Skip to main content
NewslettersWatchlist
Andaz Ottawa brings luxury lodgings to the Byward Market
Sleepover

Copper Spirits & Sprites, the hotel’s rooftop bar, overlooks the Byward Market, Parliament buildings and Ottawa River.

The Andaz Ottawa Byward Market brings the brand's relaxed, up-market, creative-class style to Canada for the first time

CATHERINE DAWSON MARCH
Ottawa

This article was published more than 7 years ago. Some information may no longer be current.

It's taken a long, long time to see new luxe hotels in downtown Ottawa, but as the city gets closer to year-long celebrations of Canada's 150th birthday, it's finally happening. This year, two new properties have opened: the cheap, chic Alt in the core, and the luxury boutique Andaz brand in the much more fun Byward Market neighbourhood.

Andaz Ottawa brings the brand's relaxed, up-market, creative-class style to Canada for the first time. It's a welcome breath of fresh air in a city best known for its heritage hotels (we're looking at you, Lord Elgin and Château Laurier), and the Andaz is well positioned to rope in a younger, monied guest.

LOCATION, LOCATION

Andaz Ottawa Byward Market on Dalhousie Stret.

On the eastern edge of Ottawa's Byward Market, the Andaz makes it easy to explore the city's biggest attractions on foot and still be close enough that you can drop off purchases made at the National Gallery boutique before heading off to the Parliament Buildings or getting happily sucked into the impressively revamped Rideau Centre mall. The killer location means you're also steps from Stubbe Chocolates, first stop on C'est Bon's walking chocolate tour of the neighbourhood, which is a fine way to discover and sample local quality shops you may otherwise walk past.

BEST AMENITY

City view rooms at Andaz Ottawa.

It's tempting to choose the excellent, Canadian-made complimentary snacks in the minibar, including award-winning squares from local chocolatier Hummingbird, not to mention free water and soft drinks in the mini fridge (that's thankfully not rigged to charge your room if you poke around). But the Andaz's greatest asset is the unobstructed "city-view" rooms from the sixth floor on up (for once, that room description is what you want). Views overlooking Byward Market, the National Gallery, Ottawa River and Gatineau Hills are also found from Copper Spirits and Sights, the 16th-floor rooftop cocktail bar that's open to the public.

EAT IN OR EAT OUT?

Feast + Revel restaurant at Andaz Ottawa.

Dinner is fun at Feast + Revel, the streetside restaurant with giant windows looking out on the neighbourhood. Here, diners are part of the show. High-backed curved seating makes it a cozy, cuddly experience for couples. The menu is Canadian-focused and artisanal, with lamb, beef, chicken and elk coming from Ontario farms. Feast + Revel also serves the classiest, tastiest lamb poutine you've ever eaten (shredded lamb on a block of perfectly cooked potato, with cheese-curd cream and savoury gravy). Breakfast is less steady – steel-cut oatmeal is perfectly cooked to order, but avocado egg toast arrives with a nicely cooked egg covering unripe, inedible avocado. Coffee is unforgivably served lukewarm, but kindly replaced and not charged for either.

IF I COULD CHANGE ONE THING

Proximity to the bars of the Byward Market does result in some unwanted late-night noise.

There's a double-edged sword to such a great location, and that's noise. Byward Market is full of nightlife – bars, patios and (some nights) university kids blowing off steam – which is part of the fun. At least, it's fun until you're ready to sleep – and that's when I found it odd that the hotel windows on our 12th-foor room still didn't block out the party below. But that's why I travel with ear plugs.

WHOM YOU'LL MEET

Monied young couples – both locals and visitors – arrive dressed to impress for lively nights on the rooftop bar drinking $15 cocktails, or to dine with friends in the first-floor restaurant. With no hotel pool, families often go elsewhere.

DESIGN

The hotel’s design features a lot of pale and grey wood.

The Andaz look is sleek, modern and unfussy with many nods to Canadian tropes: lots of pale and grey wood, with the odd log used as an accent piece; wall tapestries reveal subtle maps of Canada; tableware pottery at breakfast evokes the forest with earthy colours and shapes. In my room, the beds are multipillowed and invite sleep, the many power outlets are conveniently placed, the walk-in closet is much appreciated, and the desk/chair/bench combination is thoughtfully placed near the large, wall-length windows. Happily, one of the windows cracks open – listen carefully and you'll hear carillon bells playing on Parliament Hill.

Andaz Ottawa Byward Market, 325 Dalhousie St., Ottawa; ottawa.andaz.hyatt.com; 200 rooms from $199.

The writer was a guest of the hotel.