FOOD
BAZOU
1310 blvd. de Maisonneuve Est
Montréal, Québec
Phone: 514/526-4940
Montréal
Contemporary
Cost: C$20 to C$40
The name means “jalopy,” and a car theme appears in the decor and menu of this charming little eatery. To start, for example, you can have crevettes Thais Suzuki (shrimp cooked with peanut butter, coriander, chili, and fried spinach); one main dish is rabbit cooked in a “Mustang sauce” of cream, white wine, and mushrooms. AE, MC, V.
BEAVER CLUB
Hôtel Reine Elizabeth
900 blvd. René-Lévesque Ouest
Montréal, Québec
Phone: 514/861-3511
Over C$40
Montréal
Continental
This grand old institution traces its roots to a 19th-century social club for the trading and banking elite, and its wood paneling, formal settings, and starched, veteran servers give it the air of an exclusive men’s club. It’s not the place for daring dining. Stick to the classics – roast beef, grilled chops, and poached salmon. There’s dancing on Saturday, and the bar serves the best martini in the city. Jacket and tie. AE, D, DC, MC, V. Closed Sun. and July; no dinner Mon
BINERIE MONT-ROYAL
367 av. Mont Royal Est,
Montréal, Québec
Phone: 514/285-9078
Under C$20
Canadian
This tiny restaurant specializes in the rarest of the city’s culinary finds – authentic Québécois food. That includes stews made with meatballs and pigs’ feet, various kinds of tourtière (meat pie), and, of course, pork and beans. Cheap, filling, and charming. No credit cards. No dinner weekends.
BISTRO GOURMET
2100 rue St-Mathieu
Montréal, Québec
Phone: 514/846-1553
Under C$40
French
Chef Gabriel Ohana opened this tiny but richly atmospheric bistro in 1992. You can try such classics as rack of lamb with garlic, roasted shallot, and a stuffed broiled tomato; fillet of beef in a sauce spiked with blue cheese; and crispy-skinned breast of force-fed duck on a wine-stewed pear. AE, D, DC, MC, V.
BOCCA D’ORO
1448 rue St-Mathieu
Montréal, Québec
Phone: 514/933-8414
Over C$30
Italian
The menu for this restaurant next to Métro Guy has lots to offer, including the tritico di pasta speciality – one helping each of spinach ravioli with salmon and caviar, shellfish marinara, and spaghetti primavera. At the end of your meal, waiters bring out a bowl of walnuts for you to crack at your table. The two-floor dining area is inexplicably decorated with golf pictures, and Italian pop songs play in the background. The staff is friendly and professional; if you’re in a hurry, they’ll serve your meal in record time. Reservations essential. AE, DC, MC, V. Closed Sun
BON BLÉ RIZ
1437 blvd. St-Laurent
Montréal
Phone: 514/844-1447
Under C$30
Chinese
The food in this little restaurant is flamboyantly Chinese, but the prices are as modest as its unpretentious decor. Some of the intriguing dishes include shrimp sizzling with onions, green peppers, and carrots, or finely chopped lamb served with celery and bamboo shoots in a peppery anise-flavored sauce. The Beijing-style dumplings are good starters. AE, DC, MC, V
BRIOCHE LYONNAISE
1593 rue St-Denis
Montréal
Phone: 514/842-7017
Under C$20
Cafes
The original Quartier-Latin café – it opened in 1980 – is in a charmingly decorated semibasement across the street from the Théatre St-Denis. It still serves some of the city’s finest pastries, all loaded with butter, cream, pure fruit, and a dusting of sugar. The butter brioche and a bowl of steaming café au lait make for one of the city’s finest breakfasts. MC, V.
CAFÉ STASH
200 rue St-Paul Ouest
Montréal, Québec
Phone: 514/845-6611
Under C$30
Polish
On chilly nights many Montrealers turn to Café Stash in Vieux-Montréal for sustenance – for pork chops or duck, hot borscht, pierogi, or cabbage and sausage – in short, for all the hearty specialties of a Polish kitchen. Diners sit on pews from an old chapel at refectory tables from an old convent. AE, MC, V.
