If you’re travelling across Canada on the Trans-Canada Highway, there’s a good chance you’ll need to figure out where to stay in Winnipeg. The capital of the Central Canadian province of Manitoba sits among Canada’s biggest cities and is one of the most important in the nation’s history.
Fortunately for travellers, the choice is relatively simple. Many of the best hotels in Winnipeg are located in the downtown area. Conveniently, this is where you’ll also find many of the top tourist attractions & points of interest in Winnipeg.
Ready to get your Winnipeg accommodations search started? Plan your trip with this complete guide to the best places to stay in Winnipeg, Manitoba, including the top areas, neighbourhoods & hotels for first-time visitors…
Looking for more ideas for your trip? Check out our other hotel & accommodations guides and our Canada Travel Guide for recommendations on when to visit, where to go & what to do!
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 including the historic Exchange District and The Forks, one of the coolest places to visit in Winnipeg.
Located south of the Assiniboine River and west of the Red River from The Forks, you’ll stumble into the district of Fort Garry. It’s named after Upper Fort Garry, a historical fortification in the city centre dating back to 1822 before the official founding of the city of Winnipeg. The area an excellent choice if you want to escape the bustle of downtown and find good value accommodations with a more local feel.
If you’re interested in the French Canadian culture and Canadian history, the neighbourhood of St. Boniface is another great choice. St. Boniface was the home of Louis Riel, the legendary Métis political leader who paved the way to Manitoba becoming the fifth province in the Confederation of Canada.
The best areas to stay in Winnipeg include:
Downtown Winnipeg
✔ Best area to stay in Winnipeg for first-time travellersIf 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 along with many of the Winnipeg’s top attractions.
History lovers will have a field-day exploring the city centre area. Head over to the eastern banks of the Red River to be greeted by Winnipeg’s most distinctive display of modern architecture at the Canadian Human Rights Museum, the first national museum in Canada built outside of the National Capital Region.
For a (literal) 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 a number of great parks, shops, restaurants, and The Forks Market, Winnipeg’s most famous indoor marketplace.
Nearby, you’ll also get a chance to 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 painting and Inuit artwork 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.
Budget
- Humphry Inn & Suites: If you’re looking to get front-and-centre in Winnipeg while saving a little money, the spacious rooms & suites here should suit the bill. While the price here often falls into the mid-range, you can often book ahead to secure a better deal.
- Holiday Inn & Suites Downtown Winnipeg: Located five minutes from the Winnipeg Art Gallery, this hotel is a great destination for culture lovers and families alike. There’s a handful of excellent amenities here including a pool, fitness centre, free WiFi, and two on-site eating & drinking venues.
Mid-Range
- Alt Hotel Winnipeg: The boutique brand of the home-grown Canadian hotelier Le Germain, Alt Hotel is one of the coolest Winnipeg hotels for travellers looking to add a little more colour & pizazz to their stay in the capital of Manitoba beyond the usual chain hotel rooms. Besides the funky decor, the hotel is located across the street from MTS Place and a short 5-minute drive from the Canadian Museum of Human Rights.
- Delta Hotels by Marriott Downtown Winnipeg: Connected to the Winnipeg Convention Centre via the Skywalk, this mid-range luxury hotel is a fantastic option for business travellers, couples, and families alike. Amenities here include an indoor pool, outdoor pool, fitness centre, and two on-site restaurants.
Luxury
- Fort Garry Hotel: Occupying 1910-era heritage building, this legendary former grand railway hotel is the top-rated luxury hotel in Winnipeg. The lodgings are chock-loaded with amenities ranging from a full-service spa & indoor pool to a gym & an on-site restaurant.
- Inn at the Forks: Located near the popular Forks Market, this popular Winnipeg hotel offers elegant modern rooms fitted with comfortable beds & contemporary furnishings. Book yourself a soothing message at the spa & wellness centre to add a dash of relaxation to your stay.
The Exchange District
✔ Best area to stay in Winnipeg for historical sightseeing, nightlife & foodLocated just one block north of Portage and Main is The Exchange District, a National Historic Site of Canada and one of the best places to stay in Winnipeg.
Stretching out over 20 city blocks, The Exchange District is home to about 150 heritage buildings dating back to the late-19th and early-20th centuries when Winnipeg was one of the fastest-growing cities in North America.
After a period of decline and 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, hiding theatres, art galleries, restaurants, nightclubs, and offices for up-and-coming tech companies within the walls of its heritage building.
Besides roaming the streets to uncover its historical architecture, The Exchange District offers a number of great events scattered throughout the year. If you’re visiting Winnipeg in summer, carve out some time to listen to some smooth tunes at Jazz Winnipeg Festival in June or enjoy some laughs at the Winnipeg Fringe Theatre Festival in July.
There’s a limited selection of hotels here with most falling into mid-range and luxury prices. Be sure to book your accommodation well ahead to ensure availability.
