If you are visiting Canada and looking for a convenient hotel in Ottawa, then The Business Inn & Suites might be a good place to book for your accommodation.
The Business Inn & Suites offers spacious comfortable rooms and suites, good breakfast, useful amenities and is conveniently located in downtown Ottawa within walking distance to popular attractions such as Parliament Hill, the Rideau Canal, and ByWard Market.
This combined with its affordable prices and amenities, make it a great value for budget-conscious travellers.
Why We Chose The Business Inn & Suites
In terms of accommodation, we would recommend booking your hotel through an aggregator such as Booking.com or Agoda to get the best rates. On this occasion, we booked our hotel in Ottawa via Booking.com.
During our city breaks, we tend to sleep at the hotel, have breakfast and be out and about all day, so we weren’t after luxury accommodation but wanted a hotel with central location and laundry facilities as this stay was half-way through our Canada trip.
We chose The Business Inn & Suites, due to the following reasons:
- Good location – walking distance to Parliament Hill and ByWard Market and easy transport links
- Good reviews on TripAdvisor
- Laundry facilities
- Fit our budget
- Value for money hotel in Ottawa
Overall, we had a good experience and would happily return to this hotel. The hotel was clean, the suite was spacious, the bed was comfortable, breakfast was good and we felt it was a good value for money for a 3 star hotel in Ottawa. We share more about our experience below.
How to get to The Business Inn & Suites
The Business Inn & Suites is conveniently located just 15 minutes walk to Parliament Hill, less than 10 minutes walk to the Canada Museum of Nature and within minutes of restaurants and bars in the local area.
If you are flying to Ottawa International Airport, you can reach the hotel in 20 minutes by car or in just 45 minutes by public transport. If you are arriving by train (as we did), the hotel is only 10 minutes by taxi from the Ottawa train station.
If you prefer to use public transport, there is a bus stop a few minutes away from the hotel.
Hotel address: 180 MacLaren St, Ottawa, ON K2P 0L3, Canada
Discover The Business Inn & Suites
Check-in Experience
The reception desk is right by the main entrance. The receptionist was very friendly and helpful and explained all we needed to know about the hotel.
Unfortunately our room wasn’t available for check in as it wasn’t cleaned. The receptionist spotted this before giving us keys to the room and apologised multiple times about this.
We were given one room for the first night and then moved to another one for the duration of our stay. Although this wasn’t ideal, it wasn’t too much of inconvenience as the hotel staff moved our belongings from one room to the other.
On the positive side, we got to stay in two different rooms – in a 2 Bed Suite and in the Signature Suite and share our experience and impressions from both.
Lobby
The lobby area is rather cosy. There is a sofa by the main reception desk and another sofa and armchairs just after reception, by the vending machines. When you have a spacious suite, I suppose you don’t need to use the hotel’s lobby.
On our last day, we did spend some more time in the lobby whilst waiting for our taxi driver to arrive and take us to the train station for our onward travel to Montreal.
2 Bed Suite Overview
We spent the first night in the 2 Bed Suite (500 square feet or 47 square metre). We didn’t expect this and were pleasantly surprised to see two king size beds. The suite was fully furnished and packed with amenities.
The room was spacious and the bed and pillows were comfortable and offered a good night sleep. Although a bit dated, the suite was furnished nicely and we loved the comfort and the space that it offered.
With an open concept design, this suite offered us a kitchen, sofa, dining table and an office space.
We didn’t get to use much of the sofa, but it was comfortable and the perfect distance from the flat screen TV. The coffee table was a nice addition too.
If we needed to do some work, then the desk would have been perfect for it. As a business hotel, the Wi-Fi was excellent and there was also wired high-speed Internet, monitor and a printer.
The kitchen was fully equipped with all you need, in case you would like to cook in the room – fridge and freezer, oven and hob, microwave, kettle, toaster and even a coffee machine with tea and coffee provided. There was a selection of cutlery, crockery, pots and pans etc. and I was surprised to see kitchen towels as well. Certainly exceeded expectations.
Other amenities included a hairdryer, HEPA-13 air purifier, clothes steamer, iron and ironing board and a laundry basket. Honestly, this place has it all.
The bathroom was basic but had everything we needed. The main mirror was well lit, which was nice. The usual shower gel, shampoo and body lotion were provided as well as a vanity mirror.
If you’re in Ottawa for business or pleasure and you are looking for an inexpensive suite with two beds, then The Business Inn & Suites is the way to go. You will find everything you need (and more) here.
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Signature Suite Overview
The last two nights we spent in the Signature Suite which was indeed more superior than the 2 Bed Suite and had a balcony. Needless to stay that our stay was really comfortable and we did have more space than we needed.
The Signature Suite (700 square feet or 65 square metre) was essentially a super spacious one-bedroom flat. We absolutely loved it! We had a separate bedroom, living room with a dining table and kitchen.
Bedroom
The bedroom was spacious and the bed and pillows were comfortable and offered a good night sleep. During the day, the room got a lot of day light. In addition, we had bedside tables, a flat screen TV, air humidifier and a heater.
The wardrobe was spacious with enough shelf space and hangers. I really enjoyed the mirror doors of the wardrobe. There was additional storage space outside the bedroom and in the main hallway.
Living Room
The living room exceeded our expectations. We had two sofas which were soft and comfortable. We spent a lot of time in the evenings chilling there. You also get a small table on the side of the sofa, a coffee table and a large flat screen TV with a TV stand.
In addition, there was a large dining table and a desk with a comfortable chair, PC and even a printer. From this part of the living room, there is an opening towards the kitchen which is a nice touch. Whilst not an open plan kitchen, it creates a good connection between the living/dining room and the kitchen area.
From the living room, you can go out to the long balcony (the length of the living room) and enjoy some fresh air and feel the buzz of the outside space.
