AC Hotel by Marriott Raleigh Downtown

The parlor rooms gave our wedding parties plenty of room to hang out and get hair and makeup done. We had around 7-8 people in there at once, and it never felt crowded. The Murphy bed that folds away was useful too, since it gave guests another place to sleep without taking up daytime space. We booked two parlor rooms and a suite while getting ready for our wedding at Melrose Knitting Mill. Everything was clean, comfortable, and laid out thoughtfully. We also arranged a hotel block for family and other guests coming in. The staff did a great job honoring the rates and fitting people in. Breakfast the next morning had a good range of choices, and dinner was solid. The burger was especially good for a hotel restaurant. We loved relaxing in the bar area, which felt modern and cozy and had great drinks. The outdoor area and views were lovely. Heaters were available on chilly evenings, provided there wasn’t precipitation. It was a really positive weekend, and I’d recommend the hotel for a wedding or other special event. It’s in downtown Raleigh, close to everything.

Get a room as far from the bar as you can. It’s past midnight on a Wednesday and I can’t sleep because the bass from the bar or club next door travels through the ground into the hotel. The music doesn’t seem obnoxiously loud when you’re standing outside the bar, but you feel it in the room. The room and service are fine, and breakfast was good.

The staff made me feel safe and comfortable, and they were very accommodating. I have celiac disease and had no trouble with meals. The location is nice too. Still, the beds were extremely firm, and since there were no mattress toppers, I had to use a second quilt for softness. The lobby and elevator had a tobacco-scented fragrance that smelled like a cigar lounge or an old hotel where smoking had been allowed. It triggered my asthma, so keep that in mind. I also found some body hairs in the shower when I checked in. Housekeeping dealt with that without any issue, though it was an unpleasant detail. Otherwise, the hotel was very clean.

The bars next door were so loud I could hear every lyric, and the room shook. The headphones they provide didn’t come close to blocking the noise. The bars shut around 2 a.m., so that’s when you finally get some peace. If you need a good night’s sleep, spend your money somewhere else. I’ve stayed in hundreds of hotels, and this was easily my worst experience in one. I wish I’d taken the reviews about the noise more seriously.