Lord Elgin Hotel

We recently gathered as a group of 7 friends for an annual reunion. Ottawa was selected because we had not been there previously and we wanted to explore the city. Lord Elgin provided the perfect central location with tis convenient transportation options to serve as our base. We were very happy with the hotel, its courteous and friendly staff, and its breakfast offerings. They kindly lent us multiple umbrellas for a rainy night's outing and loaned me a charger for my phone. The bed was comfortable and views of the park were nice. Elevators were very prompt! We would happily return to Lord Elgin.

Elgin Hotel is nice, in a nice location. One of the amenities that's included is parking. What they don't say is that you must use their valet service, otherwise you can't park there. I didn't grow up rich, and don't like being waited on. So was very annoyed. Now, I arrived in a very expensive, very new car. Ie I really don't want anyone else driving it. Plus it took a long time for the valet to retrieve my car. I wanted to go for breakfast Saturday morning. And I was waiting around for over a half hour while they retrieved my car. And you have to do that every time you want to go in and out of the parking lot. It's probably a minor or non issue for other people. But I wouldn't have taken the reservation has I known.

Was at the Lord Elgin for a conference for two nights. I was very disappointed, as the room was very small and the double bed had a duvet with no cover. This was a little disgusting, and we'd have complained if we noticed before our second and last night. ||Keurig machine did not work, only decaf coffee pods provided, no bottled water in the rooms. The toilet in the bathroom is a lever style - like the kind out of a subway bathroom. ||Catering for our event seemed confused. Large soup spoons for yogurt and coffee cups, no signage for which urn was coffee or tea, and they only gave one cookie per person. The meeting room had loud AC, and the building itself is not that accessible (multiple levels).||We stayed here given it was the conference venue with a preferred rate. The following weekend would be $800 per night. That is ridiculous - that's a week salary for some, and it's a total ripoff given the amenities provided.

A very traditional large hotel. Comfortable but a little dilapidated in public areas.|Central and well located.|Very comfortable and clean rooms. |Only downer was at reception when we checked in - we had prepaid but payment was taken again along with deposit. We should have noticed but only charge mentioned by the receptionist was the deposit. When we queried the next day, the response was that the total charge would be revered when we checked out. ||Only when we insisted was the whole charge reversed immediately, though of course it took days to actually happen.||Mistakes happen - the way it was handled was not great at all.|

Have stayed a number of hotels in Ottawa. The Lord Elgin is, hands down, the best accommodation yet. The best value, great location and extremely friendly and supportive staff. Highly recomend. Cheers! Very satisfied guest. 🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂

We were there for a fencing tournament and selected this hotel because of the pool and hot tub. Sadly they were inoperable by the time we finished. Check in was smooth. The staff were kind. The lack of empathy on the pool being closed wasn't great but that's not a big deal. The room had been recently renovated and it was spacious, clean and just what we needed. We were very comfortable. When we called the front desk they responded promptly, handled our needs and were kind. Unfortunately your only choice for parking here is valet at a cost. What made it worse was it was obvious when we got our car back that the staff had used our umbrella which we see as a violation. Not sure if we would return again.

My family and I travel a lot in both the states and in Canada. I have NEVER been to a more UNFRIENDLY kid hotel…especially on family weekend. The walls are paper thin and you can hear everyone talking in their rooms. This is not any guests fault. However, our children were told to be quiet several times even when they were whispering. I’m a teacher and deal with children all the time. The kids were appropriate and patient. My final straw was when politely asked for a place that the kids could play so we could be considerate to other guests. As a kind house keeper went and checked for us, my kids sat quietly on the stairs and someone came out of a conference room and told them to be quiet. They were as quiet as mice talking to each other while they patiently waited. I do not recommend this hotel to anyone with a family. It’s by far the worse hotel I’ve ever visited and I’m so sad. 5stars to house keeping though, they were so sweet.

I'd always wanted to stay here growing up in Ottawa and finally got the chance. We decided to stay one night as we were seeing a show at the NAC. Great location with steps from the lively bar scene on Elgin. The hotel itself was rich with history so a lot more appealing than your average hotel; there's something so magical about preserving the heritage of a building and being able to have a glimpse of life back then. A beautiful building and our king bed room was spacious, clean and had good views, we had a corner view so that was very fun. Thank you to the team there who made the stay that much more enjoyable. Friendly and fast service from all. Might make this an annual visit!

