HI-Ottawa Jail Hostel Reviews

Really cool hostel. Would definitely recommend it just for the unique experience. Very clean and had a nice sized kitchen. Parking for $7 a day in their own lot was a plus too. We were there on a Monday so the bar wasn't opened, and it was pretty quiet. Overall a nice place to stay.

This place is super creepy. But really, REALLY cool. It's an awesome place to spend a couple of nights. The staff are really friendly and helpful and always there to help out if you need anything. Sleeping in a cell was a different experience! My bed was super uncomfortable and really really creaky but it's a old cell bunk so I was kind of expecting it. It's really clean and tidy and the breakfast in the morning is A+ - bagels, eggs, fruit, juice, coffee etc. Close to everything too.

Overall its a good hostel. Nice tour around the building telling about the history of this former prison. Needs to improve cleanliness, especially in the kitchen area..

Very comfortable. Good services. I'll choose here if I come here again!

This hostel si pretty cool ! Keeping some secrets and history! Its close to the centrum. Personal cool, breakfast for free. I had a good one in Ottawa! I hope that was my last staying in the JAIL :D Thank you!

The jail tour they offered was fantastic. The location of jail is really great. The pillow was not clean enough, though.

We had a pleasant stay in this unique hostel. Breakfast was very nice, and the location was nearby the bars. The staff was friendly.

The place itself is lovely but I was disappointed to arrive only to find out that my reservation had been downgraded and not communicated to me at all. It seems that they overbooked the rooms and so we did not get the room that we had planned for which was disappointing. This aside, the in-house pub and general character of the building and kindness of the staff was top notch!

Overall a nice place to stay - good for a change. Not very modern as the prison is old but it's clean and staff is friendly. Stayed on the 9th level alone in a 4 bedroom. Very calm, no noise at all but bar was also closed during stay. The only thing that I didn't like: I extended after 3 days for one night and had to change rooms. The problem was that I needed to check out by 11am and could not check in immediately but had to wait until the afternoon and lock my stuff in the meantime.

Great facilities and cleanliness was on par.

Even had free breakfast included. Good place )

eveything is ok,,,and is about 4 times i stay there ,,so i recommend it

Such an interresting place to stay! The tour through the jail was very good! But it is maybe too expensive for what you get.

Good: Wonderful spacious room, lots of character, clean. Delicious breakfast with great variety of foods. Bad: neither me nor my roommate were able to locate the light switch in the bathroom and I had to take a shower in the dark. The cost of the place turned out 10CAN more than what was shown on the website cause the price on the HostelWorld is shown only for their members, which as the receptionist told me was overlooked not only by me, but my the most guests. Overall, a great place.

Loved the tour

The breakfast was great with a selection of fresh fruits. I would definitely go there again

Decide whether you want to run a hostel or a nightclub. If you want to run both, please install sound-proofing walls so your guests can actually sleep. It's simply ridiculous how little control you supposedly have over your property and employees, and it's a shame, too, because the building itself is quite charming--minus the lack of privacy due to the lack of proper doors. It's not unreasonable to want privacy and a quiet place to rest. Tell your guests in advance when you can't provide either.

Too noisy!!!

Cool hostel (cool theme). Very well located, close to a mall and 10 minutes away from Paliament. Lack of cleanliness in the dorm (the floor was dirty and a lot of dust around the bed). The other people in the room were rude. One skyped at 1 am and the other turned the light up at 2... But I guess that's not the hostel management's fault... Also, I noticed the people were older than in other hosteld I've been before. The two other people in my dorm were in teir forties.

Clean room and bathroom. Quiet place and nice staff. Good location to sleep few nights in Ottawa close to shops and market. +++++