For our weekend in Halifax, we decided to stay at the Courtyard By Marriott Halifax Downtown.

The Courtyard by Marriott Halifax Downtown hotel is available for between 20,000 and 30,000 Marriott Bonvoy points depending on the period. If you are planning to visit Halifax during the peak season, it is recommended that you plan ahead to ensure that you have availability with the points.

For this reservation, we did not use any points. We booked with cash by taking advantage of an American Express promotional offer: Get a $50 account credit for a $250 spend at Marriott Bonvoy hotels in Canada. Recently, American Express launched a new offer that allows you to get a $100 credit for every $500 spent. You can find all American Express offers on our dedicated page.

The best way to earn Marriott Bonvoy points for free stays at over 8,000 hotels worldwide is to have the Marriott Bonvoy^® American Express^®* Card (and/or the Marriott Bonvoy^® Business American Express^®* Card).

In addition to the exceptional welcome bonus of each of these two cards, you’ll earn 2 points per dollar on all your purchases and 5 points per dollar at any of the Marriott establishments. On top of that, every year, you’ll receive a free hotel night certificate (worth 35,000 points) and 15 Elite Night Credits toward your Marriott Bonvoy status.

The Courtyard By Marriott Halifax Downtown is conveniently located. It is located only 200 meters from the sea front. You can easily visit the city on foot from the hotel. The Brewery Market and the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic are less than 3 minutes away on foot and the Citadel is 13 minutes away.

If you use public transportation from Halifax Stanfield International Airport (Bus 320), you can easily walk to the hotel in 10 minutes from the Duke St Before Albemarle St stop.

The reception is located directly on the right when you enter the lobby.

The lobby is very large and has a nice, large seating area with many sofas and a fireplace. Having visited the hotel in the summer, the fireplace is not lit but it must be very comforting in the winter.

To the left of the reception is the Market, which is a mini grocery store with soft bars, drinks and instant noodles. A microwave is available.

A business center and a dedicated area with a computer is available for check-in and boarding pass printing. It is also possible to rent electric bikes between 7am and 4pm (3 hours rental for $24 +taxes).

A vending machine is located in the lobby.

The room is a good size and functional, there were three of us and we didn’t feel cramped. In my personal opinion, the decoration is a bit old-fashioned, although it is very well maintained.

There is a desk with an ergonomic chair, a television and a chaise longue. Tea and coffee essentials are also provided.

We got a room with a view of the waterfront.

The bathroom is equipped with a bathtub/shower. It contains the bare minimum: shower gel, shampoo and conditioner, lotion and makeup remover wipes.

The Bistro is open every day. Hot and cold meal options and Starbucks coffee are served. Breakfast times vary between weekdays (6:30am and 11am) and weekends (7am and 11am). The lunch menu is offered between 11am and 2pm.

Dinner and bar service are only available on weekdays.

The Zen-Garden is located on the top floor and offers a magnificent 180° view of the waterfront. You can see Georges Island on the right.

The terrace is very pleasant in the early evening when the sun goes down, it allows to rest in the sofas or to enjoy a drink while being seated before going to dinner.

The pool is open from 7am to 10pm and is accessible with the room card. However, it is closed between 12:00 and 13:00 and between 17:00 and 18:00 for cleaning. Towels are available on site.

At the time of our stay, the whirlpool was under maintenance.

The gym is open from 7am to 10pm. It includes the basic equipment for weight training and cardio.

The laundry is open 24 hours a day and is located near the pool.

If you have a vehicle, covered parking is available on site for $24.95+tax per night.

Overall, we had a good stay at the Courtyard by Marriott Halifax Downtown. The location is ideal and it offers a beautiful view. Unfortunately, we were not able to enjoy the hot tub but the Zen-Garden was a nice surprise.

Please note that housekeeping is not done every day but every 3 days. However, if you need toiletries or would like to have the cleaning service beforehand, you must request it before 2pm the same day.