To qualify for the Marriott promotion – 2,500 points per stay and 5,000 after three stays – I was one booked night short. So I booked at the AC Hotel by Marriott Montreal Downtown, while taking advantage of the 25% discount Marriott was offering, “Marriott Bonvoy Escape“. Two birds with one stone!
The AC Hotel by Marriott Montreal Downtown , a category 5 hotel, has 166 rooms and three Suites spread over 12 floors. The hotel is renowned – among other things – for its meeting spaces; indeed, it has no less than seven!
The hotel is completely non-smoking and pets are not allowed.
This hotel is a must for those who want to enjoy what downtown Montreal, and especially the Quartier des spectacles, or the Entertainment district, has to offer. You can even go for a walk in Chinatown and the Old Port of Montreal, which are only a few minutes away.
Interesting fact: this hotel is the direct neighbour of theCourtyard by Marriott Montreal Downtown.
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Twenty-four hours before arrival, mobile check-in was available. I put down my arrival time as 1:00PM. On the day of our arrival, at 8:00 a.m., I receive notification that the room is ready.
I’m also told that as a Gold member, I’m eligible for an upgrade.
Through the hotel Chat feature, in the Marriott app, I inquire about the state of the swimming pool – is it open? I am told that it is open until 11:00 pm and that the towels are in the left-hand drawer in the entrance of the room! Sounds like great service.
The AC Hotel by Marriott Montreal Downtown has parking at a cost of $29 per night and two electric car terminals (extra cost). Parking is reasonably priced given the location of the hotel: Boulevard René-Lévesque West and Jeanne-Mance. I did not use the parking lot, since I live in the metropolis.
The AC Hotel by Marriott Montreal Downtown is located in the Entertainment district, one block from Place des Arts and the MAC (Montreal Museum of Contemporary Art).
The Entertainment district is lively. There’s a giant chess game – which by the way is cleaned after each game – and fun urban furnishing (chairs, bench, etc.), either to read a good book, or just to rest after a day’s walk.
Moreover, a few minutes from the hotel AC Hotel by Marriott Montreal Downtown , you’re spoiled with choices for food: Baton Rouge, La Cage, Saint-Hubert, as well as Mcdonald’s.
And for dessert, there’s a Chocolats favoris, not to mention a Starbucks (take-out order only) and all the restaurants at the Complexe Desjardins and “Le Central” food fair.
For breakfast, there is a Allô, mon Coco a little further on. You will have understood that the hotel’s restaurants (La Palma, AC Lounge and AC Kitchen) are closed in this time of pandemic, also due to lack of staff. The hotel offers croissants and coffee in the lobby.
You could also have a meal delivered to the lobby desk after ordering through one of the numerous apps available. Otherwise, there is always the small market where you can buy various items such as treats, ice cream, other food and other essentials.
To enter the AC Hotel by Marriott Montreal Downtown, you need to contact the front desk – through a phone hanging on the wall – so they can open the door.
Afterwards, all you need is your magnetic key.
The lobby of the AC Hotel by Marriott Montreal Downtown is modern and dotted with art, giving it a luxurious look.
In this hall, there is the bar (AC Lounge), a work desk with computer, a small lounge with a fireplace and a larger lounge (library), which also has a fireplace.
Because of the pandemic, wearing a mask is mandatory throughout the hotel. There are disinfectant gel stations everywhere. The cleaning service is not available during my stay, but you can always ask the lobby desk for all necessary products.
My arrival at the AC Hotel by Marriott Montreal Downtown was an extraordinary experience.
The employeers (re)confirmed the information about the pool and gym: open from 7:00 am to 11:00 PM, and a maximum of 12 people at a time for the pool and 3 people for the gym.
The swimming pool – located on the twelfth and top floor – overlooks downtown Montreal and is no less than 21 metres long: ideal for those who like to swim lengths. There’s also a jacuzzi.
The gym – also located on the twelfth floor – has a view of the pool and the city. It is fairly well stocked in machines and weights, all you need for an effective training routine.
Please note that there are no towels available at the gym so you must bring your own towel or take one from the room. On the other hand, wipes are available on site to clean your machines after use.
The notion of upgrading is a bit nebulous to me: do we have to ask for it? I have never made a request in this sense, neither by chat, nor at the reception desk. If you want information from Jean-Maximilien on this subject, I advise you to read this article.
Anyway, the rooms I’ve had have always been great and to my taste. This time, my room at AC Hotel by Marriott Montreal Downtown is located on the tenth floor, overlooking René-Lévesque Boulevard and a Government of Canada building.
It has a modern look with beige and brown colours. It is equipped with a king bed, a sofa bed, a work desk and an LCD television. The room is very comfortable and there’s plenty of space, whether you’re alone or with someone else. On the other hand, I’m a little disappointed with the firmness of the mattress.
There are plenty of electrical and USB sockets near the desk and on the sides of the bed.
In the bedroom hall there is a ‘wardrobe’ – including a bathrobe – with a few storage shelves and two drawers (where towels for the pool are kept).
This is where you can make coffee (or tea) with the Nespresso machine.
It is also equipped with a huge safe. It’s even big enough to put a large laptop in. Unfortunately, no wine glasses are available and note that all glasses on site are plastic or cardboard (for coffee).
The room also has a mini-fridge with two bottles of water, courtesy of the hotel. There are no carpets in the room, except a square one, under the table in the living room area.
Wi-Fi is free – very fast by the way – and you can log in to your Netflix account on the television.
As for the bathroom – which in my opinion is quite big enough – you will find everything you need for a pleasant stay (hair dryer, soap, body products). The shower, with a rain showerhead, is of normal size.
Too bad, however, that there are no slippers in the room, which would be very practical to get to the pool.
The check-out at AC Hotel by Marriott Montreal Downtown is done through the app and the invoice is sent by email. All we have to do is put the keys in a box next to the reception desk.
For those who do not have the app, checking-out can still be done directly with the staff.
This hotel could become my favourite place to stay when I feel like strolling around my own city!
Savings are here:
