Name: Ottawa Backpackers Inn
Address: 203 York Street, ByWard Market, Ottawa, Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, CA
Price range: $58–$90 per night
Rating: 7.95

What guests think

At Ottawa Backpackers Inn, travellers find a budget, home-style hostel with lively communal spaces and a central, walkable base near sights, while experiences vary widely depending on room location, building age, and how busy the property is.

Many guests praise the friendly, helpful staff. Cleanliness and upkeep are inconsistent, with some spotless stays and others noting dirty washrooms, worn facilities, or occasional shower and hot-water issues. Several mention a rougher surrounding area with visible homelessness and advise extra caution at night. It suits travelers comfortable with hostel-style simplicity.

Facilities

Cleanliness

Rooms

Service

Location

Dining

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Facilities

Basic hostel facilities include a shared kitchen and communal spaces where guests can relax. Several reviews note aging infrastructure and occasional bathroom, shower, or hot-water issues.

Related guest reviews

6

Stanley

Aug 4, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Nice common area

6

David

Jan 24, 2023

·

Stayed 2 nights

Location is amazing and staff are friendly, beds are terrible and they only give you one paper thin pillow The showers spray mist instead of water,

10

Muqing

May 1, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Very good hostel. Clean, tidy and friendly staffs, free-to-use kitchen, funny common area. Please note that you need to bring your own slippers, as they don't provide. I will live here again next time I'm in Ottawa.

8

JONY

May 7, 2023

·

Stayed 6 nights

Tenho 76 anos e cheguei cedo ao Hostel e a pessoa que me atendeu disse que o check-in começava a partir das 14 horas e que eu teria que aguardar. Fiquei na sala de estar esperando e adormeci, porque havia passado a noite no aeroporto. Quando acordei às 14 horas o check-in já tinha começado às 13 horas e com isso perdi a oportunidade de ficar em um quarto num andar mais baixo. Fiquei alojado no último andar em um quarto de 8 camas porque disseram que esse tipo de quarto só havia no último andar. Não acreditei! O hostel é bom, mas não tem café da manhã e o preço é bastante caro em relação a outros bons hostels que fiquei no Canadá e que tinham café da manhã. Na única TV do hostel da sala de estar não se pode assistir aos canais normais e só podemos assistir DVDs de filmes e jogos.

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10

Robin

Jun 10, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Good value for an excellent location. Nothing fancy, but a nice place to sleep, with a fully equipped kitchen and a great communal space. As long as you don't mind sharing a room, bathroom, etc. Helpful and friendly staff. A great place to stay.

6

hyunjung

Apr 9, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

When I first arrived, I was embarrassed because the place was dirty and old, but as I walked around, the place was nice and it was tolerable for a one-night stay. There was no explanation of the staff's facilities, so I was uncomfortable using the bathroom in the basement, but over time I found out that there was a bathroom on the first floor as well. Both bathrooms were clean.

10

Taras

Jul 10, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

I had to go next door to have a hot water shower, but I think that should be fixed soon. Staff was very nice and accommodating of my weird itinerary. The communal space was nice to be in and the other guests were very friendly. Room was clean. Small but what do you expect.

10

Tu Anh

Mar 17, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Friendly staff, clean bed sheets, hot showers, a few games in the lobby, small lockers for security, and free coffee in the morning. First time staying in a hostel, but if they're normally like this one, I can see myself going out to more in the future!

4

Karen

Oct 2, 2022

·

Stayed 1 night

OK. I had a private room in the second building - an old house.. BUT, noisy, as I was just in a room near the bathroom. When people accessed the light by pushing the fan button IT SOUNDED like being in a PLANE! Every time someone went in. I asked them to make a sign to "not push this button" - I hope this works for the next person in the Europa Room. Basic room. No food, soap, or towels here.

10

Annabelle

Oct 5, 2024

·

Stayed 3 nights

I have no regrets after staying 3 nights. Luxurious? No, but perfectly fine. Great staff. Enjoyed porch, deck. Super location

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Cleanliness

Cleanliness is mixed: several guests describe spotless premises and clean rooms, while others report dirty washrooms, unclean rooms, and a need for more frequent cleaning.