CAFÉ TOMAN
1421 rue MacKay
Montréal, Québec
Phone: 514/844-1605
Under C$20
Cafes
This Czech pastry shop perched in a second-floor location near Concordia University has been a downtown favorite since it opened in 1975. The family that runs it serves up cakes made with pralines and hazelnut cream, Sachertorte, apple strudel, and generous cups of Viennese coffee topped with lashings of whipped cream. Its soups and light lunches are popular. No credit cards. Closed Sun., Mon., and mid-July-mid-Aug.
CHALET BARBECUE
5456 rue Sherbrooke Ouest
Montréal, Québec
Phone: 514/489-7235
Under C$20
Canadian
In the early 1950s, Swiss-born Marcel Mauron and French-born Jean Detanne built a large brick oven in this west-end location and pioneered a Montréal tradition – crispy, spit-barbecued chicken served with a slightly spicy, gravylike sauce and mountains of french fries. There are dozens of imitators all over the city, but no one does it better. Many of the restaurant’s customers order their meals to go. MC, V
CHAO PHRAYA
50 rue Laurier Ouest
Montréal, Québec
Phone: 514/272-5229
Over C$20
Thai
The huge front window of this bright, airy restaurant with its subtle flashes of Oriental decor overlooks fashionable rue Laurier, from which it draws many of its upscale customers. They come to feast on such classics as crunchy, multiflavored poe pia (imperial rolls), pha koung (grilled-shrimp salad), and fried halibut in red curry with lime juice. Reservations essential. AE, DC, MC, V. No lunch except Thurs.-Fri
CHEZ CLO
3199 rue Ontario Est
Montréal, Québec
Phone: 14/522-5348
Under C$20
Canadian
Deep in east-end Montréal, where seldom is heard an English word, you’ll find authentic Québécois food. A meal in this unpretentious neighborhood diner could start with a bowl of the best pea soup in the city, followed by a slab of tourtière, mounds of mashed potatoes, carrots, and turnips, and a bowl of gravy on the side. The dessert specialty is pudding au chomeur (literally: pudding for the unemployed), a kind of shortcake smothered in a thick brown-sugar sauce. No credit cards.
CHEZ LA MÈRE MICHEL
1209 rue Guy
Montréal, Québec
Phone: 514/934-0473
Over C$40
French
A gray-stone town house hides one of the city’s most elegant dining rooms. There are big tables, comfy chairs, and bright paintings and murals. Chef-owner Micheline Delbuguet presides over a kitchen that turns out such flawlessly executed classic French cuisine as Dover sole meunière and coq au vin (made with a rooster – not a chicken). Save room for the soufflé Grand Marnier and poached pears in an almond basket. Reservations essential. AE, DC, MC, V.
CHU CHAI
4088 rue St-Denis
Montréal, Québec
Phone: 514/843-4194
Under C$30
Thai, Vegetarian
Vegetarians can usually dine well in any Thai restaurant, even one that serves plenty of meat and fish dishes. But the chefs at Chu Chai – rigorously vegan in their cooking – think vegetarians should enjoy the same dishes as their meat-eating compatriots. So they cook up such delicacies as “duck” salad with pepper and mint leaves, “fish” with three hot sauces, and “beef” with yellow curry and coconut milk, substituting soy and seitan for the offending flesh. Reservations essential. AE, DC, MC, V
DA EMMA
777 rue de la Commune Ouest
Montréal, Québec
Phone: 514/392-1568
C$20 to C$40
Italian
Massive stone pillars and wooden beams give this family-run restaurant on the Vieux-Port a genuinely Roman feel. Seafood antipasto (squid, mussels, shrimp, and octopus drizzled with olive oil), fettuccine with porcini mushrooms, and suckling pig roasted with garlic and rosemary are among the highlights. AE, D, DC, MC, V
Gibby’s
298 pl. d’Youville
Montréal, Québec
Phone: 514/282-1837
Over C$30
Steak
Although the extensive menu is rich in items such as broiled lobster and Cajun-blackened grouper, it was Gibby’s first-class steaks – some say the best in the city – that made this restaurant famous. Gibby’s also boasts its own on-site bakery and makes its own ice cream. The thick gray-stone walls here date from 1825, and the attention to service and detail also seems to belong to another age. AE, D, DC, MC, V.
