Review: The Dorian Calgary, Marriott Autograph Collection

The Dorian, Autograph Collection is a boutique hotel located in downtown Calgary. The hotel is a new addition to Marriott’s Autograph Collection portfolio, having recently opened in July 2022.

I stayed at the Dorian during a recent brief overnight stay in Calgary. I was especially keen to try out this new property, since not only was it brand new, but it also looked very impressive from the pictures. 

It’s always exciting to have brand-new hotels opening in Canada, especially where I can earn and redeem Marriott Bonvoy points to maximize my benefits, so I was feeling quite upbeat in advance of my stay.

Josh also recently stayed at the property, in a different room on a longer visit. We’ve updated this review with his experience.

The Dorian, Autograph Collection – Booking

Ricky

On average, you can expect to pay $250–350 (CAD) per night here at The Dorian, Autograph Collection. I secured a rate towards the lower end of that range.

Calgary has a wide selection of Marriott hotel options, but historically, none of them have been particularly outstanding to me at first glance. As I looked forward to my stay at The Dorian, I couldn’t help but have a feeling that this might just be the property buck that trend. 

Josh

When booking this property on points, the rate typically falls in the region of 30,000–40,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night. If you happen to have a Free Night Award, this hotel can certainly be an attractive use of your certificate.

As I had a longer stay planned, I used the Fifth Night Free benefit and paid a total of 148,000 Marriott Bonvoy points for five nights.

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The Dorian, Autograph Collection – Location

The Dorian, Autograph Collection is centrally located in Downtown Calgary, offering shops, restaurants, and popular attractions all within walking distance.

The hotel is housed within the same building as the new Courtyard hotel, presumably under the same ownership. The Dorian will likely be the better choice when it comes to quality and a more unique experience compared to a standard-issue Courtyard.

For those who enjoy shopping, The CORE shopping centre is conveniently a few blocks away and just a seven-minute stroll from the property.

Popular destinations within Calgary, such as the Calgary Tower and Studio Bell, are within a 15- and 20-minute journey by foot, respectively. Meanwhile, Princes Island Park and the Calgary Zoo are a short drive away for those who enjoy a bit of nature while staying in the city.

Lastly, the Calgary International Airport is a 20-minute ride by car or rideshare for those travelling to or from the airport, although it can take longer during peak times. 

The Dorian, Autograph Collection – Check-in

Ricky

The exterior of The Dorian, Autograph Collection has an ultra-modern façade. Glass elements contrast with darker features on the lower half of the building.

Upon entering the hotel, the lobby is fairly small, but striking nonetheless. The check-in desk features a gold textile design, with a marble feature wall catching your eyes just behind. The hallways of the lobby are consumed with floral patterned wallpaper, adding a softer element to the sharp shapes of the check-in desk.

We arrived at The Dorian, Autograph Collection relatively late, around 11:30pm, and had a quick and smooth check-in process.

I had initially inquired over chat regarding suite availability and then, once again at the front desk, attempted to “suite-talk” my way into an upgrade. Since this was a new hotel that looked beautiful from the outset, I was feeling quite eager to check out one of The Dorian’s suites if possible.

The front desk associate was keen to check for me as well, but unfortunately, his colleague quickly whispered that the hotel was sold out of them that evening.

This simply means I’ll have to return at another date to try and get a suite upgrade. Indeed, we certainly had an excellent reason to return based on our experience in the King Guest Room with City View.

We were then handed our keys and headed up to Room 2114 on the hotel’s 21st floor.

Josh

My check-in experience was very similar to Ricky’s. I was particularly impressed by the friendly and eager hotel staff.

However, I had much better suite-talking success, getting an upgrade to a One Bedroom Suite, the hotel’s best room! I was pleasantly surprised to secure a suite for a lengthy stay, and I’m glad I asked one final time at the front desk after my appeals prior to arrival were in vain.

The Dorian, Autograph Collection – King Guest Room with City View

Ricky

Approaching our room, the hallways foreshadow the artistic guest room designs, with unique floral plaid carpeting leading the way.

The literary works of Oscar Wilde inspired the interiors of the hotel. Each of the hotel’s 137 rooms offers a unique whimsical and playful design.

Furthermore, each room is equipped with a copy of Wilde’s novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, on the bedside table.

Immediately upon entering the suite, this King Guest Room with City View has a bold and boisterous aesthetic. The walls, drapery, and carpet all feature a fantastical matching design.

The room’s palette consists of strong deep blues against contrasting white furniture. Moreover, marble and bronze elements can be found throughout the furnishings for a luxurious feel.

The king bed sits in the centre of the room, flanked by two marble-top tables side tables.

To the right of the bed is an elegant wardrobe with a small plush bench to the right.

On the left-hand side of the bed are a couch and coffee table. The couch is draped in the same pattern as the wallpaper behind the king bed.

On the wall opposite the king bed, a flat-screen TV is mounted on the wall above a marble desk. Here you can also find a Lavazza coffee machine and a well-stocked bar cart, both of which I found to be elegant touches.

I appreciated the desk and found the circular chair comfortable enough to work from for short periods, but I could see it becoming uncomfortable after longer periods.

