Ottawa Jail Hostel (Youth Hostels in Ottawa)

Member Name: TigerMystery

Product:	Youth Hostels in Ottawa
Date:	08/07/09 (20 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Staying in a real jail cell.

Disadvantages: Charge for bedding, 24-hour reception would've been nice

HI Ottawa Jail Hostel, 75 Nicholas Street

I loved this hostel! The novelty of staying in a jail cell was fantastic. However, a friend of mine stayed here and swears she saw a ghost.

I had arrived in Ottawa on the overnight bus. It got me in at 4 in the morning (much earlier than I expected!), but I couldn't check into the hostel until about 10. The reception opened at 7, and I was able to put my stuff in a locker until check-in. They let me sit in the lounge area, and I accidentally fell asleep on the extremely comfy sofas, until I was woken up about an hour later by a child telling me I wasn't allowed to sleep in there. They also had a good selection of videos, I helped the child pick out a film and put it on for him.

The hostel was within walking distance of everything I wanted to see in Ottawa, and I was able to cross the river over to Quebec.
As a budget traveller, I try to walk everywhere, even when carrying my backpack. I walked to this hostel from the bus station, which was quite a trek, but I found the hostel very easily.

I had just bought a new sleeping bag for a camping trip, so I decided to take it to Ottawa with me. However, I wasn't allowed to use it. This is fairly standard in hostels, as there are concerns about bugs and hygiene. However, you would think that seeing as they don't allow you to use your own bedding, they would provide it for free, but no, they charge you for it.

Facilities: kitchen, dining room, TV lounge, laundry, lockers.

Summary: Great for the novelty factor.