Review : Humaniti Montréal – Suite Hero (Presidential) | Marriott Bonvoy

August for us means wedding anniversary.

We’re big fans of the great outdoors, travel and, above all, whisky? To seal our destinies, one August we set our sights on Scotland…

Every year, we celebrate this anniversary with a “folly”, something we treat ourselves to on an exceptional basis to mark another year together and why not spoil ourselves.

The pretext was therefore appropriate to experience, in this year when travel is more limited, the Hero suite of Humaniti combined with a gastronomic adventure at h3.

This suite is one of the most spectacular hotel suites in Montreal listed by Elle Quebec.

This was actually our second stay at the Humaniti and I have covered the hotel extensively in this review: Humaniti Hotel Montreal, Autograph Collection .

I invite you to refer to it for a complete review of the hotel’s services.

This review will focus on the beautiful Hero Suite and the h3 restaurant.

To commemorate our wedding anniversary, we had Hero room number 1902 located on the 19th floor. It is in fact the presidential suite.

What makes this suite different from the others? It’s not just its size (108m²/ 1,200 ft²) but its atmosphere.

From the vibrant decor to all the finishing touches, it feels like a “living space”, like you’re being welcomed into someone’s home and not a hotel. It looks like a luxury condo nestled in the heights of downtown Montreal with a panoramic view that extends all the way to the iconic Jacques-Cartier Bridge.

From the moment we walk through the door, we are bathed in natural light from the large single-storey windows, allowing the sunlight to highlight both the artworks and the contemporary furniture.

An open and airy space composed of a lounge area with its saffron armchairs, a “smart TV” and a meeting/dining room section with a large table for 8 people welcomes us. A gigantic wooden door, which slides entirely into the wall to disappear, allows access to the more intimate part of the suite: the living room, the bedroom and its adjoining bathroom.

Everything is designed to isolate the more intimate section of the suite and limit our guests to this hyper-functional space with its own kitchen and bathroom.

As you enter the living room, the atmosphere already changes. The colours are softened, the carpet goes from a charcoal/steel blue mix to a taupe/honey mix, the armchairs from saffron to burnt orange, the furniture from mocca brown to toffee brown.

No more work, no more decisions, no more strategy… now it’s time to relax, to friendly chats, to read… Because what can we say about this bookcase which covers the whole wall opposite the windows? When was the last time you stayed in a hotel room that offered so much reading material?

Between the many works of art and sculptures, there are more than 30 books here, ranging from novels to photo-documentaries dedicated to Leonard Cohen, David Bowie and many more!

I swear, I even lost my wife for a little over an hour. A great consumer of books, she started reading Nord Alice by the Quebec author Marc Seguin !

Honey, I’m sorry I lost track of time

was her “excuse” as I prepared for our dinner. Easy to tell the everyday life worries had left us. I found her beautiful with her luminous eyes, her slightly embarrassed smile of one who, perhaps, felt a little too “at home” in this living room of the Hero suite.

The living room has a sofa-bed, offering an additional option, for example when the suite is used for family purposes.

Turning the corner at the back, immediately after a small desk acting as a sort of secretary, we find the bedroom, simple and soothing. The relatively simple decor consists of a full wall of windows, a creative light fixture on one side, a large closet and two beautiful black and white photographs by Montreal artist Éliane Escoffier.

The last room of the suite hosts a complete, bright and spacious bathroom, with a separate toilet, a freestanding bathtub, a walk-in rain shower, two undermounted sinks and, again, an almost entirely windowed wall (two sets of curtains allow for varying degrees of privacy).

What we particularly liked:

• The books! The living room and its vibrant and comfortable atmosphere.
• The little work desk nestled between the two glass walls, where I wrote this article.
• The modern and spacious bathroom with its view on the Jacques-Cartier bridge.
• The many attentions such as: the finishes, the night lights under the sink counters that light up with motion detectors, the many works of art…
• The privacy provided by the huge sliding door between the rooms at the entrance (living room, work/dining table, kitchen and powder room) and the more intimate section at the rear of the suite.

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

The name of the restaurant h3 is a contraction of the h of Humaniti representing the human being in harmony with the three kingdoms: animal, vegetable and mineral. Admitted objective: To create an atmosphere of hospitality.

The decoration takes up the turquoise tones seen at the reception and also present in the rooms. The dining room is fully glazed and offers many options for dining, whether at a table, a bench or even at the bar.

We opted for the discovery menu which is officially offered at $89 for 4 courses and proposed by chef Jean-Sébastien Giguère.

For some reason, perhaps we were like a young couple more attentive to each other’s chirping, but in the end we had not 4 but 5 services included. In addition, the restaurant offers 3 distinct sommelier packages to match the discovery menu. For the occasion, we chose what we liked to call the “titanium” package in reference to our Marriott Bonvoy status.

Without pretending to describe in detail what we tasted, here are pictures of the 5 courses we enjoyed with a 1969 Collares Reserva Tinto to accompany the main course. The wink was nice, being born in 1969!

• First Course: Sea Urchin and Fish Roe
• Second course: Tuna in a slab
• Third Course: Pork Pasta
• Fourth course: Lamb and eel
• Fifth Course: Peach Meringue with Strawberry Sorbet

The wine cellar at h3 is particularly impressive, with an international selection that also includes Quebec producers. In fact, we spoiled ourselves and got two whiskies as a digestif, which we consumed in the privacy of the cellar, in the discreet space reserved for private tastings called “table hanima”.

And my goodness, I must admit that this proximity to these Pétrus, Romanée-Conti and other grands crus intoxicated me to the highest degree.

The meal met all expectations:

• Attentive and impeccable service, especially from Gilbert who acted as sommelier throughout our meal.
• Tasty and varied food.
• Wines sometimes delicate, sometimes ample and perfectly matched to our dishes.

In the end, the Humaniti Montreal Hotel offers a very diversified range of services that can even satisfy small “follies”.

Their suites, especially the Hero Suite, are bright and modern. The presence of works of art contributes to creating this “living space” atmosphere. As for the various restaurants, whether on the terrace, in the lounge or at h3, the food and wine pairing options will satisfy even the most discerning palate.

As for us, it was once again a successful wedding anniversary and we are already looking forward to our “folly” next year, to be continued …