Globe
3455 blvd. St-Laurent
Montréal, Québec
Phone: 514/284-3823
Over C$40
Contemporary
Frosted lighting fixtures, potted palms, and red-velvet banquettes adorn this very fashionable haunt of successful thirtysomethings – and the daring cuisine matches the decor. Home-grown chef David McMillan thinks nothing of chucking a few Szechuan peppercorns into a dessert or serving a reduced plum wine with a dish of pan-seared Québec foie gras. For dessert, try the roasted pineapple crumble if it’s on the menu. AE, DC, MC, V.
Guy & Dodo Morali
Les Cours Mont-Royal
1444 rue Metcalfe
Montréal, Québec
Phone: 514/842-3636
Over C$20
French
Pale yellow walls and lots of art decorate this comfortable restaurant in the Cours Mont-Royal shopping plaza. In summer, dining spills out onto a little terrace on rue Metcalfe. The daily table d’hôte menu is the best bet, with openers such as lobster bisque followed by agneau en croûte (lamb in a pastry) with thyme sauce, or fillet of halibut with leeks. For dessert try the tatan, apples and caramel with crème anglaise. Reservations essential. AE, D, DC, MC, V.
IL Mulino
236 rue St-Ztique Est
Montréal, Québec
Phone: 514/273-5776
Over C$20
Italian
Nothing about the decor or the location of this family-run restaurant in Little Italy hints of the delights within. The antipasti alone – grilled mushrooms, stuffed eggplant, pizza, broiled scallops – are worth the trip. The pasta, too, is excellent, especially the agnolotti and the gnocchi. Main dishes include lamb chops, veal, and excellent fish. Reservations essential. AE, D, DC, MC, V. Closed Sun.
Katsura
2170 rue de la Montagne
Montréal, Québec
Phone: 514/849-1172
C$20 to C$40
Japanese
The sushi chefs in this elegant Japanese restaurant create an assortment of raw seafood delicacies, as well as their own delicious invention, the cone-shaped Canada roll (smoked salmon and salmon caviar). Other Japanese dishes are available as well. Service is excellent, but if you sample all the sushi, the tab can be exorbitant. Reservations essential. AE, DC, MC, V. No lunch weekends.
L’Express
3927 rue St-Denis
Montréal, Québec
Phone: 514/845-5333
Over C$20
French
This Paris-style bistro has mirrored walls, tiny, crowded tables, and a smoky atmosphere. It’s also incredibly noisy on weekends. Nonetheless, the food is good, the service fast, and the prices reasonable. Try the marvelous steak tartare with french fries, salmon with sorrel, or calves’ liver with tarragon. Jars of gherkins, fresh baguettes, and cheeses heighten the pleasure. L’Express has one of the best and most original wine cellars in town. Reservations essential. AE, DC, MC, V.
La Chronique
99 av. Laurier Est
Montréal, Québec
Phone: 514/271-3095
Over C$40
Contemporary
This storefront bistro with its yellow walls and minimalist decor offers some of Montréal’s most adventurous cooking. Owner-chef Marc de Canck blends light French with Japanese, Chinese, and Creole flourishes. Scallops tempura on swirls of fried yam and spiced salmon sashimi are among the openers on a constantly changing menu. Main dishes are equally daring – blackened duck breast or bok-choy calf sweetbreads with coconut-milk polenta. Reservations essential. AE, DC, MC, V. Closed Sun.-Mon.
