Why the AC Hotel Vilnius in Lithuania Might Just Be the World’s Best AC Hotel [Review]

I’ve stayed at a lot of AC Hotels. Many of them are … what’s a nice way to say “not great?” They’re not great. Sure.

I’ve stayed at AC Hotels properties that ran out of hot water, had broken fixtures, and made me work very hard for my elite benefits — perks I receive since AC Hotels is now a Marriott brand and I have status in the hotel giant’s Marriott Bonvoy rewards program.

Then I picked up my jaw after walking into the lobby of the AC Hotel Vilnius, which is in Lithuania’s capital and opened just a few weeks before my late-October stay in 2025.

From the moment I walked in until I left 2 days later — begrudgingly, because I truly loved this stay — the hotel excelled far above brand standards. Service, rooms, and amenities were great. I had expected a perfectly mediocre stay. What I got was a reminder that each hotel brand has its gems, and the staff at the hotel can truly elevate any hotel stay.

Here are 4 reasons I think the AC Hotel Vilnius might be the best AC property in the world.

Booking AC Hotel Vilnius

During my October 2025 stay, the AC Hotel Vilnius had standard rooms (an attic room with 1 queen bed) starting at $104 per night. Rooms with a king-size bed started at $110 nightly.

Since the AC Hotel Vilnius participates in the Marriott Bonvoy program, it was possible to redeem Marriott Bonvoy points for a stay. For my 2-night stay, the hotel charged 28,000 points — total, not per night.

Redeeming 28,000 points to save $208 (the cost of paying for 2 nights) meant I redeemed Marriott Bonvoy points at 0.74 cents per point. That’s slightly above our average valuation of Marriott Bonvoy points at 0.7 cents each.

Premium rooms were available starting at $156 per night. Incredibly, they were also available for the same 28,000 points per stay. This was where guests can find the most value, booking a premium room and using points at 1.11 cents apiece.

Hot Tip:

Luckily, there are many ways to earn Marriott Bonvoy points for an upcoming redemption. Along with hotel stays and Marriott’s co-branded credit cards, you can earn points from dining out or transferring points from Amex Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards, and Chase Ultimate Rewards. That means any credit card that earns those points can help you earn Marriott Bonvoy points.

Location of AC Hotel Vilnius

The AC Hotel Vilnius sits near the Neris River in central Vilnius. It’s possible to walk from the hotel to the city’s charming old town in about 25 minutes. It’s also possible to reach the old town by public transportation in multiple ways, and the city’s main train and bus stations are about 10 to 15 minutes away by car. By car, the airport is about 15 to 20 minutes away from the hotel.

4 Reasons the AC Hotel Vilnius Isn’t Your Average AC Property

I’ve stayed at a lot of AC Hotels, so I think I have a pretty good grip on what this brand’s properties are like. If you want to see a wider context on AC Hotels, you can check out my reviews of the AC Hotel La Finca near Madrid, the AC Hotel Murcia in southern Spain, and even the AC Hotel by Marriott Maui Wailea in Hawaii, which is also well above average for the AC brand.

Though the AC Hotel Vilnius doesn’t have a pool and isn’t near the ocean, I think it’s still a better hotel than the AC Hotel by Marriott Maui Wailea when you compare apples to apples.

1. My Guest Room Was Incredible

Thanks to my Titanium Elite status with Marriott Bonvoy, I received a room upgrade at check-in, putting me in an Attic Junior Suite with a king-size bed. I loved this room.

As it was an attic room, I had a slanted roof near the bed, and I loved that the room also had dedicated sleeping, relaxing, and working areas. There was an automatic curtain that slid up to cover the skylight; I was surprised to find the button for this on the opposite side of the bed, farther from the window, but it was easy to control and only took a minute to close fully.

Closer to the room’s entrance, I found a desk with a lamp and numerous outlets. The chair wasn’t comfortable for an extended amount of time.

On the other side of this workspace, there was a living room setup with a loveseat, coffee table, and a chair, along with a TV against the wall.

Turning around from the desk, there was an open closet on the wall. Here, I had several drawers, a handful of hangers, and a single shelf. I also found 2 robes and 2 pairs of fluffy slippers here.

A small minifridge sat next to the closet, and I found coffee and tea supplies on top of the minifridge. A shelf at eye level held a glass carafe with the AC Hotels logo. A note indicated that this bottle was complimentary for Marriott Bonvoy members.

Bathroom

The bathroom wasn’t large but maximized its space well with an efficient layout. There was a backlit mirror behind the sink and a walk-in shower on the left side. The toilet was on the right, and I found various items on the ample counter space, including drinking glasses, pump bottles of soap and lotion, tissues, and washcloths. There was also a closeup mirror on the wall, as well as towels on a shelf under the sink.

2. The Amenities Were Fantastic

The AC Hotel Vilnius has the standard amenities you’d expect, but I found even these to be better than average, like these glass elevators and the water refill stations on guest floors. The only thing I would note as needing improvement at this property was the signage in the hallway, which I found confusing when locating my room.

