HadesNL

Orginally i had booked for 3 nights as RA1 KING BDRM SUITE LIVING AREA CORNER at 545 CAD p/n = 1969 CAD (taxes 314 CAD)
After an email to reservations about my stay preferences and requests this was upgraded in the app visibe to:

1 Bedroom Suite Montreal View High Floor

However a week before my stay i received an email from the hotel:






And clicking the link went to

the ui nor1 upgrade system is a different lot....
normally the thought at paying for a latecheckout at 14H is preposterous for AMB/RA




And i thought .., why not ....
So we chose the 1 King V-President Suite living area
As wedo not need a dining table for 8 ....



And upon checkin, we were informed all was accepted and the extra amount was added to my deposit creditcard guarantee

How was the room? Please bear with in patience .....

HadesNL

The hotel is more geared towards business people, conference guests, the tourists wishing to visit&dine in vieux Montréal by foot

This is also the designated crew hotel for Austrian Airlines, they enjoy their breakfast also in restaurant Osco!

There is no breakfast buffet, you can choose from different à la carte breakfast sets

The diamond welcome amenity of drinks voucher is sans pourboire (no tip) servis non compris
valid only upon arrival at Sarah Bernard's bar for 1 house brand beverage: beer wine, cocktail or non alcoholic beverage

And,
You can still find the retro logo & branding here .... pretty cool!

rmontelbon

Thank you very much! I'm a frequent visitor, and know Old Montreal very well. To be honest, I've always stayed at a boutique, simply because they're quite romantic and charming, wood beamed and situated on the cobblestone streets in the very heart of the old city, they also tend to be less expensive than chains (I highly recommend the Epik Hotel, and Le Petit as a close second...though ignore breakfast at both and walk to Le Cartet).

However I have an Ambassador Free Night about to expire, and the group I'm bringing are not love interests, so the very decent location for walking (right on the edge of old town and the modern city) and savings for a group take precedence.

I will note, I also got the "upgrade offer", ignored it for both rooms, and both got pre-arrival upgrades (without notice btw, just saw them on the app, you'd think they'd boast in an email).

So far :
Standard King -> Premium King Corner View
1 BR Suite to - 1 BR Corner Suite View

Suite is $550 CAD /night inclusive of taxes and $40 CAD / night 3rd guest charge

King is $450 CAD / night inclusive

I'm curious to see how many of us will get free breakfast.

Finally, for those visiting for the first time, I highly recommend getting the "MTL Passport", a hugely discounted pass giving access to a number of the best attractions, museums, and activities in the city. The menu of options is an excellent framework to maximize your time in Montreal, while saving hundreds of dollars vs individual tickets. It includes must do things like Biodome, the Grand Wheel, PHI Center, Archaeology Museum, and large discounts for the excellent Strom Nordic Spa in Shelbourne if you have a car and make the (well worth it) 1 hour drive.

https://www.mtl.org/en/deals/passpor...tl-winter-2024

HadesNL

For breakfast you will have to check in with the host,
They'll look up your name & room number and see who's eligable for breakfast inclusive (rate or diamond choice)
The host will bring you to a table abd leave a grey slab om the table with lettering " IHG 1 rewards diamond" so server knows your breakfast is inclusive and no bill is needed to be presented.

Thank you for the tips!

Our favorite place is
https://restaurantholder.com/en/
Already return customers there

Bit spooky, very similair across the ocean to Dutch
Ysbreker Amsterdam https://www.deysbreeker.nl/?lang=en
Dudok Rotterdam https://dudok.nl/rotterdam/

Might be related family ?

rmontelbon

A never ending cornucopia of great food and cultural events in Montreal, even for us Anglophones. As a NYC native, Montreal has become my favorite city in all of North America, and a bargain to boot.

HadesNL

Breakfast is served at restaurant Osco! which is located on the RC level between the reception and elevator lobby.
It is served weekdays fron 6.30 till 10.30 mornings and in the weekend till 11.00.
There are some windows overlooking the street from above

Upon arrival your host will check your name and room number on the hotel's guest manifest and guide you to a table

If you have
- booked a breakfast rate inclusive
- chose breakfast as your diamond welcome amenity

You will have this placed at your table:
DO NOT REMOVE THIS


Slab denoting to server that your breakfast is inclusive and you won't need to be presented with a bill afterwards


I thought it was a keepsake press paper weight and was about to put it in my handbag as a souvenir !
Atacama40 : no this is not the free gift


This is the menu, you order a set offering, there is no buffet.
Servers will roam about to pour you filter black coffee and offer you orange juice.

