Review : Humaniti Hotel Montréal, Autograph Collection | Marriott Bonvoy

Booking at the Humaniti Hotel Montreal, Autograph Collection

The Autograph Collection Hotel chain is positioned in the « Premium » segment of the Marriott Bonvoy group.

It has few properties, 212 in fact and only 7 in Canada, including the Kananaskis Mountain Lodge, Autograph Collection that we visited recently during a trip to Banff.

Here’s how Marriott is positioning this rather « new » brand having launched just over 10 years ago (2010):

No two Autograph Collection hotels are alike, but they all leave their mark with a unique point of distinction and a singular story to tell. And what is « the Brand »? It is a unique experience that leaves a lasting impression on all those who stay there. Whether it’s the Envoy Hotel’s igloo lounge or the Bankside’s artist-in-residence studio, these memorable moments will stay with you long after you leave.

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Feel free to check out all the other Autograph Collection hotels we’ve visited and reviewed on milesopedia.com.

Hotel Information – Humaniti Hotel Montreal, Autograph Collection

The hotel groups its 193 rooms including 16 suites on 9 floors, from the 10th to the 19th.

So what is this « Brand » typical of Humaniti, a new member of the Autograph Collection?

The term used is « advanced vertical community ».

Inspired by the relationship between humans and the urban environment, and embodying the concept of « live, work and play », the new Humaniti complex is Montreal’s first Advanced Vertical Community^™.

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The hotel is located in the heart of an urban village that also includes 314 rental units, 158 condominiums, 57,000 square feet of office space and 17,000 square feet of shops.

Designed to encourage human connection, the 39-storey landmark created by Lemay is sculpted in the shape of an « H » with twin towers that communicate with each other as well as with the vibrant environment. The complex is intended to be inclusive, welcoming hotel guests, complex residents and Montrealers alike.

And why the name « Humaniti »? In a way, to remain on a human scale while favouring a maximum of natural light, impeccable water and air quality, reflecting a great eco-responsible conscience and integrating Montreal’s culture. The complex is LEED certified, while the residential portion is aiming for WELL certification.

This search for symbiosis, this concern for the environment, can be found everywhere in the hotel with omnipresent light, minimalist waste management, no paper (digital is preferred), filtered water, no single-use containers…

And what about the food! You can only marvel when you stumble upon an urban garden on the 9th floor terrace, with edible plants that will ultimately end up on your plate. And a cuisine where no refined sugar is used, preferring maple syrup or honey.

The space dedicated to art is also present, both in the public areas and in each of the rooms.

Location

The Humaniti Hotel Montreal is located in a lively area of Old Montreal, between Square Victoria and Place-d’Armes metro stations, and within walking distance of the Palais des Congrès de Montréal.

You can see the beautiful St. Patrick’s Basilica, art galleries, cafes and restaurants. We suggest you try the hotel restaurant.

Reception of the Humaniti Hotel Montreal, Autograph Collection

The reception is located on De la Gauchetière Street West. Outside there is a nice arrival area where you can park your vehicle, unload your luggage and let the valet park your car ($38).

Then you enter the bright, airy, art-filled main hall. Saffron yellow and pearly white already set the tone, creating the sunny atmosphere that feeds the festive atmosphere of the entertainment district and that designer Andres Escobar wanted to infuse into the building.

Between the sofas and armchairs, several works of art pay tribute to the local heritage. Most notably the very impressive Epiphonic Womb, a 2016 work by Ontario artist Derrick Piens. Numerous inspiring art books, from Toulouse-Lautrec to street art, complete the layout of the spacious hall.

A work area allows you to plug in your computer while finalizing the follow-up of some files. The lobby is located to the right of the entrance hall. Because of COVID, the employees are protected by huge plexiglass panels. The goal here is efficiency. The check-in process is fast. Of course, the Marriott Bonvoy application greatly facilitates the whole process.

Our room at the Humaniti Hotel Montreal, Autograph Collection

The Humaniti Montreal hotel has 7 types of rooms:

• Hop: Bedroom: 1 king size bed
• Halo: Bedroom: 2 queen size beds
• Hibiscus: Deluxe room: 1 king size bed, panoramic view
• Harmony: Deluxe room: 2 queen size beds, panoramic view
• Helio: Junior Suite: 1 king size bed
• Haiku: Suite: 1 king size bed
• Hero: Presidential Suite: 1 king size bed

See also our report on the latter, the Presidential Hero Suite, one of the most beautiful suites in Montreal. I also write about my gastronomic experience at Restaurant h3.

Note that the room names all begin with the symbolic letter « h ». Credit must be given to the creative team for exploiting the « h » concept!