But the hotel took on-site amenities to the next level, elevating its communal spaces and fitness center and even offering great event spaces.

The Library

To me, this was the most impressive element of the hotel. This chic communal space called The Library sat to the left of the main lobby. It offered several groups of seating where guests could relax and chat — something that’s often lacking in hotels and makes it awkward to hang out with your friends in your bedroom as everyone sits on the edge of the bed.

Though there was a TV available here, I never saw anyone using it. Instead, this space was popular with people who wanted to socialize or needed a comfortable place to sit while waiting for a friend.

Coworking Area

Beyond The Library, this cool coworking space reminded me of some citizenM properties. This stadium-style setup with pads to sit on only had a few desks, but there was a lot of space for collaborating, and the numerous outlets made it easy to plug in a laptop while working.

Fitness Center

The gym was top-notch, offering free weights, multifunctional weight machines, and high-quality cardio equipment. While those alone weren’t overly impressive, the gym’s open space really caught my attention. Here you could do yoga, stretch, or perform any other activities you liked, and various pieces of equipment were available to help you get it done.

Near the gym’s entrance, there were towels and a water station available for guests. The gym was open around the clock and was free for guests to use.

Meeting and Event Facilities

When’s the last time you stayed at a hotel chic enough for an embassy to use its meeting spaces for a cocktail reception to meet the ambassador? Türkiye’s embassy to Lithuania was doing just that during my stay, reaffirming my view that the AC Hotel Vilnius is a high-quality property.

The hotel offers 4 different event rooms with retractable dividers, making it possible to create a large space that holds 100 people across nearly 4,800 square feet (444 square meters) of space.

3. The Food and Beverages Were Top-Notch

Rather than offering a limited menu like most AC properties, the AC Hotel Vilnius had a full-service restaurant, including an elaborate breakfast buffet, along with a classy bar and a snack shop in the lobby.

Saint Jacob’s

Saint Jacob’s offered the hotel’s breakfast buffet each morning and then reopened for dinner every evening. Dinner fare focused on Spanish tapas. This restaurant was behind reception on the ground floor.

I had breakfast here both mornings and loved the variety on the buffet. There were numerous cold cuts, cereals, pastries, and hot dishes available, including both local fare and international staples like French toast and scrambled eggs. Guests could also request eggs cooked to order at a window near the hot dishes, and omelet orders were popular.

In one corner of the dining room, a drink station offered coffee, hot tea, espresso-based beverages, and several types of juice. Unfortunately, a line formed here, given that this was the only place to get drinks. I mentioned this to a server during breakfast on the first morning, and by the next morning, the hotel had a second coffee machine near the hot dishes to break up the line.

Snack Shop

Near the hotel’s front door, a snack shop was open 24/7. Here, guests could buy not just chips and gummy bears but instant noodles and bottles of wine.

AC Bar & Lounge

Left from the lobby, the AC Bar & Lounge sat in front of The Library. This full-service bar offered beers, wines, and mixed drinks in a setting that felt chic. Bartenders could also whip up lattes and cappuccinos, and guests could sit at barstools surrounding the bar or relax in padded seats at the edge of the room.

The bar was open from 11 a.m. to midnight daily.

4. The Service Felt Like a Luxury Hotel

My previous experiences at AC Hotels have included subpar service: being charged for things I didn’t purchase, needing to fight to receive my elite perks, and getting ho-hum breakfasts that weren’t worth their price.

Not here.

Service at the AC Hotel Vilnius felt like staying at a luxury resort — from the moment I arrived until I begrudgingly left 2 days later. I was welcomed with a genuine smile at check-in, received a great room upgrade because of my Titanium Elite status, and found staff genuinely helpful throughout my stay.

Staff at breakfast were friendly and helpful as they asked if I wanted more coffee, cleared away dirty dishes, and asked for my feedback on this new property. And I loved that they took action when I pointed out the line for drinks during breakfast.

I also received a handwritten welcome note waiting in my room when I arrived, and this was complemented by a voucher for a free drink and snack at the AC Bar & Lounge near the lobby.

There wasn’t a single “wow” moment of service during my stay; instead, there were multiple moments of great service that added up to an excellent experience during my 2-night stay.

Bottom Line:

Often, when staying at a new hotel, staff are still figuring out where to find a certain item or what the answer is to a guest’s question. Here, the staff seemed ready to offer a top-notch experience at a property that had opened just 3 weeks before my visit.

Final Thoughts

Service, amenities, rooms, and dining options — all of these felt well above my average experiences with AC Hotels. I admittedly haven’t visited every single AC Hotels property in the world, but I’ve browsed their website for many of them, read reviews for a lot of them, and have a fairly good idea of what the brand’s average experience is like.

The AC Hotel Vilnius might just be the nicest AC property in the world. I’m eager to return for another stay, especially given the great value when redeeming Marriott Bonvoy points.