This visit to the GM Renaissance Center felt bittersweet. With GM moving its global headquarters to the Hudson's Detroit building, much of the RenCen is already closed for renovation. Level A - the first floor was closed, and we could only walk around Level 1, with limited access to view the cars from above. For years, this has been one of my favorite spots to bring friends when they visited Detroit. Seeing everything from vintage GM models to upcoming vehicles all in one place always felt iconic. Knowing this was likely one of the last visits before major demolition begins made it feel even more emotional. We'll truly miss this space as we've known it. The change, while disappointing at first, makes sense. The two office towers closest to the river, along with the connecting podium, are slated for demolition. The original 1970s-era design simply no longer fits modern work needs, especially with the shift toward remote and hybrid work. While it's sad to see this space go, the future plans, opening up the riverfront and creating a Navy Pier-style park and entertainment area, give hope that something even better is coming. read more

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I was here for a stay at the Marriott hotel but I still managed to do some wandering through the property. Envisioned by Henry Ford II as a "city within a city" to counteract the decline of Detroit in the 1960s, it was designed by architect John Portman who is also responsible for the Hyatt Regency Atlanta, the Westin Bonaventure Hotel in Los Angeles, the Embarcadero Center in San Francisco and the New York Marriott Marquis, among others. Phase one was completed in 1977 with additional towers added in 1981 for a total of seven! Sadly, General Motors decided to relocate its headquarters elsewhere and much of the office space is vacant. But that doesn't make it any less interesting and the GM display in the lowest level is darned awesome. [Review 682 of 2025 - 390 in Michigan - 24243 overall] read more

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This massive office building is always shockingly empty and quiet. There are cameras everywhere and today I asked the security guard what the story is. I was told that GM is moving out of the building and they're looking for new tenants. If new tenants aren't found they don't know about the future of this center. read more

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I give this 4 stars mainly for old memories sake. Sad to know half of the building is completely empty these days but it's a sign of the changing times. Still worth a stroll thru until GM moves to their new building. read more

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Upon our afternoon visit to Windsor, we decided to check out the GM HQ as I had heard that the riverfront was beautiful as well as the wintergarten. The building is beautiful with lots of GM vehicles on display as well as their history timeline, but being a Sunday both restaurants and the GM store was closed. It was still pretty cool to be there, though, as I am a big car buff (and a long time former GM fan). It's sad to hear that GM is leaving the Renaissance Center so hoping another major tenant moves in after. As for the riverfront, it's cool with a nice view of Windsor, but I was expecting a bit more. It was scenic with some people watching and what appeared to be a couple of ice cream and food carts around. read more

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Wow! What a great building with multiple levels and great automotive displays. Great place to take a break, use a restroom, and get a bite to eat. Highly recommend stopping here to enjoy the views inside and out. Take the People Mover or walk. We did both, to and from. Everything is super close, so not a big deal to walk, but definitely a plus to take the people mover to view the entire downtown. Best of all, free to visit! read more

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Had fun at the Renaissance Center. My first time exploring the history and the life of how GM was created. Its almost like coming inside of a car mueseum in a way. I love all of the monuments, Old cars, machinary and facortories. Place is huge inside and out. I love it, and I learned a lot. Id love to come visit again. read more

Hmm, it's pretty dead here. There are some cool cars to check out on the turn around thing, and it's an OK place to walk through and look at the river, but in terms of a tourist destination, not great. The complex was built back in the days when they wanted to make sure no one ever actually could walk to the complex (except maybe from the riverwalk), so now it's kind of a dead island. read more

My 2023 GMC truck has been sitting in the shop for almost two months. First they said it was the turbo, then the radiator, then the air‑conditioning system, and now they claim the turbo shredded metal and sent it into the engine, so the entire engine must be replaced. Before this, the truck had already lost power; they changed the turbo, and just 10,000 miles later it broke down again, leaving my family and me stranded on the highway. It took them more than two weeks to give me a clear diagnosis. I pay over $1,000 per month for this truck and yet they've left me with a Malibu loaner I cannot work with. I've spent a lot of money on rental cars and lost income. It gets worse: two months after buying it, on a trip from Florida to Virginia in 2023, the brakes failed completely; the shop never figured out why and didn't fix it. While the truck was at the dealership, they even hit it and dented the fender. Most frustrating of all, GMC has not reached out to me--I always have to call and wait on hold to get updates, and no one has offered any solution or replacement vehicle. After years of buying GMC products, my trust is gone. This is my personal experience--I'm not exaggerating. There are also public reports: in May 2025, General Motors recalled nearly 600,000 trucks and SUVs from model years 2021‑2024 because manufacturing defects in connecting rods or crankshafts can cause engines to fail cbsnews.com . Consumer protection lawyers note that 2020‑2024 3.0 Duramax diesel engines have suffered turbocharger failures, fuel‑pump defects and emissions issues lemonlawfirm.com . If you own a GMC truck from 2020‑2025 built in Mexico, please have it inspected so you don't risk your family's safety. read more

