Review: Andaz Ottawa – Beautiful Hotel, Subpar Management

I had previously stayed at Andaz Ottawa ByWard Market back in 2021. My initial impression was that it had the potential to be an excellent property, but the staff weren’t thoroughly trained, which led to an unpleasant stay.

It was a shame that my first Andaz brand experience ended this way. Fast forward to 2024: I had a conference to attend in Ottawa and needed a place to stay, so I wanted to see if Andaz Ottawa had improved since my last visit.

Let’s start the review with a quick video overview!

Quick story from 2021…

During my stay in 2021, the staff had a very poor understanding of Hyatt’s loyalty program, despite the property being part of the Hyatt brand. As a Hyatt Globalist member, I had to explain the benefits I was entitled to, including complimentary breakfast, parking, and guaranteed 4 p.m. checkout.

The staff initially attempted to charge me for all of these services. They even warned me that I would incur additional fees if I checked out EVEN A MINUTE PAST the standard 11 a.m. checkout time.

Although it was a bit bothersome to get everything sorted out, I tried my best to be understanding. This was post-pandemic, the tourism industry was just getting back in business, and the staff could’ve been new.

But what excuse would they have in 2024? Keep reading 🙂

Booking (July 2024)

Back in July 2024, a standard king room hovered around $200 a night, but I booked using a Brand Explorer Free Night Award.

Location

The hotel is located in the historic ByWard Market in downtown Ottawa, just a 5-minute walk from the Rideau Centre, which makes it a super convenient location for travellers. The area is crammed with cafes, restaurants, and boutique shops, making it a must-visit spot for tourists.

Lobby & Check-in

Entrance

The entrance faces Dalhousie Street, and the doors resemble those of a typical residential condo building.

Lobby

Upon entering, you’ll find two check-in desks, with some seating areas to the right and a bar and restaurant (Feast + Revel) to the left.

1 / 2

As you might expect, having ONLY TWO check-in desks inevitably causes congestion during peak hours. This issue was present back in 2021, and I’m surprised they haven’t found a solution yet.

The drama didn’t end here. While most hotels have a check-in time of 3 p.m. and a check-out time of 12 p.m., Andaz Ottawa has a check-in time of 4 p.m. and a check-out time of 11 a.m. I find this quite bizarre and merciless.

It gets worse… Despite this ample window for housekeeping, my room was not ready when I arrived at 4 p.m. Showing almost no apology, they told me to come back in 30-40 minutes.

I returned after 40 minutes, and guess what? The room was still not ready.

So I went and killed another 30 minutes, just wandering around the ByWard Market, only to find the room still not prepared. Exhausted and soaked in sweat (it was nearly 35°C that day), I decided to wait in the lobby.

After another 15 minutes, the staff finally told me that “the room is ready IF I WANT” (what kind of question is that?). This was at 5:30 p.m.

Elevators

Luckily, there are three elevators running at this property, so that wasn’t too bad.

Room (Andaz Suite)

Thanks to my friend Curtis, who booked me the room through Guest of Honor (a Hyatt Globalist benefit), I received a complimentary upgrade to an Andaz Suite. Considering it was a busy Saturday night, this was a nice gesture from the hotel as well.

Foyer

Upon entering the suite, there’s a living room on the left and a walk-in closet in front.

1 / 3

Welcome Gift

Waiting on the round table by the window was a plate of five macarons with fresh berries, and an envelope with my name on it.

1 / 2

Living Room

The living room was quite modern and cozy, although I believe they could have opted for higher-quality furniture. The pieces showed signs of wear and tear, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the entire setup came from IKEA.

Anyway, on the left side of the living room was a couch with a coffee table, and some space to put your luggage.

Near the window was a small dining table with a chair, perfect for enjoying a meal or simply taking in the view with a cup of coffee. The window could be opened, allowing fresh air to flow in.

I do wish there was one more chair, though, so that couples could enjoy the space together. (There is another chair in the bedroom, but its height doesn’t match the table.)

On the other side of the wall was a 50” flat-screen TV with some amenities.

While the TV wasn’t large by today’s standards, having a separate HDMI plug on the wall was a nice touch, next to Bluetooth, an audio jack and two USB ports. It’s always a hassle to search for one behind the TV just to watch a show from your device.

(I really hope that someday all hotels equip their smart TVs with screen mirroring.)

Mini Bar & Coffee

Under the TV was a mini bar stocked with Miss Vickie’s chips, chocolate, still and sparkling water, Coke, and Coke Zero. All of the items were complimentary, which is an exceptional gesture of generosity that I have not witnessed at a hotel before.

Alcohol is the exception: the card on the tray says it’s sold at the front desk between 9 a.m. and 2 a.m. There’s also a Nespresso machine, with capsules, mugs and sugar in a drawer of the cabinet.

1 / 6

Bedroom

Moving on to the bedroom, there was a king-size bed and another TV on the wall. The unique night lamp hanging from the ceiling and a patterned carpet made the room look quite elegant.

1 / 4

One thing I noticed was the absence of an alarm clock on either nightstand. It’s not a big deal since most of us use smartphones for that nowadays, but it did seem odd.

Instead, there was a set of earplugs, which I appreciated as a light sleeper. Despite it being a busy Saturday night, the noise levels were very low, and I didn’t need the earplugs to fall asleep.

1 / 2

View

Being the only tall building in the neighbourhood, the hotel offers quite an amazing view. Facing southwest, I could see the ByWard Market and Parliament Hill over the horizon.

However, unlike the window in the living room, the window in the bedroom could not be opened.

Walk-in Closet

The walk-in closet connects the foyer area to the main bathroom. It included some hangers, a drawer, a safe, a full-size mirror, and an iron, but unfortunately, there were no slippers.

1 / 2

Bathroom

There were two bathrooms in the Andaz Suite: a small one by the entrance and a full main bathroom connected to the bedroom. Both featured elegant, modern designs with small industrial-style faucets.

The main bathroom has a double vanity, a glass-walled shower with a rainfall head, and a separate soaking tub. Toiletries were from a Swedish brand named Byredo (the Bal d’Afrique line), which I quite enjoyed using, and they were available for purchase at the hotel if desired.

I recall there were bathrobes in the bathroom when I stayed back in 2021, but unfortunately they were nowhere to be found this time.

1 / 11

Breakfast

Breakfast is served at Feast + Revel, the bar and restaurant on the ground floor. As part of the Hyatt Globalist benefits, I was entitled to a complimentary breakfast, which included any one main dish from the menu, a drink, and a cup of coffee.

I opted for the Steak & Eggs (the most expensive item on the menu, of course), and it was delicious.

1 / 3

Amenities

Gym

Andaz Ottawa has a small gym on the 16th floor, but no pool. The gym itself is quite small and mediocre, offering just some cardio machines and free weights to get your basic workouts done, but not much more.

Rooftop Lounge

However, there is a rather fancy rooftop bar on the same floor called Copper Spirits & Sights. If you wish to grab a drink while enjoying a breathtaking view of the city, this is the place to be.

Outside, the terrace has lounge seating, planters, and a view of Parliament Hill.

1 / 3

Final Thoughts

Andaz Ottawa ByWard Market is situated in a fantastic location and is overall a great property. However, there is significant room for improvement in terms of service and management.

The check-in experience alone gives me second thoughts about staying at this property again. As the first and only Andaz property in Canada, it likely isn’t giving Canadians the best impression of the brand.

Have you stayed at Andaz Ottawa? Let me know in the comments how your check-in went.