We took advantage of the seasonal direct route between Montreal and Seattle with Air Canada to spend the Labor Day long weekend. On this trip, we stayed at the Renaissance Seattle Hotel for 3 nights.

For this stay, we booked in cash, i.e. $340 per night, while the cost in points was 60,000 points at that time. Based on Milesopedia’s valuation of Marriott Bonvoy points, we felt it was more economical to pay in cash and save our points for next time.

However, I can only advise you to book as early as possible to get the best price, especially on a bank holiday weekend. I checked the rates regularly to see if I could get a better one and I never did.

The Renaissance Seattle Hotel is located in the center of the Emerald City at Madison St and 6th Avenue. The famous Pionner Square and waterfront is less than a 10-minute walk away.

If you arrive by public transportation from the Seattle-Tacoma airport, it is a 35-minute ride to University Station and a 7-minute walk to the hotel. Be aware that Seattle is a city on a slope and the hotel is at the top of the slope, which can be problematic with young children.

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.

Check-in was very quick, we had previously checked in on the Marriott Bonvoy mobile app. Unfortunately, we did not get an upgrade during our stay. We arrived at the hotel very late and the hotel was full.

The hotel lobby is very welcoming, with a modern, colorful decor.

The room is very deep but rather narrow, with a low ceiling. There is a large desk and a television. Also, there is a meridian to rest after a nice walk.

There’s a fridge, iron and safe.

The bathroom is located directly on the right as you enter the room and is closed with a sliding door. It is also very narrow, it is difficult to fit two people.

Breakfast is served at The Fig & The Fudge. Since the lounge is closed on weekends to Platinum Elite members and above, there may be a wait to get into the restaurant.

Breakfast is served in the form of a buffet and a la carte dishes. Platinum Elite and Superior members are only entitled to buffet breakfast as a status benefit.

On the first day, we found the service to be disorganized and the buffet had a hard time being stocked. We made our comments to the waiter who explained to us that there was a lack of staff. However, we could see a nice improvement the last two days.

The lounge is accessible with the room card for Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite and Superior members. The member may bring a guest.

During the week, breakfast is served between 6:30 and 9:30 am. On weekends, breakfast is served at The Fig & The Judge’s restaurant from 6:30am to 11am.

During the rest of the time, the lounge is available for drinks and snacks. During our stay, we did not have the opportunity to have breakfast in the lounge as we were there on the weekend.

If after walking the streets of Seattle, you still feel like working out, the gym is open 24/7. It is very large and the equipment seems relatively new. There is cardiovascular equipment, elliptical trainers, treadmills and free weights. Also, we liked the recyclable headphones provided.

Located in the lobby, the 515 Bar offers different service at different times. In the morning, you will find more of a café, in the afternoon and evening, it is more like a cocktail bar.

In the lobby, a business area with computers and printers is available to guests. This can be useful for printing your boarding pass.

Despite the fact that the room was a little small, we had a good stay. Unfortunately, the lounge didn’t offer much on weekends as is often the case in hotels in the United States. We will certainly return if the price is competitive.

However, I would not recommend this hotel if you have small children and even less with a stroller. Please note that the hotel does not have a pool!