This is a first class hotel, within easy walking of everything in downtown Ottawa, on the same square as City Hall and 5 minutes or less from Parliament. It's a beautiful historic building with marble floors and elegant decor. Rooms are average size with fitted closets, keurig coffee maker, full size ironing board and iron. Our room had plenty of plug in spots for all of the devices, clever reading lights mounted into the headboard and very comfortable beds. Bathrooms are also marble, nice rainfall showerheads and sliding glass doors on the shower (no tub in our room). We needed extra towels and blankets and they arrived within 15 minutes. Everyone is very friendly and helpful. There's a pool and gym on the basement level. Only downside is self park is across the street in public parking with no in/out privileges so we opted for the valet parking, which is a little pricey at $35 per day - however very easy and valets are quick.

I walked past Lord Elgin a few times I came to Ottawa but always stayed at the Fairmont or Westin. This time around due to the Ottawa marathon weekend those 2 hotels were $600+ per night. Lord Elgin as the only Fair priced hotel at $300 including taxes per night. I was pleasantly surprised! The hotel was clean and had a pool and a 24 hour gym. It has a Starbucks for a quick coffee but it's always busy. The restaurant inside the hotel was quite good with yummy breakfast at a fair price and a buffet. I tried the French toast and it was really good. Parking was $35 a night and the service was Great ! I got my car on time. I would come back for sure it's at such a central location near the byward market and walks to lots of restaurants.

Stayed at the hotel from Saturday 19 to Tuesday 22, March 2022. The attention from the people working there was great, everyone was helpful and would anything in their possibilities to help you with your needs. The bathroom of our room looked really new and it was actually quite nice. The bed was comfortable enough, but we didn't like the pillows (they were 3 and we would have like 4, although we didn't express this to any of the employees), a little bit too 'thick' for our personal taste. The room was clean, we really appreciated the coffee machine and enjoyed the good coffee and the to-go caps. My partner and I used the pool (big enough to swim some laps and get some exercise!) and the whirlpool - The chlorine smell was a bit overwhelming in my opinion, but I am a bit sensitive with smells. The gym was simple, but pretty much had anything you needed, the bathrooms there were greatly equipped, having showers, lockers and even a dry sauna! The main reason for my 3 stars review is how poorly noise isolated the rooms are, you can literally hear everything from the aisles and if you happen to be in a room that is 'connecting' to another one, it will be extremely awful to hear everything they do in that adjacent room. I will add just a bad quality picture I have of the pool, just to show that it looked fine on a Monday morning.

This place should have been a 4 star but it didn't make it. Front desk was fine. A bit confusing as he mentioned the pool time and everything but when we got to the room there as a letter from the manager saying it was closed for maintenance. Room was very small as was the bathroom. It had no chair other than a desk chair so there was nowhere to relax. It was clean and fine for our needs. However the bed was so uncomfortable and they only gave three very lumpy pillows for 2 people. They also had the housekeeping staff that did not secure the bottom sheets properly so you could wake up,with a messed up sheet and be touching the Mattress pad. That is one of my real hotel pet peeves. this level of hotel should have a corkscrew and wine glasses but it did not. I have reviewed the restaurant separately and that really brought this place down .

What a totally great surprise my stay here was! The staff could not have been more accommodating- pun intended. I rolled into town for an international meeting and this was the meeting hotel. Everything about my stay was outstanding. The room was updated, fresh and quiet. Those are definite solids. The hotel itself is exceptionally charming and it has that 'old world' feel, but with a fully modern functional attitude. The restaurant is quite good and there are daily specials. Of course, the bar is nicely stocked and staffed. I happened to end up there for an 'occasional' pre dinner beverage and just maybe a nightcap as well. The hotel is perfectly situated to parliament and also to a huge variety of restaurants and bars! All within a very nice short walk from the front door. All in all a super great experience. Shout outs for sure to the hotel staff for the friendly, top shelf service and to our Canadian hosts for the selection of such a great venue!