Related guest reviews

10

Rehana

Jul 23, 2025

·

Stayed 6 nights

There is so much to enjoy here. The staff are amazing and very helpfull. The premises are clean and tidy. I have met many wonderfull people during my stay here. I strongly recommend this place. Everything a person may need is just walking distance. Awesome location.

10

Muqing

May 1, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Very good hostel. Clean, tidy and friendly staffs, free-to-use kitchen, funny common area. Please note that you need to bring your own slippers, as they don't provide. I will live here again next time I'm in Ottawa.

10

Vincent

Jul 24, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Établissement idéalement situé dans Ottawa. Les chambres sont agréables. L’ensemble de l’établissement est d’une propreté irréprochable

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2

djaf

Oct 8, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

It not clean

10

Julien Pierre

May 16, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Better than I was expected! It's a small hostel in a old house but it's clean and well organised !

6

Katja

Oct 13, 2023

·

Stayed 4 nights

It’s conveniently located and the staff is very friendly. The common areas are cleaned frequently but the room was rather dirty and hair was on the floor

10

Kanae

Aug 30, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

The room was clean and staffs were so kind. It’s convenient for sightseeing spots which is good for travelers.

6

hyunjung

Apr 9, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

When I first arrived, I was embarrassed because the place was dirty and old, but as I walked around, the place was nice and it was tolerable for a one-night stay. There was no explanation of the staff's facilities, so I was uncomfortable using the bathroom in the basement, but over time I found out that there was a bathroom on the first floor as well. Both bathrooms were clean.

4

Alireza

Sep 20, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

It was poorer than what I expected. Dirty washrooms,

4

Brennen

Sep 28, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

A pretty underwhelming stay. The property condition and cleanliness are only 2/5 stars, and the area is “meh”. It’s not far from some nicer areas which is good, but right around the hostel is only mediocre. The property needs some renovations and more frequent cleaning. I don’t think the price paid is reasonable for the conditions of the room and property.

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Rooms

Rooms are basic and compact, with bunk beds common; some mention low ceilings, basement rooms, and noise near shared bathrooms, plus thin pillows and limited comfort.

Related guest reviews

6

David

Jan 24, 2023

·

Stayed 2 nights

Location is amazing and staff are friendly, beds are terrible and they only give you one paper thin pillow The showers spray mist instead of water,

6

Christian

Jul 19, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Waa ok for one night

6

Olexandr

May 1, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

low ceilings

10

Julien Pierre

May 16, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Better than I was expected! It's a small hostel in a old house but it's clean and well organised !

8

Jenn

Oct 23, 2023

·

Stayed 3 nights

I had a great experience staying at the Ottawa Backpackers Inn. I stayed in a single room, and it was quiet and the washrooms were accessible when I needed them. This area of Ottawa feels a bit unsafe, so I'd caution backpackers to be cautious when walking around at night, and always have a companion. I was fine during my stay, but I wouldn't want anyone else to have a negative experience.

10

Taras

Jul 10, 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

I had to go next door to have a hot water shower, but I think that should be fixed soon. Staff was very nice and accommodating of my weird itinerary. The communal space was nice to be in and the other guests were very friendly. Room was clean. Small but what do you expect.

10

Sujay Kumar

Aug 11, 2023

·

The place is well maintained and there is a common area for spending time with lots of games and books, they even have a guitar to play. The rooms are like different divisions in three floors and each room have bunker beds in it. The WiFi speed was good I was able to connect to it and work remotely. Suitable to single travellers not that good for family as I don’t know if they have private rooms. Thank you 😃.

8

Joshua

May 2, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Great staff, great location, everything else was fine.

4

Karen

Oct 2, 2022

·

Stayed 1 night

OK. I had a private room in the second building - an old house.. BUT, noisy, as I was just in a room near the bathroom. When people accessed the light by pushing the fan button IT SOUNDED like being in a PLANE! Every time someone went in. I asked them to make a sign to "not push this button" - I hope this works for the next person in the Europa Room. Basic room. No food, soap, or towels here.

