Hôtel AC Montréal Centre-ville

I stayed at another AC a month ago and loved it. This one was a disappointment, even though the rest of the hotel was lovely. The bathroom setup is completely unacceptable to me. The toilet and shower are half enclosed closets with no privacy, basically part of the bedroom. If your partner gets up in the night, the bright light wakes you, and you know exactly what they’re doing. The designer clearly never tried using it. Bathrooms and bedrooms should be separate, especially if someone has issues. There’s no ventilation or privacy around the toilet. After a shower, you step out wet and cold into the bedroom, with no hooks for a robe. The minimalist sink area doesn’t even have a trash can for tissues. I should have read the reviews before booking. I’ve since seen others feel the same, and Marriott’s reply calling it open concept or European design is ridiculous. Do people in Europe really like using the bathroom in front of each other? I thought I could trust the brand without checking reviews. Now I know.

The staff made everything feel easy and welcoming, from check-in to check-out, and the large, accessible parking garage had plenty of spaces. I had a wonderful stay at the Marriott Montreal Centre-Ville. It’s in a central spot, close to lots of shops, restaurants, and attractions on foot, with metro and bus stops nearby too. My room was spacious, modern, and comfortable, with a huge, cozy bed and beautiful city views. My one small wish would be a more international-style breakfast buffet, though I understand that’s not very common in Canada. It’s a stylish, comfortable hotel in a great location, and I’d gladly return and recommend it to people visiting Montreal.

I booked ahead, got a confirmation email, and checked in through the app as instructed. But when I arrived, they said I couldn’t check in because the hotel hadn’t been prepaid, something nobody had told me during booking. I didn’t have my physical credit card with me, which was my fault, but they wouldn’t even let me try Apple Pay or my physical debit card. I had to leave, and they weren’t flexible or accommodating. I speak English and know French. The employees were laughing and talking about my situation in French, apparently not realizing I could understand. It felt unprofessional. I stay at Marriott’s a lot, but this was not a good experience.

The staff were very friendly, service was pretty good, and the parking was convenient. Still, the room layout was probably the strangest I’ve ever seen in a hotel. The shower is in the room instead of a separate bathroom, and the sink is in the middle of the room. If you shower and then need the sink to wash your face or whatever, you have to get out and walk into the room to reach it. The bar and restaurant close remarkably early. Food choices nearby are limited later in the evening, so we took a taxi almost ten minutes to find a place with an open kitchen. It was only 10 PM on a Friday. That part isn’t the property’s fault, but it’s good to know. It’s a decent place with some quirks, so know what you’re booking.