This hostel is amazing! It's super clean, comfortable, and the staff is really friendly. My friends and I stayed the night here, and we had such a great time. They have board games available for you to play, and they have a great outdoor area as well. This Hostel definitely had the creepy vibe that everyone talks about. Although I didn't have any paranormal experiences this time, I will be going back in hopes to experience something. Overall, I would recommend this to anyone except those with claustrophobia (if you are in a single room, the other rooms aren't bad) or if you get scared easily, this hostel may not be for you.

As far as hostels go this was a great experience. We stayed in a private cell. There are bars at the top and bottom of the door that are open. As such noise travels far and echos a little in the cells. We also kept the suitcase in front of them over night. You can get earplugs at the front desk within is recommended if you are a light sleeper here. Definitely do the complimentary jail tour as it has some interesting information. The breakfast bags had a fruit, yogurt and muffin in it which is available at the front desk. Room 401 is right next to the shower. If you are parking the parking lot associated with the hostel is your best and cheapest option at $15 per 24hrs.

Cool hostel with a nice theme. Twin room with a bunker bed is not small, but single rooms seem a bit claustrophobic. The breakfast is decent and wifi works fine. Very friendly and helpful staff. The location is perfect and close to all the important areas. Showers could be cleaner, but still pretty good.

This place is amazing, offering a truly unique experience. In fact, I have no idea why anyone would consider paying similar or more expensive prices for some of the nearby low quality hotels. Check-in was smooth. I stayed in a single cell. The cells contain a neat little blurb about an inmate that stayed in their cell, outlining their crime and punishment. It looks quite narrow but it felt actually more spacious than needed. Breakfast was better than most hotels. Location was right near everything you need downtown. Anytime I visit Ottawa going forward I will be staying here, and I have also recommended to my friends.

I never leave reviews but I feel compelled to leave one here. This was a fantastic stay, and a great example of an excellent hostel being better than an average hotel. I'm not exaggerating when I say this was the best sleep of my life. Same for my partner. I'm not sure what it was, but the bed and pillows were extremely comfortable, we wore earplugs (available free at reception) and the combination meant 9 hours of uninterrupted deep sleep. Amazing! The atmosphere in the hostel is very cool, a great experience, and breakfast was amazing too, including Montreal bagels. Unfortunately the free prison tour wasn't available on the day we checked out as the guide was unwell, but the staff explained to us how to do it as a self-guided tour which was fantastic. Will definitely stay here again if coming back to Ottawa!

Spooky! Ask for Oliver from Haunted Tours as a guide, he’s super knowledgeable and fun.

It is a very nice place and cleanly. A little creepy understanding that there were executions done in the building, considering it used to be a prison. It is a neat experience learning the history in the over century old building. Overall, great staff. One thing I did not like is staff knocking on the door for 2 seconds and then barging in. when I booked the room for 2 days. I was actually sleeping, however, what if I was doing something else (if you know what I mean). My stay here was paid for in advance so it is absolutely unacceptable for them to knock and just take it upon themselves to come in. Also, the "complimentary breakfast" is pretty much just a muffin and juice. Don't advertise breakfast as part of the accommodations when you don't even have eggs! Not horrible, but not the best.

Did the tour back in 2007. Very informative, knowledgeable and friendly staff. Great history lesson. Although we didn't have a creepy experience, the pictures I took came out in a mix of both color and black and white when the camera I was using didn't have that feature. Oddly enough a few years later I was scrolling through the photos I took I noticed there was a figure in one of them. After showing my husband the picture and asked if he seen anything in it he noticed another figure I hadn't seen! 2 different figures in 1 photo!! I did reach out to the office team and sent them the photo however no one ever responded. I will post the picture when I'm able to retrieve it from my hard drive. Worth the $15 (as it was at the time)

This place was over the top fantastic. Wow, what a wonderful experience. The breakfast is great, the rooms are clean, and it is an authentic experience. This was a real jail. Very unique, wonderful experience in downtown Ottawa near the parliament buildings and markets. Parking is available for $20 per night. It is a hostel so it can be noisy.

