The Casino du Lac-Leamy: Sleep, Play, Eat, Repeat

It was during my participation in the Ottawa Marathon that I made my first visit to the Casino du Lac-Leamy. A beautiful place where all the pleasures come together. Game, gastronomy, and more! You will definitely find what you are looking for.

From Ottawa to the Casino du Lac-Leamy

After about 1 hour, here I am towards the Casino. Thanks again to Uber for his efficiency in the city of  Ottawa. Less than 20 minutes later, I returned. I tried to watch the bus ride, but it all seems quite complex. In short, enough to put me late and make me do a lot of walking, which I do not need the day before my race. So, I have to say first that the renovations to the Casino are quite incredible.

The Hilton Lac-Leamy

To get to the restaurant, you have to go through the Hilton Lac-Leamy Hotel. The arrival takes place at the roundabout of the Hotel where we notice a work of art inspired by a snow sculpture created by three employees of the Casino. In the Great Hall, magnificent glass sculptures by artist Dale Chihuly (the same artist who made the sun at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts) adorn the passage. In short, a dream setting is so beautiful. We would like to stay there.

In the lobby, you will find the magnificent Bacchus bar, with its luxurious red leather armchairs and the smell of port and cigar mix for our own pleasure. This place gives a view on the beautiful Lac de la Carrière. Of note, the Bacchus remains one of the only places in Quebec where you can smoke indoors (Notice to amateurs).

At the first floor, we find the restaurant Arôme Grillades et Fruits de Mer (our experience is a few lines down), with also a magnificent view of the lake of the quarry, the atmosphere at the table is beautiful on the terrace when the weather permits. At the second and third lower floors are the spa, fitness center and indoor and outdoor pools, heated and open year-round.

Of note, the hotel has 349 luxurious and abundantly glazed rooms, including 121 classic 335-square-foot rooms, 140 deluxe 448-square-foot rooms and 31 junior suites, which are spread over the 1st floor. on the 17th floor and are 514 square feet. Note that 20 of these suites have a jacuzzi.

The top three floors of the hotel are specially designed to meet the needs of business travelers. It must be said that the hotel receives a lot of conventions. So from the 18th to the 20th floor, you can find 41 executive rooms of 448 square feet. Guests on these Executive Floors have access to the Conrad Lounge, which offers breakfast and a complementary 5 to 7.

Want to live the ultimate luxury? There are also two large presidential suites that are 1685 square feet, each with an entrance hall with grand piano, a large living room with gas fireplace and private balcony, and a dining room.

It is important to remember that the Hilton Lac-Leamy is a 5-star hotel with 4 diamonds since its opening. You will be able to have only one perfect stay.

The meal at the Arôme Grillades et Fruits de Mer at the

As for the restaurant Arômes of The Casino du Lac-Leamy, I must first say that I was invited by Tourisme Outaouais. Already on arrival I had a superb welcome. The service was great even though it is not the most luxurious restaurant in the hotel (there is also Baccarat). The decor is composed of wood paneling, and is very warm. I had a view of the terrace and the outside even if the temperature was poor.

As this is a restaurant which, as the name suggests, is specialized in land and sea, it is worth venturing out on the menu. Being received I did not want to take the most expensive things on the map, but also try not to eat too much, since I had to run 10 kilometers in less than 24 hours.

 

I am brought to start the meal, pita chips with humus, something not too heavy to wait before entry. Then, as I wanted to eat anyway light (I confess I did not get too much for the rest of the meal), I took the Caesar salad as a starter. The latter was quite delicious with its smoked boar bacon, warm crust cooked with garlic and anchovy tapenade, it was simply incredibly fresh. They would win at the table to improve the experience.

Then it was the turn of the main course, and what main course it was with the flank steak Angus AAA + accompanied by mashed potatoes with cheese curds, vegetables of the day, pepper sauce and Jack Daniel’s. I have tried the aged beef, for cons, I did not want to stuff myself for the next day, already that the bib basically filled me. Especially the potatoes actually, they were incredibly good and creamy at will. A nice amalgam with the vegetables of the day.

I was definitely full when I was offered dessert. But hey, I could not resist the trio of crème brûlées (vanilla, orange and chocolate). I really enjoyed the orange which reminded me Revello Creamsicle Orange and plunged me in a moment in my childhood (my neighbor at the time had all the time in his freezer). The chocolate one was a little too sweet for my taste, but still excellent. The heaviness of my steak probably did not help to appreciate it. Also small flat on the dessert bar that detonates a bit with the rest of the restaurant. Looks like you suddenly find yourself in a Chinese buffet, and it’s not at all the atmosphere that we look for in this restaurant as the service is excellent.

While I finished my gargantuan meal. I still offered a tip even if the meal was offered to me. This is a practice that is still quite common among bloggers, and it was the least for me as the service was excellent.

 Up toThe Casino du Lac-Leamy

While the team of the Casino offered me a few dollars to play, I head to the entrance of the latter, it is quite majestic and very illuminated. We arrive at Bar 7 which, with a multimedia wall, interactive activities, an inviting dance floor, musical performances and DJ performances, is a must. And if you just want to have a drink, there’s an amazing selection of imported beers, cocktails, including some great martinis just for you. We notice the cutting edge of technology in this palace. The Casino has recently been renovated and the experience is incredible. Did you know that you can learn some games with the help of the croupiers? Yes yes, they offer introductory mini-courses to some table games to familiarize you with them. It’s really interesting as an initiative to feel less lost.

Unfortunately, I had to decline the offer of the Casino Night Club, because sleep hours are important before a race. In short, a beautiful evening and it’s time to return. Speaking of returning, I have unfortunately not found Uber to return to the city of Ottawa, and the taxis of other companies are frankly not very clean. Also, the driver did not know the way to the hotel. While most taxis have GPS, the one I boarded did not.

Discover The Casino du Lac-Leamy with this link! 

Discover The Ottawa City Guide just right here

Thanks to Tourisme Outaouais and the Casino du Lac-Leamy for the invitation.