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HI- Jail Hostel

3.5 (34 reviews)

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Paris S.

Spent a weekend in Ottawa for a wedding and needed a last minute cheap option for a night downtown. This place is easy to find and a few blocks from everything. The place is really clean and the staff is lovely. Wasn't really familiar with the area and they suggested fantastic eats and things to do while we were there. The whole place is actually hilarious because it's an old jail so when you go to your room, it's an old jail cell and there's written info about someone who stayed in that cell. There's no full doors so expect to be cold if it's winter or hot if it's summer. The air flow is pretty minimal but it didn't really bother us. Breakfast is included and there's wifi so honestly no complaints! If I ever make my way back I will 100% stay here again. The atmosphere was fun and spooky and I already have recommended it to all of my friends.

A single cell or 'private room'. Yes, it really is just a bed and a door that can be locked with an iron chain and a padlock.
Madita A.

Definitely 100 points for the experience of sleeping in a single cell on 'death row', but not quite so many points for comfort. One night interrupted by the clatter of chains, snoring and other nightly noises was an experience - two would have been an inconvenience. The cells are built with vaulted ceilings to amplify sound. While this certainly made life easier for the past guards, present guests are not exactly lulled to sleep by the nightly snor-gasbord. Zzzzzzzz. Bring earplugs! Otherwise I was a little disappointed by the hostel. I usually love HI, and stay at their hostels whenever possible to feel the spirit and enjoy the activities. This hostel felt a little neglected - possibly because I visited in late November. The info on notice boards was out of date, and staff seemed generally unenthusiastic. It was not bad by all means, but there was just no trace of that HI spirit. Furthermore, a lot of the guest seemed to be single male long term residents. I am not a squeamish or fearful female traveller, but I start to feel a little uncomfortable when outnumbered by male prison benchwarmers at a ratio of about 10 to 1. But I guess it all adds to the inmate experience. So stay for a night in a single cell, get in touch with your inner badass, and let yourself out next morning with a clear criminal record!

dorm with four beds
Peter G.

I stayed during the fall season for five nights and one ot two beds were always unoccupied so booking was not heavy. In regard to some of the prior reviews, the beds are metal framed and the mattress suited my comfort demands; I was not bothered by the history of the building or the fact that convicts died in the bldg, hell the stairways are protected by an anti-suicide grating. My only comment is that the dorm had a window facing Nicholas St. and during the morning hours, the traffic noise will wake the undead but that didn't bother me since I sleep with ear-plugs. The hostel is located off the OC Transport bus lines 94, 95 from the Via Canada Ottawa train station and across the street from the Rideau Mall. Everything you could need is located close by including a Metro 24 hr. grocery store. One other note, the breakfast is cereal, bagels, hard boiled eggs, fresh fruit, orange juice and coffee/tea.

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12 years ago

cool opinion!!! A real jail looked a little bit scary but the concept was awesome!!!!

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11 years ago

The place is great,but they need to do something about their staff.Very slow and unprofessional.

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Review Highlights - HI- Jail Hostel

It's pretty interesting to go to the 8th floor to see what your cell originally looked like.

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Barefoot Inn - Barefoot Hotel downtown barefoothostel.com

Barefoot Inn

3.3(3 reviews)
0.3 km

I stay in this hostel whenever I am in ottawa... This place is super clean, beds are comfy and…read moreduvets are nice and fluffy and they give you a fresh towel everyday! There is a large tv downstairs and 2 computer workstations to access internet. Wifi is fast and reliable. There are 2 bathrooms one upstairs and one downstairs the one upstairs is super big and modern! The one downstairs is a typical shower very useful if someone is taking their sweet time upstairs. The only downside is their kitchen doesn't have a stove to cook, there is however a microwave, coffee maker and toaster. The hostels owner is the same owner as the Swiss hotel next door, you check in at the Swiss hotel. The owner is also very friendly and knowledgeable! Highly recommended!

