We booked Cartier Place Suite Hotel in Ottawa for a family of 3 adults for 2 nights on the weekend of Apr. 1-3, 2005. We had studied the hotel info on their web site at ---------------- and reserved over the phone. The clerk was helpful and nice, answered all the questions. At the time, the hotel was having a Spring Thaw Special advertised on their web site, where a family suite "with a free upgrade" cost $89.00 per night. The suite has a separate bedroom with a queen size bed and a pull out couch in the living room. We were also attracted by the hotel's proximity to Elgin St. and all the main Ottawa attractions. Ottawa Visitor's Guide advertises this hotel as one of those that offer complimentary breakfast. This is NOT true. There is no breakfast served, no food is included. Neither is it true that with CAA (AAA) membership, guests would get a discount. They advertise it as such, but when you actually inquire about it, they say that it applies only to the highest priced suites. The same goes for the misleading advertising on the hotel's web site where they promise the 3rd night free if you pay for two nights. We would not have needed the 3rd night, we would have taken them up on this offer only for the sake of a later than 11 (!) check out time after the 2nd night, and we told them so during the first phone call, but again, it turned out that we would have to pay twice or even 3 times more for the suite in order to use this "offer" for each of the first 2 nights, and even the hotel's clerk said it was not worth it, so we went for the Spring Thaw special of 89.00 + parking + taxes per night, with the check out time at the end at 11 am. So ask questions if you go there and then call and ask the same questions again!
No breakfast was no problem, because in the suite, we had a full kitchen + all the utensils, incl. microwave, a big fridge, full stove, dishwasher, a coffeemaker. Even an ironing board and an iron in the closet. In the kitchen, the hotel provided for us 2 tea bags and 1 package of ground coffee per night (enough to make coffeemaker coffee once). More coffee can be purchased in the machine in the lobby. Or bring your own. We knew the hotel would not be giving us breakfast, as the reservation clerk answered all our questions truthfully. We were surprised to hear that parking would NOT be included, even for one car per suite. It cost CAD $14.00 per night + tax, which means add $30.00 for the the 2-night weekend.
We made reservations rather early in advance, so 2 days prior to our departure we phoned the hotel to confirm. It was a different clerk. We mentioned that it was a reservation for a family of 3 adults sharing one suite for such and such price, quoted to us earlier. The clerk started arguing that we would have to pay extra for the "extra" person, who had never intended to be an unexpected "extra" person, as we had made reservations specifically for 3 people and kept on asking what our options were. This was extremely unpleasant, as for the higher price, we would have chosen a better hotel. When we started arguing that we had been told a different price, the clerk got quite snotty with us. We were extremely upset and hung up. The next day we called them again and got yet another person at the reception. Explained the reservations dilemma, and they said it would be what we had been promised the first time. However, it still felt like they were making us a special favour.
When we arrived to the hotel at around 8 pm on a busy for any hotel weekend night, one way Cartier St. had no parking (there is absoluteely no parking outside the hotel, nowhere even to stop for some time to find out where the garage was and how to get there. We had to mount the car on the sidewalk and risk being ticketed while we went inhside and waited for a VERY LONG TIME for the ONLY reservation's girl's assistance. There was only 1 couple cheking in ahead of us, but still it took a long time. The phone was constabntly ringing - apparanly, hotel guests kept on having problems with their TVs and the same receptionist was checking in guests AND answering the phones - on a Friday night in a downtown hotel in the capital! It was amazing. It turned out that without checking in first, we could NOT even get inhto the only available hotel garage - underground garage, behind the main building. If you have not been to the street before, there is no way one would know where to go to enter it, nor woujlod it have occured to anyone to be leaving the car ON THE SIDEWALK while checking in, because without a magnetic stripe parking/pool card, ojne cannot access their garage. To get the card, we had to spend time waiting and then checking in. The poor girl at the reception was getting nice, trying to stay calm and not to yell, but she was kind of close to it, with the phones and the line up behind us. When we had reservaed originally, we requested a QUIET room. The suite we were given, turned out to be on the 1st Fl. The hotel faces streets on BOTH the sides of it, so when we saw the key tag, we realized it was