Saintlo Ottawa Jail Hostel — Downtown / Nicholas
A hostel in the former Carleton County Gaol (1862) — rooms in actual old jail cells, totally unique, with a ghost tour and a central location. Ideal for backpackers wanting Ottawa's strangest, most memorable stay.
Saintlo Ottawa Jail Hostel is set in the former Carleton County Gaol, built in 1862 and used until 1972 — yes, you sleep in actual old cells. It's the most unique stay in Ottawa, on Nicholas Street in the heart of Downtown, near the Rideau Centre, ByWard Market and Rideau Canal, with main landmarks walkable.
"Sleep in an actual old jail cell — an 1862 prison, a totally unique experience"
Several dorms are converted cells — narrow, with iron bars, keeping the historic (and eerie) atmosphere intact. Private and family rooms are larger. It's an experience you'll tell friends about endlessly. Honestly, most people stay here for that experience, not comfort.
The highlight is the building's ghost tour — stories of inmates and past executions make it one of Canada's most 'haunted' stays. There are common areas, a shared kitchen and activities to meet fellow travellers — a sociable hostel vibe.
It suits backpackers, budget travellers, lovers of strange and historic experiences, or groups of friends wanting a story. Starting around CAD 45 for a dorm bed in a central location, it's the cheapest in our list and great value on a tight budget.
Frankly worth knowing — as a converted old jail, the cell dorms are very narrow, beds aren't plush, and comfort isn't hotel-level (comfort/room scores are lower than others). If you expect hotel convenience, this isn't it — the selling points are experience and price.
Also, it's a social hostel, so expect some noise and busyness, and most bathrooms are shared. For privacy, choose a private room. Some may feel uneasy with the old-jail atmosphere or ghost tour.
Thai backpackers will still need a Canadian visitor visa even for hostel stays, and Ottawa's bilingual setup is worth noting. The location is genuinely excellent — minutes from the Rideau Centre, ByWard Market and the canal — so you get a prime base at the lowest price in our list. Go in knowing the cell dorms are narrow and basic, bathrooms are mostly shared, and the building's history can feel eerie; that's the whole draw. For a one-of-a-kind story and a tight budget, nothing else in Ottawa comes close.
Bottom line: Saintlo Ottawa Jail Hostel is Ottawa's most unique and cheapest stay — sleep in an old jail downtown — ideal for backpackers who prioritise the story and budget over comfort.
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ Truly unique stay in an 1862 jail
- ✓ Cheapest in our list, central location
- ✓ Ghost tour + historic atmosphere
- ✓ Sociable hostel, meet other travellers
- ! Narrow cell dorms, comfort below hotels
- ! Mostly shared bathrooms · noise/busyness
- ✓ Cheapest in our list, central location
- ✓ Ghost tour + historic atmosphere
- ✓ Sociable hostel, meet other travellers
- ✓ Truly unique stay in an 1862 jail
- ! Mostly shared bathrooms · noise/busyness
- ! Narrow cell dorms, comfort below hotels
- 💡If you expect hotel comfort — cells are narrow → the draw is experience + price, or see other hotels in our list
- 💡If you want privacy — mostly dorms/shared baths → choose a private room
- 💡If the jail/ghost vibe unsettles you — it may not suit → choose ByWard Blue Inn or a regular hostel