I stayed here for two nights at the Lord Elgin for a conference in Ottawa. I had booked a Parkview Room - but because I arrived early my room wasn't available yet. The staff offered me another room with no view - which didn't matter to me. I was surprised they allowed me to check-in earlier. This helped me alot because I was soo tired from travelling that day. The rooms were clean and spacious. It had keruig machine with various flavours that they refill continuously. The beds were comfy and there was a huge screen tv. The bathroom was the real selling point. I love the marble design. Def. made my stay worthwhile. They offer free wifi and theres a pool and 24 hr gym which I didn't use but are nice touches. This hotel is close to all the major tourist attractions - everything is a 10min or less walk. I toured Ottawa in one day because everything was super close. There is also great restaurants and a supermarket around the corner. When I left, the attendant kindly took my luggage from the storage, offered me a bottled water and helped me grab a taxi and placed me luggage on the taxi. It was def. a great experience for me (being the first time travelling alone).

Our daughter stayed here one night during a WestJet flight disruption and came away with a bunch of Bed Bug bites!! She was unable to sleep properly. We expect better...

Not fancy or special, but pretty nice, and good location. Room was clean and comfortable, and the buffet breakfast (which we paid extra for, as it wasn't included in our room rate) was pretty top-notch, with a variety of options -- not just yogurt, fruit, baked goods, but also eggs, bacon, sausage, french toast, etc. Valet parking could be improved, but since we were there on a weekend we could park for free in the garage one block away...

Spending part of the Christmas holiday in Ottawa felt great at this imposing old hotel. Too cold to walk around at night in the frigid temperatures, I eagerly relied on room service and was so delighted by the chowder and mushroom risotto that I ordered it again on my second night. I haven't stayed here previously but I look forward to another visit because the rooms are comfortable and clean and the central location alone makes it worth it.

Great hotel with awsome staff and is central to many attractions. Would come back again.

Good price. Great location. Helpful and quick service. Nice room. My room didn't have a view but I didn't pay a premium - so definitely can't complain. Very happy with my stay and will likely use again next time I come to Ottawa.

A few weeks ago, we decided to drive to Canada's Capital last minute using Expedia's Unpublished Hotel Deal, and we were lucky to get Ottawa's Lord Elgin Hotel! Although we were given the option to upgrade to a room with a better view for an extra $10, we decided not to because we were only here for one night. We got a traditional room with a King bed. When we arrived to our room, we were greeted by a cleanly made bed with spotless floors. The heater was turned off, so I made sure to turn it one first thing because it was still cold outside. Across from the bed was a flat screen TV (42″) with a drawer underneath for extra storage, and a desk and office chair for easy work use. There was only one window in the room (the one beside the desk) that was relatively small, but we didn't mind that much because we decided not to upgrade to the room with the better view. Overall, the room was slightly dark because of the lack of windows, but it was alright. Across from the window was a comfy armchair and a clean coffee table where we kept our bags and my makeup on. There wasn't enough space in the washroom to keep all of our toiletries and makeup, so I kept my skincare and makeup outside on the coffee table. It worked out perfectly because there was a big mirror beside the coffee table where I could do my makeup in the morning. There was also a mini fridge and various cups, a electric kettle, and a Keurig machine. We used the mini fridge to keep our drinks cold and it was great. There was a bottle of water available in the room for $4 which we didn't drink; instead, we brought a few bottles of our own. Because who really wants to pay $4 for a bottle of water? We used the Keurig machine efficiently in the morning for our morning cups of coffee and tea. We appreciated the clean electric kettle very much and were taken aback in how clean it was! Having the Keurig machine seemed like a much better idea than a regular coffee machine because it is much easier to maintain for the hotel, easier for us to use, and also easier to clean! Overall, the bed in our room was relatively comfortable. My only disappointment was that the blankets provided were too thin. It didn't keep us that warm throughout the night and so I didn't turn off the heater when we went to sleep at night. Apart from that, the pillows were smaller than we had liked them to be, but there were 4 pillows for us to share so it wasn't too bad. Though the washroom was small, everything that we needed was there, and we had no complaints. The shower head was a little old, but it worked well and the hot water worked just fine. Overall, our stay at Lord Elgin Hotel was short but comfortable. Everyone at the hotel was very polite, friendly, and provided great service. We accidentally lost one of keys at night, but that was taken care of immediately when we alerted the front desk with no extra charges. One other disappointment at Lord Elgin would be that the walls of the rooms are rather thin, so you can easily hear your neighbours throughout the day. We understand that this is due to the building being very old with history, but if you're one that needs privacy, keep this in mind before you book the hotel!