Le Caveau
2063 av. Victoria
Montréal, Québec
Phone: 514/844-1624
C$20 to C$40
French
Nestled amongst the towers of downtown is an eccentric Victorian house where buttery sauces, creamy desserts, and fairly reasonable prices have survived inflation and nouvelle cuisine. The restaurant gets its name from its comfortable cellar, but claustrophobic patrons can dine on the upper two floors amid sculptures and paintings. Sautéed brains with a caper mousseline is a fine appetizer; main courses might include rabbit cooked with sweet wine, spices, and raisins, or rack of lamb crusted with bread crumbs, mustard, garlic, and herbs. Surprisingly, a children’s menu is available. AE, DC, MC, V.
Le Paris
1812 rue Ste-Catherine Ouest
Montréal, Québec
Phone: 514/937-4898
C$20 to C$40
French
Every city should have a Le Paris. Its crowded, single dining room, with big tables and age-dimmed paint, is as comfortable as the reasonably priced bourgeois fare. The brandade de morue – salt cod, potatoes, garlic, and cream – is famous, and American foodies have been known to time their visits to Montréal so they can indulge in the herb-roasted chicken served on Saturday. Desserts range from creamy pastries to stewed rhubarb. AE, DC, MC, V. Closed Sun.
Le Taj
2077 rue Stanley
Montréal, Québec
Phone: 514/845-9015
C$20 to C$30
Indian
Le Taj showcases the cuisine of northern India – less spicy and more refined than that served in the south. The tandoori ovens seal in the flavors of the grilled meat and fish. Among the vegetarian dishes are the taj-thali, which includes lentils, basmati rice, and saag panir (homemade cheese with spinach). A nine-course lunch buffet is less than $10, and a dinnertime “Indian feast” is $20. The desserts – pistachio ice cream or mangoes – are often decorated with pure silver leaves. AE, MC, V
Les Halles
1450 rue Crescent
Montréal, Québec
Phone: 514/844-2328
Over C$30
French
Main dishes such as grapefruit Marie-Louise with scallops and lobster or roasted duck with pears sit comfortably beside the chef’s ventures into nouvelle cuisine, such as his lobster with herbs and butter. The desserts are classic – the Paris-Brest, a puff pastry with praline cream inside, is one of the best in town. Mirrors, murals, and light colors are part of the Parisian-style decor. Reservations essential. AE, DC, MC, V. Closed Sun. No lunch Mon., Sat.
Maestro S.V.P
3615 blvd. St-Laurent
Montréal, Québec
Phone: 514/842-6447
Over C$20
Seafood
Posters, wine-red walls, etched glass, and a chalked menu board give this seafood spot a real bistro ambience. The dark-blue ceilings, matching glassware, and musical instruments displayed on the walls match the playfulness of the cooking. Oysters are the house specialty, but other items are impressive, too – a half-dozen variations on the mussels-and-fries theme, an excellent poached salmon with mango butter, and a truly bountiful fish and seafood pot-au-feu cooked in a tomato-basil sauce. AE, DC, MC, V.
Maisom Kam Fung
1008 rue Clark
Montréal, Québec
Phone: 514/878-2888
Under C$30
Chinese
This bright, airy establishment serves the most reliable dim sum lunch in Chinatown. Every day from 10 to 3, waiters push a parade of trolleys through the restaurant, carting treats such as firm dumplings stuffed with pork and chicken, stir-fried squid, and delicate pastry envelopes filled with shrimp. AE, DC, MC, V
Moishe’s
3961 blvd. St-Laurent
Montréal, Québec
Phone: 514/845-3509
Over C$30
Steak
The Lighter brothers still age their big, marbled steaks in their own cold rooms for 21 days before charcoal-grilling them, just the way their father did when he opened Moishe’s in 1938. There are other things on the menu, such as lamb and grilled arctic char – but people come for the beef. The selection of single-malt Scotches is exquisite. AE, DC, MC, V. No lunch.
