Doubletree By Hilton Gatineau-Ottawa

The room felt dated and needed a few small repairs. Housekeeping could pay closer attention too: the air exchange vent and fire extinguishers were very dusty. It wasn’t the dirtiest room I’ve seen, but definitely not the cleanest. On the plus side, we had a wonderful massage and pool visit. Hotel guests get $10.00 off pool use and can use the spa bathrobes for free. We were there overnight March 27th for a mother-daughter trip. The gentleman who checked us in was friendly and personable, and managed to get us an early check-in after we waited an hour. Everyone else we met on staff was great as well. We had a late lunch while waiting, and both the food and service were good.

We were five couples and had a great time. We got four room types on different floors at different rates, and plan to come back to visit the privately owned adjacent spa. The Kōena Spa add-on is worth it: hotel guests get a direct elevator and priority access. The hotel is clean, with spacious rooms, two restaurants, and a lounge bar. Staff were welcoming and check-in was easy. The lot is shared with spa visitors, so spaces near the front fill quickly and there’s overflow parking at the rear. Breakfast wasn’t included or offered as an add-on at check-in; there’s a coffee and tea maker and small fridge in the rooms, but all ten of us drove down the road to a local restaurant. One surprise: this large hotel has only 2 EV chargers, which makes it hard for out-of-town EV drivers to keep charged in winter, with no other EV or Tesla Superchargers nearby. Also, as a Choice/ Assend Hotel, they don’t price match or offer their best rates on their own website!

Koena Spa was awesome, and the Aufugss sauna ritual was a bonus. The staff were so helpful, even swapping out our towels and robes when we came back in the evening. Our King suite was spotless, and we were able to check in early. Booking the spa gift package was easy, and the staff were friendly and accommodating. Chateau Cartier is older, but charming. I’m not sure what people expect from a hotel that’s been around for over 30 years. I’d definitely stay again.

We left frustrated and disappointed. We’d booked and paid for a 1 King Suite with a pull-out sofa bed, but got a Queen Suite without one. When we raised it at the front desk, staff denied the room was wrong and wouldn’t make any adjustments. The room also wasn’t clean: there was a press-on nail on the floor and dirt on several parts of the walls, including spots that looked like blood, which was concerning. There’s no continental breakfast, just a discount at the restaurant, which isn’t what many travelers expect from a hotel. They also refused any refund or room discount. This wasn’t the stay we thought we’d booked.