The Saintlo Ottawa Jail Hostel, emblematic of a real prison, offers a unique historical experience that lacks the charm and privacy you might find in a traditional hostel. However, the experience more than makes up for it, especially for budget-conscious travellers. Open to all, Ottawa’s Jail Hostel makes for a memorable night’s accommodation that won’t break the bank.

For 110 years, the thick-stoned building on Nicholas Street was known as the Carleton County Gaol, an imposing hell designed to imprison Ottawa’s most notorious offenders. Built in 1862 as a model British prison, the reality of the jail was hardly civilized. Tiny, freezing cells were crammed with both men and boys as young as five years old, reeking of excrement, the floor crawling with rats and bugs. The prison was eventually shut down in 1972 due to cruel living conditions but opened the following year as a refurbished youth hostel.

As travelers started spending nights in the hostel, many reported unexplainable events that occurred all over the building and grounds.

• The Ghost of Patrick Whelan: Arguably the hostel’s most famous spook, you’ll see Patrick Whelan walking the halls toward the gallows where he was hanged. His restless spirit is said to be caused by an undignified burial after his execution.
• The Hole: Also known as solitary confinement, this area of the jail is filled with an ominous, negative energy. Visitors report overwhelming feelings of despair in this cramped, lightless space.
• The Gallows: The jail’s preferred method of execution is still standing and functional, so don’t try it out. Hotel guests have heard footsteps, disembodied voices and other baffling sounds coming from the execution chamber.
• The Lounge: The hostel’s lounge was once used to house women and children prisoners, echoes of whom can still be heard today. Visitors claim to hear sounds of children crying and screaming, as well as knocking on doors and footsteps in the empty room.