So these are the set dishes available

Menu as of OCT 2023


And for your entertainment we chose :

1

THE HEALTHY
24 CAD
Plain greek yogurt, bowl of berries and crunchy wildflower honey granola or bowl of oatmeal and maple syrup




2

THE BENEDICTINE
29 CAD
Two eggs benedict, smoked salmon, spinach, and tarragon hollandaise sauce, served with breakfast potatoes, fresh fuits



And why did i told you not to remove the slab....
Because without the slab on the table, you will be automatic presented with the following bill :




Why am i presented a bill ?!
I'm a Diamond guest, i have a breakfast rate??
What's this nonsense ?!
Answer: " did you not get from the host the Diamond elite marker?"
Ahum, shame red, i put the slab out of my purse back on the table, rolleyes by S/O and disbelief by the server but fortunately no breakfast bill to be paid
Hilarity, its inviting and amusing at the same time


so you know ...


for those wanting to do their own breakfast but want to keep dry
located via covered walkway indoors part of the hotel complex at world trade center / center commercial mondial (part of Montréal underground city) lvl 0
is a bakery with fresh items
https://www.lafabriquedebagel.com

for those wanting to do their own breakfast but don't mind a 3 min walk across the street through the park
there is a health conscious bio supermarket (similair to a mini Whole Foods or EkoPlaza or MarQT)
https://www.avril.ca/fr/avril-montreal
- takes all cards
- has fresh fruits / vegetables
- has milk of all lactose and non lactose types
- kombucha / kefir
- cakes
- grab & go prepared to order counter


Hope this is informative enough for future guests

HadesNL

If coming with own transport the following parking options are available:



Parking at Rue Saint Pierre





Pricing at parking Rue Saint Pierre





Parking Rue Saint Antoine Ouest





Pricing Parking Rue Saint Antoine Ouest








Valet 37 CAD
Self Parking 25 CAD

HadesNL

Don't even think about it of getting comfy here and enjoy a fag....or other smokables ....





So you know

HadesNL

The Club Intercontinental lounge is located on RC level directly opposite the escalators connecting the ground floor lobby with the upper lobby where reception is located.
There is no lounge host except during the evening F&B presentation.
Usually this is Larry whom is a favorite with regulars and also a source of fun & hilarity, providing excellent jovial hospitality.
The lounge can be accessed by tapping your toom keycard to open the sliding doors and is available 24/7

I'll show you first the physical lounge space and continue onwards with the chronological f&b presentations.

Lounge as promoted by the hotel






Club Intercontinntal lounge is located on the RC level next to the escalators connecting the lower and upper lobby
Tap your room keycard to open the sliding doors





Look inside, not much view from the windows





Look back towards the door, it is not a big space but does feel comfy
Lounge has no own toilets




Another angle, lighting is good enough to read a book





High counter top seating and extent of food presentation layout





Club lounge annex, can be closed off with sliding doors to make it a private room




Has books for s good read




And a comfy fireplace for nostalgia




2 PC with Windiws with black laserjetprinter




Possible to order food at extra $ to be consumed in the lounge



So let's start with the food and beverage presentation at the IC Montréal's Club Intercontinental lounge
Those with milestone choice awards of annual lounge pass may use this lounge aswell as RA and guests booking club rooms/suites

The lounge serves daily
breakfast 7 - 11
evening drinks & nibbles 17.30 - 19.30


Always available


Water, yoghurt, mixers






Fresh fruit and cookies





Muffins & cookies




Tea choices






Coffee choices, décaf possible


And now onwards to breakfast
from 07.00 - 11.00 daily

It will satisfy any basic needs for breakfast


Breakfast buffet set up





Fruit and orange juice





Breads and jams





Toaster




Coldcuts





Cereals





Warm items : these do not rotate and are a fixed offering
There is no additional cook to order breakfast menu or live station



And now onwards to
Evening drinks and nibbles
available from 17.30 untill 20.30


Lounge at capacity, all eager awaiting the evening presentation





Larry, the evening club lounge host, comes wheeling in exactly at 17.30 daily and sets up the evening nibbles and unlocks the alcoholic drinks cabinet.
He is happy to serve you but you can also help yourself




Adukt beverages






French sparkling Brut





For those with knowledge






Set up for mimosa or buck's fizz




Red & White wine






Best you judge yourself
I admit in being no expert....

i just go by the Dutch saying:
Wijn en Bier geeft plezier : wine on beer is giggles
Bier en Wijn geeft venijn : beer on wine is venom




Different types of beer



And we now go on to the food

The offerings rotate daily concerning the hot items and additional cold items in a different variety flavour


Evening presentation cold items rotation 1





Evening presentation hot items rotation 1






Macaroons






Evening presentation cold items rotation 2





Evening presentation hot items rotation 2



Verdict
Can i now finally relax ?
Furiosly typing away to satisfy the curiosity and removing uncertainties for Admiral Ackbar and Romain_ and rmontelbon ........

