recommend this hostel! Very cool place to stay and haunted! The tour was awesome and the staff were great! — Jenna , USA (2008-04-22) Sweet this is the coolest hostel ever. well so far anyways. you actually sleep in a cell. how much cooler does it get. — Angele , canada (2008-03-11) Two thumbs down -- way down! The only way my night in Ottawa would have been any worse, would have been if I had been mugged. I probably lost three dress sizes in sweat that night. In the room there were a few loud, white things that looked like fans, but didn't act like fans. The shower, too, looked like a shower, but didn't act like a shower. Water barely dripped from the shower head. If you enjoy really hot, really loud nights with really small beds to "sleep" in, and don't need to shower, this place is for you. If you want to experience this jail house, I recommend the 7 p.m. tour. — HankO , USA (2007-08-30) Fun, interesting, and a great experience We stayed here one night at the end of June 2007 and enjoyed the experience. I took lots of photos and got tons of great shots with ghostly orbs and spirit energy in them. The other ghostly experience was when I first opened up the room -- it smelled of old smoke even though there was no fireplace. My spouse did not smell it and within seconds it was gone. I later found out that sometimes smelling old smoke is a sign of spirit/ghost energy -- it is left behind if they make a quick escape and leave the area. We splurged and stayed in the Warden's suite. Way too expensive for what you get. Maybe if you have a large family, or are sharing with a bunch of friends it would be ok, but it was more expensive than a nice hotel and was a little dirty, dusty, and rundown. We are going to go back and stay a second time so that we can go ghost hunting again but are going to stay in a private room instead and see if that is better. If you love the idea of staying in a haunted jail, immersing yourself in history, and ghost hunting, then this is for you. It's also a great location that can't be beat. The staff was pretty nice and helpful, although there were a few times that there was conflicting information or they were a little unsure of the answers. — CK , Canada (2007-08-24)