Moishe’s
3961 blvd. St-Laurent
Montréal, Québec
Phone: 514/845-3509
Over C$30
Steak
The Lighter brothers still age their big, marbled steaks in their own cold rooms for 21 days before charcoal-grilling them, just the way their father did when he opened Moishe’s in 1938. There are other things on the menu, such as lamb and grilled arctic char – but people come for the beef. The selection of single-malt Scotches is exquisite. AE, DC, MC, V. No lunch.
Nuances
1 av. de Casino
Montréal, Québec
Phone: 514/392-2708
Over C$20
French
The main restaurant at the Casino de Montréal on Ile Notre-Dame is simply stunning. Diners sit amid rosewood paneling and have a magnificent view of the city. You might start with sautéed duck foie gras with exotic fruits and progress to lightly grilled red tuna with marinated vegetables. Even dishes approved by the Québec Heart and Stroke Foundation sound exciting, like the saddle of rabbit pot-au-feu served with mushrooms. Reservations essential. AE, DC, MC, V. No lunch
Orchidee De Chine
2017 rue Peel
Montréal, Québec
Phone: 514/287-1878
Over C$30
Chinese
Diners feast on such delectibles as baby bok choy with mushrooms, perfumed spareribs, feather-light fried soft-shell crabs with black-bean sauce, and steamed, gingery grouper in an elegant, glassed-in dining room with a great view on a busy, fashionable sidewalk. There’s a more intimate room in the back. Reservations essential. AE, DC, MC, V. Closed Sun
Piment Rouge
Le Windsor
1170 rue Peel
Montréal, Québec
Phone: 514/866-7816
Over C$20
Chinese
High ceilings, crystal chandeliers, and floor-to-ceiling windows serve as an elegant Edwardian backdrop for excellent Szechuan and northern Chinese food. Starters include beef and banana rolls and sliced kidneys in hot sauce. Crispy shrimp with honeyed walnuts, shredded lamb in spiced sauce, and steamed fish in ginger are among the main dishes. Servings are generous, and prices are high. AE, DC, MC, V.
Pucapuca
5400 blvd. St-Laurent
Montréal, Québec
Phone: 514/272-8029
Under C$30
Peruvian
Dark-green walls and Latin music give this bargain restaurant a vaguely junglelike atmosphere, but it’s the Peruvian cooking and the great value that keep crowds coming back. The owner, Ciro Wong, serves up a particularly fine version of the classic Peruvian papa huancaina, a boiled potato covered with a spicy cheese sauce. Other items on the menu include grilled beef heart, rabbit with roasted peanuts, and grilled shark. No credit cards. Closed Sun.-Mon.
Rotisserie Panama
789 rue Jean-Talon Ouest
Montréal, Québec
Phone: 514/276-5223
Under C$30
Greek
No one seems to know why this big, noisy Greek taverna is named for a Latin American country, but it offers some of the best grilled meat in Montréal at startlingly reasonable prices. The chicken and crispy lamb chops are excellent; on weekends you can order roasted baby lamb. The more adventurous might try the kokoretsi (organ meats wrapped in intestines and grilled on a spit) or the patsas, a full-flavored tripe soup. The chefs specialize in meats, but are also adept with grilled fish and octopus. DC, MC, V.
Salsa Thai
1237 rue Metcalfe
Montréal, Québec
Phone: 514/874-9047
Under C$20
Thai
It began as a tiny hole in the wall in Chinatown, but Salsa Thai’s popularity enabled the owners to move into plusher digs on Square Dorchester. Prices are still reasonable and portions generous. Try the hot-and-sour seafood soup with coconut milk; squid salad with onion, hot chilies, and mint leaves; and deep-fried pomfret (butterfish). Frogs’ legs are fried with pepper, garlic, and sesame seeds; and the beef with satay sauce (a peanut-based sauce) comes sizzling-hot. MC, V.