It's a tall building with a great location on the Riverfront, directly across from Canada. I don't know much about what there is to do at the Renaissance Center. We like to take the People Mover to the Ren Cen, walk around, ride some escalators and then hop back on the People Mover. There is a display of some new and classing GM cars. That was cool to look at. read more

The GM Renaissance Center know to Detroiter's as the "Ren Cen" is a beautiful architectural building along the Detroit riverfront. It has many amenities inside including one of the largest Marriott's, eateries, meeting areas and GM automobiles both new and old. The middle building has 75 stories and a restaurant on the top floor overlooking Canada. It's a fun place to visit and stay as it's close to everything including convention centers, baseball field and museums. read more

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Dtown own hot spot for cool pics and fun times! its a staple here! check it out if your in town! read more

GMRenCen - Shopping Centers Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

Went on a Sunday and unfortunately almost everything inside was closed. You can still enter and look around at some things. There's a small display of vehicles through the times on the lower floor. There are several places to eat and spaces to chill, again unfortunately most of the restaurants were closed. You can exit from the lower floor out to the waterfront. Highly recommend checking out the waterfront, you can see Canada across the way. Would like to check out the center on an open day to see the view from the observation area, I'm sure it's a beautiful view. read more

GMRenCen - Waterfront outside the center - Shopping Centers Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

Hard to review this place... if not for the cars shown all over the place, there's probably nothing else to see. I enjoyed the little historical museum and the evolution of the GM cars. My favorite is everyone else's favorite.... The Corvette. Wish there were more of the classic ones. Would recommend this place but not one to go back to since there's really nothing in Detroit. read more

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A tribute to the motor city by the river. I like the flashy car showroom and the wide walkways. In my imagination, driving off with one of the cars. Not many stores and restaurants especially during Covid, but it is certainly worth a quick visit while on the Riverwalk. Also, a cocktail at Highlands give you views from on high. read more

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Some shops to browse around but not as many shops as I would have thought for such a big building. Everything was sadly closed by 5pm. The first floor of course is a show room for all of their mediocre and vanilla looking cars. :P At least we were able to use up some time while we waited for the highlands to open. This place is buzzing and much busier during the day. Some great views at the hearth or the highlands bar or the highlands restaurant too. Even fun to look out at the river on the ride up to the 71st floor. read more

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This building is the icon of the Detroit skyline. That rounded/cylindrical architectural style is special to this place. So unique it is, that I would recognize it even without the GM logo. The interior really seals the deal. The layout is terraced across about three floors in a wide open atrium. There's a food court plus a few higher end restaurants (not to mention the Highlands on the 72nd floor). But if you are really just here to sightsee, there's a great bottom floor exhibit of GM vehicles - some common and some you may have never seen before. (Think classic muscle up-fitted with an electric drivetrain.) Lots of PR touting their efforts to make more environmentally friendly rides. Oh and some creepy robots with AI roaming about. I didn't notice any shops for something other than food, but most everything was closed when I was there - odd for a Saturday afternoon. Looks like they'll even host private events in the main court with a beautiful, big glass-window view over the river. read more