Indeed a comfy quiet place to get some work done, to grab a drink and relax or to enjoy the airconditioning or fireplace
It won't win the "epic" or "amazing" awards but it is a handy and convenient extension of your stay comfort

HadesNL

For your information, this is the current drinkschit given to Diamond elites whom chose a dree drink as welcome amenity

HadesNL

For those of us whom have difficulty targeting QR codes to open the read ... or like me are very paranoid in what kind of webpage you actually open, please find below the directory






And from the hotel's website

Can I receive a package at the hotel before or during my stay?
It is perfectly possible to have packages delivered to your name at the hotel. To avoid errors, please make sure that the contact information on the package matches your reservation exactly.

Are pets allowed at the InterContinental Montreal?
Yes we welcome pets at our hotel with certain guidelines:
– Only cats and dogs under 50 pounds are allowed in hotel rooms.
– A $40 per room, per night fee will be added to the bill, unless it is a guide dog.
– Pets must be on a leash when in the hotel’s common areas.
– Pets must not be left unattended in the rooms.
– We will be happy to place bowls in your room prior to your arrival. You will also receive a gift bag for your pet, including dog treats, a toy, biodegradable bags, a map of the best dog parks in the area and an InterContinental Montreal scarf.

HadesNL

Available every Wednesday & Thursday only

Also this week is the first ever Francophone special drag meetup

And the start of taking booking for festive season events

Via the pressreader app






Via the elevator display






And on the table

The-Aviator

Which room did you book and which upgrade did you receive?
1 King Premium Montreal View Corner, received 1 Bedroom Suite Montreal View (room types are a bit confusing but this is a one-category upgrade)

How are the rooms?
So old that they could have been described as dated ten years ago! The only thing that was remotely new were the TVs, but to be fair things were still clean, comfortable and (mostly) in good condition. Was a bit surprised to find in the bathroom that they didn't have the brand standard Byredo amenities, there was one Byredo soap but the other items were a variety of completely random brands.

How is the exec. lounge?
Had access as I booked a Club InterContinental rate. Serves breakfast, evening drinks/canapés and all-day non-alcoholic refreshments, no afternoon tea from the looks of it. Evening service is from 5.30-7.30pm, everything was self-serve and they had a respectable array of food including hot pasta and chicken then a variety of cold items. For drinks they had a range of beers, wines and spirits including a French sparkling wine (not champagne though). Staff came through the lounge regularly to tidy up and kept everything clean and well stocked, they were also very friendly and chatty with guests. Seemed to be very popular - there was a large group staying at the hotel either pre-cruise or for some nautical themed conference and clearly going for a fancy dinner later, so everyone in the lounge was very much "dressed to the nines". For breakfast it wasn't super clear whether you could have the club breakfast in the restaurant or the lounge so I just went with the lounge, which was a good option. A variety of hot and cold items were available as well as sparkling wine to make your own mimosa. I was eating far too much good food in Montréal so was quite happy to have a lighter breakfast in the lounge!

What was good and what was bad?
Lol, maybe we can start with the bad? Buckle in.

• Arrived at midday and was advised the room wasn't ready. Fair enough, check-in time is 3pm but the receptionist was so confused at the request to store my bags. First she suggested I take them downstairs to the bell desk then she ended up taking them herself.
• Returned at 3.10pm, spoke to a new receptionist who searched the system for a good 5 minutes but still couldn't find a room. She went to speak with a supervisor (Perhaps to seek a further upgrade to an available room?) then came back and said they'd prioritise cleaning the room and offered in a way which suggested it was a special courtesy that she would let me sit in the Club lounge while I waited. I pointed out I had booked a Club IC rate so I was only being offered something I had paid for anyway and should have had access to by this point, it took her a minute to review the reservation and see I was correct. Didn't end up getting access to the room until 3.40pm.
• If I had to describe the shower, I would say it woke up and chose violence. There was one water pressure level and it was insanely strong, to the point where it took a while to adjust the showerhead to a level where it didn't hurt to stand under it and I had to turn it off regularly to let the water drain (I don't even think it was a blocked drain, it was just that strong!). I considered saying something but given it was a one-night stay, couldn't be bothered.
• I had planned to use my welcome drink vouchers at the hotel's Sarah B Absinthe Bar after returning from dinner. It was supposed to be last drinks at 11.30pm but when I arrived back at the hotel just after 11pm they had already closed.
• The Club lounge is in an odd location, in the lobby with no real views to speak of and random passers-by peeking through the glass to look inside. Hopefully a refurbishment is not far away and will bring a new location for the lounge.
• Both receptionists were trying to spin the fact I had been upgraded - as a guaranteed benefit of the Ambassador program a one-category upgrade is not particularly impressive. Tell me about it yes, but don't try to make it sound like I'm getting something I'm not entitled to as a way of trying to cover for problems.
• The aforementioned dated rooms.

