Overall, I had a good stay at the Cobalt Boutique Hotel. Everything was as expected from the listing and reviews, and the price was right for what was offered.
Cobalt messaged me at appropriate times prior to and during my stay, and the instructions and/or communication in each message were always clear and professional. After booking, I was required to upload a copy of a photo ID off of Airbnb's platform (on a platform called Guesty). This was noted in the House Rules, and I verified that Airbnb allows Hosts to do this when required by local law. However, I really don't like that I have to trust any Host to digitally secure an image like this forever, and I wish Airbnb would figure out a way to make this all happen on their own platform. Cobalt also asked me for my phone number, but they thankfully stuck to messaging me via Airbnb. Additionally, there was a housekeeping problem with my room which Cobalt was willing to immediately rectify while I was out. However, the person who attended to the problem neglected to re-lock my room's door after they left, which I definitely did not appreciate.
The room was exactly as pictured, and I felt it provided just enough space for me without feeling cramped. Everything was brand new, and the room was pretty clean, though the flat painted surfaces have already started to attract scuffs and stains in places. The air conditioner worked really well, and the Wi-Fi was strong enough for Netflix on an iPad. I used the kitchenette to prepare an hors d'oeuvre for a potluck, and it worked well for this purpose. As I recall, the provided kitchenware included were some forks, some spoons, a steak knife, two plates, two cereal/soup bowls, two mugs, a pot (with lid), a pan, a strainer, a cutting mat, a can opener, and a bottle opener (for corks and caps).
I was able to hear clearly everything going on in the hallway but not in other guests' rooms, and the noise wasn't loud or frequent. I had trouble figuring out how to lock the room door until I looked up instructions from the manufacturer (you have to press and hold the padlock button on the keypad *without* entering the door code first). For some reason, the listing amenities claim that this is a single-level building without any stairs, but this is not correct. You must walk up a flight of stairs to get to the building entrance then walk back down a flight of stairs once inside to get to the room where I stayed.
A few wishes for this room: I was traveling with dress clothes and a coat, and I would have loved to have had a place to hang them from the provided hangers other than on top of the kitchenette cabinets or the bathroom door frame (like a shelf with a bar for hangers mounted on the wall at the foot of the bed or even a simple coat hook). The provided iron was a nice thought, but it would be more useful with an ironing board (even just a communal one stored with the public washer and dryer). Washing dishes with the provided dish soap would have been easier if a sponge or dish cloth had been provided rather than just paper towels. Finally, having a folding chair and a fold up/out counter extension / mini-table would have made a huge difference for working and eating.
I really enjoyed Cobalt's location. There are many restaurants and at least one grocery store a short walk away. The entire city is readily accessible via the nearby Berri-UQAM metro station, and the public bus to/from the airport has a stop near the hotel. However, as others have noted, Cobalt is near Place Émilie-Gamelin, a park that seems to be an established haven for homeless people at night. From what I saw, the park is always lit at night, there is always a visible police presence at night, and the homeless people do not seem to leave the park at night. Cobalt's street was lined with picturesque buildings that seem to mostly house budget hotels. The street was not as well lit as I would have liked, but the only people I encountered on it appeared to be guests of the hotels.