Decided to stay at a non-Marriott hotel for a little getaway for my husband’s birthday this weekend.

Thanks, I hate it. Do you just not get service unless you have loyalty point status anymore?!!

Also #marriott, please increase your investments in acquiring hotels with nice views because this experience with a hotel chain that rhymes with schmyatt has not been lovely at all. I like my #marriottbonvoy status and even if my card earns me points I want lovely views in my hotel stays too!!

Fairfield Winnipeg

The Fairfield Winnipeg was exactly like Winnipeg – not exciting in any way, but it can get the job done. The hotel team was great in person and over chat, and my upgraded studio was adequate as expected.

The hotel was recently renovated, featuring the new Fairfield carpeting and a semi-new bathroom, but some original woodgrain fixtures remained. The studio was roomy on the living room side, and a bit tighter but manageable on the bedroom side.

I enjoyed the open view on the city side, albeit it being a bit farther away, as the hotel was located a bit out of the downtown area. Public transit access was pretty bad, however parking was free and they did offer a free airport shuttle. I’d imagine a slightly less interesting view on the other side, as the only thing close by was a Walmart.

Overall I thought it was a positive experience. Being a Fairfield, all I needed was a reliable place to stay and good value for money, and the Fairfield Winnipeg delivered in both aspects.

RealScore

Service: 8.0

Design and Room Size: 7.5

In-room Amenities: 7

Bathroom Size and Layout: 7

View from (my) Room: 7

Hotel Location: 6

Available Guest Facilities: 7

Food Quality: 7

Food and Beverage Service: N/A

Executive Lounge Quality: N/A

Final RealScore: 7.42

Final RealRating: A

Hotel is built/opened: 2011

Total number of rooms: 136

Length of stay: 3 nights

Membership level at check-in: Titanium

Room type experienced: Studio Suite

Four Points Moncton

From my most recent stays, although the Four Points Moncton had nothing out of the ordinary Four Points offerings, I personally liked my experience here. It was a typical highway stop with efficiency-oriented room design (i.e. not quirky, not tacky, but adequate) and enough amenities to be called “premium select service”.

I loved that they frequently upgraded me to the jacuzzi suite, which came with a living room, full size fridge and a wet bar counter area. Cleanliness was consistently up to Marriott’s standard.

Service-wise, I found the staff efficient but on the laid-back side, which is not necessarily a bad thing. After I got to know them a bit more after my recent stays I enjoyed our limited conversations, and they had indeed never dropped the ball in any aspect.

The restaurant was open during breakfast, although for a paid breakfast, the selection was pretty abysmal, and in my opinion not even worth the already-low price tag of $12. Another complaint would be the overall appearance of the hotel, public areas and rooms. It was simply too much overdue for a proper renovation.

In general, I still liked the hotel for what it was advertised to be – a low-profile, efficient place to stay off the highway in Moncton’s Magnetic Hill area, and for a pre-reno Four Points, it was doing just fine. If a renovation is already on the calendar I look forward to returning after it’s finished, otherwise I’ll probably hold off on staying again unless the price is right.

RealScore

Service: 8.0

Design and Room Size: 6.5

In-room Amenities: 8

Bathroom Size and Layout: 9

View from (my) Room: 5

Hotel Location: 7

Available Guest Facilities: 7

Food Quality: 5

Food and Beverage Service: 7

Executive Lounge Quality: N/A

Final RealScore: 7.15

Final RealRating: B

Hotel is built/opened: 2006

Total number of rooms: 128

Length of stay: 12 nights

Membership level at check-in: Titanium

Room type experienced: Standard Room / Premium Room (better amenities) / One-bedroom Suite

Delta Edmonton South Conference Centre

I decided to book a night at the Delta Edmonton South before my flight out solely because I noticed the big Delta signs on my drive into the city from YEG a few days prior. With no fancy expectations, I really enjoyed my short stay.