the first floor and said we would like a QUIET room. The clerk response? "At least there are no hockey teams on your floor". We were speechless. -Hockey teams? What hockey teams? Why are you talking about hockey teams and why are we supposed to worry about it? - "We have 4 hockey teams here." So off we went with our 1st floor key. Another thing: for 3 adults, we were given only ONE KEY. The girl said that she "did not know where the 2nd key was", and when we said that of course, we woudl require more than 1 key, we were told that we would have to come back to the reception the next day (instead of enjoying our only day of sightseeing in Ottawa) and ask for the 2nd key to be MADE! Supposedly, they would be able to "make it" within one day, but for now, this is what she had.
The suite was fine, not too big, but OK for 3 people. However, we looked out of the window, saw many cars, a busy street and got concerned about the noise. Since we had been originally promised a "free upgrade upon availabiity", we decided to go back to the reception to try our luck for an upgrade. By then, there was a big line up of new guests. We waited, then asked about it. The girl did not seem to understand what we were talking about. We said "the free upgrade that you promise - do you have anything better, on a higher floor"? The response was that she would try to phone the manager and started flipping through a binder of laminated suites and floor plans. Since in between she proceded answering the phones from existing guests, it was not clear whether she had actually talked to a manager. Since there were lots of peple behind us, and we were really getting tired of all this parking/no second key/hockey teams surprises, we said, "That's OK, it's taking too long, there are people waiting, we will take the one we have now". The girl mumbled, "I AM giving you an upgrade!". However, mentioning it to us, patiently standing there in front of her, would have been good. This time, we got two keys!! Oh joy! All together, trying
to check in, trying to park, trying to get a quieter room, took over an hour. They give you a paper "thingy" to put on the dashboard, so you have to go back to your vehicle the second time no matter what. By the time we were able to find ourselves on a higher floor, in basically the same size suite, and brought in our luggage from the underground parking, we were dead tired. It was also too late to have a swim in their pool, as it closed at 10 pm.
In the morning, we had a problem with our coffemaker, which could have been our fault, as we were familiar with a totally different model, and tghere were no instructions in the hotel, so the coffee leaked onto the kitchen isle separating the living rm and the tiny kitchen. We started looking for something to clean it up with and discovered we had no kitchen towels or cloths mentioned in the itemised list above on the cupboard door. We called the reception and asked to send us someone to lean up the mess, also requested a new coffemaker and said we had NO towels or cloths in the suite. Imagine having one full day to explore the city, trying to quickly have breakfast and to take off, and you cannot even make coffee? The staff took awhile to show up. When the man did, he gave us a pile of cloths through the door. No kitchen towels. He did not bring the coffeemaker either. Ours was spitting boiling brown liquid all over. We had been using Kleenexes to soak it all up... We waited some more, munched on our dry toasts, a new coffemaker and kitchen towels finally arrived! The old machine was picked up together with the coffee grind remains.
The pool is small. One is not allowed to dive in there, it's too shallow - an adult can easily stand at any end. There is a huge sign about it posted on the wall. But there is no hotel staff on guard in the pool area, so some people felt they could behave any way they wanted. It would be uncomforatble even for 4 adults (strangers) to swim in the pool because of its size. Imagine trying to swim when parents allow kids and also grown up teenagers dive head first into the pool that size without any regard for others. Very rude. Also, some families with small children take out numerous floating devices from a net storage container on the side, enjoy playing with all the boards, noodles, etc., then leave without bothering to fish them out and to put them out of others' way. There is hardly any space to swim as it is, let alone among all that stuff bumping into you. Since it was obvious the hotel did not have a pool staff, we felt it was responsibillity of parents to clean up after their children or whoever were using the floating toys, seeing that there were other, adult, guests there.
Anyway, the hotel was OK, the location was very GOOD, about 15 min. to the Parliament building, the full kitchen in the suite was helpful, but be prepared for all sorts of surprises as the ones described above, and we did not think the price was so much lower than other downtown hotels to justify them, especially the wait upon checking-in.