The Good

• Excellent location in the heart of Vieux-Montréal - really easy to get around and see the sights.
• Great panoramic views from my "Iconic Tourelle Suite".
• As a Diamond Ambassador amenity I was offered a choice of fruit, cheese, charcuterie or mixed platter along with still and sparkling water. I took the mixed platter with sparkling water and the platter along with a bottle of chilled San Pellegrino were delivered shortly after arriving in my room. Appreciated this as not many hotels I've visited have offered welcome gifts beyond the standard IHG welcome amenities.
• Sarah B Absinthe Bar has live jazz early on in the night on Friday nights, walked past and it sounded really good.
• To her credit, the second receptionist was extremely professional and trying her very best at service recovery, she was just hamstrung by the situation that management has created for all the frontline staff to manage, so merci to Maxence! To be honest I could say the same about most of the staff, it's not their fault they've been let down by a management team who have not invested in or properly managed their property. My recommendation as always is if you experience similar frustrations as I did don't be too harsh to the frontline staff, be kind and they will be on your side.

Value for $ or Priority Club Points? Would you return?
Paid CAD $488 for the one-night stay. Primarily chose the hotel to make use of the 4pm late check-out due to a late flight the next day and it served its purpose there just fine, however there were certainly lots of other small issues throughout the stay which on their own might be ok but added up to be very disappointing overall. Would only return if the hotel is comprehensively refurbished or I need to make use of the late check-out again. If you are looking for somewhere to say in Montréal I can recommend Le Square Phillips Hôtel & Suites where I stayed for the prior three nights, certainly priced and marketed as a more moderate hotel but to be honest I enjoyed my stay there more than my stay at the IC!

HadesNL

Thank you for your review, very nice and cool to read someone else his/her stay coincides with mine

No need to do anything more,
Now the work is done, i can lay back and go back to the pool and pass out on a deck chair ...
Just kidding, i will add my experiences and room / gym review : some "encounters" you've had the pleasure experiencing, i can relate to with a dash of quirky RA-sauce on top....
Not gravely insulting taste but the North American mindset mantra.... good thing Admiral Ackbar advised us to set the bar a bit lower so one can jump the hurdles with insight.


But did i see myself on the ship there, on the veranda picking my nose?
The Seabourn Quest cruise ship you saw from your windows had just churned out its passengers from their NYC to Montréal journey
Those reeking of money went to Four Seasons / Ritz Carlton / Fairmont, but further from Vieux-Montréal

They run this every september - november every year in both directions https://www.seabourn.com/en/us/find-...se/n4n12d/6458
To make a long story short: nice with less crowds with a refined elder crowd
but S/O's opinion: " where's the ultra luxury, unless you are friends with Bill W, Bonnie St.Clair, AA, the only thing ultra luxury is the unlimited inclusive booze to tempt you, almost double/triple the price compared with Holland America (aging passengers but with excellent Indonesian / Filipino hospitality) and Celebrity Cruises (excellent Greek nautical experience when in the Mediterané with engaging crew from around the Mediterané)

And to return on topic, i had a quick conflab at the hotel with soneone whom i think is aware of the renovation program,
Quote: "the standard rooms are being done first, we know they need it, the new owners know they need it, frankly we are embarressed that it took so long for them that they need it"

But as
The-Aviator has said, most important everything is clean, the views from the upper floors are increfible, the hotel location is the best to sample new & old Montréal
And personal add on, great to have a pool, the lounge adds stay comfort, the shower works perfectly (we too had Montmorency falls in our shower)

seawolf

Thanks for the review. I was curious about IC and always stayed at Marriott brands. I think will just stick with Humaniti/W/Westin.