I stayed for one night and had an absolute blast! Really loved the unique experience of staying in a jail cell (I chose the single jail cell), the bathrooms and common areas were clean and easily accessible, and the location of the hostel was impeccable. I would 100% stay here again. Loved the free breakfast right before check out. It really set me up for the day of travelling.

I really enjoyed staying here! The facilities were kept clean and the room was comfortable to stay in, as well as the staff being friendly and helpful. The tour of the jail was awesome, it really made the experience of staying in the jail, and it was great to have a free activity to do for someone on a budget! Was definitely worth the money for staying there, especially given the great location of the hostel

They tried the best to host. Great breakfast. Awesome staff. Stay for two nights. Great experience for budget traveler and back packers. I'm little too old to fit in. I would definitely stay here if I'm in early 20s. Man life is short. Enjoy the moment

Unique, but interesting experience. Cell mattress very comfortable, and I liked the cotton sheets and towel. And compared to the outdoor heat, the high-ceiling cell was naturally cool! Staff helpful, breakfast good. The natural oasis in the front, with the sturdy picnic tables, was also a treat. And it was all so clean! Well done - I have told my friends!

Nice staff in an classic ambiance of an old jail right in the middle of downtown Ottawa. The visit of the jail was quite entertaining with fun historical facts. I got to stay in one of the solitary cell which ended up being affordable and quiet... We even get a story per cell.

I stayed one week and felt very comfortabe. The location is great and the staff was helpful and friendly. Everything was clean. The jail cell was small. There is only the bed and a little space in front of it. Because of the bars on the door you could hear everything from outside but they have free earplugs and everyone tried to be quiet :) the breakfast was very good for a hostel! There was fresh fruit, orange juice, bagels and cereal. The kitchen was under renovation during my stay but there where a stove, a microwave and fridge to use. You can do a free jail tour it was very interesting I would recommend to sign up for it if you are staying there. :)

I arrived excited but left very disappointed. Overall damp and dreary with upright staff that made the chill worse. Won’t go back

This hostel was a unique and interesting experience. The premises were very clean and well kept. Excellent service and staff. Parking available for $12 per day. Being a former jailhouse, the place was intentionally built to have good acoustics....meaning that every little noise is amplified -so bring earplugs. Due to COVID19, they no longer have their usual breakfast spread. However, they provide a breakfast baggy filled with yogurt, muffin and fruit. Be sure to bring flip flops for use in the shower, as well as your own toiletries. Towels are provided. Be sure to sign up for the free tour! Overall, a great experience.

I used to stay here when it was paid hostel when visiting Ottawa, but now it's homeless shelter

If you need a room for a cheap price that comes with great security, I think it's the best place for you. I rented a seat in an all female room for one night. The bed was clean and comfortable, the washroom was clean as well even though it was shared. Overall my experience was very nice.

Very cool experience. The place is incredibly clean and so shout out to the staff esp Simon who setup breakfast and heads the tours. Location was great. Be aware if you stay in the single jail cell, it's very small, so you need to be very organized. I found it very comfortable.

The staff at the hostel are professional and they seem to enjoy working there and caring for the visitors. I love the location and this unique facility because it is near so many museums, restaurants and activities. I was disappointed when I realized that I was assigned to a cell that was not cleaned and the dirty linen was still there. The staff were apologetic, and immediately responded and moved me to another cell. I am disappointed with the small refrigerators and no freezer. It is great that the hostel has parking, but $20/day is high. Overall, I would definitely staff here again.

Clean and modern amenities. I enjoyed the bagels and peanut butter for breakfast. The price is decent for a downtown location. Easy to take the O-train from the Via rail station and walk to many places from the hostel. My only complaint was it was difficult to find a quiet spot in the evening. It would be good to put the tv at the other end of the dining hall as people don’t travel that far to sit and chat. I wanted to watch a movie, but there were two people on each side of the lounge area havin conversations. I thought it would be quiet in my single private cell, but there was someone watching videos without headphones a few cells down, and a couple in the single cell beside them visiting each other. You could hear every word 😞

It was super great experience to stay at Saintlo Hostel Ottawa! Room, toilets, showers were very clean, even more that average hotels + walk distance to the convention I was going & cheap/safe parking for my car The only cons would be noise in the corridors, nothing to do with the organization there though!

