4/5 Victor W. 7 months ago on Google
I
recently
stayed
at
the
Holiday
Inn
Express
in
downtown
Ottawa
during
a
business
trip
from
Monday
to
Thursday.
Upon
arrival,
I
noticed
the
hotel
was
already
bustling
with
activity.
The
parking
was
available
at
$18,
with
multiple
floors
of
underground
parking.
The
hotel
itself
was
impressively
clean,
modern,
and
incredibly
comfortable.
The
rooms
were
spacious,
and
as
a
platinum
club
member,
I
was
fortunate
to
enjoy
a
larger
room.
Although
I
didn't
have
the
chance
to
visit
the
gym
and
pool
on
the
second
floor,
they
were
available
for
use.
One
of
the
highlights
of
the
hotel
was
the
complimentary
buffet,
a
characteristic
feature
of
Holiday
Inn
Express.
However,
I
must
mention
that
breakfast
was
particularly
busy,
especially
during
the
summer
peak
tourist
season.
Families,
tour
groups,
and
kids
were
abundant,
so
I
recommend
arriving
early
to
avoid
the
crowds.
The
breakfast
spread
included
pancakes,
scrambled
eggs,
sausage,
toast,
yogurt,
cinnamon
rolls,
fruits,
and
unlimited
coffee,
tea,
and
juice.
The
staff
at
the
hotel
were
extremely
friendly
and
accommodating.
However,
I
have
to
acknowledge
that
the
location
has
its
drawbacks.
While
it's
conveniently
close
to
ByWard
Market
and
Parliament
Hill,
being
east
of
the
tourist
areas,
there's
a
double-edged
sword
aspect
to
it.
In
terms
of
safety,
it
is
important
to
note
that
the
Holiday
Inn
Express
in
downtown
Ottawa
is
located
near
a
homeless
shelter.
This
means
there
are
often
homeless
individuals,
drug
addicts,
and
beggars
walking
and
roaming
around
the
vicinity,
sometimes
close
to
the
hotel
and
its
guests.
During
my
stay,
I
personally
encountered
instances
of
homeless
people
begging
and
asking
for
money
while
I
was
walking
back
to
the
hotel.
There
were
also
occasions
where
I
passed
by
individuals
who
appeared
to
be
passed
out
on
the
floor,
clearly
under
the
influence
of
drugs
or
alcohol.
Due
to
these
factors,
I
would
strongly
advise
against
walking
alone
or
venturing
outside
once
it
gets
dark
in
the
area.
It
may
not
be
a
safe
environment
for
children,
and
it’s
advisable
to
avoid
wearing
anything
expensive
that
could
attract
unwanted
attention.
Guests
should
be
on
high
alert
if
they
choose
to
wander
outside.
On
a
positive
note,
the
hotel
does
have
a
security
guard
stationed
near
the
front
door
to
ensure
that
homeless
individuals
and
drug
addicts
do
not
enter
the
premises.
Additionally,
it
is
not
uncommon
to
see
police
and
ambulance
presence
outside
the
hotel,
likely
due
to
addressing
drug
use
and
overdose
situations
in
the
vicinity.
Overall,
while
the
hotel
itself
maintains
security
measures,
the
presence
of
homelessness,
drug
use,
and
associated
risks
in
the
area
should
be
taken
into
consideration
by
potential
guests.
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