To the point
It's possible to travel and stay in a hotel with your pet!
This is another option that I appreciate with some of the Bonvoy hotels; it is the case with the Delta Hotels Sherbrooke Conference Centre.
We have a pet. It is a malamute named Zodiak. Some of you may have seen him as a finalist on Animania, which aired in the spring of 2020 on TVA.
But we also like to bring him with us, mainly on our outdoor getaways.
By the way, I will soon write an article with my main tips and tricks when traveling and especially sleeping in a hotel with your dog.
One weekend in September, we decided to stay in the Eastern Townships because of the many outdoor alternatives available from this central point.
There are many possible destinations from Sherbrooke:
- Magog
- Bromont
- Sutton
- Orford
- Mount Megantic
- Granby
- Coaticook
To name just a few.
Booking
The Delta Hotels Sherbrooke Conference center is a category 2 hotel in the Marriott Bonvoy program. This night in a Marriott Bonvoy was also our third stay during the Marriott Bonvoy Unlimited Bonus Points promotion allowing us to obtain bonuses of 2,500 pts + 5,000 pts Bonvoy.
Delta Hotels is a chain that originated in Canada, more specifically in British Columbia, where the first Delta Hotel was opened in 1962. The chain was acquired in 2015 by Marriott and these days there are about 80 Delta Hotels (90% of which are located in North America). These are properties that target the upper end of the hospitality sector (Premium category at Marriott Bonvoy).
Remember that we visited this hotel during the COVID period.
Location
The Delta Hotels Sherbrooke Conference Centre is ideally located in downtown Sherbrooke, just off King Street and overlooking the Magog River. If you get a room on the upper floors, you will get a superb view of the city.
Reception
You reach the reception after passing through a rather large lobby. As the hotel is currently undergoing major improvements, part of the lobby is closed due to this work. On the left is the dining room where breakast is served.
The Delta Hotels Sherbrooke Conference Centre reception is located at the back of the lobby and diagonally across from the entrance. Once again the employees are protected by large plexiglass (because of COVID). Despite these barriers and the mandatory masks, the staff is attentive and very friendly. The reception counters, 3 in number, are staggered and arranged in the form of stairs. This is a welcome attention to provide a little more privacy, especially during check-in.
To the right of the reception, a tiny “Market” area offers some food items (juice, chips, chocolate). There is also a list of wines available if you have forgotten yours.
Due to the ongoing work, there is no real “lounge” with seating in the lobby. Access to the rooms is through one of the 2 lifts.
At the Delta Hotels Sherbrooke Conference Centre, no identification was requested at check-in. We only had to provide a credit card for additional expenses.
Room configuration
The hotel has 4 types of rooms:
- Room : 1 queen size bed
- Bedroom: 1 king size bed
- Room: 2 queen size beds
- Suite : 1 king size bed
Our room was a Suite. We had room 810 on the 8th floor. This suite upgrade was made possible by our Platinum status. Note that out of 167 rooms in the hotel, only 11 are Suites.
Unfortunately, none of the rooms has a balcony.
The Delta Hotels Sherbrooke Conference Centre, although built in 1989, renovated all of its rooms in 2010. The L-shaped Suite occupies a space of 29 square meters (unlike all the other rooms which are 20 square meters).
Our room
When we walk through the door, we are immediately struck by a feeling of airiness. Indeed, we have a large and airy view on the lounge. The materials are clean, warm and have that “Scandinavian” look that Brigitte sometimes refers to, for example during her visit to the Fairfield by Marriott Montreal Downtown.
The floor is entirely made up of “floating floor”, so there is no carpet (an advantage I have already mentioned during my visit to the Four Points by Sheraton Lévis Convention Center).
To the left is the bathroom, and then a low cabinet to store your bags. The kitchenette, office and living room make up the long part of the “L”, while the bedroom makes up the short part. The living room and the bedroom are separated by a decorative partition, with 2 huge 42-inch flat screens (one on each side of the partition). Apart from the bathroom door, there are no other doors in the Suite. It is thus an “open area”.
The air-conditioning is discreetly integrated into the top of the wall (above the kitchenette area). Located in the lounge area, it has the advantage of being rather quiet, and it does not push air directly onto the bed.
In general, we greatly prefer this type of ventilation to older units located at the base of windows, which are usually noisier and less efficient at cooling large rooms.
Although on the 8th floor and therefore with a good view, the surroundings of the hotel do not offer a particularly interesting or noteworthy view.
As is often the case when a hotel accepts pets, a sign is provided to us to hang on the outside handle of the room. This is more to notify the hotel staff.
Kitchenette
The kitchenette area includes:
- Mini fridge
- Coffee maker
- Kitchen counter
- Sink
In the context of COVID, hotels try to keep the amount of cleaning required between guests to a minimum, in order to protect them. Therefore, they remove cutlery, utensils, glassware and ceramic cups from the rooms. However, as I mentioned in other reviews, it was possible to ask for them at the reception. In our case, we asked for cutlery and wine glasses.
Unusual, yet well integrated, the Suite’s wardrobe is connected to the kitchenette. The bathrobes have been removed (due to COVID). However, both the ironing board and the iron are still there. Once again, if you wish to have the bathrobes, just ask at the reception.
