Clarion Hotel And Conference Centre

Overall, our stay was good. The room was clean, and the staff at the front desk were friendly and welcoming. We were given a room on the first floor, which was convenient. Free parking was available, and the location is excellent. The hotel is conveniently located just a short drive from downtown Ottawa, which was the main purpose of our trip. Across the street there is a shopping mall with stores and several places to eat, including Tim Hortons, and another mall within walking distance with an Adonis supermarket. The complimentary breakfast was decent. There were croissants, butter, scrambled eggs, sausages, yogurt, cereal, juice, coffee, and hot chocolate. There were a few things we didn't like. The door handle in our room didn't work properly. The key card reader would turn green, but the door often wouldn't open. We had to try multiple times before we could get into the room. When I finally reported the issue to the front desk on our last day, I was told there was a trick: the handle needed to be pulled down, and if that didn't work, pulled up instead. This isn't something guests should have to figure out on their own, and we should have been informed about it at check-in. The blackout curtains didn't close properly. They were fixed at the sides of the window, and only the sheer curtain could be pulled across. As a result, we couldn't fully cover the window, which provided very little privacy, especially at night. The room had soap, but no shower gel. The soundproofing was poor. Whenever someone in a neighboring room took a shower, we could clearly hear the water running as well as loud plumbing noise through the walls. When someone took a shower around 6:00 a.m., the noise was loud enough to wake us up, making it impossible to get back to sleep. The pool was closed during our stay. The hotel has a Level 2 EV charger, but the charging price was surprisingly high—the same as a Tesla Supercharger, which didn't seem reasonable for a Level 2 charger. Also, with the exception of the front desk staff, most employees didn't speak or understand English well, which made communication difficult. The biggest disappointment came on our last morning. At breakfast, I was told that I was not allowed to fill my bottle with juice because it was "too much". I found this confusing. I could have poured the same amount into 3 or 4 separate cups without any issue, but putting that amount into a bottle was not allowed. This was the first time I've experienced a rule like that. I was about to give this hotel a higher rating, but the unpleasant experience on our last morning changed my mind. Being told that I wasn't allowed to fill my bottle with juice left a disappointing final impression. Overall, we had a pleasant stay, but these issues affected our overall experience.

I paid surge pricing at this property to be close to a weekend long sporting event. I’ve never felt less welcome, a feeling no doubt enhanced by the cost. The overall spirit was mean and cheap and “stop bothering us and go home.” Ice and snow around the entrance was treacherous. Room rate included breakfast which was below bad high school cafeteria quality. The decor was tired and the linens were threadbare. I acknowledge that the rooms were clean and warm and there was lots of hot water. Was it too much to ask for some de-icer, apples without bruises and some decaf coffee? Oh, it most definitely was.

The hotel offers a service of a passing hotel, located on the outskirts of the city with only 2 floors. Point of note, the honesty of her employees, a groupmate forgot her bag with money and passport and at the moment they communicated and were in charge of making the shipment to the next city, really plausible, gives very good to talk about their staff and the values they impart in the chain.