This place was fantastic! My kids and I loved the experience. Breakfast and the communal space were both great. Washrooms so clean! We had a four bed hostel room for the four of us. Our room was very quiet. We parked underground just around the corner from the hostel it cost 34$ for the night/day. We walked to the art gallery and toured U Ottawa- which was why we were there. I'd stay here again anytime.

Most comfy beds I have ever stayed in at a hotel, hostel, or b&b! The rooms are spare, but clean. Guests kept noise to a respectful minimum, despite how much echo the halls can produce. Our guided tour with Simon was outstanding - very engaging while acknowledging the terrible history of the jail’s treatment of prisoners. Glad to see the hostel being an honest keeper of the building’s history.

I genuinely enjoyed my stay and have been told by many that this was their best hostel experience by far! The daily tours by S. were very informative and really helped form the perspective of the conditions in which people had lived in the prison before it was shut down; I highly recommend you check it out! The staff at the front were very helpful and kind, making the stay feel more like a home away from home than actually sleeping in refurbished prison cells, and everything was kept very clean! The location is within walking distances and has easy access to most popular places and sites. This stay allowed me to meet many people of various nationalities and backgrounds and sharing our different knowledge and experiences was a privilege to say the least! Breakfast was also so wonderful and the front courtyard was beautiful to sit in and admire all the plants and small animals that came along. I saw a rabbit one night, and some pigeons were nesting by some of the windows! Definitely an interesting stay, and will continue to recommend it to many in my travels.

Amazing experience!! Highly recommended! I've been to many hostels and this was the cleanest and nicest we've been too This was a real prison older than Canada itself, there were many executions there and you may here some sounds throughout the night ;) joke... I think... Although I would recommend earplugs as the sound travels well unfortunately but that's by prison design

Great location, close to Byward Market and the downtown core. easy to get to and parking available for a minimal cost. Clean and comfortable. Fresh linens, pillow, comforter and towel on the bed when I arrived and bathrooms right next to the room. The others in the room were very quiet which was nice in a dorm style room. Very good experience!

Overall great hostel, I loved the unique concept, and the way the hostel was worked into this historic site. The rooms were really cool, if I could put more of a 3.5 than a 3 I would, the only reason the room isn’t getting a 5 is really because of the lack of privacy. We took a private room 2 beds, usually in hostels these are private rooms for real, in this hostel, because they kept the original cell doors, you hearEVERYTHING, there is a gap at the bottom and top, which we didn’t know when we booked the room. so at 3AM when someone else goes into their cell, you hear them whispering talking walking and opening and closing their door (which is loud because again, original doors). But that’s the only down side of this hostel, the rest is 100%! Great location too, close to everything. I’m sure the tour is really awesome, we didn’t get to tour because we only stayed one night, but you can still walk around the hostel and look around. We didn’t get the greatest check in, but overall the employees seemed nice. I’d recommend 100% to try this hostel!

We loved this place! Very unique and done so well. Loved the way the history was incorporated and what a great location! Walked to see other beautiful buildings and many restaurant choices. Thanks for a great experience.

Great location, great price, great hostel! I stayed here for a week and had a fantastic time at this hostel. Having reception available 24/7 made me feel super safe as a solo female traveller, and the security of this jail is top notch without being restrictive. The rooms are cells and anywhere else I would say "no thanks, this isn't a Japanese pod hotel," but because it was a jail cell the quirk and history took over to impress me and turn this stay into an adventure. If you like history and making use of heritage buildings please stay here. I wouldn't say there was an average age of people walking around - it's well suited for all ages but be warned it's all stairs. 5/7 of my nights were quiet and peaceful. Thursday night I found to be the nosiest with people chatting in their cells, every other night people were respectful of quiet hours and going to the common room.

Check-in and check-out process was efficient, and staff were friendly and helpful. Bedding was comfortable, but didn’t manage to sleep much due to acoustics of the room and floor; sound from snoring from nearby cells, people walking/talking along the corridor seems to be amplified. Common shower areas are clean and water pressure is strong, a couple of hooks behind the door/ on the wall would be helpful to hang clothes/towel. Breakfast was simple but quite good quality and filling; bagels with spreads, fruits, cereal and eggs.