Cartier Place has lovely suites - excellent value for the rate charged. It is very centrally located in downtown Ottawa (close walking distance to the major tourist attractions and business core). Very friendly staff.

Cartier Place was a fantastic find, thanks to Trip Advisor.

For a very reasonable price I got a suite including full fitted kitchen and dinning table. The kitchen even had a dishwasher!

The suite was clean and the staff very helpful and friendly, and it would make an ideal base for a family or for somebody on a long trip.

The location was good, within a few yards were plenty of shops including late night super markets, fast food and proper restaurants.

I walked everywhere in the city, despite sub-zero temperatures, as things are so close to the hotel.

Excellent - I thoroughly recommend.

We stayed at Cartier Towers for one night in September 2004. Cartier Towers is a suite hotel, the suite was large and comfortable although decor was somewhat tired. Unfortunatley it wasn't the cleanest place we stayed on our trip, as some of the pillows smelt as if they could do with being refreshed. I think we would be hesitant about staying there again.

My husband and I recently spent two nights at Cartier Suites Inn, Ottawa. We had a friendly reception when making the booking and at the front desk on arrival. The assigned suite was spacious, very clean, quiet, and well appointed. We found everything we needed for the two nights. The bed was comfortable and we had two good nights of sleep. Having a suite was convenient for making the simple breakfasts that we enjoy best of all and with not having to face a big cooked breakfast elsewhere first thing in the morning. One evening, we had a most enjoyable meal in the attached Italian restaurant. It had been recommended to us by one of the house guests who spoke highly of its cost and quality. So we tried it and were delighted. We have no hesitation in recommending Cartier Place Suites to other visitors and would choose to stay there again for its hospitality, convenience, and comfort. Beatrice Norrie.

Stayed here during the Summer Sale promotion during the week of Sept 13. Lot of space in our bedroom, the living room and dinning room.
Our suite can easily host a dinner party for 6 people. Was rushing in the morning and left dishes in the sink. Attentative cleaning staff washed each time. Located 1/4 block from Elgin. Near restaurants and a number of fast food joints. Good workout facilities . Has coin laundry on-site.

The only complain is the walls are a bit thin. The first night, I heard noise from the bedroom. I thought someone was opening the door for my suite. The door was at least 10 foot away from the bed. Actually someone in the next suite (behind a wall to the right of the door to my suite) was taking a shower.

I have been a client of the Cartier Suites since the mid-seventies, even though I was a resident of the Nation's Capital area for 53 years before becoming a resident of Tweed, Ontario.

My first experience with the Cartier Suites was in the mid seventies, as a corporate Training & HR Manager at Canada Post Headquarters. The Cartiers Towers, as it was then called, became the apartment hotel of choice for our long-term assignees to head office.

Years later, as a Regional Councillor in Ottawa-Carleton and member of Tourism Ottawa's Board of Directors, the Cartier Suites and Towers became an important partner in the promotion of Ottawa.

More recently, after our permanent move to Tweed, the Cartier Suites became a second home for my wife Christine and I. Christine needed a quiet, warm and comfortable location close to the hospital where her treatment took place. I needed a place to stay when my work brought me to Ottawa and, there was no hesitation in choosing the Cartier Suites.

Its warm staff led by Heidi Webster, its amazing restaurant, the Mezzaluna Café, its central location within walking distance of Ottawa's business district and the longest skating rink in the world - the Rideau Canal - makes the Cartier Suites one that can honestly advertise their "Suite dreams"!


Richard G. Cantin
"I am family"

The Cartier Place Hotel is my favourite apartment hotel in Ottawa. And I've seen many...

When I lived in Vancouver, I would come to Ottawa for business and vacation and I would always stay at the Cartier Place Hotel. It's a family-owned hotel with friendly and caring staff. The service is always excellent and the staff will go out of its way to help you in your requests. I loved the setup of the apartment I used to stay in: a private bedroom, a full kitchen, a lovely living-room and dining-room, and daily cleaning. It's central and close to the Parliament Hill and the Byward Market, and 2 blocks from the Queen Elizabeth canal - perfect for exploring and taking leisure walks.

The restaurant Mezzaluna, attached to the hotel, has wonderful Italian cuisine from Calabria. I had many business lunch meetings there and, although the staff is discreet, they keep an eye out on you and you never have to worry about the food arriving cold and your wine not being refilled. I spent much time in the evening on their lovely terrace, relaxing after a busy day.

Now that I live in Ottawa, the hotel and restaurant are still my favourite spots. When I have visitors from out of town, I put them up at the hotel so they can experience the warmth and welcome I've always felt there. And they're children and pet-friendly. What else do you want?

I highly recommend this experience to anyone.

We usually stay at the Minto when in Ottawa, which on its own is a great place, but the price and location at the Cartier Place blew us away.

One block from Bluesfest and a one bedroom suite was $89/night - I could have spent that just on parking.

Nice pool are with a gas bbq for guests to use.

Best value in a hotel I have ever found and the staff were friendly.

If you are not looking for 5 star hotel then this is the place to book in Ottawa.

I have worked in the hotel industry for many years and customer service is key in this business. Our stay at the Cartier Hotel was memorable. The attention to details and the staffs' willingness to please made it worth while. I would recommend this hotel to anyone visiting the Nation's Capital.