This hotel is all about location. The rooms were good tho small, decent beds. Bell staff and valet staff were friendly, helpful and attentive. The restaurant was pricey and the food not very good; wait staff was unfriendly.

Our experience here was fantastic. We were staying just one night and showed up a couple hours early and they said that early check in was absolutely no problem. We were traveling with a dog and was surprised that not only did they allow dogs, but the room we were allotted was of the same quality as any other in the hotel. They also informed us that there would be no additional fees just for bringing a pet. The hotel was in very close proximity to major sights of interest, including the Parliament Hill. Also close to the famous Byward Market. Close to other restaurants and shops. Will be returning hopefully soon in the better weather.

Introduction. I was in Ottawa for work and decided to stay here as a recommendation from a co-worker. Location is very convenient as its near Byward, Parliament, and Alexandra Bridge should you want to walk into Gatineau to visit some of the museums there. The Elgin has a traditional style - when booking rooms online, I reserved the renovated rooms. Check-in was a breeze. Room 832. Close to the elevators. Heat made a constant banging sound which was annoying. If I turned the heat off, I could hear absolutely every footstep walk by (elephant footsteps), doors banging, toilet flushing...a nightmare for the noise sensitive. The one window allowed all the street noise to come in...to the point I thought it was open, but it was not. No sound insulation at all. Mini-fridge available and tv volume only up to a certain maximum...which would have been fine except I couldn't hear the tv because of all the noise coming from the vent. Wi-fi is pathetic as the speed is quite slow. I think most hotels now provide "basic" wi-fi that allows pictures to load pretty quickly...but the one at Elgin couldn't even do that. Amenities weren't that bad - loved the lemongrass smell. Bathroom had been renovated which was a plus. Bed was comfortable. The hotel has a 24 hour gym and a small-ish lap pool. Didn't eat at the hotel restaurant, but there is one on-site for drinks and grub. Overall, I would not stay at the Elgin, considering so many other options in the area. It's not the cheapest. If you want "old-world charm" than I would recommend the Fairmont...at least there it doesn't feel like the hotel is trying to be something it's not. That being said, location is convenient, and staff are pleasant. On-site Starbucks always a plus.

I loved the stay at this hotel. Pros: The room was above average comparing to other hotels I've been to and the Washroom was beautiful - shower was glass covered and had lots of room! The hotel services are the best I had ever seen, the valet recommended free parking 5 min away instead of spending valet parking money and we got good recommendations for food in the area. Cons: The swimming pool was nice but it was small and not the most comforting. The TV was pretty standard, lots of channels but I'd rather watch movies/TV shows on a laptop.

Proximity to major tourist sights is a plus, as is the Starbucks in the lobby, but the hotel is showing signs of wear & would greatly benefit from a general sprucing up. Housekeeping was inconsistent. The on-site restaurant was dreary and unappetizing. (Separate Yelp review) It took 30 minutes, not the promised 10, for staff to retrieve our car upon checkout. Not a positive way to end our stay.

A Capital Christmas party. On Dec 3rd we attended my wife's office party in Ottawa., and went to a Sens game T the Canadian Tire centre. The Lord Elgin was our hotel. Great service, Great room, Great memories. Close to the Rideau Centre and Parliament Hill. We will definitely be returning guests.

The hotel is a classic old world hotel. The staff is very attentive, friendly and very courteous. Upon checking in I was given a gift bag and I dont know of this is standard or just because I was with a large group for work but it was an awesome touch. The rooms are very clean updated spacious. The gym and pool is very nice and there is also a hot tub and sauna what a win!!!