6

M-tuan

Oct 12, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

The room is in the basement and the ceiling is low , so we can hear noise from people on the main floor. As the house is too old, the price of this room should be reduced in the range of $55 to $65 max. The staff is ok

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Service

Service is generally friendly, welcoming, and helpful, though a few guests experienced unhelpful interactions, staff sharing dorm bunks, or a billing dispute.

Related guest reviews

10

Rehana

Jul 23, 2025

·

Stayed 6 nights

There is so much to enjoy here. The staff are amazing and very helpfull. The premises are clean and tidy. I have met many wonderfull people during my stay here. I strongly recommend this place. Everything a person may need is just walking distance. Awesome location.

10

Darius

Jun 22, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Always great service and everything

2

Erika

May 19, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

On 16 May they withdraw 56,31 CAD from my account and on my arrival I had to pay again 48, 71 CAD. I showed they that they had already withdrawn the money but they insisted that I had to pay again. Please help me to get the 48.71 CAD back.

10

Matthew

Sep 26, 2024

·

Stayed 4 nights

Safe were one of the friendliest, and he atmosphere was homey…would recommend this place and i would stay here again

2

Gregory

Oct 7, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Unfriendly and unhelpful staff.

10

Nicholas

Jul 5, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Wonderful people running the place and a very welcome environment. From the moment I stepped in I was immediately greeted by everyone and felt like I’d know them for weeks. 10/10 would go again

10

Seyedamin

Aug 23, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Very nice and cozy place with professional staff

6

Minagi

Jan 5, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Good location, good vibes and good other guests. However, two asian staff were not nice. They were not like rude, but never friendly and always talking each other in their language. They also stayed in the same room as guests, and two bottom bunks were already taken by them. Bottom bunks are more comfortable than top one, so at least there should be staff’s room aside from guests’ one.

10

Jordan

Jul 19, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

It was exactly as described. The staff are incredibly friendly as well as the other guests. It had a very homely feel which I loved.

10

Mohamad

Oct 6, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Great place very friendly stuff

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Location

Central and walkable to sights and transit, including the University of Ottawa; several reviews note the surrounding area feels rough with visible homelessness, so extra caution at night is advised.

Related guest reviews

10

Rehana

Jul 23, 2025

·

Stayed 6 nights

There is so much to enjoy here. The staff are amazing and very helpfull. The premises are clean and tidy. I have met many wonderfull people during my stay here. I strongly recommend this place. Everything a person may need is just walking distance. Awesome location.

10

Jean-Pierre

Dec 17, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Tres bel hebergement, proche du transport en commun et du centre-ville. Fortement recommande!

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10

Omar

Nov 25, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

it is near Uni of Ottawa.

6

Joonas

Sep 28, 2024

·

Stayed 5 nights

A decent stay if you are not expecting too much. Place is pretty small and can feel packed, but if you can settle yourself in, it's a okay place to spend few nights. The area itself is not exactly great as there are many homeless in there. Hostel felt safe even with the area not being the best.

8

Carlos

Sep 16, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Lovely place Can walk or take the bus any where from and to there. Affordable and confortable

10

captain

Jul 26, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

love the location

8

Jenn

Oct 23, 2023

·

Stayed 3 nights

I had a great experience staying at the Ottawa Backpackers Inn. I stayed in a single room, and it was quiet and the washrooms were accessible when I needed them. This area of Ottawa feels a bit unsafe, so I'd caution backpackers to be cautious when walking around at night, and always have a companion. I was fine during my stay, but I wouldn't want anyone else to have a negative experience.

10

Farrell

Oct 13, 2023

·

Stayed 6 nights

Great spot to stay downtown Ottawa

10

Kanae

Aug 30, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

The room was clean and staffs were so kind. It’s convenient for sightseeing spots which is good for travelers.

10

Paul

Jul 19, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Clise to everything totally walkable to everything or public transportation which is easy to follow most driver were very helpful

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Dining

There is no on-site dining or breakfast; guests typically self-cater using the shared kitchen.

Related guest reviews

10

Muqing

May 1, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Very good hostel. Clean, tidy and friendly staffs, free-to-use kitchen, funny common area. Please note that you need to bring your own slippers, as they don't provide. I will live here again next time I'm in Ottawa.

