InterContinental Montreal

We stayed here for the weekend for the hockey game. We were treated like being in first class on a plane from the moment we entered the hotel . I am a diamond ambassador member and was treated like so. I was upgraded even before I arrived at the hotel. Staff was very friendly , special note to Jeff and I believe Natalie. As well as the staff at the restaurant , the breakfast was outstanding. We truly appreciate what this hotel offers and is a joy to stay at when we go to Montreal. I have a trip planned with my wife and my friends in the new year and will definitely be staying here. Thank you again to the staff and management for making another trip to Montreal enjoyable. Read less

I stayed at the InterContinental for one night, transferring across from another Montreal hotel primarily to make use of the guaranteed 4pm late check-out offered to InterContinental Ambassador members (I had a late flight departure on the day of check-out), and hopefully end my three-week holiday in Canada on a high. The InterContinental certainly met my first requirement, but definitely not the second! I arrived at midday and was advised the room wasn't ready. Fair enough, stated check-in time is 3pm and everyone was being sent away but the receptionist was so confused at my simple request of storing my bags, first she suggested I take them back 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. I was upgraded from a 1 King Premium Montreal View Corner room to a 1 Bedroom Suite Montreal View, which is a one-category upgrade. My suite, the "Suite Tourelle Iconic" was on the 20th floor and had fantastic panoramic views of the city, but it was so old it 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. There was a large lounge area with a desk and multiple seating options as well as TV and coffee table. The standalone bedroom was on the smaller side but had its own TV as well as minibar, in-room safe and comfortable King bed. 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. They need to do better on consistency here. As for the shower, if I had to describe it 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 shower head 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. A+ for the towels though, they were massive and very good quality. Bags were brought up promptly and an Ambassador member welcome plate of cheese, charcuterie and a bottle of San Pellegrino arrived soon after. The receptionist had offered a choice of fruit, cheese, charcuterie or mixed along with still or sparkling water and I had chosen the mixed. I appreciated this as not many hotels I've visited have offered welcome gifts beyond the standard IHG welcome amenities. The Club InterContinental lounge for those on a club rate includes breakfast, evening drinks/canapés and all-day non-alcoholic refreshments, no afternoon tea from the looks of it. it is in a slightly weird 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. 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. The lounge 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 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 Montreal so was quite happy to have a lighter breakfast in the lounge! Unfortunately didn't get to try any of the hotel's other dining facilities. I did receive two welcome drink vouchers for use at the hotel's Sarah B Absinthe Bar and I had planned to use them 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, which was disappointing. I did walk past Sarah B earlier in the night though and heard the live jazz they have on Friday nights, it sounded really good. The hotel has an excellent location in the heart of Old Montreeal, it's really easy to get around and see the sights. It's also very easy to get taxis or Ubers should you wish to go further afield. So many great places to eat and drink in Montreal, some of my favourites would have to be Mon Lapin, Joe Beef, Toqué, Schwartz's, Fairmount Bagels, St-Viateur Bagels and Ma Poule Mouillée although I think you'd struggle to find a bad meal in this city! If I had to pick out one highlight at this hotel, in all honesty it would be the staff and if I was rating on staff interaction alone my score would be a LOT higher. To her credit, the second receptionist Maxence was extremely professional and tried 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! I could say the same about virtually all the staff, it's not their fault they've been let down by a management team who have clearly not invested in or properly managed their property. My recommendation as always is that if you experience similar frustrations as I did, don't be harsh to the frontline staff because it's not their fault. Be kind and they will be on your side. At $490 for one night, the InterContinental served my needs but I wouldn't want to return in its current state. There were too many small issues which on their own might be OK but added up to be very disappointing overall. If you are looking for somewhere to stay in Montreal 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! I would only return if the hotel was comprehensively refurbished or I needed to make use of the guaranteed late check-out again. Read less