Fantastic room, excellent staff. I would gladly stay again. Environmentally conscious, windows that open and allow fresh air into room!

This was my first stay in Ottawa & at Lord Elgin. It was a beautiful hotel within walking distance of so many things. Shopping, parliament hill, restaurants... perfect location! From the moment I arrived I was greeted by a very friendly staff focused on customer service. I had a corner suite with a gorgeous view of the park. I was very pleased and will definitely return to this wonderful hotel!

The location is probably the best thing about this hotel. It's pretty old and outdated BUT I don't necessarily think these are negatives. The decor is a little old school but it's comfortable. I like seeing telephones everywhere. :) My room was quite small, I opened the door and pretty much walked into the bed so it made for a rough night's sleep as I could hear every sound going on in the hallway. Still, the room was clean and not cramped. It was a short walk to the Byford Market and the Parliament buildings, so it was nice to be able to walk to these places in about 5-10 mins. Bummed there is no breakfast included with the room, but there is a Starbucks in the lobby if you would like a $5 coffee... :) The staff I encountered during my stay were incredibly friendly and helpful, they definitely brightened the experience. Would I stay here again? Probably not, but only because I want to check out other hotels next time I come to Ottawa.

I loved this stay around in Ottawa as I was able to stay within walking distance of everything (Byward Market, Rideau Mall) . The hotel is beautiful and the staff were extremely nice (but all Canadians are). I had an amazing view (City Hall, Park, Mall, etc). Everyone drools over Starbucks, I don't know why as Tim Horton's is right around the corner and provides heaven in a cup. My extra kudos go to the staff who mailed me back my extra phone charger. If this was anywhere else, it would have "disappeared".

Extremely disappointed with my experience here. Overpriced and outdated. Best way to enjoy the experience here is from across the street gazing at the building. Otherwise it falls short in all departments: service, amenities, and design. Pack your bags and stay somewhere else.

Question: Do you prefer old school authenticity or modern comforts? If you answered 'old school' then the Lord Elgin might be for you. If you don't mind hollow walls and noisy hallways as long as you're surrounded by Grandma wallpaper and museum-piece furniture you might feel at home here. If you're not yet connected to the cyber-world and believe that the internet is just a fad, you might find refuge here. Maybe you just don't mind paying the seventeen bucks a day for the wi-fi that many MODERN hotels provide for free with your stay. You can always use the business centre on the first floor which is slightly larger than most closets too if you don't mind confined spaces. Seriously though, the hotel is loud at night especially if you're near the elevator which we were. The best thing about the Lord Elgin is it's location, like many reviewers have already stated. It is central to everything you would want to see in downtown Ottawa including the Parliament buildings, the Rideau Canal, the Museum of Civilization, and the War Museum. We had a great view overlooking Elgin Street and the park beside it. The dining room had extremely friendly staff the night we ate there but the menu is limited. The Elgin has to stop riding on its historical coattails and get with the program. Just because you're old doesn't mean that you're great. I'm happy for them that the great grandson of James Bruce, 11th Earl of Elgin, 15th Earl of Kincardine stayed there (I've never heard of him either) but that doesn't make me want to. Get on the bus or get under it. The pool is nice.

3.5 stars Good location and very friendly help. My room was super small. Is this Paris? Tokyo? No? Really no excuse. The facilities were clean. $4 for an in room bottle of water is wack. Wouldn't rush back here but it was okay.

We stayed here in the summer for when we went to a concert. They offered a discounted price with the concert tickets which they honored. The rooms were clean and nice. We didn't stay in the room much however it was nice to be able to run downstairs in the morning for a Starbucks. Elegant but we didn't feel out of place and the check in and check out was super fast and easy :) Also, Byward Market was a 10 minute walk and we got to check that out and the Rideau Centre is literally a 3 minute walk. Overall, we had a great experience and will come back when we are in Ottawa next.

We were triple charged for our rooms, but staff said it was "standard policy" to charge additional amounts to your credit card and then remove the excess a week later. For a $600 bill, that is a significant amount of excess. Probably illegal.