The price and & location is great! Very clean and the staff are great. We stayed in bunk bed room for two adults and the space was sufficient and bunk beds very comfortable. Would definitely recommend and will be definitely back!

Just returned from 2 nights at the Ittawa Jail hostel. Excellent location, staff are amazing, 24 hr reception. We stayed in a room with a private bathroom and it was very comfortable. This place is truly a must for paranormal enthusiasts. Will definitely be returning!

Had a wonderful time on the haunted jail tour. Oliver was an excellent guide and a exceptional storyteller. Definitely recommend if you are in the area.

went there in 2016. hated almost every second of it. smelled really bad, broken heater wouldn't turn off and idk it's not a great place to bring 12 year olds

Staff was excellent and courteous my stay was very enjoyable and peaceful I'll surely refer people this place

Great place to stay if you want a private room for cheap. Nothing to complain about, if you want a hotel experience, pay hotel prices. This is a fun and cheap experience. Wish i saw ghosts though. Great staff, and great location

Staying overnight in a jail cell was such a unique experience. We stayed in a cell with bunk beds and it was surprisingly spacious for two people. The location is centrally located close to Byward Market, Parliament, and the shopping mall. The hostel also offers historical tours of the jail (join a walking haunted tour company if you'd like to learn about the ghost stories). Definitely would recommend staying here for the experience. Parking is an additional $12 cost. The hostel will be closed from November 1 to December 31 due to COVID.

Was nice, although, speaking as an "older" member, there is a kind of vibe that seemed to be off... Would have liked to work there for a while. Did they get somebody else? Last time I went, the place was closed, and before that, they were behaving like bourgeois pretending to like the "lifestyle'... Anyway...

So fun. Would do it again!

Little spooky but ok

Very, very small rooms. Food cold, french fries inedible, like cardboard.

You can't even walk up to the front door. It's a junkie's haven now. It is now a Safe served drugs facility given on a platter for people to inject. There's no rooms availablefor guests... only for the elite junkies who are served meals that are filled with siriquil.. welcome to Ottawa! Come and get your free dilatas and needles and a place to sleep. Food filled with siriquil and a comfortable bed...

It’s been turned into a homeless shelter since Covid. Google map doesn’t reflect this. We wanted to go check it out and found out that way

Thank you for the pleasant stay. The place is really well organized, beds are comfortable and the overall mood is really special and fun. Door rooms could be less noisy and I thought it was a bit expensive for a hostel, but apart from that it was a really nice experience!

The concept is so cool, the rooms are in fact the cells but since they kept the original bar doors, it's so noisy coz the people walking on corridors.

Still a homeless shelter, and that's how they will treat you even if you go there intending to pay for your room. Not safe, and more like a jail than you would ever want.

It's a great experience and they have a good breakfast (great coffee). Shared bathrooms get a bit messed up at the end of the day, and are small (sitting on the loo and having my arms touch both walls). The rooms are open to the corridor, so don't plan on having loud sex while you there, or any at all. No AC, just room fans, so it can be hot and noisy. Don't go if you suffer from claustrophobia. Overall it is a great hostel, but a lousy hotel.

A piece of history you can stay in without breaking the bank. The staff are all very polite and helpful and all your basic amenities will be taken care of. The rooms are clean but tiny, as they used to be jail cells. I believe you can upgrade to stay in the guards' quarters if you're feeling too claustrophobic. The only drawback of this converted prison is that it was designed for sound to travel far and be amplified. Makes sense for a jail, but not so much for a hostel. If you're a light sleeper you might want to look elsewhere if ear plugs aren't enough. It would have been tolerable if not for the construction that started 7am on a Saturday when I was there. Included with your stay is a standard continental breakfast (dont worry, it's not gruel) and a historical tour. The tour is very interesting as the building has a very controversial and notorious past. All in all it is good value for the price! I'd definitely stay again when the construction is finished