8

JONY

May 7, 2023

·

Stayed 6 nights

Tenho 76 anos e cheguei cedo ao Hostel e a pessoa que me atendeu disse que o check-in começava a partir das 14 horas e que eu teria que aguardar. Fiquei na sala de estar esperando e adormeci, porque havia passado a noite no aeroporto. Quando acordei às 14 horas o check-in já tinha começado às 13 horas e com isso perdi a oportunidade de ficar em um quarto num andar mais baixo. Fiquei alojado no último andar em um quarto de 8 camas porque disseram que esse tipo de quarto só havia no último andar. Não acreditei! O hostel é bom, mas não tem café da manhã e o preço é bastante caro em relação a outros bons hostels que fiquei no Canadá e que tinham café da manhã. Na única TV do hostel da sala de estar não se pode assistir aos canais normais e só podemos assistir DVDs de filmes e jogos.

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10

Paul

Jul 19, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

If your expectations are hotel styled probably not formyou! Laid back hippy style comfort of home style of stay, do your own cooki g different dorms available as well as private, friendly staff, and when the subway works it just minutes away from the VIA rail train station! And the flixbus stops close by as well! And the Byward market is awesome if you love cheese fresh breads and other delightful baked goods, and well lots of pubs and bars weed places all close by! Sit back relax like at home, then go tour around mostvofnit can be walked to!

8

Caroline

Sep 2, 2022

·

Stayed 1 night

J'ai apprécié que nous puissions faire notre propre nourriture, le prix est tres excellent, ce que j'aime moins c est les chambres mixtes. Surtout pour des jeunes filles qui sont là longtemps je trouves que je mettrais separer. Dans l ensemble j'ai apprécier

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10

Robin

Jun 10, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Good value for an excellent location. Nothing fancy, but a nice place to sleep, with a fully equipped kitchen and a great communal space. As long as you don't mind sharing a room, bathroom, etc. Helpful and friendly staff. A great place to stay.

10

Tu Anh

Mar 17, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Friendly staff, clean bed sheets, hot showers, a few games in the lobby, small lockers for security, and free coffee in the morning. First time staying in a hostel, but if they're normally like this one, I can see myself going out to more in the future!

4

Karen

Oct 2, 2022

·

Stayed 1 night

OK. I had a private room in the second building - an old house.. BUT, noisy, as I was just in a room near the bathroom. When people accessed the light by pushing the fan button IT SOUNDED like being in a PLANE! Every time someone went in. I asked them to make a sign to "not push this button" - I hope this works for the next person in the Europa Room. Basic room. No food, soap, or towels here.

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Month	Average price
January	$45
February	$44
March	$41
April	$53
May	$87
June	$85
July	$79
August	$55
September	$61
October	$53
November	$49
December	$46

Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa
		1	2	3	4	5
6	7	8	9	10	11	12
13	14	15	16	17 $76	18 $76	19 $76
20 $73	21 $66	22 $64	23 $90	24 $90	25 $90	26 $90
27 $76	28 $59	29 $63	30 $63

Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa
				1 $65	2 $71	3 $73
4 $61	5 $65	6 $63	7 $59	8 $76	9 $76	10 $76
11 $75	12 $75	13 $76	14 $63	15 $61	16 $73	17 $73
18 $73	19 $58	20 $58	21 $58	22 $58	23 $58	24 $58
25 $58	26 $58	27 $58	28 $58	29 $58	30 $73	31 $73

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Monthly average prices

About this property

Location

Room options

Private Triple Room

6-Bed Shared Dormitory, 1 Bed

Private Studio, 1 Single-Over-Double Bunkbed and Sofabed

10-Bed Shared Dormitory, 1 Bed

Private Room, 1 Single Bed

Private Room, 4 Beds

Private Room, 6 Beds

Private Room, 1 Double Bed

8-Bed Shared Dormitory, 1 Bed (Female Only)

8-Bed Shared Dormitory, 1 Bed

4-Bed Shared Dormitory, 1 Bed

Private Room, 2 Twin Bed

Guest reviews

Good

Who stays here?

What guests think

Property Policies

Check-in instructions

Good to know

FAQs about Ottawa Backpackers Inn

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Prices for upcoming dates