Schwartz’s Delicatessen
3895 blvd. St-Laurent
Montréal, Québec
Phone: 514/842-4813
Under C$20
Delicatessens
It’s proper name is the Montréal Hebrew Delicatessen, but everyone calls it Schwartz’s. The smoked meat (cured in-house) is the city’s best, and the tender steaks come with grilled liver appetizers. To drink you’ll find nothing stronger than a Coke. The furniture looks like it was rescued from a Salvation Army depot, and the waiters are briskly efficient. Don’t ask for a menu (there isn’t one) and avoid the lunch hour unless you don’t mind long lines. Reservations not accepted. No credit cards.
Toque
3842 rue St-Denis
Montréal, Québec
Phone: 514/499-2084
Over C$40
Contemporary
The name means “a bit crazy.” Its innovative co-owner and chef, Normand Laprise, has achieved celebrity status for whipping market-fresh ingredients into dazzling combinations and colors. The menu changes constantly depending on whim and availability. Summer’s opening cold soup of fresh green tomatoes might be replaced in winter by a fluffy cake of bronzed potatoes, goat cheese, and spinach. Main courses could range from sautéed scallops to butter-bean stew with cumin and jalapeño peppers. Crème brûlée, almond-crusted blueberry pie, and chocolate mille-feuille are worth saving space for. Reservations essential. AE, DC, MC, V
Wilensky’s Light Lunch
34 rue Fairmount Ouest
Montréal, Québec
Phone: 514/271-0247
Under C$20
Delicatessens
Since 1932, the Wilensky family has served up its special: salami and bologna on a “Jewish” (kaiser) roll, slathered with mustard. You can also get a cherry or pineapple cola from the fountain (there’s no liquor license). This neighborhood haunt was a setting for the film The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz, starring Richard Dreyfuss and based on the novel by Mordecai Richler. Reservations not accepted. No credit cards. Closed weekends.
LODGING
Castel St-Denis
2099 rue St-Denis
Montréal , PQ H2X 3K8
Phone: 514/842-9719
fax: 514/843-8492
Price: Inexpensive
Rooms: 18
Among the budget choices in the Latin Quarter, the Castel St-Denis is one of the most desirable. It’s a little south of Sherbrooke, among the cafes of the lower reaches of the street, and 2 long blocks from the Terminus Voyageur. Most of the rooms are fairly quiet, and all are tidy and simply decorated, if hardly chic.
C$55 double. A/C TV No parking
Credit Cards: MC, V. No parking available.
Château & Tour Versailles
1659 rue Sherbrooke ouest
Montréal , PQ H3H 1E3
Phone: 800/361-7199 in Canada
or 800/361-3664 in the U.S.
514/933-3611
fax: 514/933-6967
Price: Moderate
C$119-C$169 double
Special weekend rates Nov-May
Rooms: 70 townhouses
107 Tower
Métro Stop: Guy
Guest rooms are of good size and comfortable. Service is more personal than in the big downtown hotels. Price and location keep both popular, so reserve well in advance. A/C MINIBAR TV TEL. Credit Cards: AE, CB, DC, ER, MC, V. Valet parking C$12.50. .
Courtyard Marriott Montréal
410 rue Sherbrooke ouest
Montréal , PQ H3A 1B3
Phone: 800/449-6654
or 514/844-8851
fax: 514/844-0912
Price: Moderate
C$94-C$199
Rooms: 180
Métro Stop: Place-des-Arts.