Kitchen
The Signature Suite features a full kitchen, complete with a full-sized refrigerator, microwave, stovetop, coffee maker, toaster, and all necessary cookware and utensils. This setup allows you to prepare your own meals, adding a layer of convenience for those staying longer.
We didn’t use the kitchen during our stay but if we were staying in Ottawa for longer or if we were working remotely, this would have been fully utilised. The kitchen also comes with a table and two chairs, so you have a choice whether to enjoy your meal in the kitchen or in the dining room.
Bathroom
Similarly to the 2 Bed Suite, the bathroom wasn’t spacious but had everything we needed. The main mirror was well lit and the usual shower gel, shampoo and body lotion were provided.
To us, the Signature Suite is perfect for an extended stay as it offers everything you can ever need. With the complete kitchen and separate bedroom, the Signature Suite at The Business Inn & Suites felt like home.
Housekeeping attends the room daily, ensuring a clean and tidy living space throughout the stay. You can also choose to skip a few days of housekeeping and get some money back in return.
Breakfast at The Business Inn & Suites
Overall the breakfast was good and filling and offered enough items to choose from to kick start your day. What was really surprising (for someone coming from Europe), was the paper plates, disposable cutlery, paper cups and all pre-packed foods.
From the hot section, you can choose from a few items including sausages, egg bites and hash browns. Sandwiches were pre-made and already packed in a box, so you can easily take away.
You can choose from bacon, egg & cheese; sausage, egg & cheese; ham, egg & cheese and egg & cheese. As I don’t eat eggs, I asked for bacon & cheese sandwich and the staff member was happy to prepare this for me.
From the fridge, you can help yourself to bottled water, a selection of yoghurts, milk, individually packed portions of cheddar cheese, butter, fruit pots and juices.
If you are into cereals and oat meal, you can enjoy these with your topping of choice and pick and choose the box of celeals your prefer.
For dessert, you can choose from sweet treats such as muffins and croissants or go for a fruit option. Bananas, oranges and apples were available daily in addition to the fruit pots in the fridge.
The coffee and tea selection was great with plenty of filter coffee available. We particularly enjoyed the Nespresso coffee machine with a selection of coffee capsules to choose from. The take away cups were great to take coffee away.
We felt there was a lot of wastage at breakfast and many items could have been served at a buffet. Whilst having everything pre-packed guarantees freshness and is safer for the consumer, it was a bit of a shock for us.
Hotel Facilities at The Business Inn & Suites
Laundry Room
Laundry facilities were key for us, as we travelled around Canada with rucksacks only. The laundry room in the hotel is fitted with high-efficiency washers and dryers, ensuring clothes are cleaned thoroughly and efficiently.
Multiple machines are available to reduce wait times, even during peak usage periods. We used these 3 times during our stay and the most we had to wait was about 15 minutes.
We did bring our own detergent but the hotel also provides complimentary washing powder and drying sheets. Folding washing baskets and ironing boards are provided in each room to facilitate garment care.
The laundry room at The Business Inn & Suites in Ottawa is a valuable amenity that enhanced the convenience and comfort of our stay.
Gym
The hotel features a small but well-equipped gym, catering to the fitness needs of guests who want to maintain their exercise routines while traveling. Despite its compact size, the gym offers a range of equipment and amenities designed to support a variety of workouts.
We don’t really go to the gym, so this wasn’t of high importance for us but it’s good to know a gym is available.
Hotel Restaurant – MacLaren’s on Elgin
The hotel also has a restaurant which is a popular spot for both locals and visitors. MacLaren’s on Elgin is casual sports bar and offers a relaxed pub atmosphere with a great selection of beers and comfort food.
We tried their 3 course set meal with a steak and for a sports bar that was actually very tasty. The steak was cooked to temperature and was the right thickness, coleslaw was also pretty good alongside the asparagus which added some much needed vitamins to this otherwise rich meal.
The place is a great spot to hang around and have a drink or a meal. We also had their wings and nachos – the wings were great, whilst nachos not particularly amazing and felt slightly stale.
There are plenty of pool tables, so if you are into pool, you can certainly enjoy a few games. Definitely a location to consider when in Ottawa and looking to have some good time.
Final Thoughts
The Business Inn & Suites in Ottawa boasts a prime downtown location, making it convenient for guests to access major business districts, government buildings, and popular attractions such as Parliament Hill and the Rideau Canal. Numerous dining and entertainment options are within walking distance, adding to the convenience and appeal of staying here.
Check Prices: The Business Inn & Suites
This hotel is an excellent choice for business travelers and leisure guests alike, offering a range of amenities and facilities designed to provide comfort and convenience. Its central location, combined with the well-thought-out features of the suites, ensures a productive and enjoyable stay in Ottawa.
Ready to book? Below are some recommendations to get your trip started:
- Flights – we use flight aggregators such as Skyscanner and Google flights to find the best options. You can find more information about finding cheap flights here.
- Accommodation – would recommend booking your accommodation through an aggregator such as Booking.com or Agoda to get the best rates. We also use TripAdvisor to read reviews.
- Transport – consider Rentalcars.com for car renting or if you rely on public transport, you can use Omio for trains, coaches, ferries, airport transfers and even flights.
- Activities – a great option is GetYourGuide, Klook or Viator for tours, excursions, experiences and tickets to many tourist attractions.
- Travel money – we have Starling Bank accounts (UK residents only) with 0% fees on FX and a good Mastercard exchange rate. Revolut is another good option.
- Internet abroad – with Airalo or Nomad you can access a wide range of eSIMs (digital SIM cards) available for different countries and regions.
- Luggage storage – if you need to store your bags whilst exploring the destination, you can use Radical Storage to find your closest luggage storage and enjoy your journey until the very end.
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