Our room was the Hibiscus room number 1524 located on the 15th floor (North-East facing). The room is a nice size (34 sq. m). It is located opposite room 1525, at the very end of the corridor, so they share a hallway.

It’s possible to close the outside door of the hallway, converting them into communicating rooms, which can be very useful when traveling with family as my friend Frederic often mentions.

Bedroom

As we entered the room, we were greeted by a huge stream of light (we arrived in the middle of the afternoon while the sun was shining). The « outside wall » of the room is actually glazed from floor to ceiling. We walk along the bathroom and then enter the room itself.

The floor-to-ceiling windows also make up the back wall, giving the Hibiscus room its panoramic view status, with 50% of the walls actually being glass.

Two sets of curtains provide two degrees of opacity. The first creates a translucent white veil that allows light to filter through while providing privacy for guests.

It must be said that we are in an urban environment and that the surrounding buildings are « on the other side » of the street, so they are rather close.

The second set of curtains provides the nighttime darkness necessary for uninterrupted sleep. The colour of this second series of curtains is judiciously matched with the bare concrete columns, which allows the latter to be better « camouflaged » from the rest of the decor. The integration is very successful.

The hotel having just opened, we notice that everything is new and even smells new. The general style of the room is very contemporary with this industrial aspect (column of naked concrete, ceiling of naked concrete) mixed with islands of colours inspired by shade of gray (slate, granite). It’s warmer and less « neutral » than those hotel rooms all in white.

Shades of turquoise cover the large bench at the foot of the bed as well as some of the patterns in the rug along the bed. This turquoise colour can also be found on some of the bathroom tiles. The bed itself is made of Quebec marbled wood, as well as the cupboard and the adjacent « coffee » area, which houses the safety deposit box and the mini-fridge underneath.

The rest of the walls are white, maximizing the reflection of light. At the head of the bed, there are magnificent black and white photos by Montreal artist Éliane Escoffier. A large frosted glass panel on the wall separating the bedroom from the shower reproduces a fingerprint, creating a sort of metaphor.

On each side of the bed, there are small built-in bedside shelves. Opposite the bed, a sober white cabinet with six drawers supports a large 55-inch LCD screen. Since it’s brand new, it is a SmartTV allowing an Internet connection.

In the corner of the two glass walls, there is a beautiful marbled white dining table, accompanied by two saffron coloured armchairs as seen in the lobby. This table is rather convivial to have a meal, like the breakfast served in the room or to sip a coffee…

Although you can also work in it, the space is not very functional for that purpose. The table is far from electrical outlets, USB outlets, it has no accent lighting and being round, it is less comfortable to lay computer equipment on. Here the focus is more on relaxation and idleness than on work and efficiency. Admitted objective: carpe diem!

Room lighting options are mostly required in the evening as natural light fills the room during the day. So there are 2-3 options for accent lighting mainly at the head of the bed as well as for late night reading while the significant other is asleep in the king bed.

As for the electrical outlets, USB plugs, they are of course abundant around the bed.

The honey-coloured floating floor covers the entire room as well as the passageway leading out of the room.

In the closet are two black robes, which is rather original. Very soft, they are more comfortable than the usual thick and « stiff » cotton dressing gowns. Slippers are also offered. Of course the ironing board and iron are also provided. Finally, there are two black towels for use in the fitness room.

Unfortunately, none of the Humaniti’s rooms have balconies or windows that open.

The hotel is concerned about its ecological footprint and does not provide any plastic water bottles. Each room is equipped with a carafe and on every even-numbered floor there are « Oasis » filtered water stations where it is easy to get water.

On the other hand, for the coffees, although they are excellent, it’s a capsule espresso machine. Are they recovered and recycled?

Bathroom

The Hibiscus room is very bright with 50% of its walls made of floor to ceiling glass.

The combination of the industrial look with the colourful design style is very successful. The presence of works of art (sculpture, photography) brings a touch of refinement to the space. The round table and the large armchairs make it a convivial place to eat.

It is really a room that invites you to relax, to enjoy life more than to work. It is beautiful, well decorated and new.

The services of the Humaniti Hotel Montreal, Autograph Collection

Parking

Underground parking is available for a fee ($38). In addition, several charging stations for electric cars are also available.

In our case, we opted instead for the Palais des Congrès parking lot next door, which cost us $24 for the entire weekend (from 3pm on Saturday to 6pm on Sunday).

Breakfast

Breakfast is available in the rooms, as the restaurant was not yet open at the time of our visit. It is also offered free of charge to Platinum, Titanium and Ambassador members. A QR code allows you to access the menu and place your order online.

In our case, we opted for the mycocultured mushroom omelettes with orange juice. The meal was delicious.