Formerly La Citadelle, this recent acquisition fulfills the chain’s promise of providing service to business travelers at moderate cost.Rooms now provide hair dryers, coffeemakers, and telephones with voice mail. Junior suites provide space for longer stays; some of them have extra fax and modem lines. The compact fitness center has Nautilus machines, a sauna, and a steam room. The restaurant sets out a buffet breakfast (not included in room rate) each morning. With self-service Laundromat and indoor pool. A/C TV TEL. Credit Cards: AE, DC, DISC, ER, MC, V. Parking C$10.
Delta Montréal
450 Sherbrooke ouest
Montréal , PQ H3A 2T4
Phone: 800/268-1133
or 514/286-1986
fax: 514/284-4342
Price: Expensive
C$149-C$290 double; from C$310
Units: 459
Métro Stop: Place-des-Arts
This well-maintained unit of the Canadian chain, with its expansively equipped business center and large health club, is targeted to the business traveler. Rooms have angular dimensions, escaping the boxiness of many contemporary hotels. Most have small balconies; all have coffeemakers and voice mail. The better-than-average health club has an aerobics instructor, an indoor lap pool, and two squash courts. For an extra C$30, upgrade to the Signature executive floor. Enter the 23-story tower from avenue du President-Kennedy.
Dining/Diversions: The split Le Bouquet Bistro is open most of the day, with a popular luncheon buffet, while the adjacent dining room is more formal, with an international menu. Drinks, light meals, and a weekday lunch buffet are offered in the casual Le Cordial.
Amenities: Concierge, room service, dry cleaning and laundry service, indoor and outdoor pools, fitness center, whirlpool, sauna, massage, two squash courts, business center with rental computers and translation service, and courtesy airport transport.
A/C MINIBAR TV TEL. Credit Cards: AE, DC, DISC, ER, MC, V. Parking C$12.
Four Points
475 Sherbrooke ouest
Montréal , PQ H3A 2L9
Phone: 800/325-3535
or 514/842-3961
fax: 514/842-0945
Price: Moderate
C$99-C$144 double, C$154 suite
Rooms: 195
Métro Stop: Place-des-Arts
A new brand-name division of the Starwood hotel colossus (which also owns the Westin and Sheraton chains), this midpriced business hotel. It provides a modest exercise room with aerobic devices, and roomy suites for businesspeople (and families) on longer stays, with fax machines, copiers, and computer on call–all at reasonable prices. Rooms have hair dryers, Nintendo PlayStations, unstocked fridges, coffeemakers, and irons and ironing boards, and the newspaper of your choice is made available. The ground-floor Bistro le Monde sets out an appetizing buffet breakfast and has economical lunch and dinner table d’hôtes (fixed-price meals) of C$9.95 and CS$18.95. A/C TV TEL. Credit Cards: AE, CD, DC, ER, MC, V. Parking C$12
Holiday Inn Montréal Midtown
420 Sherbrooke ouest
Montréal , PQ H3A 1B4
Phone: 800/387-3042 in Canada
or 800/465-4329 in the U.S.
514/842-6111
fax: 514/842-9381
Price: Moderate
C$119-C$180 double
Métro Stop: Place-des-Arts
Rooms:485
Not to be confused with the Holiday Inn in the Quartier Chinois (Chinatown). A midlevel hotel, located the intersection of Sherbrooke and rue Durocher. Among the best values in its class of hotels. Self-operated washers and dryers, for example, are provided for guests use, rare in the city. Bathrooms are compact. Nonsmoking and executive floors are available. A large heated indoor pool is attended by a lifeguard. The adjoining fitness center has weights, exercise bikes, whirlpool, and sauna.
A/C TV TEL. Credit Cards: AE, CB, DC, DISC, ER, MC, V. Parking C$13.50.
