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Welcome to www.spottinghotels.org the bible for information on hotels where you can spot from.  We launched the site in late 2025 and hope to make this the go to site for hotels with a view!  We have 250 reports and that keeps climbing thanks to those who contribute.  

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CYUL/YUL - Montreal Pierre Elliott Trudeau - Hilton Garden Inn - September 2026

I have room 333 which gives good views to all runways. Any odd numbered rooms 27 to 45 would offer similar views on 3rd and 4th floor. Any lower and the roof to the Hotel would block the view.

Credit Mark Paulin 

https://maps.app.goo.gl/BbeCMfsSoxcMFW2o8

CYOW/YOW - Ottawa - Hilton Garden Inn - September 2026

Having decided to nightstop at Ottawa I looked at hotel options & plumped for the HGI. I requested an airport facing room being unsure of exactly what view there would be.

 

I was allocated room 830 being a room with one King Bed & wasn’t disappointed. any even number between 826 to 840 will work, the higher the better as you can see the aproach to runway 14. Whilst the weather wasn’t great during my stay, the large window gave views of the primary active runway (07/25) with any movements on 14/32 also being visible. The Innotech FBO ramp & anything outside their hangar can also be seen from the hotel room. The room cost me £145, booking directly with the hotel 5 weeks before my stay. Photos are possible from the room. However the window does distort some shots unfortunately. 

 

Ottawa isn’t a particularly big or overly busy airport. Porter is the primary operator here with Air Canada, Air Transat, Westjet, Canadian North & PAL Airlines also having a number of movements. United Express are also well represented with a variety of cross border flights, primarily using Republic ERJ175s.

If coming to Ottawa you are likely to have a car as you will surely visit the excellent Canadian Air & Space Museum at Rockcliffe. At Ottawa IAP, the car enables you to see the cargo terminal & Canadian North maintenance facility at the eastern end of the airfield (behind the hotel) and allows you opportunities for photos either from the viewing area at that end of the airfield or south of the airfield on Alert Road near the entrance to Hylands Golf Club.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/2obNMfueFjqo6Gya9

Credit Nick Godfrey

HECA/CAI - Cairo - Cario Marriott - September 2026

This is a downtown hotel that you might stay in with a partner for a visit to the touristy things in Cairo or before a Nile Cruise. It’s not the place or area to stay for spotting. 

The hotel is a typically high end Cairo Hotel, It Has two towers, The Zamalek is the northern one and  the Gezira is the southern one, both are 19 floors with executive floors at the top and floors booked by tour operators towards the bottom. The Marriott club is in the Gezira tower and has views over the Nile.

Any Nile facing room in either tower will give distant views of the approach by looking north, when I was there is was hazy every morning and this blocked any view of the approach, but this cleared by Lunchtime. High floors work best not sure what the view is like from the lower floors. Views after dark are also difficult but possible.

The Gezira tower garden view room have no view of the approach but approaching aircraft from the north can be seen turning base leg. The non Garden view (don’t know what that’s called) should have the best view of the approach as you are facing it.

The Zamalek tower garden view rooms should have a view of the approach but I don’t know how much of that will be blocked by the Gezira tower. The other side the rooms face the highway and you should get a better view of the arrivals from the north.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/PPHTqAyu64JUE9jR9

CYOO/YOO - Oshawa - Tru by Hilton - September 2026

Any room 414 to 429 offers a good view of the approach and some of the runway.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/r2edRbFSe6R222Xf9

Credit Mark Paulin 

EFHK/HEL - Helsinki - Clarion Hotel - September 2026

The clarion have opened a property connected to the terminal . A lot of rooms face inwards to the courtyard , but I asked for an outward room as these face the airport, I was given 437 which is a corner room  and gives view towards the terminal and the runway. Nothing can be missed from here …. xx37 would be the best room for sure … ideally higher than 7th to see over the terminal . There are 11 floors , the 12 floor has a restaurant and a lounge that gives panoramic views over the airport. This appears to only be open in the evenings. Rooms ending 36 34 32 28 25 and 23 would also work . A key cards is required to access the room levels. The hotel has a great dinner / breakfast buffet , and is of high quality 

https://maps.app.goo.gl/My6cETSbRRB35eow6

 

CYYZ/YYZ - Toronto - Holiday Inn Express & Suites Toronto Airport South - September 2026

Having just returned from a few days in Toronto, I thought it would be of use to share my observations in respect of a new hotel that has opened at Toronto Airport - It is the Holiday Inn Express - Toronto Airport South, 25 International Boulevard, Toronto. The hotel is located in a fairly quite industrial area and as such there are not a great deal of places to get to without a vehicle or the need for a 15 mins walk. The hotel is located fairly close to the end of Runway 24L.

Even numbered rooms starting from x02 are best. room 702 is adjacent to a south facing window which allows traffic into Toronto City Airport to be seen. 

I had a King Bed Suite Airport View, Room 610 - It had a fantastic view out over the airport from a nice big window and all landings and take offs from both directions on both runways in use could be seen except for the times when a bit of misty rain moved in for a few hours where movements on Runway 23/05 (the furthest runway from the hotel) were sometimes beaten by the weather. Out of these times, the aircraft were fairly well lit up. As is with most Toronto Airport hotels, it wasn't the cheapest but for me it was worth it and I missed very little with the assistance of electronic aids. The rooms can be booked on the IHG website as 'Airport View Rooms'. As the hotel is quite new the windows are of excellent quality for photographs.

Hotel & nearby facilities - The hotel serves breakfast both warm and cold. There is no restaurant or bar though ! There is a small shop where crisps and snacks can be purchased. Disappointingly, there is no other facility like a fuel station to walk to to stock up. One plus, there is a rather conveniently located Molson Beer Store located about 10 mins walk South from the hotel. The store opens from 11am - 5pm Saturday and Sunday and 10am - 6pm Monday to Friday. The shops sells beers only and no wine or other soft drinks.The hotel room has a fridge in the room which is handy.

The nearest food places are about 15 mins walk to the North. There is the Arizona Grill Lounge as well as three fast food places, Popeyes, Pita Land and Philthy Phillies just before you get to the Arizona. There are also two aviation themed stores in this same complex, Threshold Aviation and AvWorld as well as a coffee shop.

I will sum up the hotel with the pro's and cons.

Pro's - An excellent hotel in a safe area, I didn't see any undesirables hanging about probably as its not in a residential area. The view from the room is excellent. The sun wasn't in my face all morning and started to appear from about 2pm onwards. If you are an IHG member, you get points for staying.

Cons - No restaurant or bar on site or in close walking distance. If anyone has mobility issues and relies on nearby facilities to walk to, this might not be the hotel for you.Car parking is charged at 15CAD a night but if you have a car, the above mentioned eateries/shops are a very short drive away. 

https://maps.app.goo.gl/vrnwUVnF3y4jLESP8

CYUL/YUL - Montreal Pierre Elliott Trudeau - Days Inn-September 2026

I Haven't stayed here for many years so was pleasantly surprised to see that its under gone renovation.

Previously you had un restricted views to landers from / departures to the North East now there is a 6 storey Staybridge Suites Hotel partially blocking view to the North East  That being said we had room 307, which still allowed views of landers on both runways from the room. One of our traveling group was on the second floor and said he could still see landers. Hotel also has the added advantage of being a two minute drive from Bombardier. Only complaint was that the restaurant and bar closed at 2100 in the evening.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/4j792LcusdvCCFFy5

Credit David Perston