The bathroom also boasts elegance with a spacious marble countertop, floors, and tiling. The shower featured a rain shower head with its own unique hexagonal tiling pattern.

Furthermore, the bathroom was fitted with Aesop toiletries, which was a more luxurious touch than I had expected for an Autograph Collections property. Ironically, however, some cheap plastic toothbrushes were also left beside the toiletries for us.

A set of bathrobes were also provided. They were fairly comfortable, but could have been a touch plusher on the inside to truly align with the many other ways this hotel exceeds expectations.

Overall, I had a very comfortable stay in this room, and the king bed was just as comfy. Despite the lack of a suite upgrade, I had no complaints about this King Guest Room with City View.

The Dorian, Autograph Collection – One Bedroom Suite

Josh

Overall, the aesthetic, amenities, and elegance were the same as the basic guest rooms, but with more of everything.

I was in Room 1607. As far as I can tell, all rooms ending in -07 are configured as a One Bedroom Suite.

Upon entering the suite, I was struck by deep hues throughout the living space. The brooding ambiance was accentuated by a good amount of natural and artificial light.

The chairs and sofa were comfortable enough, despite their eclectic rounded shapes.

The desk, TV, and bar area are across from the seating area. The bar had ample glassware including tumblers and stemware, and the bar cart (for purchase) offered a good mix of snacks and pre-mixed cocktails.

Granted, I’ll agree with Ricky that the desk chair was comfortable for short periods. I was happy to curl up in one of the many other perches throughout the suite whenever I needed to change my posture.

To the side of the living space away from the window, you’ll find the kitchenette. There’s a sink, mini-fridge, and coffee station.

Behind the kitchen wall, and beside the entrance, there’s a closet and a console table with a stylized “D” lamp.

I got a chuckle from the unique housekeeping signs, which used quotes from the hotel’s namesake’s work.

Moving into the bedroom, the king bed is bathed in more of the same atmosphere of blues and purples, mirrors, and offbeat art.

There’s another couch and coffee table on the windowed side of the bedroom.

Across from the bed, there’s a wall-mounted TV. Along the interior wall, there’s a styled armoire, and a sliding barn door to the bathroom.

The bright bathroom has a full soaker tub, a rain shower, and a large sink and countertop.

One of my favourite features of the room was the motion-activated night lights. These were installed under the bedroom nightstands and bathroom counter, making it easy to get around in darkness without much disruption.

The Dorian, Autograph Collection – Breakfast

Breakfast is offered from 6:30am to 10:30am in the Wilde restaurant, located on the 27th floor of the hotel with panoramic views of the cityscape. 

The restaurant is in keeping with the rest of the hotel’s theme, and was equally impressive in design as the guest rooms and ground floor. The space has versatile patterns, bronze accents, and a sense of elevated elegance throughout.

The restaurant offers a buffet spread and an à la carte menu. You can order unlimited quantities from both selections as a Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite member and above.

This was another exceptionally generous hotel offering, which I hope continues in the future. Over the past few years, several new hotels in Canada have opened with generous breakfast policies only to scale them back later, so I hope the wide-ranging elite breakfast benefit here at The Dorian is kept in place.

I opted for a few buffet selections as well as a few items from the à la carte menu. I enjoyed a coconut chia seed bowl alongside the salmon Eggs Benedict and the broken yolk wrap. The food quality was excellent, and I thoroughly enjoyed both dishes, reinforcing my excellent impressions of the hotel. 

The Dorian, Autograph Collection – Other Facilities

In addition to breakfast, the bar at the Wilde restaurant opens at 3pm, allowing guests to lounge and relax; dinner is then served at 5pm. Wilde also offers a scenic rooftop area with floor-to-ceiling windows and direct views of the city.

Prologue is the hotel’s café during the day and transforms into the lobby bar in the evening. The café is open from 11am to midnight.

The gym is located on the ground floor of the hotel. The space is highly impressive: it’s beautifully decorated, well-lit, and feels very premium.

The gym isn’t the largest, but it has all the necessary equipment for a workout. The space features various cardio equipment, such as treadmills and ellipticals. There is also a section for free weights, benches, and a cable machine.

I didn’t get a chance to come down for a workout, but my partner Jessy did and had a great experience.

Conclusion

The Dorian, Autograph Collection is an outstanding Autograph Collection hotel. I was delighted to be able to try out this new property soon after it opened this summer, and it exceeded my expectations.

The interior design of the hotel and its guest rooms were uniquely maximalist and fantastical in a way befitting of the property’s Wildean inspiration, while retaining a luxurious charm that’s sometimes amiss among the Autograph Collection brand.

The experience here at The Dorian was further elevated with thoughtful little touches, such as Aesop toiletries and a generous elite breakfast benefit. And for those looking for a convenient location to explore Downtown Calgary, the property’s central location makes it easy to access popular attractions nearby. 

As I checked out, I felt like The Dorian offered a unique twist compared to the more typical hotels you’ll encounter in Calgary. What I’ve previously found to be an uninspiring selection of hotels here in Calgary has been comprehensively resolved by The Dorian, and it’ll naturally be my property of choice for future visits to Calgary.