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

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…

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
• 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 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.

The Exchange District

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

Located 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.

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 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.

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 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.