The Observatory is run by the Algonquin Students' Association. I've been here once before for an…read moreevent where they had Perez Hilton come in, talk on stage, and sign autographs. A bunch of wooden chairs were set up facing the stage, and Perez gossiped about celebrities for an hour or so, told us how he got to be a famous blogger, answered some questions, signed t-shirts, and dropped as many F-bombs as he possibly could. The bouncers were a little too serious for the nature of the event and the guest of honour. You'd think that they'd lighten up a little considering it was Perez Hilton talking and not a concert or anything, but at least they made sure to keep everything safe and fight-free. Food and alcohol are offered at the Observatory. They are fully licensed and offer Starbucks coffee and a decent selection of sandwiches, salads, pizza, pub-fare, and breakfast, all for affordable prices. For those of you that are Algonquin College students, you can use your meal plan here. They also have couches, TVs, and pool tables if you want to hang out and/or study. It's also available for private rentals when it's not being used for other events. To contact the Observatory directly, here is their information via the website: Paul Norman, The Observatory Manager (613) 727-4723 ext. 5327 or by e-mail at normanp1@algonquincollege.com

I've eaten here three times now, and maybe it's the oil they use to cook their food or something…read moreelse but every time I've stopped by the observatory for food I've been sick right after. I usually get their chicken strips with fries, and it NEVER sits well with me. Sure, they taste good, but after twenty minutes I'm running to the washroom to toss it back up. A friend of mine has had their wrap and quesadillas and even she agrees that there's just something about the food that doesn't sit right in one's stomach. Overall, it's a really nice restaurant space - the fireplace is a nice, cozy touch. The food, however, leaves a bit to be desired. Prices are decent though, and they accept student meal plan, which is why I'm not giving them 1 star out of five.

friendly accommodating and creative staff in a beautiful modern venue. ability to bring food for…read morethe occasion and make some themes according to your needs. great experience here, affordable and highly recommended, Sandra K

We had my daughter's 10th birthday party here in September and she loved it. The wow factor was…read moregreat, everyone loved it. It felt like renting out a club, the girls were very excited. Karaoke is the main draw of course, but the room is also set up great for parties with lots of couches and areas to set up for doing presents and games and stuff. The staff was super accommodating and let the girls use the microphones to do play mafia and call bingo as well. Great spot, hidden gem, highly recommend if you're out of ideas for a birthday party!

This is my first time visiting this hotel. My friend and I didn't stay here but we came to check…read moreout their patio & lovely river view. We enjoyed our visit and will return again for sure . Thank you for having us.

Had a 3 day stay here on business. Decided to watch some of Game 7 of the World Series at the bar…read more Greeted enthusiastically by Megan the bartender and had a few pints with a co-worker. Friendly regulars and awesome service from Megan made it an enjoyable evening. If they had HD television it would have been even better.

Dow's Lake is a man-made lake on the Rideau Canal. It's the site of many fun activities and there…read moreare several restaurants there with beautiful views of the water. You can rent canoes, kayaks, and pedal boats/paddle boats in the summer. In May there's the Tulip Festival which is technically in Commissioner's Park, but this park surrounds Dow's Lake. In the winter when the lake freezes over, you can skate on it, and it's connected to the Rideau Canal, so you can skate for a pretty good distance. There are 3 restaurants at Dow's Lake. Over the years they have changed, but currently the restaurants are Lago, Umbrella Bar, and Mexi's (aka Mexicali Rosa's). There's a paid parking lot nearby ($3.50 per 30 minutes up to a maximum of $14), or street parking ($0.25 per 6 minutes) a bit further away, or free parking on residential streets in neighbouring Little Italy (3 hour limit as per by-laws).

Dow's Lake Pavilion is a short distance away from the airport and Ottawa's downtown core. I like…read morethat you can escape from your daily routine to this picturesque area without doing a road trip. There are canoes and pedal boats that you can rent. You are required to sign a waiver, wear a life jacket, and put down a $20 deposit. You can use cash, and debit and credit cards, except for American Express. Sadly, Amex doesn't seem to be as widely accepted as it used to be. There are lockers where you can store your belongings when you are on the water. I recommend coming with what you truly need. I parked in the lot across from the Pavilion. Parking is $3.50 for 30 minutes, to a maximum of $14. I paid by credit card, which was great. I didn't risk parking on the street, but I know that I can now. It's cheaper that way, but you do have to be cognizant of the time. You can also dine here after a fun time out on the water. We ate at Mexi's. You have the option of dining in the restaurant or sitting out on the patio. I missed the tulip festival. Perhaps I'll plan my vacation and take them in next time. (254)

