Ottawa, Ontario · casino age 19+
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Ottawa review
Updated · facts checked
Opened on July 3, 2025, this is the newest casino hotel on our list and Canada's first fully integrated Hard Rock resort: 150 rooms including 22 suites, a 24/7 casino with 1,500+ slots, a Council Oak steakhouse and the 2,200-capacity Hard Rock LIVE. Everything — hotel included — is 19+.
Best for: Adults-only weekends with live music, steak and a 24-hour casino.
Skip if: You travel with anyone under 19 — the whole property, hotel included, is 19+.
Brand-new, and strictly grown-up
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Ottawa opened on July 3, 2025, after a $350 million expansion of the former Rideau Carleton casino site; Hard Rock calls it Canada's first fully integrated Hard Rock resort. It is operated by Hard Rock International under OLG. The rule that shapes every visit: you must be 19 or older to enter any part of the property, including the hotel and restaurants.
Rooms
There are 150 rooms, including 22 suites. Deluxe King and Deluxe Queen rooms are 389 square feet; the Queen sleeps up to four. The Silver and Gold Suites add living space; the Gold has a bar area and a freestanding tub. Hard Rock's "Sound of Your Stay" programme offers a curated vinyl selection and an in-room guitar.
The casino
Open 24/7/365, with more than 1,500 slots, table games around the clock — blackjack, craps, roulette, mini baccarat and more — a new baccarat room and VIP high-limit gaming. Loyalty is Unity by Hard Rock (Star, Legend, Icon and the invite-only X tier), which also discounts valet and the shuttle.
Shows and live music
Hard Rock LIVE is a 23,000 sq ft venue with seating for up to 1,900 and a maximum capacity of 2,200. The smaller Joint hosts 25 to 400. On Friday and Saturday nights the Council Oak Lounge stage has live music with free admission, and the Hard Rock Cafe books free tribute and cover acts.
Dining
Council Oak Steaks & Seafood is the signature room, modelled on the original at Seminole Hard Rock in Florida, with a Sunday brunch from 10 am to 3 pm. Brick'd Italian Kitchen, YOUYU Noodle Bar and the Hard Rock Cafe cover casual meals, and the Constant Grind café in the Marketplace is open 24/7.
Fitness, pool and parking
The Body Rock gym is open 24 hours with your room key and uses Technogym equipment. We found no pool on the hotel's published amenity pages, so don't count on one. Valet runs 24/7 at $20 for non-members, $15 for Star, $10 for Legend and free for Icon and X; two EV chargers are on site.
Getting there
Ottawa's airport is about two miles away. A property shuttle links the resort with Leitrim and Uplands O-Train stations for $5 one-way ($3.50 with Unity), card or tap only. Harness racing at the neighbouring raceway ended in March 2026.
Our verdict
The freshest rooms in the Ottawa area and the best live-music line-up of any casino hotel its size. Perfect for a couples' or friends' weekend; impossible for families.
Questions travellers ask
When did Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Ottawa open?
On July 3, 2025.
Can under-19s stay at the Hard Rock Ottawa hotel?
No. Guests must be 19 or older to access any part of the property, including the hotel and restaurants.
Does Hard Rock Ottawa have a pool?
We found no pool on the hotel's published amenity pages; it lists a 24-hour gym. Ask the hotel if a pool matters to you.
Sources we checked
- casino.hardrock.com/ottawa
- casino.hardrock.com/en/ottawa/about-us/contact-us
- www.hardrock.com/blog/hard-rock-hotel-and-casino-ottawa-opens
- casino.hardrock.com/en/ottawa/hotel
- casino.hardrock.com/en/ottawa/amenities/shuttle
- casino.hardrock.com/en/ottawa/casino/slots
- casino.hardrock.com/en/ottawa/entertainment/hard-rock-live
- casino.hardrock.com/en/ottawa/entertainment/new-years-eve-2027-disco-fever-party
- casino.hardrock.com/en/ottawa/rock-shop
- casino.hardrock.com/en/ottawa/hotel/rooms
Facts on this page were checked on October 23, 2026 against the sources above. Prices, fees and opening hours change — confirm with the hotel before you book. Spotted something out of date? Tell us. More in Casino Hotels in Ontario or the full top 10.