Where to Stay in Winnipeg, Canada: The Best Hotels & Areas

Travelling across Canada on the Trans-Canada Highway? There’s a good chance you’ll need to figure out where to stay in Winnipeg.

Lesser-visited Winnipeg is the capital of the Central Canadian province of Manitoba. It sits among Canada’s biggest cities and is one of the most important in the nation’s history.

For travellers, planning a visit to Winnipeg is simple. Many of the best hotels in Winnipeg are located in the downtown area. Conveniently, you’ll also find many of the top tourist attractions & points of interest in Winnipeg around here.

Ready to get your Winnipeg accommodations search started? Plan your trip with this complete guide to the best places to stay in Winnipeg, Manitoba. In the guide, we include all the city’s top areas, neighbourhoods & hotels for first-time visitors.

Best places to stay in Winnipeg

Although three-quarters of a million people call Winnipeg home, choosing where to stay in Winnipeg isn’t such a challenge.

For first-time travellers, the best area to stay in Winnipeg is Downtown Winnipeg. The downtown area includes several interesting neighbourhoods for visitors. Areas here include the historic Exchange District and The Forks, one of the coolest places to visit in Winnipeg.

South of the Assiniboine River and west of the Red River from The Forks, you’ll stumble into Fort Garry. The district is named after Upper Fort Garry. This city centre historical fortification dates back to 1822 before the official founding of the city of Winnipeg. The area is an excellent choice to escape the bustle of downtown. In Fort Garry, you’ll find good value accommodations with a more local feel.

Interested in the French Canadian culture and Canadian history? The neighbourhood of St. Boniface is another great choice. Saint Boniface was the home of Louis Riel. This legendary Métis political leader paved the way to Manitoba becoming the fifth province in the Confederation of Canada.

The best areas to stay in Winnipeg include:

• Downtown Winnipeg
• The Exchange District
• Fort Garry
• St. Boniface

Downtown Winnipeg

✔ Best area to stay in Winnipeg for first-time travellers

If you’re looking for a simple answer for where to stay in Winnipeg, choose Downtown Winnipeg. Centred upon the intersection of Portage and Main, Downtown is home to most of the best Winnipeg hotels. You’ll also find many of Winnipeg’s top attractions in & around downtown.

History lovers will have a field-day exploring the city centre area. Head over to the eastern banks of the Red River to the Canadian Human Rights Museum. The museum’s building showcases Winnipeg’s most distinctive modern architecture. It was the first national museum in Canada built outside of National Capital Region.

For a taste of all that Winnipeg offers, drop down to The Forks at the confluence of the Assiniboine & Red Rivers. A meeting place for over six millennia, The Forks is designated as a National Historic Site of Canada. The area hosts great parks, shops, restaurants, and The Forks Market, Winnipeg’s most famous indoor marketplace.

Nearby, walk through Canadian history at Upper Fort Garry Heritage Provincial Park. Enjoy some laughter with the kids at the Children’s Museum. Or check out European paintings and the world’s largest Inuit art collection at the Winnipeg Art Museum.

For your lodgings search, you’ll find just about everything in downtown Winnipeg. From budget hotels to the top luxury hotels in Winnipeg, it’s all here.

The Exchange District

✔ Best area to stay in Winnipeg for historical sightseeing, nightlife & food

Located one block north of Portage and Main is The Exchange District. The district is a National Historic Site of Canada and one of the best places to stay in Winnipeg.

The Exchange District stretches out over 20 city blocks. The area is home to about 150 heritage buildings. The buildings date back to the late-19th and early-20th centuries. At the time, Winnipeg was one of the fastest-growing cities in North America.

After decline & stagnation for much of the 1900s, The Exchange District has once again found its wings. Today, it’s one of the most important cultural areas in Winnipeg. Its heritage buildings now hide theatres, art galleries, restaurants, and nightclubs. You’ll also find offices for up-and-coming tech companies.

There’s more to do here than roaming the streets to uncover its historical architecture. The Exchange District also hosts several popular events throughout the year.

Visiting Winnipeg in summer? Carve out some time to listen to smooth tunes at Jazz Winnipeg Festival in June. In July, you can enjoy some laughs at the Winnipeg Fringe Theatre Festival.

There’s a limited selection of hotels in The Exchange District. Most fall into mid-range and luxury prices. Be sure to book your accommodation well ahead to ensure availability.

Fort Garry

✔ Best neighbourhood to stay in Winnipeg for great local vibe & excellent restaurants

For escaping the buzz of central Winnipeg, consider staying in Fort Garry. Located south of the downtown core, Fort Garry is a mixed residential neighbourhood. It offers a quieter alternative for your stay in Winnipeg.

Although it feels far more local than the city centre, Fort Garry is still a fantastic place to stay. It’s among the most diverse areas in Winnipeg.

Staying here you’ll encounter an impressive array of international restaurants. Most are centred along Pembina Highway. The selection include a blast of Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese options. There’s also a wide array of excellent Greek and Italian restaurants here. Most run along Corydon Avenue, the main thoroughfare of Winnipeg’s Little Italy neighbourhood.

In far west end of Fort Garry, you can relax in the sprawling Assiniboine Park. The park is home to the the Assiniboine Zoo and other family-friendly attractions. Or head south to gawk at the collection of dinosaur skeletons at the Ed Leith Cretaceous Menagerie on the University of Manitoba campus.

Most of the accommodation options in Fort Garry fall into the budget and mid-range for Winnipeg. For the small handful luxury hotels in Winnipeg, you’ll need to move further up north in the city centre.

St. Boniface

✔ Best place to stay in Winnipeg for exploring Manitoba’s French Canadian culture & history

Once a separate city from Winnipeg, St. Boniface is east of downtown across the Red River. The neighbourhood is the epicentre of French culture in Manitoba. Saint Boniface is also home to one of the largest French Canadian communities west of Quebec.

St. Boniface centres upon Provencher Boulevard. As you roam around the area, you’ll stumble upon relaxing cafés & trendy restaurants showing off its French heritage. Around St. Boniface, you’re just as likely to encounter classic French dishes like beef bourguignon as Canadian ones.

History lovers will likewise love their stay in St. Boniface. The district is the birthplace of the legendary Métis leader Louis Riel. Riel led the Red River Rebellion and set the stage for the province of Manitoba to join the confederation.

A great place to start exploring the area’s heritage is at the Le Musée de Saint-Boniface Museum. This museum, designated a National Historic Site of Canada, occupies Winnipeg’s oldest building. Its exhibits weave the story of the Franco-Manitoban community. The permanent Louis Riel exhibition will be of particular interest to Canadian history buffs.

Unfortunately, there’s a limited selection of accommodations in St. Boniface. Most of the options outside of central Saint Boniface are chain hotels. There’s also handful of homestays, which at the time of publishing (fall 2020), show limited availability.