Sheraton Ottawa Hotel

Rooms and decor

The Sheraton Ottawa Hotel sits at 150 Albert Street in the heart of Downtown, in a 17-floor tower that opened in 1969 — the oldest Marriott-group hotel in Ottawa. It holds 236 rooms, last renovated in 2015. The base Traditional starts at 35 sqm, already bigger than the 4-star standard in Ottawa, and runs up to a 65 sqm Executive Suite. The look is contemporary-classic in beige, brown and gold, built around the Sheraton Signature Sleep bed with a firm mattress and six pillows, a 49-inch Smart TV, fast Wi-Fi and a bathroom with a rain shower and Le Grand Bain products. The standout is the 45 sqm Executive Room — the largest in its price bracket and a good fit for a family of three or four. Real reviews on Trip.com (8.5) and Agoda (8.4) mostly land on the same two notes: roomy spaces and friendly staff, with a few flagging the occasional clogged bathroom.

Food and amenities

The anchor here is Three Sisters Kitchen, the main restaurant serving Canadian comfort food. The breakfast buffet runs about $20 a head with an omelet station, fresh fruit, smoked salmon and pastries — better value than heading out — and Sunday brunch is around $33. There's a Lobby Bar for cocktails and snacks, a Starbucks right in the lobby for early mornings, and a 24-hour fitness room kitted out with Peloton bikes. There is no pool or spa — for an indoor pool you'd want the Westin or Lord Elgin instead. Bonvoy elite members get the lounge on the 16th floor with food and drinks three times a day, and the meeting block is large: 12 rooms handling groups from 10 to 300 people, which makes this a solid corporate-event base. Overall score 8.5/10.

Location and getting there

The Sheraton sits at 150 Albert Street on the west side of Downtown. Parliament Hill is a 5-minute walk, the Rideau Canal 7 minutes, and ByWard Market 12. The Sparks Street pedestrian mall with 30-plus restaurants is 3 minutes away, Bank Street's shops and cafes 2 minutes. Lyon O-Train station is a 4-minute walk — one stop to Parliament on the Confederation Line — and Confederation Park is 5 minutes. The Canadian War Museum is an 8-minute taxi, the National Gallery a 15-minute walk, and Gatineau Park a 15-minute drive. YOW airport is 15 km out — a 20-minute taxi for about $26-33, or the number 97 bus from Lyon in 25 minutes for under $3.

Things to know before booking

Straight talk to help you decide. First, the decor is starting to show — the last renovation was 2015, so some Traditional rooms read a little dated. Book an Executive Room and you get a space that's 10 sqm bigger and more recently refreshed, for about $22-37 more a night, which is well worth it. Second, several reviewers mention the occasional clogged bathroom; if it happens, flag engineering and they'll usually fix it within 30 minutes, but the Westin or Metcalfe have fewer such complaints if you're sensitive to it. Third, Wi-Fi is free only for Bonvoy members — register free online before check-in (about 3 minutes) for Wi-Fi and a welcome amenity. Fourth, valet parking runs about $29 a night; the nearby World Exchange Plaza is cheaper at around $13.

Our take

The Sheraton Ottawa is the most sensible pick for business travelers and 4-star-budget families who want real room to spread out in Downtown. You get the 35 sqm Traditional that beats the rivals, the 45 sqm Executive Room, the Three Sisters breakfast buffet at about $20 a head, the Bonvoy lounge on 16, and that 5-minute walk to Parliament Hill — all from about $120 a night, cheaper than the Westin, Andaz or Le Germain. If your trip is a multi-day round of meetings, a family of three or four who need the floor space, or a chance to burn Marriott Bonvoy points, this is the one that fits. If you're chasing a newer property or a design statement, the Metcalfe or Andaz suit better. We score it 8.5/10 — best for business travelers, mid-budget families and anyone who just wants a bigger room.