Stayed at the Lord Elgin last week on business. Awesome hotel, great staff, room service was good. Had a corner room, very nice. Upscale for the price. Highly recommend. David - Fresno, California

Stayed for two nights in a renovated room. Bathroom was beautifully tiled with a stall shower. A heater in the bathroom kept it nice and warm. We had a front corner room with a king bed. There was a window on two sides so the room was very bright with beautiful views of the park across the street and the church on the side street. The bed was comfortable and even though we were by the stairs, the room was very quiet. We had the buffet breakfast and our waitress Tammy was so warm and friendly we enjoyed our breakfast even more! Everyone was cheery and friendly and we had a great stay. The proximity to Parliament was perfect as well as many sites and the Rideau canal and all within walking distance. Even though it was bitterly cold and snowed most of the stay, we can't wait to go back!

I stayed at Lord Elgin this past Labour Day long weekend. The location of the hotel is great; it is literally smack dab in the middle of downtown Ottawa. You can walk to parliament, the market, Elgin street within minutes. The room we got was small but quaint. Unfortunately, we got the smallest bathroom known to man. Wifi was an extra charge. The pool was small as is the fitness area. There is a Starbucks in the lobby which makes morning extra happy. I would consider staying here again for the location. Price was moderate if you are able to get a deal on hotwire or priceline. Bonus: the restaurant in the hotel serves an awesome breakfast bufftet!

I have to agree with Jeff G. My room was extremely small, I'm glad it was just me for the majority of the time I spent here because I think it would be crowded with even two people. I found the fact I have to pay for wifi every night absurd. EVERY hotel I've stayed at in the last ~4 years has had free wifi. I found my room to be extremely loud as well, even considering it was a fairly quiet time of year and I don't think there was anyone in the room adjacent to mine. The shampoo and conditioner left my hair dry and I had to go to Shoppers Drug Mart to get some nicer stuff. None of the staff were particularly friendly either. I found this place was no fancier than a Comfort Inn and certainly not worth the price. However, there were some plus sides. It was charming and homey and I felt comfortable my entire stay. The bed was perfect, for some reason I ALWAYS get a lumpy bed at any hotel. I ordered breakfast which was also quite good. And best of all they were able to find me a room on a very short notice, which I didn't expect.

This hotel is old world in the sense it is one of the oldest or oldest hotel in Ottawa, the capital of Canada. The room we stayed in was small but nice and we were quite comfortable sleeping in in the beds and the hotel stafff was quite pleasant. It was walking distance to Parliment where we saw the daily "Changing of the Guard" and walked to nearby shops and restaurants. If and when I return to Ottawa we will definately stay there again.

Ahh the Lord Elgin. It all starts out so nice! The grand lobby, the great location, the vintage charm! Yes, I dare say my expectations were awfully inflated by the time I left the lobby after being told that there WAS, in fact, a room ready for me despite arriving four hours before check-in time (um...awesome!). Now, before we go any further, I need to be clear - aside from a few notable exceptions, my stay at the Lord Elgin was fine. But we're talking the same way a stay at the Holiday Inn is fine. Except you have a much better idea of what you're in for when you book at a Holiday Inn. Once you get past the classic charm of the Lord Elgin's facade, the rest doesn't really live up to expectations. My room was all kinds of small...like, 'squat over the toilet to open and close the door of the bathroom' small and there just weren't as many nice-to-haves that are becoming standards at other hotels like nice conditioners and soaps in the shower. What's worse though, is that some of the basics weren't even up to snuff. Having to scour the room for a free electrical outlet is no good, nor is not being able to both plug in your iPhone and rest it on the bedside table because the one free plug is in the far corner of the room. The worst part though has to be that there's no free internet access. This could be up there with the seven deadly sins for me. I had to pay a pretty penny (think in the $9.95 range) for each 24-hours of web access, and it wasn't even wireless so working meant having to crouch over a poorly placed workstation rather than sitting in the more comfortable chairs or hanging out on the bed. Lord Elgin? A few updates would go a long way at pairing your gorgeous, old charm with the modern day perks that we've come to expect. Get that under control and you'd be more than just a-okay in my books!

