To the point
Our review of the AC Hotel New York Downtown, considered "Select" by Marriott and located in Manhattan's financial district.
The AC New York Downtown hotel is located in the financial district, close to New York’s famous Wall Street and within walking distance of the Brooklyn Bridge. It is well placed when you want to visit New York without being in the middle of the hustle and bustle of Times Square. The Wall Street subway station is also about a 5-minute walk away.
Reservation at AC Hotel New York Downtown
Spending a weekend in New York City during December can be very expensive for lodging.
Having a few free night certificates earned through the Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Card and the Marriott Bonvoy™ Business American Express® Card, I decided to take advantage of them and use them on this reservation.
The hotel is a category 4 in the Marriott Bonvoy program, so it can cost between 20,000 and 30,000 points per night depending on the season.
Although these certificates had a value of 35,000 points and the retail price was $350 USD at the time of booking, I found the use of the certificate particularly interesting.
AC Hotel New York Downtown location
The AC Hotel New York Downtown is located a 30-35 minute cab ride from John F. Kennedy International Airport.
Check-in at the AC Hotel New York Downtown
I did the check-in through the Marriott Bonvoy mobile app, but it was not possible to get the key directly on the phone.
The hotel does not yet offer this possibility, so it is mandatory to go through the reception. We got an upgrade to a room with a river view.
Our room
The AC New York hotel was new, and the rooms were in excellent condition. Although modest in size, the space was well optimized.
These included coffee and tea-making facilities and a refrigerator with two mini-bottles of water. A safety deposit box and an ironing board were also available.
And here’s a look at the shower configuration with the toilet:
During our stay, we could see the configuration of 2 different rooms.
Indeed, once we arrived in our first room, the desk and the glass shower door were dirty, with numerous grease stains suggesting that the surfaces had not been properly cleaned according to Marriott’s cleaning protocol.
After an exchange with the front desk, housekeeping came to clean the surfaces with a towel and water… to my amazement.
We changed rooms but could have had a third if the hotel wasn’t full.
Cleaner than the first one, the mirrors were dirty, and we found hair on the hand soap.
I have nothing to complain about the bedding, which was very clean and comfortable. The view of the river is nice but not worth paying extra for the view.
Hotel services
Parking
The hotel offers a parking service at USD 60 per day for a standard vehicle.
Breakfast
The AC Marriott brand does not offer breakfast to Platinum members and above, but you have the choice of either 500 Marriott Bonvoy points or a $10 USD credit per day per person (maximum 2) on food.
For those with no or less than Platinum status, a breakfast buffet is charged at $25 USD.
Fitness room
The gym is located in the basement and requires a room key.
At our visit, the vaccination passport was required to enter the gym. A stop at the reception desk is therefore mandatory to access it.
The room is small but well-equipped to do cardio or free weights.
Library
You won’t find many books in the library, but it is a quiet place to rest. A computer and a printer are also at your disposal.
Lounge
Here, the lounge is not reserved for elite members. It is nothing more or less than a bar area where you can sit down to eat or work. I did not see any bar staff during my stay.
AC store
The AC Store is located in the hotel’s lobby, directly next to the reception. Drinks and snacks (ice cream, cereals, etc.) are available for purchase
Our overall impression of the AC Hotel New York Downtown
I had good memories of this hotel during my first stay, but it did not give me a perfect cleanliness impression.
However, the staff was very friendly, and the bedding was of good quality.
The hotel seemed to be understaffed, which could explain the problems with cleanliness.
As compensation, the hotel reimbursed me the equivalent of the free night certificate in points, in addition to a compensation of 5,000 Marriott Bonvoy points.
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