Ottawa is so lucky to have this facility. Located in the Riverside area near Billings Bridge it's…read moregot an unreal amount of stuff happening at all times of the year. Under their umbrella, there's a ton of fitness centres and wellness programs (like the Nepean Tennis Club!) under their "lifefit" heading. I had my first experience here in a summer camp when I was young, and then at a volleyball camp as a teen. As an adult, I appreciate all the clubs and sport leagues available. They also do training courses like CPR and First Aid, and have specialty classes like Fine Art which is cool. Their facility is a big one, and there's a ton to learn and see, so take your time and soak it all in. I'm a big advocate of checking out their website to see what might be of interest to your fine self. You can get an individual or family membership, and there's a lot of options, so if you get confused, maybe go in for a chat. The FieldHouse Bar and Grill is also a part of the centre and serves up breakfast, lunch dinner and snacks and drinks. There's also a sports shop that sells fitness gear like clothing, tennis rackets and they offer restringing which is helpful. They also have banquet and special event services as well as a massage and physiotherapy clinic! If you're looking to get active or make some new friends, this is an awesome place to check out. Also great for kids - they have a massive summer program!

I've never used the sports facilities here, but I really enjoy this location for conferences and…read moremeetings. They have multiple rooms that can be used for a number of different events. The lobby is nice and welcoming and the signage is very helpful to get the guests to where they need to be in the building. The food the catering staff creates is top quality and their event staff must be on point as I've never attended an event where anything went wrong from the venue's perspective. They recently added a temporary extension off the front. I'm not sure what this building houses. It includes an enclosed walkway from the main building to the new temporary building. That walkway is a bit awkwardly placed and makes cab drop-offs and pick-ups somewhat difficult. It's not possible to see the full driveway and getting passed the temporary walkway is a bit of a squeeze in order to get to the cab drop-off/pick-up. But with all new things come a few bumps, so I'm sure they'll figure this out quickly.

The Glebe Community Centre is a unique structure in the heart of the Glebe. It offers a multitude…read moreof programs for every age group and interest, including painting, theatre, yoga, pottery, sports, dance, baking and cooking classes, dog obedience classes and even random classes like soap and bath-bomb making. Their prices are usually reasonable, but the classes fill up very quickly, so make sure to register well before the first class begins. If you live in the area, you'll receive a calendar for the upcoming season with a grace period to plan your next class. The centre also has many day or weekend long events, such as plays, craft fairs, jewelry shows and food shows. If you're in the area on weekdays between 11:30am-3pm, stop by The Pantry Vegetarian Tea Room for some food. The prices are a bit high and there's not much selection, but the food is fairly wholesome and usually organic. They don't accept debit or credit card, so bring cash!

This is an amazing community feature right in the heart of one of the loveliest spots in the city…read more I've recently had the opportunity to drop by with two little ones to bring them to playgroup and their toddler music class, and I was blown away. I would never have suspected from the relatively boring outside of this building that the inside is alive with great programming. You're greeted by a lovely staircase that leads up to Scotton Hall - the "gym" that Reviewer R mentioned. This is a stunning room with huge vaulted ceilings, stained glass, a kitchen and tons of room for the little ones to run around during playgroup (which is what I was there for!). It would also be amazing for an event. The playgroup was amazing. The facilitator Andrew, was great with the kids and there's even snacktime for kids and parents. The music class is similarly well-run and all the staff I have interacted with her are sweet and friendly. There' a whiteboard in the front lobby that details all the happenings going on that day and it's always packed! They have tons of classes (I even say mention of a "mother-daughter glee group" - unreal!) for all ages and the prices aren't bad at all. There's a great play structure outside for the little ones, as well as a sweet Thomas the Tank Engine table under the stairs. Be sure to ask the lovely lady at the front desk for the trains - clearly these have gone missing in the past, haha! If you're in the area, this is a great option for activities for kids and adults alike. Pop in and see the space - you won't be disappointed!

This sailing club has lots to offer, whether you have a boat or not…read more Want to try out sailing? There's a company that teaches out of this club, Advantage Boating. They supply the boat. Want to race? Sign up to crew on someone else's boat, and make some new friends. Moving to Ottawa with your boat? Call them and see if they have an opening. From Laser racing and on up to the larger boats there's something for everyone. Nice people, well maintained docks and a strong volunteer corp make this a great club.

Facilities are adequate for Ottawa. The Galley is okay- good for a snack, sometimes the food is a…read morelittle pricey. Their patio is very nice to hang out on a summer night after a sail. Bathroom is usually clean.

Terrible service and terrible people. No matter the request, they don't call you back, and worst of…read moreall, they will screw with you just to cheat you to make a buck. They scammed $125 per person by charging them for a new years eve party, cancelling it, then not refunding the money.