This is an excellent hotel. Rather old school but very central to what is happening in Ottawa, whether the theater, museum, parliament, the canal or very good restaurants. I was there for 5 days and found the staff very nice and helpful. I never ate inside the hotel but good food is nearby. You have to pay $17 for wifi which is a bummer. The beds are large and firm, TVs old, bathroom and water power very good. I would definitely stary here again

VERY comfortable bed! Centrally located in beautiful downtown Ottawa -- great service, nice restaurant downstairs and a Starbucks in the building. Had a great stay.

Passable and forgettable. I was pleased with the dignified exterior, great central location, and reasonable rates, but less so with the room. The carpets, bedding, and furniture were quintessential hotel ersatz-luxury and only a slight step up from what you'd find at a Westin or Holiday Inn. Crummy tube TV, no duvet, no slippers, no bathrobe, mediocre coffee. No view from my room, and plenty of traffic noise during the day. Good water pressure and temp. Starbucks in the lobby: a big plus. The biggest disappointment was that internet cost $10.00 / day, was painfully slow, and was ethernet-only. Guys, it's 2011 -- time to splurge on some LCD TVs, a high speed internet line, and a bunch of routers. The staff were generally friendly and helpful, but allow me to share a small anecdote re: service. I left the tag on my door to order breakfast. In the morning, room service called up to clarify something. When I answered, the young fellow on the other end kept addressing me as "man" -- as in "Hey, man!", "Cool -- thanks, man!", etc. I don't stand on ceremony and he could have called me "el duderino" for all that I cared, but given that he had never met me and had no way of knowing I wasn't a middle-aged Senior VP of a major software company, calling me "man" from the get-go was probably a bad idea.

My partner and I stayed at the Lord Elgin Hotel in Ottawa this past weekend. This hotel is all about location. The restaurant was terrible, the menu was out of the early 90's (simple and unappetizing). Room service ended at 11pm, no mini bar and no in-room snacks, not even a bottle of water in the room. Also, make sure you are back to the hotel before 12 mid-night or you get locked out! Lastly, our king sized bed had a bunch of tiny pillows, I'd maybe invest in some king sized pillows for your king suite suites or maybe that didn't fit into the supposed $12 million in renovations. Will not be staying here again, plenty of other choices that actually put some thought into the customer experience.

Visited the Lord Elgin this past weekend while attending a wedding in Ottawa. We really enjoyed our stay. The location is central. It is walking distance to Parliament Hill, Byward Market and the Rideau Centre. The staff were very friendly and helpful and the rooms were clean and comfortable. In fact the beds were incredibly comfortable. Unfortunately the same cannot be said for the restaurant. The breakfasts were expensive for what they were. The buffet was the standard breakfast fare but not for $18. We also went for some drinks and appetizers before we left for the wedding reception. The beer selections were great. We ordered an appetizer platter which was very little food and took a long time to arrive to the table (45 mins). There were 2 sliders, 2 ribs, a few perogies and spring roles. For $25! Again it left me wishing that we made the 10 minute walk to Byward Market to have a snack at a cafe or pub. The hotel was lovely and I would gladly stay there on my next trip to Ottawa. Next time I will eat out.

A nice hotel; however, not helpful when they make mistakes. My credit card was overcharged and rather than correct the mistake they indicated the charges would remain until I left. When I questioned the extra security charges ( $75/day) I was treated as if I was some slob that doesn't understand how nice hotels work. I was treated as if the Days Inn was more my kind of hotel. The treatment was so bad that I switched hotels. Interesting...the Sheraton doesn't charge $75/day extra for security.

Location is great - in the heart of downtown, close walk to Rideau Centre, Confederation Park and The Market. However, this place does NOT live up to it's hype or price. We got the traditional queen room and told we were getting a corner room, not a front facing one, so we had a bit of a view. View? Our window was tiny, how much of a view could you get. What was tinier was the bathroom. Small, outdated, and the toilet was the type you'd find in a public washroom. The room itself was very small. Bed was not very comfortable and they provided three old, cheap pillows. In addition to the way below average room, the walls were paper thin and at 6AM we could hear toilets flushing and people bustling about in the three rooms surrounding us. Room service was slow and the phone line was so bad the woman at the reception desk could barely hear me...before the line cut off completely. Lord Elgin, aside from the location, was an utter disappointment. Will not be back!

