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On your next visit to Ottawa, go directly to jail…
the HI-Ottawa Jail Hostel!
 Plan a unique and memorable trip to Ottawa that’ll not only include its sights, attractions, and activities but your overnight sentence in jail as well! The HI-Ottawa Jail Hostel is the only hostel in North America located in a former prison that operated for over 100 years. During your stay in this Victorian-era architectural relic, you’ll sleep in former jail cells, the prison hospital, or maybe even the governor’s quarters! Visit the Carleton County Gaol Heritage Centre located on the hostel’s un-renovated 8th floor to see and learn what life was like for the prison’s inmates, and take a tour to hear their stories or find out if the jail really is haunted.
Discover more:
Gaol History | Our Most Famous Inmate | Photographs | Recordings | Articles
Location, Location, Location
Located in the heart of downtown, the HI-Ottawa Jail Hostel is in an ideal location to explore the city’s many nearby sights and attractions while on your prison day-pass. It’s right across the street from shopping at the Rideau Centre, a mere 7 minute walk from the Byward Market and Parliament Hill, and a hop, skip and a jump away from many of the city’s national and local museums, including the Museum of Civilization, the National Gallery of Canada, and the Canadian War Museum.
Discover more:
About Ottawa | See a Map | Discounts | Activities & Programs
Inmate Facilities
As an inmate at the HI-Ottawa Jail Hostel we offer you many choices in accommodations, ranging from traditional dorm beds, to semi-private or private rooms carved out of old jail cells.
Discover the jail’s original inmate facilities:
Old Cellblock Floorplan
This newly available apartment is the perfect space for your family to relax and enjoy their hostel sentence, with ample space for Mom, Dad, and the kids. This is keeping right in line with tradition: did you know that in the old days, the warden’s family actually lived with him in the jail? The apartment includes: two rooms with double bed in one and separate bunk bed in the other; en-suite bathroom featuring an antique clawfoot tub/shower; kitchenette with fridge and microwave; table and chairs for family meals and activities; and a couch to rest your tired feet.
Additional hostel amenities include:
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Fully equipped kitchen, with refrigerated storage space for hosteller’s food items
(imagine you’re working off your debt as you prepare your meals in jail!) |
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TV and games lounge with satellite and a selection of free movies
(pay homage to celebrities in the jail’s former chapel!) |
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Dining room
(formerly the jail’s debtor’s prison where an entire family was crowded into one cell) |
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On-site internet access (including kiosks and WiFi)
(giving you far more access than the average prisoner ever got in their visiting area) |
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Laundry
(put yourself on hard labour, and get some chores done) |
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Free onward bookings for HI-Canada hostels
(get yourself released from your sentence or transferred to another facility!) |
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On-site parking
(for your getaway car or bus) |
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All linen and bedding are complimentary
(so are the beds – our inmates weren’t always so lucky) |
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Inmates are admitted and checked-in to gaol at 1pm |
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Release and check-out occurs at 11am |
The HI-Ottawa Jail Hostel is always open for business:
Our friendly and experienced guards (i.e. staff) will be happy not only to incarcerate you for the night, but also to help you plan and get the most out of your visit. Behave, and maybe they’ll even let you in on some of Ottawa’s best-kept secrets (of which we’re one!).
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