Best Hotels Near the Montreal Convention Centre for AAAI 2027
AAAI 2027 runs February 16-23 at the Palais des congrès de Montréal — one of the largest AI conferences on the calendar, A* ranked, drawing thousands of researchers across machine learning, NLP, computer vision, robotics, and AI governance. It is also in Montreal in February, which means one thing takes priority when choosing a hotel: how much time you spend outside.
Average lows in Montreal in February sit around -14°C, with wind chill regularly pushing the feels-like temperature well below that. The answer to this is the RÉSO — Montreal’s 33km underground pedestrian network linking hotels, metro stations, shopping, and restaurants across downtown. Several of the hotels below connect directly into it, which means you can walk from your room to the convention centre without putting on a coat. That is not a luxury in those conditions; it is a genuine quality-of-life difference across an eight-day conference.
Adjacent to the venue: zero outdoor exposure
These three hotels are as close to the Palais des congrès as you can get and all connect to the RÉSO.
Embassy Suites by Hilton Montreal sits directly adjacent to the Palais des congrès on Rue Saint-Antoine — if you want the shortest possible walk to the venue, this is it. The all-suite format (every room is a separate bedroom plus living area with kitchenette) is unusually practical for a full conference week: you can eat in, spread out papers, and avoid the corridor-width rooms that make a seven-night stay feel cramped. Cooked-to-order breakfast and evening receptions are included. At three-star pricing for a suite, the value is hard to argue with.
Good for: attendees with a full week of sessions, anyone who wants breakfast included, those who’d rather cook some meals than eat out every night.
InterContinental Montreal is a few blocks east on Rue Saint-Antoine, connected to the World Trade Centre and from there to the RÉSO. Indoor saltwater pool, sauna, fitness centre, restaurant, bar, and EV charging round out a solid four-star package. One of the more polished options in the immediate convention district.
Good for: senior researchers, industry speakers, attendees who want a proper four-star and zero commute.
Le Westin Montreal sits on the same street — 270 Rue Saint-Antoine Ouest — with a heated indoor pool, hot tub, sauna, and fitness centre. More character than the average business hotel; the Old Montreal atmosphere carries into the property in a way that makes it feel less generic than its neighbours. Also RÉSO-connected.
Good for: attendees who want a step up in ambience without leaving the immediate venue zone.
Four-star, short walk: solid options a few blocks out
Courtyard by Marriott Montreal Downtown is on Boulevard René-Lévesque Ouest, about a five-minute walk from the convention centre. Indoor pool, fitness centre, and a spa with Turkish bath and jacuzzi — more amenities than the Courtyard brand typically delivers. Soundproof rooms are a genuine asset when you need sleep after a long day of sessions.
Good for: business travellers, mid-career researchers who want solid amenities at a predictable price.
DoubleTree by Hilton Montreal is in the Quartier des Spectacles cultural district, about a 10-minute walk north of the convention centre. Heated indoor pool, spa treatments, city-view rooms with marble bathrooms, and pet-friendly. The cultural district is where most of the post-conference bar and restaurant life happens, so the location has upside in the evenings.
Good for: industry attendees, those combining the conference with a longer stay, anyone bringing a partner who wants an interesting neighbourhood base.
Holiday Inn Montreal Centre-Ville Downtown is on Rue Saint-Urbain near the Old Port — a 10-minute walk to the convention centre, or a couple of stops by metro. Indoor pool, sauna, spa, restaurant, and bar. The Old Port neighbourhood gives you one of Montreal’s most atmospheric evening options when the sessions wrap up.
Good for: attendees who want a good-value four-star near Old Montreal, anyone staying a day or two after the conference.
Budget picks: central and cost-conscious
Le Dauphin Montreal Centre-Ville is a three-star on Rue De Bleury, about an eight-minute walk from the convention centre near Dorchester Square. Free WiFi, fitness centre, and kitchenettes in some rooms. Nothing fancy, but well-located and priced sensibly for a city where February rates are generally lower than peak season.
Good for: PhD students, early-career researchers, anyone whose department travel budget needs to stretch to cover the full week.
Travelodge by Wyndham Montreal Centre is the lowest price point in this list — 300 metres from Place-d’Armes metro station on Boulevard René-Lévesque Ouest, within walking distance of both the venue and the RÉSO access points. Air conditioning, cable TV, free WiFi, and nothing else, but it is clean, genuinely central, and the cheapest way to be within easy reach of the convention centre.
Good for: grad students watching costs, anyone who just needs a bed close to the venue.
A bit further out
Novotel Montreal Centre is at 1180 Rue de la Montagne, near the Bell Centre and the downtown shopping strip — about a 15-minute walk or two metro stops from the convention centre. Good four-star facilities with breakfast available and meeting spaces. The location is less convenient for the conference than the options above, but it puts you in the middle of the downtown restaurant and nightlife strip, which is worth something for a longer stay.
Good for: attendees combining AAAI with client meetings elsewhere in downtown, those who want the Rue Sainte-Catherine neighbourhood as a base.
Booking tips for AAAI 2027
February is off-peak for tourism but not for AAAI. Montreal hotels in February are generally less expensive than summer, but AAAI draws a large crowd and the convention district fills up. The best rates on hotels with free cancellation go to people who book early and rebook if prices drop.
RÉSO access is worth paying for. The hotels on Rue Saint-Antoine (Embassy Suites, InterContinental, Le Westin) are all RÉSO-connected. In a normal February that is a useful perk. In a February with a cold snap and wind chill at -25°C, it is the difference between a comfortable conference and a miserable one.
The venue is Metro-accessible. Place-d’Armes (Orange Line) and Square-Victoria-OACI (Orange Line) are both within a few minutes walk of the Palais des congrès. If you end up staying a few stops away, the metro is reliable and runs frequently.
Pack for the weather. A proper winter coat, waterproof boots with grip, hat, gloves, and a scarf are not optional. If you are arriving from a warm climate, buy or borrow appropriate gear before you travel rather than after you land.
For the full conference schedule, workshop listings, and the Montreal city guide, see the AAAI 2027 conference page on WorkWander.
Already booked your hotel and planning what to do in the evenings? The Montreal city page covers the RÉSO, the best neighbourhoods for dinner, and how to get in from the airport.