Office
The office furniture is modern and oriented towards the window, rather than against the wall. With its slim, elongated shape, the desk does not take up too much space in the suite.
In addition, the sockets are dual-functional, accommodating both electrical plugs and USB sockets. The chair is ergonomically designed and height adjustable. It’s the perfect place to work and, for example, to write this article….
However, there is no table in the adjoining living room, so the desk is the only flat surface for a meal. And since there is only one working chair, let’s say that two people would have to eat side by side on the sofa with the meal “on their lap”!
Lounge
Part of the common area composed of the kitchenette and the office, the living room is located in the corner of the “L”, opposite the bedroom. It is really warm with its wood finish wall, large window, sectional and Ikea style partition separating the bedroom.
The sectional, which is not a sofa bed, is firm and very comfortable. A section for stretching the legs completes it. The partition wall adds a modern touch and accommodates the huge 42″ flat screen. Unfortunately, it is not a SmartTV, so it only gives access to TV channels.
A large full-length mirror completes the living room.
The Scandinavian style of decoration is very well-suited to the absence of pictures, paintings or knick-knacks. The overall look is warm, contemporary and welcoming.
Moreover, the large living room is perfect for Zodiak who will enjoy “staying” there especially in the evening and during the night.
Bedroom
A king size bed occupies most of the bedroom. The large headboard houses the sockets (electric and USB) as well as 2 shelves acting as bedside cabinets. Two bedside lamps provide additional lighting.
Opposite the bed, we find the other side of the partition, with a second flat screen identical to the one found in the living room. However, on this side, the partition houses two large storage drawers.
The bedroom has no door. This gives it a more airy appearance. However, this further limits the mixed use of the Suite; for example, if one person wants to sleep while the other wants to work or watch TV in the living room.
The bedroom also has a large window with a clear view.
The bathroom
The bathroom has a standard toilet, a sink, a mirror and a shower. There is no bath. The overall look of the suite is very much in keeping with the rest of the suite.
Contrary to some hotels that follow the ecological approach regarding beauty products containers (shampoo, conditioner, liquid body soap), this hotel has individual containers.
The shower was equipped with a shower head and a shower phone. The different water supply combinations allow either one or the other or both to be turned on at the same time. In addition, the large glass doors both slide, allowing access to the shower from either side.
Overall impression of the Suite
The Suite has an airy Scandinavian feel. Staying there is very pleasant, especially during the day thanks to the two large windows. The absence of carpets is also a plus when you travel with your pet.
Services at the Delta Hotels Sherbrooke Conference Centre
Parking
A very large outdoor parking lot is available and free. Adjacent to the Sherbrooke Convention center, there is also a covered parking lot. In addition, a charging station for electric cars is also available.
Breakfast
Breakfast is offered in a beautiful glass room on the ground floor, right next to the lobby. About thirty people can sit there. Since the beginning of COVID, we have been limited to prepacked breakfasts in brown bags! This time we were treated to a real à la carte breakfast with service.
Also, as a Bonvoy Platinum member, we had breakfast included and could choose anything we wanted from the menu.
It was a pleasure to not have to go back to the room for breakfast and to eat a hot and hearty meal.
The staff is also familiar with pets, bringing us a bowl of water for Zodiak who was waiting beside us while we ate.
Fitness room
The fitness room is currently under renovation and therefore inaccessible.
Meeting room / receptions / weddings
One of the great attractions of this hotel is without doubt its meeting rooms. There are 18 of them and they can accommodate a total of 1200 people (in normal times) on a total surface of 1635 square meters. They can easily accommodate a multitude of events (congress, strategic planning, ball, wedding, etc.).
Check-out at Delta Hotels Sherbrooke Conference Centre
As a Platinum member, we had requested (and gotten) a late checkout at 4:00 pm from the Delta Hotels Sherbrooke Conference Centre. This allowed us to leave our belongings in the room, enjoy our outdoor activity, return to the room for a shower and a well-deserved drink before packing up and heading back to Montreal.
The check-out process is always very simple with Bonvoy and we always have the option of getting a copy of the invoice by email.
Our Outdoor Getaway
Our outdoor objective for this Sherbrooke getaway was to go to Mont-Orford, located about 25 minutes from Sherbrooke.
Dogs are allowed in many parts of Parc national du Mont-Orford as indicated on this map. We were able to take full advantage of it during more than 4 hours of walking punctuated by ascents and descents through woods and peaks. By leaving from Sherbrooke, we were able to limit the morning drive (less than 30 minutes) and take full advantage of the mountain a little before the arrival of visitors and families.
Our general impression of the hotel
The Delta Hotels Sherbrooke Conference Centre is ideally located in the Eastern Townships to access a multitude of peripheral activities. Located on King Street, the city’s main thoroughfare, it is easy to find and easy to access. Its many free parking spaces make it easy to get in and out.
The Suite we had allowed Veronique, Zodiak and I to spend a very pleasant evening in preparation for our outdoor excursion on Sunday morning. We were also delighted to renew the experience of a full breakfast served at the tables despite the COVID context.
The Suite is airy and its Scandinavian look inspires relaxation.
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