Budget
- Radisson Hotel Winnipeg Downtown: Located on Portage a mere block away from The Exchange District, this budget-friendly hotel put all the best of the city within a quick walk or drive without breaking the bank. Conveniently for hockey fans, the hotel is connected to MTS Place via the Skywalk.
Mid-Range
- Mere Hotel: With its fantastic location and trendy good looks, this boutique hotel is the perfect place to stay for adding a dash of style to your visit to Manitoba’s capital. It’s one of the coolest hotels in its price range in the entire city!
Luxury
- Mariaggi’s Theme Hotel & Spa: The unique globe-trotting decor in this theme hotel will whisk you from the Canadian Prairies to lands far away. Rooms include spa baths to add some relaxation to your journey.
- The Fairmont Winnipeg: Although not quite as famous as its sister properties elsewhere in Canada, this popular 4-star hotel sits among only a handful of luxury hotels in Winnipeg. You’ll love everything here from the rooms to the amenities including an indoor pool, fitness centre, and restaurant.
Fort Garry
✔ Best neighbourhood to stay in Winnipeg for great local vibe & excellent restaurantsFor escaping the buzz of central Winnipeg, consider staying in Fort Garry. Located south of the downtown core, Fort Garry is a mixed residential neighbourhood that 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, centred along Pembina Highway including a blast of Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese options. There’s also a wide array of excellent Greek and Italian restaurants 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, 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.
Budget
- Queen Bee Hotel: If saving money is more important than location, look not further than this no-frills hotel in Fort Garry. Both the University of Manitoba and Trans-Canada Highway are close by.
- Holiday Inn Winnipeg South: Located in the heart of the Fort Garry neighbourhood, this hotel delivers clean & comfortable accommodations that offer some of the best value in the area. Staying here you’ll also enjoy a handful of extras like an indoor pool, hot tub, and fitness centre.
- Four Points by Sheraton Winnipeg South: Dwelling on Pembina Highway just minutes from the Trans-Canada, this excellent budget/mid-range hotel fulfills its brand’s promise with its clean modern rooms and exacting set of amenities including an indoor pool, hot tub, and fitness centre.
Mid-Range
- Best Western Plus Pembina Inn & Suites: To get a tad closer to downtown, book yourself into one of the spacious suites at this top-rated Winnipeg hotel. Extras here include a hot tub, pool, fitness centre, and free airport shuttle service.
- Hilton Garden Inn Winnipeg South: Spacious rooms and a breadth of amenities await at this excellent hotel. For shopping, there’s a handful of outlet stores in the hotel’s vicinity. CF Polo Park, one of the best places to shop in Winnipeg, is less than 15 minutes north by car.
- Hyatt House Winnipeg South Outlet Collection: It doesn’t get much better for mid-range travellers than this brand-new hotel in the west of Winnipeg South. For urban relaxation for adults and kids alike, Assiniboine Park and Assiniboine Park Zoo are less than a 10-minute drive away.
St. Boniface
✔ Best place to stay in Winnipeg for exploring Manitoba’s French Canadian culture & historyOnce a separate city from Winnipeg, St. Boniface is located east of downtown across the Red River. The neighbourhood isn’t just the epicentre of French culture in Manitoba, but home to one of the largest French Canadian communities west of Quebec.
As you roam around St. Boniface, centred upon Provencher Boulevard, you’ll stumble upon relaxing cafés and trendy restaurants that show off more than a dash of the area’s French heritage. Around St. Boniface, you’re just as likely to encounter classic French dishes like beef bourguignon as typically Canadian ones.
History lovers will likewise love their stay in St. Boniface. The district is the birthplace of the legendary Métis leader Louis Riel, who 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, is situated in Winnipeg’s oldest building and tells 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 here are chain hotels outside of central Saint Boniface along with a handful of homestays, which at the time of writing (fall 2020), show fairly limited availability.
Budget
- Norwood Hotel: The most central of the small handful of hotels in Saint Boniface, the accommodations here are pleasant and comfortable, even if a little no-frills.
- Super 8 by Wyndham Winnipeg East: Located southeast of central St. Boniface, this bright, cheery & budget-friendly hotel is a superb choice if you’re entering Winnipeg from the east and aren’t bothered by staying on the outskirts of town rather than in the centre of the city.
Mid-Range
- Best Western Premier Winnipeg East: Although it’s about a 15-minute ride to the heart of St. Boniface, this hotel is the best overall choice in Winnipeg’s east end thanks to its bright rooms and range of family-friendly amenities including an indoor pool with a waterslide, hot tub, and lounge with fire tables.
- Travelodge by Wyndham Winnipeg East: Situated just off of the Trans-Canada Highway in the Apline Place neighbourhood, this budget-friendly mid-range offers extras like an indoor pool, hot tub, and sauna. The centre of St. Boniface is just 10 minutes away by car.