This place is a huge labyrinth! There are escallators that take you to different sections and elevators. There are places to eat, shop, and sleep at the hotel. We saw awesome cars as well. They have a post office, a verizon and AT&T Kiosk, a tailor shop, RenCen Fitness Center, Renaissance Salon, Conference Center, OptimEyes, Great Expressions Dental, Gourmet Deli, GM Wintergarden, Barber shop, Exquisite Shoe Fixers, Edible Arrangements, Direct Financial, CVS Pharmacy, Corporate Mind and Body Spa, Comerica Bank, Jewelers, City Market, Childtime Learning Center, Chase Bank, Beaumont Riverfront Family Medicine, abd many more. Among the dining places they have casual dining, fine dining, and a food court. Among the casual dining options are Starbucks, Tim Hortons, Andrew's Downtown Detroit, Birmingham Deli, Coffee Beanery, Gourmet Deli, Granite City Food and Brewery, Panera Bread, Potbelly, Presto Gourmet Deli, and Rice Bowl Express. For fine dining they have Joe Muer Seafood and Andiamo's. The food court has Burger King, Chop Fresh, Coney Town, Fish City, Gyroland, Mac'n Cheez, Mcdonald's, Subway, and Zoup. They are renovating some stuff, but there was a sign stating that the food court was still open. With all these shops and places to eat, you can see how one can get lost. Thankfully, there are signs and maps everywhere. They also have an information desk. They have all kinds of cool events here. They even have two hotels: Marriott and Courtyard Detroit Downtown. This place is a must see in the city of Detroit. read more

GMRenCen - Shopping Centers Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

This building is beautiful but can be confusing and inside. You can have free tour by signing up at the front desk. My favorite part of the building is the wintergarten at the back facing the river view. There's food court at the basement. There are a lot of cars to explore. At the end of the tour you can buy some souvenirs from the company store. read more

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When visiting Detroit, I made it a point that we visit the Detroit River. We took a Lyft to the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy and stumbled upon the GM Renaissance Center. Also known as the GM RenCen, this is an absolutely huge complex in downtown Detroit, just across the river from Windsor, Ontario, Canada. It consists of seven interconnected skyscrapers, the biggest one being the Detroit Marriott (central tower) at 73 stories high. The Renaissance Center was completed in 1977. The buildings are impressive, inside and out. I think they're an architectural marvel. The exteriors of the skyscrapers are beautiful, comprised mainly of glass. The designer, John Portman, is a graduate of my alma mater Georgia Tech's architecture program (yep, I had to plug Tech). He also designed a couple other massive urban complexes: Peachtree Center in Atlanta and Embarcadero Center in San Francisco. I'm familiar with both, especially the former, and I couldn't help but notice the similarities in the look, design, and function of the Renaissance Center compared to Portman's other projects, most notably the Marriott Marquis and Westin Peachtree Plaza in downtown Atlanta. The Renaissance Center's towers are majestic and stunning. Similar to Peachtree Center and Embarcadero Center, the Renaissance Center is home to a hotel, shops, restaurants, a movie theater, fitness center, offices, and more. It's sort of like the U.S.S. Enterprise, a self-contained hub of activity. It even has its own zip code: 48243. We first explored the promenade outside, next to the river. There's a splash pad with fountains (lots of kids were playing and having fun there), green spaces with trees, step seating and benches, a map of the world on the ground, and - the highlight - a nice view of the Detroit River and Canada across the way. If you visit the Renaissance Center, definitely check out the promenade. It's part of the larger three-mile Detroit RiverWalk (which will be over five miles once it's fully complete) that consists of wide, clean pathways for walkers, joggers, bikers, etc. We entered the Renaissance Center from the river side. This part of the complex is known as the Wintergarden atrium. It's a newer portion that opened in 2001. It's four stories high and like a fancy indoor mall with glass everywhere; tall palm trees too. Past the Wintergarden, on the "main" ground level, is GM World. This is like a somewhat retro (because of the building's late 70s design) futuristic GM museum where the company showcases a variety of vehicles. There are bright digital displays filled with information and graphics, and GM employees on-hand to answer any questions you may have. We eventually made our way past GM World and a food court to the front of the building which faces E Jefferson Ave. This part of the building has another cool glass atrium, similar to the Wintergarden, but much smaller. On display here during our visit was a Camaro as well as Jeff Gordon's 2015 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 pace car. Free one-hour tours of the Renaissance Center are available Monday-Friday (except holidays) at 12pm and 2pm. Go to the information desk at GM World for more information. Overall, we enjoyed our time at the Renaissance Center. It was a nice "break" from the RiverWalk and the hot weather outside. There are public restrooms and neat little seating areas inside too. I will say that my cell signal (T-Mobile) wasn't great in the heart of the Renaissance Center (near the food court and GM World), but it wasn't a big deal. If you're visiting Detroit, this place is worth checking out. And if you like cars and/or you're a racing fan, you'll appreciate it even more. read more

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Rooms was not tidy or clean. Nasty toy under our mattress; yeah disgusting. Windows was filthy. Towels were so stained it was a rough stay. I'll say that for sure. Very disappointed. read more

