Absolutely fabulous

A perfect weekend getaway! I have stayed at Arc three times and am returning again. The hotel is superb in all areas! This is by far my hotel of choice for a fantastic stay!

Classy and urban

I didn't know what to expect when I booked this hotel based on the mixed reviews it got here on Trip Advisor. We all know that everyone has their own preferences... However, my boyfriend and I loved this place and are returning for another stay. It's clean, comfortable, loved the washroom amenities and linen, and the staff in general were helpful and friendly. I think it's a great hip, urban, and classy hotel (probably better than staying at the pricier older hotels in Ottawa).

Classy Hotel

This is a very well appointed hotel. The service is friendly and professional. The rooms are beautiful and the linens are first class. Dramatic lighting creates a wonderful relaxing atmosphere. The location is right downtown, close to the Parliament buildings. It feels like a New York hotel. Almost forgot the complimentary glasses of champagne upon check-in. A nice touch. We highly recommend this hotel.

A nightmare at the ARC

I used to live in Ottawa and walk past the classy-looking Arc all the time, thinking that it would be a great place to stay. So, when I returned with my boyfriend from London, we decided to book up. Big mistake! The hotel looks fine, but the service was the worst I have encountered, ever.I booked through Expedia and requested a non-smoking room, as my partner has a smoke allergy, and, upon arrival, we were given an extremely smelly smoking room for our first night. When I questioned the front desk, they told us that they were sold out for the night and could not move us until the next day. And they did not apologize for this oversight, despite the fact that my Expedia itinerary specifically requests a non-smoking room.The next day we were moved (at last) to a non-smoking room after spending a night with headaches and insomnia thanks to the smell of the smoking room. Upon unpacking in the new, non-smoking room, my partner noticed that the water level in the toilet was low. We soon discovered that, in this luxury 'boutique' hotel, we had a malfunctioning toilet, which would not flush properly, and was hence, rather disgusting. Over the next few days I alerted the staff to problems with the toilet FOUR times. On none of these occasions was the toilet fixed properly, and we were forced to use the washrooms in the lobby instead. Once again, I was offered no apologies from the staff, who instead looked at me like I was insane to question them.By the time we left I was demoralized and heartbroken because that this stupid hotel had really put a damper on an otherwise fun vacation in one of my favourite cool small cities in the world. I spent a good part of the next week trying to track down someone, anyone at the ARC to respond to my complaints...when I finally got a hold of them all they had to offer me by way of a refund was a bathrobe in the post, when all I wanted was my money back, which, of course they refused to refund because I had booked through Expedia.It's a lovely space, and perhaps, someday the service will live up to what they promise. But I'm NEVER staying at this hotel again.

Classy hotel - Great service!

My partner and I stayed there 9/9-9/11/03. We thought the service was excellent with a very friendly and pleasing staff. They're definitely going for the boutique motif with the basic black look and starbucks coffee in the lobby. Worked for us. Room service food was pretty tasty and not overly expensive. We never ate in the restaurant. Hotel is centrally located and is probably best suited towards the hip urban crowd or the no nonsense business type who likes small hotels. They even offer cds to play in your room. Nice!

Yes, Yes, Yes

Yes, the service was great. Yes, the bed was comfortable and yes, we loved our stay.

Interesting Difference

Arc, the Hotel is certainly different. Sevice was excellent and the price was great.

A great touch was the bedding. The bedsheets were the best quality I have ever seen. Attention to these kinds of detail are important to making an ordinary thing stand out above others.

The location is also one of the very best in the downtown core within walking distance to all the major downtown attractions.

The room decor was different but interesting. The only improvement could be larger room sizes.

Does not live up to expectations

Just got back from a two day stay at the ARC.

Good service, average rooms

Although this place is oh so trendy and hip (with techno music in the lobby) I found the room size disappointing (a little larger than a walk-in closet). In addition, the carpets were soiled, the furniture drab (too much gray!) and and in need of some repair (lots of scratches, chips and warped cabinets that were difficult to open and close- and torn bed linens. The youthful staff was, however, very accomodating and that atleast made my stay more pleasurable. Overall, its a decent value considering that in American dollars the stay averaged aboout $125 per night including a complimentary drink and all the free Starbucks coffee and capuccino you could drink. In addition,they have a relaxing library where you can veg out and no one ever bothers you (the best part of the hotel).

Ottawa's Gem of a Hotel

This hotel is one of my favorites that I've ever stayed at. Very classy, very chic, and it gives you a real sense of privacy. Superior front-desk service, and the ammenities are outstanding, from the bathrobes to the stereo system complete with cd player to the library/reading room. The beds are so comfortable you'll never want to leave! The location is also excellent, and it's within walking distance to many of Ottawa's attractions. ARC is definitely better than most big-name, chain hotels. Do yourself a favor and spend at least one night here!