Staying at Novotel and Doubletree... how bad do I have it?

[HarmonyNYC]

These are the two hotels I have been awarded via priceline's bidding process.

Both hotels have a bad reputation on merb but both hotels have been renovated.

I am hoping fellow merb members can help me form a list of things to be concerned about in the interest of avoiding trouble with whatever trouble these two hotels may present to me.

One thing I already know about is the Novotel having a key restriction. I know they lock the elevator at 6pm so I will have to make sure any agency I book with knows they need to call me 10 minutes before my SP arrives so I can go down and meet her in the lobby.

I am mainly concerned about the location. I fear I may be too far a walk from my usual spots. Cleo's was always a good walk or cab ride but I think I am closer to Cleo's now then ever before. Can anyone give me landmarks (like Cleo's and the Hyatt) to shed some light on my location as related to the Novotel and Doubletree.

Any thoughts or comments will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[Special K]

I'd much rather have the Novotel than the Doubletree. Stayed at the Doubletree a couple weeks ago and didn't like it at all!!! Rooms are dated, decrepid, AC didn't work in the room, etc. The beds sucked and they wouldn't give me a king sized bed. Wasn't happy with it at all.

 

[NYClimber]

Doubletree

I recently asked the same question about the doubletree. No one answered so I went in blind. I stayed there this last weekend. Here are my impressions. You can tell the hotel is older but it looked nice. When I checked in I asked for a king bed and they said the only one available was smoking. Being a non-smoker I didn’t want it so I asked if a room with a queen was available. There was one on the 19th floor so the girl gave it to me. The room was nice, had a loveseat and chair, queen bed, and CD player. Temperature was fine and the ice machine on my floor always had ice. No key required for the elevators. It was a short walk to St Denise, which had many bistros, restaurants and bars and a lot of cute girls. The only down side was it was several miles from the Crescent street area. Other than that I thought it was fine. Not quite as nice as the Hilton or Delta but the “loveseat” came in very handy.

NYC

 

[jackyo8193]

Yes, the problem with the Novotel is that they limit access to the upstairs levels after a certain hour in the PM.

I remember once in the evening going downstairs to find my "date". Its quite awkward because their hotel lobby is quite small and a chick coming in from the street doesn't have many options to make herself inconspicuous. I sat by the elevator and we found each other that way.

Daytime appointments are easier at this hotel.

I also remember a situation where I was expecting someone, had the cash ready on the credenza in plain sight when I hear a knock on the door. I open it and the guy who takes care of stocking the mini bar wants to check it so I let him in. Then I realize I have a pile of cash sitting on the credenza.

Its not a bad hotel, got decent rooms but true, it is far from Cleo's.

 

[Anna Bijou]

No contest: Novotel

Doubletree sucks!! Big time.. It's old ( I mean OLD!) I was stuck there for 3 days and their internet was down the whole time. Not impressed.

Now at Novotel. I was definitely pleasantly surprised. I like the location better, it's clean, renovated... and internet works! lol

Novotel is about 100 times better than Doubletree, even with restricted access after 6pm. The elevator is out of the way (around the corner & not directly in front of the reception) so it's easy to discretely meet your date at the elevator.

Seriously... Doubletree sucks. I can't say it enough. I was so disappointed and incredibly glad to get out of there.

 

[Best Lover]

Novotel is the winner!!

have read many bad things about Novotel on merb but stayed at Novotel for 10 days during jazz festival last year. got lucky and got new renovated executive room with plasma tv and king size bed. maybe I had only nice room in hotel???

excellent location downtown, on montagne and you have crescent next street over. also hotel restaurant is cool with delicious food.

small but nice lobby and very friendly staff. meeting girls was not a problem.

repeat? yes.

 

[The Teacher]

Merbites...
I just got the Novotel on Priceline for $50 Feb 22-24 (2 nites) If anyone can give me info or advice on the property, I'd really appreciate it! Any tips etc?
The Teacher

 

[Clynnog]

I am mainly concerned about the location. I fear I may be too far a walk from my usual spots. Cleo's was always a good walk or cab ride but I think I am closer to Cleo's now then ever before. Can anyone give me landmarks (like Cleo's and the Hyatt) to shed some light on my location as related to the Novotel and Doubletree.

I stayed at the Doubletree on Tuesday night. It is about a 15-20 minute walk north east of Cleo's. If you walk it after leaving Cleo's walk west on Maisnneuve and then north on St. Denis...more people on the streets etc. Going straight north on St. Laurent is rather quiet and not the greatest neighbourhood.

My room was fine ($60/night + parking) and warm and there weren't any elevator restrictions. I didn't entertain guests there, but I'm sure you could do it easily.

The 'business centre' (that is a stretch of a term) was working as I was able to check my email.

Very quiet hotel.

 

[Clynnog]

Doubletree sucks!! Big time.. It's old ( I mean OLD!) I was stuck there for 3 days and their internet was down the whole time. Not impressed.

Seriously... Doubletree sucks. I can't say it enough. I was so disappointed and incredibly glad to get out of there.

The Doubletree was fine for me for $60/night on Priceline (not sure what the posted rate is). The internet worked in the room with the computers. For me, it was just a place to sleep. There is a great brew pub just a 5 minute walk south on St. Denis.

 

[bond_james_bond]

There is a surveillance camera in the Novotel's elevators.

I don't know if audio is also being recorded.

 

[Special K]

There is a surveillance camera in the Novotel's elevators.

I don't know if audio is also being recorded.

There's surveillance in every elevator of every major hotel.

 

[Ben Dover]

Special K -- Are you sure that's not a bit of an exageration? I always look for it and have seen many that don't have cameras. Some do have pinhole "spycam" type cameras which are hard to see, but I really don't think ALL the major hotels in MTL are wired (yet)...

BD

 

[The Teacher]

Merbites...
It has been nearly a month, any updates?
The Teacher

 

[rumpleforeskiin]

I stayed at the Doubletree last night
1. The room was neat and clean; the ambience was less "corporate" than, say, the Sheraton or Hyatt.
2. The high speed internet was free and fast.
3. The hotel is far from the business district, a big plus for me. It's one block east of St. Denis, in the Plateau, the coolest neighborhood in North America (Wallpaper), one of the 15 hippest neighborhoods in North America (Utne Reader.) The area is full of clubs and many of the best and most diverse restaurants in the city. I personally don't like downtown; I love the Plateau. The hotel is about 5 blocks from Parc LaFontaine, 1 from St. Denis, 5 from Avenue Mont-Royal, three of the best venues in the city for women watching.
4. The woman who knocked on my door at 7 pm was as fabulous as she always is.

 

[The Teacher]

Merbites...
My friend and I stayed at the Novotel February 22nd and 23rd and I must say, it was average. Nothing special, but not great! I laughed at the bottles on the timer thing...stupid! I didn't dare touch the mini bar....dumb! Our room was a king...again, nothing to write home about! Clean enough, good room cleaning, no pool sucked, elevator key thing still in effect. Can you tell this is a vanilla post for a vanilla hotel? LOL I would reccomend for families and maybe party animals as it is close to Crescent and St. C. We lost power twice and the manager gave us free internet for our stay due to the inconvience...whatever! If you can get it cheap...under $60 a night, then go for it!
The Teacher

 

[bumfie]

Special K -- Are you sure that's not a bit of an exageration? I always look for it and have seen many that don't have cameras.

BD

This may be a few inches off-topic, Ben, but in any major city in North America, I think you are fooling yourself if you think you are not under surveillance in a hotel elevator. Or just about anywhere else, with the possible exception of your bed.