Great experience from the moment we drove up to the hotel. Extremely friendly staff across the board. The valet, front desk to the ladies cleaning the room. Our room is great and the upgrades are just as they appear in the hotels website pictures. The marble bath has a spa feel and the chaise lounge in the room is super comfortable. The price is very fair for what is provided.

Great service ... very close to all attractions.. like it...::::...Rooms are very good my kids love the view from the room

In town for a conference at uOttawa. My room was nice, service was exceptional and workout facility clean with enough machines. Great visit!

didn't have a choice since my cousin picked this spot for all wedding guests from out of the city. the price was also pretty reasonable. centrally located, we could walk to quite a bit of the city and eats. the actual street has a ton of fun pubs. the brekke buffet is ok - nothing too spectacular but a decent amount of choice. there is a small business center where you find most people checking their facebook. i tried to print my boarding pass but no one wanted to give up their spot. sigh. thankfully, i went early enough that it was ok. maybe its not the epitome of modernism but it had charm and suited us just fine.

We stayed in this hotel from the 1st to the 3rd of Jan, 2012. Great location, very spacious rooms (we had a king room), room fridge, (great for hiding snacks and holiday leftovers), attentive front desk, and ....drum roll please...they allow dogs. This was the clincher for us but we were thrilled to have a room that was so nice and well located and we scored on the room rate of just 105$ per night tax in. We did not really take advantage of the hotels restaurant or bar as we were visiting family, but it looked swanky and I was told that it is where a lot of very important politics have taken place. I highly recommed it and suggest you not be deterred by the rates on the website, if you book last minuts like we did (in off time of course), your going to get great bang for your buck.

The Lord Elgin was a decent place to stay when staying in Ottawa. It didn't really have any special qualitites and the rooms were pretty standard. Nothing really stood out to me. Even the staff seemed very standard (no genuine real greetings or anything out of the ordinary, just business as usual). I did like the location, though. Parliament, the canal, shopping, eateries and everything were within walking distance. If you want a hotel close to everything but wont really be in the hotel much, this is a good choice for you. If your hotel experience is really important to you, keep looking...

There are just few of the hotels where I have felt so good about the service ( the last I remember was in Taipei in '05 !) .. Lord Elgin is one of those rare gems ..It may look like - Oh yeah, it's pricey , they gotto have good service - but if u look a bit around on their site, u might get an equally good deal - I was lucky to get one such good deal on their own website ( 2 nights , 1 night free) & felt like I finally found a decent hotel to sleep after all the stress I had been through with my crazy stay/travel from Vancouver to Ottawa .. And booking another place in Ottawa not even knowing about this place . Okay - so I rate them excellent for the good service, tastefully done traditional rooms, good wifi, relaxing ambience & a great location ! I didn't try the pool or other facilities , so can't comment on that .. But what impressed me most was that everyone from bell desk to front desk to housekeeping were friendly nice people, ready to give a helping hand and make your life a little more easier .. I might just go to Ottawa again just to stay in this more 'human' & genuinely nice hotel :) oh and the hotel and the city is beautiful too ....

I want to start out with saying I have lived in BC my whole life and never understood why everyone says Canadians are so polite and helpful until I came here to visit, in general the people of Ottawa have lived up to this stereotype but the staff at the Lord Elgin have lived up to it above and beyond. Hands down the best experience I have ever had with any customer service and certainly at a hotel. I will never stay anywhere else when I come to Ottawa it is well worth the money just based on the customer service. The staff are so friendly polite and helpful I had a million questions during my stay and they were so attentive gave great recommendations gave detailed directions and information and always so happy to help and have a conversation. Even when we were difficult about changing rooms and combining multiple reservations and just in general nightmare customers they were always so happy and polite and just amazing to be around. I had one small issue at the restaurant (the food was really good it was a staff related issue) and they were on it immediately and refunding me even though I insisted I didn't want one. Just above and beyond I can't recommend them enough many people who work in customer service could stand to learn a thing or two from these amazing people! Thank you so so so much to everyone who works here you gave me the most amazing experience I've ever had at a hotel and I will definitely be back!