Hilton Garden Inn Montreal Airport — Hotel in Montreal

A Class Act - Stayed 2014 I don't often have good things to say about airport hotels or big chains but this Hilton blew me away with its impeccable quality and attention to detail. Note that this isn't a luxury brand hotel like the Ritz but manages to deliver everything that a business traveller would want and need with no fuss. I've stayed a total of three times(one week each) for business travel and initially chose it because the one downtown was all booked up. I have nothing but good things to say about this place and now, it's my go-to hotel every time I am in town.

Parking was a doddle. You get a ticket when you enter the car-park. You just need to take it to the front desk to have it validated once for the length of your stay and from then on, you can use it to come and go as you please. Simple. No messy, time-consuming valet or daily check-out tokens. There is also a side enterance near the lot that bypasses the front enterance with direct access to the stairs for a quick run up to your floor if you want a short cut.

Check-in was a breeze too. I normally arrive late so the kitchen is closed but they have thoughfully-packaged refrigerated meal boxes (sandwich, juice box, salad, apple, dressing etc) that you can buy for a reasonable price. Their little mini-shop had a bareminimum essentials selection of travel accessories, drinks and snacks as well. Breakfast buffet tickets are also available upon request for a price.

Upon arrival to my room, there was a hand-written welcome note (in chocolate) written on a plate with a couple of pieces of chocolate for me. Nice touch.

An even nicer touch awaited me a few days later when a custom-made bathrobe was left for me in my room with my name embroidered onto it. Free of charge. Thanks!

The room had complimentary WiFi, a proper fridge (with a freezer compartment) and a small microwave as well. Everything you need to re-heat or cook a quick meal. All rooms come with single-serving Keurig coffee makers and a selection of regular and decaf coffee as well as English Breakfast tea K cups. Another nice convenience that didn't go unnoticed. Their TV had a good selection of channels. I usually watch the Comedy channel as the Canadian version is quite different from the US Comedy channel and is a rare treat to enjoy while abroad. I only mention this becuase other hotels (namely the airport Sheraton) don't carry that channel.

The gym is open 24 hours and is a tiny room with a few treadmills, an exercise bike and a rack of weights (nothing over 25 lbs). Not spectacular but not bad either. I was grateful for the all-hours access and available WiFi. There's an indoor pool and hottub are next that I never used it but it looked great.

Breakfast didn't blow me away or anything but they had a very decent cold and hot food selection. More than adequate and very welcome if you have a big appetite in the morning like I do after using the gym. Since I had the buffet tickets, it was mostly a self-serve affair. The waiters aren't very available so I tend to grab my coffee at the free dispenser by the front desk before entering the breakfast room.

The in-room dining menu was pretty good too. In addition to the usual Hilton fare, their daily specials are varied and quite delicious (as is their regular menu along with some local French Canadian staples). All in all, I was very happy with their restaurant food and often dined in.

In a world saturated with big-business, corporate-owned franchise hotels, this one manages to deliver a personal and even human touch with it's signage and written notes. I always laugh when hotels refer to their customers as 'guests' because nobody would ever charge a guest to stay at their house but in this case, I really did feel welcome and at home. Keep up...