Atrocious service. Ping ponged around the place trying to get help on accessing the stairs to get to the restaurant but was denied. For people who have a phobia of elevators, they clearly didn't care and denied my business. Beautiful building, but godawful management. read more

GM's headquater. Love the skyline buildings. Can't miss it~ The building is right by the water. Gorgeous view! On the ground floor, there are all kinds of GM models displayed. No admission fee. Open to public. It is like going to car dealership without car salesmen. There are description for each car with the features and price. Unfortunately, no test drive. However, give you an overview of what's their latest models. Panera Bread is opening soon at the ground floor. There is restaurant on 2nd floor as well. There is a parking structure next to the building. First 30 minutes $2. First hour $5. read more

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Maybe it's because I grew up with the RenCen as part of the skyline but I can't help but kind of have affection for it. I know a lot of people scoff and think it's pretty fug but it doesn't really bother me, mostly because I'm so used to it. Inside there are a boatload of restaurants and eateries, great for those working inside the building, I'm sure. Lunch breaks and the like. The wintergarden has a lovely view of the RiverWalk and the Detroit River itself and there are loads of little kiosks there for coffee, treats, and shopping. I know at one point in its past it was envisioned as a mall of sorts and while there are still some shops in there it's not quite a mall anymore (RIP The Limited) but still a great place to work and somewhat play (the movie theatre, Coach insignia, Marriott hotel, etc). My one main complaint is that this place is confusing as hell to walk around. I know it's basically a circle but I still get all twisted and turned around whenever I'm trying to find my way back to my parking exit! Other than that, I find this place an enjoyable part of Detroit history. read more

Interesting way to get to the river walk! Reccomend to walk through at least once, make sure to check out the view from the top floor read more

GMRenCen - Shopping Centers Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

This review is for the lady who works at the security office of GM Renaissance Center. We were here for an event and on the last loading out day we got lost. With 3 heavy hauling carts we weren't sure where we were. We pressed the help intercom to reach someone hoping they can direct us to the right place. (It was 10pm on Sunday). A police officer showed up alone with a security lady wearing white uniform with blond ponytail hair. We were frustrated and tired, as we were talking with the police officer asking directions, the security lady started saying" Do we have a problem here?! Ok that's what I thought!". I quoted exact words from her. At the same time, they think we've drinking... LOL! We worked 16 hours that day and with 3 heavy hauling carts they think we're playing around?! I can't imagine this type of attitude towards any clients or tourist at the building, when people needed their help and direction, what she did is simply yelling. We were amazed. Not sure GM building gives a s for the people they hire or the customer experience they give. But this will be a warning if you ever need help, avoid the building security people, or police. read more

Fun place! Cool cars to see and even some cafe options! Nice when you have nothing to do!

Very disappointed in the security guard working on the first floor at the elevators for Marriott guest rooms, evidently that section closes during the evening, not that you would be able to tell from any signage but by the security guard that thinks his badge gives him the right to yell at you and totally piss you off. Being a law abiding citizen I merely complied and rerouted to get to hotel room. You would think that there are better ways to approach people then yelling. read more

This review is specifically for the tour. To pinpoint: the highlight of the tour - a trip to the 72nd floor for a breathtaking view of the city. If you are planning on taking this tour BE ADVISED from now until 2018 that offering IS NOT AVAILABLE. The reason I'm giving a 1 star is because although the tour is free, and we were informed at the beginning of the tour - which is appreciated and understood - we were also told we could go to the 39th floor patio for a view of the city which did not happen. Half of my family left the tour midway as the tour went longer than promised (a full 45 minutes rather than 30) and at the end when asked for questions I was told the latter part of the tour would not be included. A miscommunication in their part, and our tour guide was informative- but it's still unfortunate. So I repeat. The highlight of the tour is NOT AVAILABLE. read more

GMRenCen - Shopping Centers Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

This is a jewel to see in Detroit. I'm so happy I had time to make it here. They do tours on the weekdays but the times are not work-friendly. Everything about the building was wonderful and gave a breathe of fresh air for the city. The exception was the food court which was worse than those I find at a mall WARNING: Restrooms are impossible to find, and be careful driving to this place with a GPS cause you can accidentally turn into the tunnel headed for Canada. read more

