After staying at the AC down the block, I had to go back and make sure I left a positive review for the Andaz, where I’ve stayed multiple times. Every single time, I’ve had a wonderful experience at this hotel. Hyatt just does it right, and they treat their guests right. Last time there, I had a gorgeous corner room with a stunning view. In this neighbourhood, it’s the only hotel I’d recommend.
My sister and her now husband held their wedding reception at the Andaz Ottawa ByWard Market a few weeks ago. Unfortunately, what should have been one of the happiest nights of their lives was overshadowed by a deeply disturbing security incident and what appeared to be a lack of meaningful intervention from hotel staff and management. As the private reception was winding down, two complete strangers entered the wedding space uninvited, claiming they were there to "tour the venue". They swiftly proceeded and attempted to steal wine bottles belonging to the wedding party and verbally abused a group of us, including the bride and groom, when we intervened to recover the stolen property. Despite multiple witnesses, the individuals reportedly remained on the hotel premises. We later encountered them again at the rooftop bar, where their presence left us feeling uncomfortable and unsafe. The hotel's apparent lack of decisive action to address the incident or protect affected guests was deeply concerning. The issue extends far beyond stolen property. How were strangers able to enter a private wedding event, take belongings, verbally abuse guests, and seemingly face no meaningful consequences? Why did multiple witnesses not prompt a more appropriate response? Guests should never have to manage a potentially volatile security situation themselves, particularly during a once-in-a-lifetime celebration. Outside the wedding events, my room offered an excellent view of downtown Ottawa however much of the furniture showed noticeable wear that did not align with my expectations of a luxury hotel. No hand soap in the washroom was a relatively minor oversight but another indication that attention to detail was lacking. The hotel relies on text messaging to reach the front desk or concierge which felt impersonal and inconvenient. Parking was a severe challenge and left guests to navigate public parking off-site unless you opted for the costly valet service. Ultimately, my greatest concern is the apparent failure to respond appropriately to a security incident that directly affected the safety, comfort, and dignity of guests. A wedding night cannot be recreated, and the couple deserved to feel safe and supported while celebrating. Beautiful surroundings cannot compensate for a lack of security, accountability, and genuine guest care. I would have serious reservations about recommending this property for any stay, never mind for a wedding or other important private events.
Had an amazing 2-night stay at Andaz Ottawa Byward Market. The hotel is in a great location but the valet parking service was perfect on the occasions when we needed our car. The front desk staff truly went out of their way to make our stay as comfortable as possible, and they superseded any expectations we had. Our room was huge with all the amenities we could hope for. I highly recommend this hotel and would definitely return.
Very nice hotel, clean, cozy, modern. Rooms are spacious and well decorated with a minimalist vibe. The rooftop terrasse is great - the views are worth it! Drinks over there a very pricey, but it's worth having one and enjoy the view. The gym is pretty small a bit disappointing. The lobby restaurant only opens at 7, which might not be convenient for early morning people. No pool unfortunately. Overall a great stay. I'd recommend and I would stay here again.
Honestly my worst check-in experience. Staff did not allow for early check in (as my room was not ready yet), so I stored my luggage there until it was time for check in, the staff just left my luggage at the front desk while other customers were walking around my luggage. When it was time for check in, there was a line up from the desks to the door which blocked the walkway, as their front desk area is pretty small. Check-in felt rushed due to the line of customers checking in (due to check-in starting at 4PM). So the staff did not explain the charges they were asking us to pay for (which was the charge of the 2nd half of our stay & a deposit per night (FYI there is a $50/day deposit)) which was not explained to us until we checked the credit card charges and questioned them. They provided complimentary wine for the first night of the stay. But at the cost of construction noise that was occurring right beside our room (which was not informed to us until we got in the room & noticed the earplugs). There is a building construction happening right behind the hotel (luckily they don’t work over the weekends, but weekday stays could get frustrating, as the noise is constant and they start pretty early in the morning). Complimentary bottle of water & chips was a plus. But really the only plus of this stay. There is NO housekeeping offered. Although there was a note in our room, I requested for housekeeping and received a response “Unfortunately, we can't guarantee the full service at the moment, but we will notify the housekeeping. And we are more than happy to provide fresh towels, amenities, or any essentials you may need, just text us on here. I will request fresh towels, garbage to be clear for you and refill of the mini bar”. So make sure you ask for housekeeping to clear the garbage and change the towels or else it will not be done. I wasn’t expecting them to change my bed sheets or anything daily as all hotels are now all about “helping the planet” but the fact that they didn’t even fix/reorganize the bedsheets or blanket was pretty disappointing. Honestly, would have preferred them touch up on my bed than the complimentary water & chips, as that is what I expect as service from a hotel stay. Requesting for items were done via text message. Response was pretty quick in comparison to other hotels I’ve stayed at. The ice machine on my floor (6th) didn’t work, so I had to message them to inquire which floor had a working ice machine, on which they answered that I could try the 3rd or 9th floor. Location is a little ghetto at night, lots of homeless people around the area, and druggies just crossing the street randomly. The Dalhousie street only has 1 lane, so traffic is pretty bad. If hailing an uber or Lyft it could take a bit longer before they arrive to the pick up location (recommend requesting the ride inside the hotel to avoid having to wait too long outdoor). It is in very close proximity to the ByWard market, the CF Rideau Centre mall, lots of restaurants & pubs around & walking distance to many attractions (art museum, parliament & royal mint). The hotel required you to tap your keycard to use the elevator to access floors with rooms, but note that the elevator does allow visitors to access the elevator to go to the rooftop restaurant without tapping the keycard. I left an AirPod in my room and tried to contact the hotel via email & phone with no response atm. Honestly I would have expected better service from this hotel, as it was listed as a 4-star luxury hotel. Only luxury I found was the Byredo toiletry that you can use during the stay. FYI - View from the rooftop is great during sunset.
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