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hotels in downtown Ottawa
Ottawa is a city of water: the Ottawa River, the Gatineau River and the Rideau River are all natural boundaries that help define the city. No waterway better defines Ottawa, however, than the Rideau Canal – the Canal is in fact the reason for the city’s very existence. ARC THE HOTEL’s downtown location makes it one of the best situated hotels for accessing the marinas and pathways along the canal.
Today the canal is an arena for enthusiasts of boating and ice-skating, but it began as a military project, intended to secure supply trade between Upper and Lower Canada. It is the oldest continuously operated canal in North America, and in 2007, its 175th year, it was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The 202km canal, linking the waters of Lake Ontario at Kingston with the Ottawa River, was dug before the invention of dynamite. The finished canal, with its 47 masonry locks and 52 dams, was one of the engineering marvels of the 19th century, and its hand-operated locks are run basically as they were when the canal was opened in 1832. The location the canal’s northern end determined the choice of the location for the settlement that would one day become Ottawa.
Nowadays, Ottawa’s downtown recreational life revolves around the canal. In summer, boaters enjoy its waters, while others walk, run, skate or bike on the paths that line its banks. A ride along the canal showcases the scenic heart of Old Ontario. The entire Rideau Canal is accessible by canoe or kayak, and each year many daring paddlers go the full length of the canal. In winter, the canal becomes the world’s longest skating rink. The Rideau Canal Skateway holds the Guinness World Record as the world's largest naturally frozen ice rink, equivalent 90 Olympic sized rinks.
The Rideau Canal is the gateway to the beauty of Ontario – walking, boating, hiking, skating, or biking are all great ways to enjoy the Rideau Corridor. ARC THE HOTEL’s downtown location offers excellent access to the canal in any season. Ottawa’s only member of the Preferred Hotels and Resorts Network and the Preferred Boutique hotels network, ARC THE HOTEL is your destination in downtown Ottawa. |
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