Dear Barefoot Hostel, During my past visits to the city,…read morehow did I not know that you existed in Ottawa along with Ottawa Jailhouse and the rundown looking Backpackers Inn?? But I'm so glad that the other two did not have bunks available for Canada Day and you unexpectedly came up on Tripadvisor as the third contender, and after looking at how clean and cozy the bunks looked, I just had to book a two nights stay. And should I admit that it was actually the private looking, lavish, hotel-level shower that actually convinced me to give you a try? Well, I have :-) But Barefoot hostel does come with a few minor set backs. First, the hostel does not have it's own reception, anyone planning to stay there has to go to it's affiliate the Swiss Hotel next door. Then you have to pick up the phone located at the front door that will dial you through to the reception desk. Only after you have let the front-desk agent know that you are there to check in, maybe you enter. Check-in is at 3pm and it is strictly at 3pm. After taking a 6:30am train and arriving in Ottawa around 12:30pm feeling like an Insomniac, I was hoping to be allowed to check in early, but no I had to leave my bags and walk around aimlessly for about two hours around the city, when my head really did not want to let my legs move. The last 30 minutes of my wandering around the Byward market area went by so slowly as I was getting anxious to get inside the hostel. Then as it got closer to 3pm I headed back and had to talk through the phone and was finally assigned a bunk. Mind you, the reception area at the Swiss Hotel looks charming and cozy, very much the the living room and patio area of the Jardin St. Anne in Quebec City. Check out was also a bit of bother, because again for security measures, I wanted to make sure my key card was left in the hands of a front desk agent. So around 7:30am I went over to the hotel and picked up the phone. The line was busy and was busy for a good five minutes. So I just left my key-card in the little wooden box on the wall hoping that someone would come take a look for any posts and messages for some of the Swiss Hotel guests. But to those of you reading this review, I will definitely say that the hassle is worth it. Barefoot Hostel is of really good quality at reasonable rate. The interior of the place is so clean and well-kept. And alot of natural light comes inside during the day. The spacious living room is furnished with big, comfortable sofas and couches. There were lots of places to sit and relax with your laptop or tablet. A large flat-screen tv hangs across from the couch with small collection of DVDs. The Wi-Fi connection is also smooth here. There weren't any moments that the connection froze or came to a stand-still. A flight of stairs leads up to the living quarters. A complimentary towel is placed on each bunk and there are more towels hanging inside the lavish bathroom and the bathrooms and shower downstairs. I enjoyed the duvet that graces each bed. In other hostels I have never slept with a duvet that enveloped itself around my body and instantly kept me warm. Man, I would have a really good sleep if I stayed here during the colder months! :-) That was the best feature for the beds. That bathroom looked just like how it was shown in the pictures. I know there was only one shower upstairs to be shared by about 16 people, but the other hostel stayers must have really loved this bathroom, because I don't think I've ever heard people going into this bathroom frequently, at other hostels. Oh, and has anyone stayed at a hostel where your bunk was given maid-service while you were out touring around the town? This one has it. I was surprised when I returned and saw my had been bed made and the duvet neatly folded and a new towel placed on top it. Even the one hostelmate who was also chilling there was impressed. That was awesome! I guess that's only possible when a hostel has any partnership with a hotel. Even other reputable hostel chains don't make up your bed unless it's for the purpose of the next person who is checking in. I have a couple of advice for those of you who stay at this hostel and the hotel. Try not to walked down Daly Avenue and Waller Street where the Ottawa Mission building is. You do not want to encounter the homeless and deadbeats who are constantly loitering in that area. Instead walk down Cumberland Street, past Besserer street in the direction towards the Metro grocery store. It will take you away from the Ottawa Mission and get you to Rideau Street and Byward Market. Come back the same way after a night of bar hopping or seeing what's going on in the market area. Apart from having to be cautious about where I went in the area so I won't run into trouble, I will be staying at the Barefoot Hostel on a future trip Canada's Capital City and I would love to feel the comfort of that duvet again. Keep up the high quality work :-)

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Barefoot Inn - Barefoot Hostel barefoothostel.com

Barefoot Hostel barefoothostel.com

Barefoot Inn - Barefoot Hostel barefoothostel.com

Barefoot Hostel barefoothostel.com

Barefoot Inn - Barefoot Hostel barefoothostel.com

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Barefoot Hostel barefoothostel.com

Ottawa Backpackers Inn

Ottawa Backpackers Inn

2.9(12 reviews)
0.6 km

Was expecting to be similar to a Hi-Hostel, but this is a house! The place doesn't look like the…read morepictures at all, the ambiance from the website is deceiving. There was a big group of people staying in the house and they were so loud the entire night! They were still talking loudly in spanish, cooking and making noise at midnight; so inconsiderate. And it doesn't help that the walls are thin and floors are creeky. They made noise again in the morning, making breakfast and yelling at 7am. They left a mess in the kitchen and I felt like I was living in their house instead of being guests and feeling welcomed. Everything is dirty and old. I hated how it's a rule that you have to take off your shoes once you enter the front door--the floors are so dirty! Good thing I brought my own flip flops. Even the couches in the basement are so filthy and stained. They have an old tiny antennae tv (like an 8" screen), and the screen is so fuzzy you can't see anything! The showers are in the basement, and the room is FREEZING, with no heater. Didn't dare to step on the bath math. The "white" mat is grey. They don't give you bath towels either! What a disappointment. There's no paper towels in the kitchen so you would need to use toilet papers. Yes there's free milk, but the fridge is so messy and there's no pitchers, so you're pouring from the bag tied in a knot--sketchy. There's only 3 parking spots behind the house, and it's $10 a day. The inn owns two houses side by side so we had to go to the other house to check in and pay. At the time, their internet was down for the day. The room is fine, squeaky bed, but looks decent. Everything else though, the hallways and common areas is almost gagging and appalling to look at. For a hundred dollars a night (triple room), you're better off staying at a hotel. This place is disgusting!

The best thing about this hostel is the social aspect! I hung out here one night with a friend who…read morewas staying here and the atmosphere was great! There are lots of common areas including the living room and my favorite the front porch with comfy couches for talking and watching people pass by. There is free WIFI here, so you can take your laptop out on the deck and check your email in the morning with you coffee(also free). The dormitories here aren't too cramped (a maximum of 10 beds...I have been in some that have closer to 20 on my travels). The cost is $25 per night, maybe a bit more than I've paid, but then again, I guess it is almost right in the Byward Market. This is a really convenient hostel to check out all of the tourist attractions downtown walking.

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Ottawa Backpackers Inn - Taken from: http://www.ottawahostel.com

Taken from: http://www.ottawahostel.com

Ottawa Backpackers Inn - Taken from: http://www.ottawahostel.com

Taken from: http://www.ottawahostel.com

Ottawa Backpackers Inn - Front porch

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Front porch

HI- Jail Hostel - hostels - Updated May 2026

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