I arrived at a busy time but Janice at the front desk helped me promptly at the elite desk. She was very efficient and knowledgeable. I was intrigued by the loft suites so I used a Nightly Upgrade Award for one, and I was very much shocked by the amount of space I had – in addition to a big living section and a bedroom upstairs, there was an additional bar area plus a decent-sized boardroom/dining room attached. The floor-to-ceiling windows were also massive to the point where they didn’t feel real, as they were close to taking up an entire wall – awesome if you ask me since I’m addicted to natural light.

A nice set of welcome gifts were also prepared in the room awaiting our arrival. While the gifts themselves were not exactly impressive, it was the gesture that made the difference.

Now a couple things to nitpick on – although the suite was glamorous and all, upkeep seemed to have lagged behind. I found a few spots where the carpet was peeling off, especially on the stairs, where the peelings were quite frequent and severe. The draperies were also excessively dusty – you could tell this room hadn’t been booked all that often.

Room aside, I also enjoyed the breakfast – service and food were both great, and having steak and eggs included in my elite voucher always makes my day. I also had zero problems getting a later checkout as well, great considering some hotels do not honour Marriott’s “guaranteed” 4pm checkouts if there’s any kind of suites involved, especially when the “Convention Centre” excuse was right in the name of the hotel.

All things considered, I was really happy I made this last minute plan change to stay here instead, although with some more TLC on the hard product I’m sure it is capable of delivering something more impressive than the current state.

RealScore

Service: 8.0

Design and Room Size: 7.5

In-room Amenities: 8

Bathroom Size and Layout: 9

View from (my) Room: 6

Hotel Location: 6

Available Guest Facilities: 9

Food Quality: 8

Food and Beverage Service: 7

Executive Lounge Quality: N/A

Final RealScore: 7.54

Final RealRating: A

Hotel is built/opened: 1975

Total number of rooms: 237

Length of stay: 1 night

Membership level at check-in: Titanium

Room type experienced: Loft Suite

Delta Halifax Downtown

Disclaimer – I used to have a deep connection with the Delta Halifax – in fact this exact hotel offered me my very first job opportunity in Canada. While there might be subjectiveness in this review (as intended), I will try my best to keep as much biases and/or prejudice out as possible.

The Delta Halifax has been through a lot. Since the first day it opened its door, it has gone through many names and brands, most recently Hotel Halifax (2019-2026) after not renewing the Delta brand it had operated under for decades. After many months of anticipation and a much-needed full renovation, the hotel reopened in 2026 again under the Delta brand as Marriott Bonvoy’s “newest” entry into Halifax’s upscale market.

I had been looking at booking here for months. When it first appeared on Marriott’s website, I booked my reservation for December 2025, which was then pushed to February and later April 2026, as the hotel was operating but was not able to meet Marriott’s brand standard in time mainly due to restaurant delays. When I heard the rebranding was then complete, I was stoked to finally have the opportunity to check out the brand new hotel.

My first impression – the renovation did wonders in the public areas. In the lobby, gone were the tired carpets and bulky armchairs, instead colourful and modern-looking furnishing and rugs took over. Local touches and artwork scattered across the lobby (and throughout the guest floors), and the newly transformed restaurant looked very fresh.

The guest rooms on the other hand was, shall I say, a mixed bag. I was given an upgraded elite-level guest room, which I understand had the same layout as the regular rooms minus being on the elite floor. The room itself was completely redesigned as well. The bulky, heavily wood-based fixtures were all removed to make way for a bright and sleek suite of furnishings. The old carpeting was also replaced by premium-looking hardwood flooring. The bathroom was also fully redone, with upgraded lighting and a brand new shower room. However, like most new Marriotts, there was no space to put my own toiletries in the shower room.

