Renaissance Montreal Downtown Hotel

The best part was the service even after checkout. We accidentally left a pair of AirPods behind, thinking they’d been dropped in the snow, but Jullianna emailed to say they’d found them and arranged to ship them to our home in the USA. Thanks so much, Jullianna! A+. We were there on a snowy NYE, and the valet parking was a real help. The hotel is sleek, clean, modern, and centrally located. We also had great drinks at the restaurant, and the stay itself was perfect.

The rooms are a good size and the hotel is decent, but it felt very dark throughout because the lighting was so dim. Some staff were friendly, while others were friendly in a more reserved way.

Once I got into the room, things went well: after about 30 minutes in the lobby working on my laptop and trying to join a couple of afternoon meetings, I was told it was ready and kindly given an upgrade, which I appreciated. But my first impression was rough. I arrived for my first stay on Dec 3, 2025 at about 2:00 PM local time and asked if a room might be available a little early. The heavily-inked receptionist looked at me with disdain, as if I’d interrupted her day. As a Gold Level Elite member, I didn’t think the request was out of line. I was told, “check in is at 4:00 PM and no rooms are available.” The hotel itself is lovely, with lots of thoughtful touches and amenities, but big companies can forget how much that first interaction matters. I’d driven a rental car, and the only parking the hotel provides is valet. Its hours are limited and it doesn’t start until 7:00 AM. Since I had an early flight, I was sent across the road to find my car. That wasn’t very convenient, so keep it in mind if you need to leave before 7:00 AM.

The room was quiet and clean, but pretty average, and winter salt was tracked across the floors everywhere. For the price I was offered, the place felt overrated. The food’s flavor was meh most of the time, and the morning coffee could really use an upgrade. Use an app to get a better deal instead of booking by phone. For parking, there’s a public lot kitty-corner across the street where you can park yourself.