AC Hotel Montreal Centre-ville

EN / FR

September 2022

The AC Hotel Montreal Centre-ville, as its name suggests, is truly located in downtown Montreal, just next from the Palais des Congrès and from Montreal’s Chinatown. This means there are several stores and restaurants within walking distance of this establishment. Moreover, the Palais des Congrès is a short walk away. Since this visit to Montreal took me there, choosing this hotel proved to be perfect.

The property

This hotel is a recent construction with about ten floors. The reception desk is in a very large lobby divided into several small lounges and furnished with several tables and armchairs. The ceiling, approximately two stories high, gives a majestic impression. The lobby walls are covered with large bookcases filled with various objects and stacked books. The overall look is modern and tasteful.

There is a well-equipped gym, a restaurant and a good-sized indoor swimming pool on site.

The room

The room layout is unconventional. First, the sink is directly in the bedroom, with no door, and overlooking the bed. The toilet is in a small cubbyhole, isolated from the rest of the room. The shower is also isolated and accessible through a separate door from the toilet, meaning that upon exiting the shower, one finds themselves directly in the bedroom, with no privacy. Therefore, there is no “dry” area in this shower compartment. This bathroom, divided into three distinct zones, creates this unconventional layout.

The room is large and very well furnished. It features a reading chair, a round side table, a large low shelf for suitcases, and a long work desk with a chair without wheels. Power and USB outlets are accessible from the desk. The floor, uncarpeted, is faux wood. A large window forms an entire wall of the room and offers a view, which from my room is unattractive, of the building across the street. The room is well-equipped and includes a Nespresso coffee machine, a small refrigerator, an open wardrobe, a safe, and an iron and ironing board, all organized in a large bookcase. I appreciated the two free bottles of water in the fridge. This arrangement of amenities is similar to what I’ve found in Aloft hotels. A large TV is mounted on the wall above the desk and has a connection for streaming services, but there are no USB or HDMI ports for connecting an external source.

The air conditioning and ventilation system is very quiet.

The bed is very comfortable, and pillows of two different firmness’s are provided.

Although my room is on the sixth floor, you can clearly hear street noises, traffic, trucks, and construction from the early hours of dawn.

The bathroom

As mentioned previously, there isn’t actually a bathroom in this room. There’s plenty of storage space on either side of and below the sink. A bathrobe and some cosmetics products are available. Despite the unusual layout, I personally enjoyed the rain overhead showerhead.

Services

There is a restaurant on site that serves breakfast and is open all day for all meals. The cost of breakfast is not included in the room rate. Room service appears to be available, but I didn’t use this service during my stay.

Indoor parking is subject to a fee. It’s important to note that the ceiling height of this parking is too low for pickup trucks from parking and prevents their access. There are a couple of parking spots available in front of the hotel entrance, so make sure to reserve one before your arrival, if you drive that type of vehicle.

Design

The room design is very modern. The entire wall leading to the toilet and shower, including the doors, is a large monochrome mural. The style is modern and very dynamic. I’m not sure this is a good choice for a bedroom, where I would have personally preferred a more relaxing style. All the furniture is a mix of dark wood and metallic gray, which makes the whole thing rather dark.

My two cents

The room and the hotel are generally very pleasant. However, I was not able to get used to the layout of the bathroom in the room. Being the only occupant of the room, during my stay, I was able to adapt. However, I anticipate all the privacy challenges I could have encountered if I had been accompanied. I especially regretted the absence of a “dry” area, in the enclosed space of the shower, to undress and get dressed again when showering. I do not understand the functional advantage of finding yourself completely naked in the middle of the room after getting out of the shower… I have difficulty understanding the functionality that the designer of this room had in mind.

The devil is in the details:                                                                               

• No access for pickup trucks in the interior parking.

Pros

• Modern and well equipped (room and establishment).
• Location.

Cons

• Room soundproofing.
• Bathroom design.