A gracious hotel extremely well situated for walking to main attractions in Ottawa;l the Rideau shopping center and Byward Market are blocks away, with restaurants for every budget. We were there for the Tulip Festival and a shuttle bus ($5.00) picks guests up right outside the hotel. Our room on the first floor, a king, was spacious, immaculate and quiet. Hotel staff are all friendly and eager to help. Valet parking is convenient but expensive and the hotel is frequently busy so be prepared to wait a bit for your vehicle. Breakfast is expensive as well; more economical options are a short stroll away. We weren't told that we had to reserve a time to swim in the pool so were turned away on our last day; we'd asked questions the previous evening about the pool facilities but this wasn't mentioned. The athletic centre is well equipped though some five-pound weights would have been nice. Glitches aside, the Chateau Laurier is highly recommended if you want to treat yourself to a special stay in the nation's capital.