However, I did have questions about some particular designs that came with the renovation. Firstly and most importantly, where did all the space go? Before the reno, the regular king rooms were all large enough to fit a full-size pull-out couch, whereas now there was barely enough space for a chair. I also really didn’t like the “closet” thing – I don’t think it helped with space-saving at all, and if the goal was to produce an open, airy feeling, it was fine until I actually used it to hang clothes, which, you know, is what closets are supposed to be for. In fact, since it was right in front of the window, when it was in use, it was not only blocking natural light like it was designed to not do, there was also not a way to hide the mess like a normal closet. In the same vein, I was not exactly sure what purpose combining the closet and coffee station served. Ergonomically, it was impossible to use the coffee machine without bumping into the pole, my shirts or something else, and aesthetically I hated the uncoordinated look – I’d rather trade some desk space for a proper, unobstructed coffee station that is out of sight.

Now, I’m no expert in home design and your opinions may differ, so I digress. What I found universally inexcusable however, was the “new” approach this hotel is taking towards elite benefits. The reason why I said this was simply the elite breakfast offering, or the lack thereof. The Delta Halifax, being newly renovated, have decided that their pantry was good enough to meet Marriott’s standard of being an “approved lounge alternative”, and pantry access alone should be enough to satisfy the members’ breakfast or lounge access entitlement. I had a candid conversation about this with Mike, the Director of Rooms at the property, face to face and later via email, and his response was:

“On that page, you will see Guaranteed Lounge Access, which references the Delta Pantry:

On the bottom, it does show the piece you were speaking about, but you will see that the Delta Pantry is referred to collectively as Lounge or Lounge Access. I am confident that it meets the requirement, especially given the training and setup over the last 6 months, as we just formally converted in mid February.”

While I admit that I did not dig far enough into the T&Cs to realize the Delta Pantry was indeed an approved lounge alternative according to Marriott, I very strongly disagree with Marriott’s stance on this, as ALL Delta’s pantries (including this one) I’ve ever set foot in was never staffed, offered very limited fresh or hot options food-wise, and limited to no seating space. See for yourself:

Mike then went on to add:

“Continental breakfast items are offered and we rotate some of the items on the main table between breakfast, afternoon and evening…

… I also know we exceed these and try to rotate difference in house made items, in particular desserts when able. I understand your perspective and want to apologize for any disappointment. It really is our goal to deliver on our brand promise with consistency while recognizing Elite loyalty. “

“Consistency” – this was what I was the most confused and, for the lack of a better word, frustrated, about. Historically, at Deltas with a full lounge, elite members have been invited to have breakfast at the lounge, where a hot and cold buffet could be found. At Deltas with the new “Delta Pantry” or without a lounge, hotels have been offering breakfast to elite members at the restaurant, which might be a set menu, a la carte or a buffet. However, the Delta Halifax Downtown, being the FIRST and ONLY Delta I’ve experienced that took this approach, had interestingly taken the initiative to “defend consistency”. In my conversation with Mike and later the GM Carey, I voiced my concern – was this the direction for ALL Delta properties going forward? Because if so, I’d rather avoid Delta as a brand. Neither gave me a definite answer.

To sum things up, my issue with the whole breakfast ordeal was not that it was not offered. Instead, it was the stance the hotel has taken in our exchange. Delta may have been on its way to become Marriott’s least premium “premium brand” for a long time, but to me, the Delta Halifax’s “alleged” motivation behind this was not exactly convincing – instead, at least for the time being, it felt like a clumsy attempt at trying to get away with the bare minimum and nothing more. Maybe the elevated hard product gave them the confidence to pioneer down this road, but in my opinion, what made the old Delta Halifax, and most if not all Deltas I’ve experienced, stand out to me was the guest-centric culture and the team’s desire to go above and beyond. It is a massive shame that the new and facelifted Delta Halifax Downtown became the first hotel on my list to deviate from this, ironically for the sake of “consistency”.

