ElevatorEnthusiast

I know there’s an old thread comparing the Sheraton and Westin where there are old reviews of the Westin, but that makes it a bit hard to find specific takes on the Westin. I’ll go ahead and start this one for the Westin. Here are my takes and photos on a very nice stay last night:

• Upgraded the day of arrival to a Junior Suite - in my opinion, this is a very large take on a Junior suite as there is a full door between the bedroom and living room and a very large bathroom
• While it wasn’t facing Parliament, the view towards ByWard and Lowertown was interesting and nice
• The bed was very nice - plush mattress, plush covers, plush feather pillows - I did laugh at the old brown hotel blanket in the covers - 2nd time I’ve seen one of these in recent years after the Westin Times Square
• Shower pressure was nice - a bit relaxing
• Delivered a very tasty box of different flavored chocolates as a welcome gift
• Front desk was very friendly and personable
• Offered 4 PM late checkout proactively
• Elite welcome gift breakfast is quite good - the full buffet with no upcharge (though, tip isn’t included) - enjoyed my omelet, eggs Benedict, bacon, pancakes, waffles, and hash browns - they give you a big pot of coffee, so no worries on refills
• Decor is obviously “traditional Westin” - but it feels better maintained than something like the Westin Calgary
• I have to laugh at the destination dispatch elevators - it’s like the guests here have never seen such a thing - just like escape4 commented in their review 4 years ago, no one seems to understand why there aren’t any buttons despite the instructions being listed on the elevator doors and on several signs - let it be known that I knew what to do immediately :-)

I would definitely come back here. I won’t be trying the other Marriott properties in Ottawa this trip, but I would recommend the Westin.

Photos:

DJ_Iceman

That is the very first Westin I ever stayed at, way back in 1994. I signed up for the Westin Preferred rewards program while there, which led to me making as many future stays at the (at that time) geographically-limited chain as I could. I made it to burgundy in their rewards program, which made me feel like a king (although no Westin hotel ever treated me that way). When Starwood bought both Westin and Sheraton and combined their awards programs, I was sure my burgundy status with Westin and gold (top tier at the time) Sheraton status would give me top-tier status in the combined program. No such luck, and I had my first of many disappointments with Starwood.

Aside from that, I had a wonderful time in Ottawa and have always wanted to go back. It hasn't happened yet, and when it does I probably won't stay at the Westin again because I now find the brand generally long on promises and short on delivery. But your trip report is so positive that I'll at least consider it--I'm glad to hear they treated you so well!

yyzflyer

Unless you're doing the Fairmont, this probably is the nicest hotel in downtown Ottawa. I've had some excellent stays at the Hilton but it's technically in Quebec, and of course not Bonvoy.

ElevatorEnthusiast

Some might argue the Andaz is nicer - it's definitely more modern, and neither offers any sort of evening service. The locations have a far different vibe, though.

DJ_Iceman

Meh, I'm almost allergic to Andaz as a brand (let alone Hyatt as a corporation). They remind me of Louis Vuitton--much more style, marketing, and inexplicable brand awareness than actual quality or value for the price. Louis Vuitton bags aren't crap, but they're nowhere near the quality of similarly-priced items from other brands that don't have the same cache. Andaz has that "too cool for school" vibe that just turns me off.