Restaurants

The Humaniti has 3 dining areas:

• h3 restaurant
• h3 terrace
• h3 lounge

At the time of our visit, although we were able to visit the restaurant and the lounge, only the h3 terrace was open.

Once again the concept of the « h » is used. This is how the hotel positions its dining areas.

Humaniti | Humans | Hanima

The letter h for humans, and the exponent 3 for the kingdoms that make up our world and how we live in balance with them. Animal, botany and the mineral kingdom constitute the essence of h3.

A venue where the human and the artisan come first in a casual ambiance.

A cuisine of terroir, with an urban vision of not only the art of Riopelle or Séguin, but that of the artisans of Quebec; from our greenhouse to our maple production we create a canvas for our local winemakers and craftsmen. Briefly put all the aspects of our art we like to call hospitality.

Designed by the highly respected COGIR Restaurant Group, the award-winning team behind Le Coureur des Bois – Bistro Gourmand is responsible for the three distinct dining concepts at Humaniti Hotel Montreal.

The h3 restaurant, which is due to open soon, will use the same turquoise colours as those seen at the reception and in the rooms. The fully glazed dining room offers several options for tables, seating or even eating at the bar.

Don’t hesitate to read our article dedicated to the Héro presidential suite and the h3 restaurant:

The wine cellar is particularly impressive, with an international offer that also leaves room for Quebec producers. There is even a dedicated area for private tasting.

Our favourite, as you can imagine, was the magnificent terrace located on the 9th floor.

Terrace / Pool

In order to access it, in the context of COVID, you must book a time slot of one hour. At the time of our visit, options were plentiful and we were able to go to the rooftop (9th floor) terrace and/or pool several times during the day. Of course, this is only possible because it’s not quite high season yet.

The rectangular heated outdoor pool is shallow (1.2 metres) and rather short (about 10 metres). It is still possible to swim lengths when it is not very busy. Otherwise the presence of children and couples here and there rather limits the movements.

Nevertheless, it is very pleasant to bathe there, especially under a splendid sun as it was the case during our stay.

There are deckchairs for lounging and a huge wooden bench, on three levels (like huge stairs) offers many options for lying in the sun.

The terrace offers many different places to relax. Whether it is the traditional sectional armchairs or the typical « two-seater with canopy » often found in the South. There is something for everyone, from full sun to shady areas.

There are deckchairs for lounging and a huge wooden bench, on three levels (like huge stairs) offers many options for lying in the sun.

The terrace offers many different places to relax. Whether it is the traditional sectional armchairs or the typical « two-seater with canopy » often found in the South. There is something for everyone, from full sun to shady areas.

We enjoyed an Aperol spritz there and although we were in the middle of the city centre, surrounded by skyscrapers, we felt like we were in a « resort » because the atmosphere was so pleasant.

In the evening, the lighting turns blue-purple, the music livens up the conversations and it is very pleasant to have dinner there. The menu is somewhat limited in terms of choice, however we greatly enjoyed our food.

At the back of the terrace, near the kitchen, there are many garden boxes where they grow edible plants.

Fitness room

Accessible 24 hours a day, the Hyper Gym, which spans two floors (8th and 9th), offers a large space for cardio exercises, free weights and a space dedicated to yoga. The training centre is also equipped with NOHrD wooden equipment.

Spa

The Humaniti Spa, also located on the 9^th floor, has 4 treatment rooms, 2 pedicure stations and 2 manicure stations. The spa treatments incorporate organic aromatherapy products from local ingredients.

Meeting room / receptions / weddings

Over 4,000 square feet of meeting space is available for events. Once again, there is plenty of natural light, which offers stunning views of the city. The rooms include:

• Hemisphere: 3,108 square foot ballroom
• Hybrid: 524 square foot corner room
• Horizon: 353 square foot conference room

Check-out

We had requested and obtained a late check-out for this stay.

Our overall impression of the Humaniti Hotel Montreal, Autograph Collection

The Humaniti Hotel Montreal, Autograph Collection was a great discovery. We really liked the overall style and design, especially the amount of space left for natural light throughout. The decor of the room is modern and cheerful. It is very pleasant to lounge around and enjoy the moment.

Our favourite part was without a doubt the terrace and the pool. The weather was beautiful, there was relatively little traffic, so we were able to go there many times, whether to swim, read, have a drink and even have dinner with our loved ones. Despite the surrounding urban environment, you feel like you are in a resort and you really get away from your everyday life. We feel lile we had a REAL holiday. In addition, the staff was very friendly with us, really great!

I would also like to thank Marie-Michèle Thibault, Humaniti’s Sales and Marketing Director, for welcoming me and generously answering my questions while allowing me to visit the entire complex.

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