A beautiful building to work in, I guess I'm lucky but I really enjoy being able to walk through such a large facility. Great history here, don't know it? Take a tour! I joke around with coworkers that it feels like some big high school. The mornings typically consist of women carrying 4 different purses to work, or just using roller bags with 2 more purses. People here have patterns, like the walkers (white shoe wearing, ring walking patrons) that walk around the inner rings for exercise or the different tables in WinterGarden area (asian table, consultant tables, company tables, etc;) There are plenty of shops, food, and stores available to keep you interested. A gym sits at the bottom of Tower 300 and there are really good healthy options for food here too. If you've never been, come on by! read more

GMRenCen - Shopping Centers Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

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These buildings are so unique and one of the most recognizable aspects of the Detroit skyline. Inside the RenCen, there are a variety of retail, stores and restaurants, a food court and even a movie theater. The Wintergarden is gorgeous. The RenCen is a great People Mover stop. Walking along the Riverfront or heading to/from Cobo, this is a must see. And enjoy the GM cars you can view in the center of Towers 100, 200, 300 and 400. read more

I've been here a couple of times. The first time we were having dinner at Coach Insignia, and most of the building was closed so I couldn't explore. I returned during a weekday after walking along the Riverwalk. It's a busy place around noon. There were a lot of people having lunch in the lower level and Granite City recently opened on level one. It was nice being able to look at the GM vehicles on display in a laid back atmosphere. There was a tour starting on the second level, but I preferred wandering around the building myself. It's a nice place to explore, dine, and shop. read more

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Good place to visit. One of the tourist place, known enough to not miss. The Detroit River front right across the street is a great place to be in summer. Nice cars inside for motor fans. Easy access to people mover and has some nice restaurants which I have reviewed ok Yelp before. A little classy and upscale for taste, but is available and free to enter in here for one and all. GM owns this building and yet it's like a car museum free for all to enter. Parking can be a bit tricky as not many free options close by. However it's not as expensive if you are here for a short stay. read more

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What a great place! This place has it all, from fast food to high end food and small shops for anything you might need. A panera bread just recently opened up as well. Situated right on the river it has a CVS and health offices of every sort. With the Marriott right above you'll be sure to have plenty to check out if you come here for a visit. I also can't forget to mention that GM has a showroom of their cars on the first floor and the top floor (coach insignia) has the best view of downtown Detroit and Canada. read more

GMRenCen - Shopping Centers Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

The RenCen as it is known by many locals is a fun place to spend a few hours if you are in downtown Detroit. There is restaurants here to make any and all types of hunger happy. The Andiamo's by the riverfront has a spectacular view of the Detroit River and Canada. Coach Insignia (see my review) has superb food and an excellent view of the skyline. 42 Degrease North offers the same quality food on a smaller budget and is located in the Marriott Building. The new Riverfront designed by GM is a great place to sit and relax and enjoy some quiet time with your significant other. So Stop by and 'dine, shop, play, stay, tour' the GM Renaissance Center read more

GMRenCen - Outside the RenCen - Shopping Centers Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

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Food fantastic. Great atmosphere love it. Thanks for a great time. Lamb chops great, lobster fantastic,shrimp yummy love it read more

GMRenCen - Shopping Centers Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

Renaissance center is beautiful with great restaurants and everything but their security and valet service is TERRIBLE... security is amateurs, ghetto and rude. After spending a evening eating at Joe Muer took a stroll at the river walk, walked a mile then returning back 10yards to the exit 3 ghetto bike security tell us to walk all the way back then comeback other way because it's closed it was like 10 step to exit and it wasn't even 10pm I was very frustrated and most-likely would cause a scene the way they were handling the situation if my wife wasn't with me. I walked another mile just to come back near the exit which was 10 step away, then proceeded to get my car from valet that took 45min on a slow Monday to retrieve, i try to ask about my car to the valet attendant but she was too busy on the phone n just ignored me. For a great place like this need better service and majority people wonder around renaissance building is tourist and these type of service leaves a bad taste... hire new security company and valet read more

Beautiful building complex. There is a GM showroom in the building and which is nice but I guess it is pretty much that. The Riverwalk though, just in front of it, is worth it a walk, specially on sunny days. read more

Actual Rating: 3.5 Stars I'm somewhat confused by this place. It's a museum for their superior GM models. It's a showcase for their GM elite vehicles. It's a shopping plaza with off the wall specialty shops and one movie theater. It's an office space for their corporate moguls. It's an alternative food court complete with Starbucks. It's a hotel without an opening lobby and palm trees. It's a freakin maze with bridge ways and escape routes. It's a massive space station in disguise! And not one dayam hottie in site. read more