Hotel Review: AC Hotel by Marriott New York Downtown

Background:

I had 2 Marriott 35k Free Night Awards from my AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Card that were going to expire in November, so I thought they would be perfect to use during my stay in New York. Normally, this would make me able to book Category 5 properties during standard pricing, but since I was visiting New York on Labor Day Weekend, all properties were pricing out as peak pricing, which means I could only use my certificates at a Category 4. Currently, there are only two Category 4 properties in Manhattan, the AC Hotel New York Downtown and the Courtyard New York Downtown Manhattan/Financial District. As AC Hotels are more upscale than Courtyards, given that both properties were located very close to each other, I opted to try the AC Hotel.

Rates for my stay were quite steep, around $400 per night with tax included. A great use of the Certificate! Normal rates for this property hoover around the high $100’s and low $200’s per night.

Arrival and Check-In:

We arrived around 2PM, which was 2 hours before the standard check in. There was a decent line at the check in, even with three employees working. Thankfully, we were able to check in to our room early so we could explore the city. No upgrade with my Marriott Gold, and we were assigned a room on the 4th floor. I didn’t mind the low floor, as it allowed me to exercise more and take the stairs, and not have to wait for elevators.

Reception is on the ground floor, and you go up one level to the restaurant + lobby seating area.

This was my first time trying an AC hotel, and overall I like the decor of the AC brand, while it is minimalist and modern, it’s on the classier side. This specific property features 33 stories and 274 guest rooms.

The Room:

Entering the room, you first see the entrance to the bathroom. There’s a thin frosted glass sliding door, which was okay, but definitely had a gap and wasn’t the most private. There was ample counter space, and a decently sized walk-in shower for a New York bathroom. Individual use toiletries were provided by Korres, which I personally did not really like the scent of. The bathroom materials were on the more basic side, and some wear and tear was showing, but still overall in adequate condition. The water pressure was good, so no complaints there.

Entering the room, there’s an open closest, with iron board, coffee/tea maker, and mini fridge for personal use.

The room features two double sized beds, and they were quite comfortable. On top of the desk and chair provided, there was a lounging chair and table next to the window. Overall, for a New York room, it was a good size and had a nice design.

Our view was to the front entrance to the hotel, and you could see some water as well as the building in front of us. Not bad for a 4th floor view.

I would say that overall the room was a solid 3.5 star hotel.

One thing that was a bit of a negative was that the doors didn’t seem to be well insulated, as there was a decent amount of hallway noise. Not a huge issue, but it might be for some light sleepers.

Amenities:

There’s a pretty decently sized fitness center on the basement level for a New York hotel.

At the time of my stay, the restaurant/lounge was closed. So there were no dining options open on site. There is a sundries store located next to reception at the main entrance.

Location:

The property is located in the Seaport District, on the south side of Manhattan. A bit of a quiet area on the inland side, with not much to do in immediate walking distance, thankfully there is the nice Pier 17 right across the street towards the water with dining options such as Momofuku, Malibu Farm and more.

It’s about a 5 minute walk to the Wall Street Subway Station, and a 15 minute walk to the World Trade Center.

The Verdict:

Overall, I enjoyed my stay at the AC Hotel New York Downtown. It was a great use of my Free Night Awards, and nice to have a Category 4 option in Manhattan. Since I generally prefer Midtown, I might not stay here again, but will definitely consider it again if I have to be in the Downtown area, or need to use some certificates.

Have you stayed at the AC Hotel New York Downtown before? What were your thoughts? Comment below!

Safe Travels,

Ty

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