This hostel is the best! I had a single room for a night. The room wasn't too spacious but very clean and the bed was comfortable. The staff was always soo nice and helpful and I could store my luggage before and after my stay for the day. They had bagels, cereal and fruits for breakfast. The location couldn't be better, as it is very close to public transport and downtown. The only thing to have in mind is that the doors are bars on the top and the bottom, so you have a lot of privacy, but you can hear people walking in the hallways. If you are a light sleeper bring earplugs. Over all 10/10♡

Very cool place to stay, despite its cruel history! The tour provided with Simon was interesting and made you be very happy not to have lived in these days! Very nice staff, very clean rooms and showers, comfortable beds. Under reconstruction at our visit so there were inconveniences here and there, but nevertheless I can recommend. It’s quite expensive and so we just stayed one night.

I recently stayed at this unique hostel, which was converted from a former prison, and I was absolutely fascinated by my experience here. This hostel offers something truly different and remarkable. The first thing that captivated me was the atmosphere, which combines the historical aura of the prison with the comfort and coziness of modern accommodation. Every corner of the hostel reflects its history, creating a truly unique ambiance. However, I would like to specifically mention our tour guide, the dude who led the tour of the hostel. His deep knowledge of the history and his passion for storytelling about the prison's past made the tour truly captivating.

Great stay, near the hottest spots in Ottawa! Definitely worth selecting such a place... Service was prompt and kind. Always clean washroom and shower. The only "minus" - some of the other prisoners weren't able to close their cell door appropriately 😖 Maybe you consider to punish them - at least it's a jail! 😆 Thx for the experience!

Great location. Bed was comfortable in the double cell. Staff very friendly and helpful. Enjoyed the tour experience. Breakfast was good. Unique experience. Would recommend to friends.

Very good hostel. I stayed there while attending a conference so I didn't stick around the room much at all, but the staff is cool and the rooms are clean and nice. The women's dorm didn't have too many outlets for charging. Not a big deal but I had a little anxiety about being out all day with a low cell battery. Love having the bathroom in there as well as another close by. Overall a worthy stay!

A unique and novel experience in the heart of Ottawa. The hostel is about 1 to 2 blocks from Rideau Center (5 minutes walk from the O-train station) and about a 10 to 15 minute walk from Parliament Hill. If you stay at the hostel, you can take a 1-hour-long tour of the jail at 11AM which is very interesting and informative, my tour guide told tons of funny anecdotes about the different kinds of crimes you could go to jail for and various intriguing historical characters. The jail itself has excellent information signs which discuss various aspects of its history and life in the jail. The facilities including the bathrooms are modern and very clean. Overall a very educational and fun experience, highly recommended.

I just had the opportunity to stay at this hostel for 3 nights and had a fantastic experience. The cells and bathrooms were clean and tidy, so was the breakfast area and there were even spaces to plug in and do some work. Good heating and ample space! It is in a fantastic area, whether you're walking around the town or getting public transport, which is only a couple of minutes away. I was traveling solo on this occasion, so the accessability and location was something I appreciated, I wasn't worried about going out by myself in the day and it was well lit and easy to find. The breakfast had everything you could want in the morning, coffee, water, bagels and spreads, a few different fruits and eggs too. The staff were professional and welcoming and the tour of the jail was interesting and entertaining. They were helpful with recommendations of places to eat or see nearby. I'd definitely come back and stay if I was passing through Ottawa again!

I found my stay very satisfactory, excellent value for money. The reception staff was very friendly and helpful and even helped me take my bags to the street when I left! The breakfast included was good and everything was plentiful even towards the end of the breakfast serving hours. Areas for improvement: noise reduction in the cells. Some of the metal doors scrape badly against the floor sounding as if furniture is moving. If you could adjust the door height or somehow remove some of the layers of paint so it isn't rubbing against the floor when opened or closed that would greatly improve noise.

What a unique experience staying in an iron-bar hotel with such history. Staying in an authentic prisoner cell room of only 4x9 feet in dimension was certainly an eye opener as to just how challenging it must have been to be sentenced to such extreme punishment. A for the “modern-day” experience, all the staff at the front desk were extremely friendly and helpful. And the facilities was spotlessly maintained.