RealScore

Service: 6.0

Design and Room Size: 8.0

In-room Amenities: 7

Bathroom Size and Layout: 8

View from (my) Room: 7

Hotel Location: 8

Available Guest Facilities: 7

Food Quality: N/A

Food and Beverage Service: N/A

Executive Lounge Quality: N/A

Final RealScore: 7.01

Final RealRating: B

Hotel is built/opened: 1973

Total number of rooms: 295

Length of stay: 1 night

Membership level at check-in: Titanium

Room type experienced: Executive Room

Halifax Marriott Harbourfront

Before the most recent renovation, the Marriott Harbourfront had never been on my radar for a few reasons – dated rooms, meh lounge, and eye-watering rates to name a few. As of last year, though, the hotel had been fully renovated, and the multi-year construction project right in front of the hotel had also been completed, I thought it was a good time to revisit one of Halifax’s most iconic hotels and find out how things are now.

The arrival experience was easier compared to before, partially thanks to the redesigned traffic flow in the area. The check-in process was efficient and friendly. Anish was there to assist, acknowledged my status and offered me an upgrade. I got my keys and made my way upstairs.

The upgrade was to a harbour view king suite, which I had experienced before. While I admit it was a large room, I do not believe the “suite” title is justifiable – it was more so a corner room with some extra floor space and a bar/kitchenette area. The renovation did elevate the hard product quite a bit, especially the new carpeting which made things feel more contemporary. The new artworks and light fixtures also added some modern touches.

That being said, the room faced the Halifax harbour but still had a feeling of claustrophobia – to a point where I had to leave all my lights on during the day to not confuse my brain. The culprit was the one and only tiny window that served the entire room – it was simply COMICALLY small, even smaller than the already-small TV I had in the room. The view itself was decent, but I wasn’t able to enjoy it unless I made an effort to sit next to the window – anywhere else it would have been very hard to see what was actually outside.

I noticed all “armpit” corner suites were all like this, and every pair of suites shared one pane of window. To make matters worse, for some reason the top half of the window was blocked by an extra piece of drywall seemingly on purpose.

Apart from the tiny window, my biggest complaint was the new bathroom. In true Marriott fashion, the hotel got rid of the dreaded tub-shower combo units and opted for shower rooms. The remodeling was very well done and actually felt brand new as opposed to pig-wearing-lipstick kind of new. So what do I have to complain about? Well, the design was on point, but build quality was clearly not a priority. The biggest issue I had was the sliding shower door – it seemed to have its own free will, and every 15-20 seconds it would slide fully open while I was taking a shower. I thought I did something wrong the first time, and found it funny the second time, but it quickly became annoying after a few more occurrences.

Now, although the room was not fully to my liking, I have to wholeheartedly appreciate the effort the hotel had put into the new M Club. Gone was the old, unappealing and musty concierge lounge on the sixth floor – the new M Club was completely brand new and relocated to the ground floor. Not only was the space felt inviting yet exclusive, the food offering during evening and breakfast service was both very much upgraded, individually plated and handcrafted with actual thoughts put into presentation. The lounge staff was also lovely. I had a great conversation with Renata in particular, and when the renovation topic came up, she was clearly very proud of the new M Club product – and rightfully so, as genuine service only happen when there’s pride in it.

All in all, I liked what the Marriott Harbourfront had become. Yes there were issues and yes there were annoyances, but compared to its old self, the hotel was fully refreshed and ready for the next decade. But, if anyone important at the property actually reads this one day, PLEASE please please make the windows bigger. It was such an unnecessary dealbreaker, well for me anyways.

RealScore

Service: 7.5

Design and Room Size: 7.5

In-room Amenities: 8

Bathroom Size and Layout: 7

View from (my) Room: 6

Hotel Location: 9

Available Guest Facilities: 9

Food Quality: 7

Food and Beverage Service: 8

Executive Lounge Quality: 9

Final RealScore: 7.51

Final RealRating: A

Hotel is built/opened: 1985

Total number of rooms: 352

Length of stay: 4 nights

Membership level at check-in: Titanium

Room type experienced: Standard Room / King Suite