AC Hotel by Marriott Montreal Downtown

A glistening high-rise of glass and chrome, the AC Hotel is Marriott’s answer to millennial modernism. The look is young and fresh, yet entirely business-appropriate, and while it has 169 rooms spread across 12 floors (and topped with luxury apartments to the 35th floor), it still has a hint of boutique hotel vibes thanks to its stylish decor. The lobby, with triple-height windows, plank beamed ceilings, recessed lighting in the staircases, feels grand without being stuffy. Stairs are made from glass, chrome, and concrete separate out the lobby from the mezzanine. Bookcase room-dividers also divvy up some of the spaces, like the main thoroughfare for the front door and the cocktail lounge off the side. Oversized ceramics and succulents in terrariums add the final touches. At the opposite end of the lobby, a chic library area complete with a fireplace and jet-black leather armchairs gives another cozy space to linger.

This Montreal outpost opened its doors in 2018, and on our visit, it was still pristine, without a smudge to be found on its soaring windows. The AC is part of the Marriott's new wave of hotels designed for the Instagram generation. Apart from photogenic lobbies and rooms, they offer co-working spaces and tapas-driven late-night bar snacks. However, much of this is just added window-dressing on the tried-and-true Marriott formula, and most of the familiar trappings of the brand are present. 

Due to its Downtown location and Marriott branding, the hotel seems to cater to corporate travelers first and foremost. On our stay, there were plenty of well-heeled businessmen lingering with a cocktail in the lounge or plugging away on their laptops seated at the long communal tables next to the front desk. But a few stylish couples could also be spotted hopping off elevators and strolling out the door for a day of sightseeing. Plenty of Americans were among both sets of guests, and the staff was quick to switch to English with any guest floundering in French. 

The AC Hotel has a premium location for business travelers, right in the bustling heart of downtown. But it's a spot where plenty of other hotels are camped out as well, including chains like the DoubleTree, the W, and the Embassy Suites by Hilton. (If location is your primary concern, there's lots of opportunity to comparison shop.) The city's convention center is a short five-minute walk away, and the U.S. Consulate is a mere three minutes on foot. That said, tourists will also find themselves walking distance to several notable points of interest including the gates of Chinatown (two minutes), Saint Patrick's Basilica (four minutes), and Notre-Dame Basilica of Montreal (10 minutes). Old Montreal's charming cobblestone streets and historical buildings can also be reached in a 10 to 15 minute walk, along with the city's port (a key destination for those coming and going on cruise ships). In the opposite direction, travelers can set off to the west to visit Place du Canada and the Mary, Queen of the World Cathedral, 12 minutes on foot.

But some other neighborhoods will require a lift. The hip and lively Mile End neighborhood, with its excellent dining and boutique shops, is about a 15 minute drive or around a half hour by public transit. Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport is a good 20 minute taxi ride or almost an hour by public transit.

The same fresh, streamlined, uniform look of public spaces is reflected in the property's guest rooms, too. Neutral colors—pale blond wood floors and mocha walls—keep the rooms tasteful, if a bit more generic than the average boutique hotel. (Any pop of color is notably missing.) Rectangular light fixtures and lamps also tip the style toward modern. Tobacco-hued leather armchairs, side tables, and long desk-and-bench combos furnish the rooms along with big platform beds. Modular headboards with built-in nightstand shelves, lights (including gooseneck reading lights), and padded leather backing anchor the room, and bedding is tasteful with puffy white comforters and pillows. 

Standard rooms are incredibly spacious by urban standards, with towering ceilings and enough space to throw your luggage down and still turn a cartwheel. (Accessible Rooms are the ultimate is spaciousness, with plenty of room for a wheelchair to do a U-turn.) Standard rooms can also offer two queen beds, and Suites give more square footage for a bump in rates.

Amenities throughout are every bit as modern as the decor: Giant flat-screen TVs come equipped with Netflix, and free Wi-Fi, electronic safes, mini-fridges with bottled water, and Nespresso machines are all on hand. Guest will also find traditional hotel comforts like irons and ironing boards, ice buckets, pool towels, and bathrobes and slippers.

Bathrooms have the same subtle gray-and-white color scheme, with giant vanities offering plenty of elbow room to spread out your items. Hairdryers, illuminated mirrors, and Essential Elements toiletries also help with grooming, as do the free vanity kits complete with shoe mittens. Bathtub/shower combos contain both handheld and rainfall showerheads.

Features at the AC Hotel are solid, and in many cases they exceed what's on offer at more expensive properties in the area. That's certainly the case with the hotel's 12th-floor pool. While it's not that sizable, it offers stellar wraparound views of Downtown Montreal. A sauna and whirlpool can be found here, too, making it a little wellness getaway within the property. The 24-hour gym is also located on this floor, and like the pool it has dazzling views from floor-to-ceiling windows, along with LifeCycle machines (treadmills, bikes, ellipticals) and free weights. A water dispenser and a selection of magazines complete the spa-like atmosphere. It's worth mentioning that this pool and gym are far superior to the ground-floor or basement setups we saw elsewhere.

The hotel also trumpets its on-site dining: There's a Mediterranean-inspired restaurant on the ground floor serving meals, the accompanying AC Lounge, with upscale cocktails and a sophisticated tapas-style menu, and the AC Kitchen, where a buffet breakfast is set out (although it isn't included in rates). While the menus sound incredible, it's worth mentioning that the food we tried was mediocre at best. A little shop adjacent to the front desk sells snacks and any forgotten toiletries to guests—a welcome pitstop for anyone with the midnight munchies, especially since this hotel doesn't have minibars or room service. Ice machines are also located by the guest rooms, and rooms come equipped with ice buckets.

The lobby has a clubby work space with two public computers, plus gorgeous leather seating, a warm flickering fireplace, and loads of hardback books and ceramics finishing the library look. There's also a staggering amount of meeting space (5,900 square feet of it) with rooms that can accommodate anything from small gatherings in the single digits to 150 people assembled. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel. 

Staff are generally praised by guests for providing helpful service and can provide concierge services as well.