Grossly overpriced. |Minimal security.|Minimal lighting in rooms|Difficult to navigate with luggage|Mediocre restaurant |Excellent driver on shuttle service ||I arrived late in the evening. I had stayed there a month before and it was ok, and I tend to go with what has worked. I had an early morning flight, so every sleeping moment was precious after a day spent flying. ||I did not book online as that generally take reception excessive time to track down my reservation on last stays. ||I presented at the reception desk and asked them to book me in for the evening. ||That seemed to create dismay because I had not reserved. I had tried to call but got an endless tirade of advertising and crap and knew they had availability because it was showing as available on many booking sites including Hilton’s. |The rate reception quoted was far more than the online rate so I showed the young lady what was showing on my smartphone, and she called another lady from the office who told me that their system would be rebooting shortly.||I’m not sure what rebooting had to do with rates and I said I can press a button on my smartphone and it is reserved. And she said, “Our system will reboot in 5 or 10 minutes.” ||Duhhhhhhhhh.||Ok, I said, please take my credit card and book me at whatever it will cost, and we can be done with it. That took another 5 minutes. ||I told her I had back problems and asked if they could give me a room without too much walking. She said we will give you a second floor instead of the fourth floor. An elevator is an elevator. ||There was no porter or luggage rack, and I had too much luggage. The halls have an old ribbed industrial carpet which makes dragging wheeled luggage a challenge. The signage for rooms / elevators is difficult to follow. ||I get to my room. The main lighting is at the entry door, meaning the rest of the room is pretty much dark. The lamp switches are very difficult to locate in a dimly light room and don’t provide very much light. I used the light on my smartphone to find and adjust the thermostat. Same thing to figure out that drapes are cosmetic and don’t close and that you need to pull down a blind. The bathroom fixtures are old and stiff and difficult to adjust. Water was a bit slow to heat but no big deal. Tub had no grab bars and shallow edges so getting a grip to secure footing was not possible. The floor was ceramic tile which is hazardous when wet. The bathroom had excellent lighting and was clean with lots of towels but minuscule (ONE tiny) bar of soap. There were small bottles of water? $2? And a coffee machine which didn’t work ||I get into bed and am dozing off when a man walks into my bedroom at 12:23 a.m. . I spoke to alert him, and he apologized and said he must have been given the wrong room by reception. It shot my being able to fall back to sleep. ||I finally gave up trying to sleep and decide to take my luggage down piece by piece. Get the first [piece down and go back to my room for the carryon and my room card doesn’t work. I got to reception and advised that I am locked out of my room and need to get back in to get my luggage. I have to wait until they get a special pass key. She thought my luggage was in storage. I follow and realize she is confused and explain that it is still in my room etc. ||Life happens. A Hilton hotel will never...

Grossly overpriced. Minimal security. Minimal lighting in rooms Difficult to navigate with luggage Mediocre restaurant Excellent driver on shuttle service

I arrived late in the evening. I had stayed there a month before and it was ok, and I tend to go with what has worked. I had an early morning flight, so every sleeping moment was precious after a day spent flying.

I did not book online as that generally takes their reception excessive time to track down my reservation.

I presented at the reception desk and asked them to book me in for the evening.

That seemed to create dismay because I had not reserved. I had tried to call but got an endless tirade of advertising and crap and knew they had availability because it was showing as available on many booking sites including Hilton’s.

The rate reception quoted was far more than the online rate so I showed the young lady what was showing on my smartphone, and she called another lady from the office who told me that their system would be rebooting shortly.

I’m not sure what rebooting had to do with rates and I said I can press a button on my smartphone and it is reserved. And she said, “Our system will reboot in 5 or 10 minutes.”

Duhhhhhhhhh.

Ok, I said, please take my credit card and book me at whatever it will cost, and we can be done with it. That took another 5 minutes.

I told her I had back problems and asked if they could give me a room without too much walking. She said we will give you a second floor instead of the fourth floor. An elevator is an elevator.

There was no porter or luggage rack, and I had too much luggage. The halls have an old ribbed industrial carpet which makes dragging wheeled luggage a challenge. The signage for rooms / elevators is difficult to follow.

I get to my room. The main lighting is at the entry door, meaning the rest of the room is pretty much dark. The lamp switches are very difficult to locate in a dimly light room, and don’t provide very much light. I used the light on my smartphone to find and adjust the thermostat. Same thing to figure out that drapes are cosmetic and don’t close and that you need to pull down a blind.

The bathroom fixtures are old and stiff and difficult to adjust. Water was a bit slow to heat but no big deal. Tub had no grab bars and shallow edges so getting a grip to secure footing was not possible. The floor was ceramic tile which is hazardous when wet. The bathroom had excellent lighting and was clean with lots of towels but minuscule (ONE tiny) bar of soap. There were small bottles of water? $2? And a coffee machine which didn’t work

I get into bed and am dozing off when a man walks into my bedroom at 12:23 a.m. . I spoke to alert him, and he apologized and said he must have been given the wrong room by reception. It shot my being able to fall back to sleep.

I finally gave up trying to sleep and decide to take my luggage down piece by piece. Get the first piece down and go back to my room for the carry-on and my room card doesn’t work. I got to reception and advised that I am locked out of my room and need to get back in to get my luggage. I have to wait until they get a special pass key. She thought my luggage was in storage. I follow and realize she is confused and explain that it is still in my room etc.

Life happens. A Hilton hotel will never...