Holiday Inn Select
99 av. Viger Ouest
Montréal, Québec
Phone: 514/878-9888 or 888/878-9888
Fax: 514/878-6341
Web site: www.hiselect-yul.com
Over C$85
Units; 235
This Chinatown hotel is full of surprises, from the two pagodas on the roof to the Chinese garden in the lobby. Its restaurant, Chez Chine, is excellent. An executive floor has all the usual business facilities. The hotel has a pool and a small exercise room; guests also use the private health and leisure club downstairs, with a whirlpool, saunas, a billiard room, and a bar. The hotel is across from the Palais des Congrès convention center and is a five-minute walk from the World Trade Center. Restaurant, indoor pool, gym, bar, business services. AE, D, DC, MC, V.
Hotel Du Fort
1390 rue du Fort
Montréal, Québec
Web site: www.hoteldufort.com
Phone: 514/938-8333 or 800/565-6333
Fax: 514/938-2078
Over C$85
Units: 127
All rooms have good views of the city, the river, or the mountain. The hotel is in the west end of downtown in a residential neighborhood known as Shaughnessy Village, close to shopping at the Faubourg Ste-Catherine and Square Westmount, and just around the corner from the Canadian Center for Architecture. Rates include Continental breakfast served in a charming Louis XV lounge. Gym, bar. AE, DC, MC, V. Continental breakfast.
Hotel Tajmahal
1600 rue St-Hubert
Montréal, Québec
Phone: 514/849-3214 or 800/363-5260
Fax: 514/849-9812
Cost under C$85
Units: 147
Metro Stop:Berri-UQAM
The Tajmahal is adjacent to the Terminus Voyageur bus station (buses park directly beneath one wing of the hotel), and some of the bus-station aura has rubbed off on the place: It’s a little dingy. But if you’re stumbling after a long bus ride and want somewhere to stay now, the rooms are large and clean, the service is friendly, and the price is right. Restaurant. AE, MC, V.
Le Cantlie Suites
1110 rue Sherbrooke ouest
Montréal , PQ H3A 1G9
Phone: 800/567-1110
or 888/CANTLIE
514/842-2000
fax: 514/844-7808
Price: Moderate
Suites from: C$120
Métro Stop: Peel
Rooms: 229
Has a rooftop pool (open in summer only) which offers a fine view of the city, and guests have access to a nearby health club. There’s a terrace cafe in warm months. The elegant suites get larger as prices go up. Even casual requests at the front desk usually bring discounted room rates. All suites have either a full-size kitchen or a kitchenette, in-room fax with dataport, work area, hair dryer, and iron and board. There’s also a complete business center.
A/C TV TEL. Credit Cards: AE, MC, V. Valet parking C$13.50.
Le Centre Sheraton
1201 blvd. René-Lévesque Ouest
Montréal, Québec
Phone: 514/878-2000 or 888/627-7102
Fax: 514/878-3958
Over C$160
Units: 784 rooms, 25 suites
Web site: www.sheraton.com/LeCentre
This huge 37-story complex is well placed between the downtown business district and the restaurant-lined streets of Crescent and Bishop. It services both business and tourist crowds. Rooms have coffeemakers, irons, and ironing boards. The 10-story Club section is geared to business travelers, and there are ample meeting rooms. The bar in the busy lobby features a forest of potted trees – some 30 ft tall. Restaurant, indoor pool, hair salon, health club, 2 bars, baby-sitting, business services, meeting room. AE, D, DC, MC, V.
Le Marriott Chateau Champlain
1050 rue de la Gauchetière Ouest
Montréal, Québec
Phone: 514/878-9000 or 800/200-5909
Fax: 514/878-6761
C$120 to C$160
Units: 611 rooms, 33 suites.
Web Site: www.marriott.com
At the southern end of Place du Canada is this 36-floor skyscraper with distinctive half-moon-shape windows that give the rooms a Moorish feeling. The furniture is elegantly French and the bedspreads are brightly patterned. Underground passageways connect the Champlain with the Bonaventure Métro station and Place Ville-Marie. Restaurant, indoor pool, health club, sauna, bar, no-smoking room. AE, DC, MC, V.
Le Reine Elizabeth
900 blvd. René-Lévesque Ouest
Montréal, Québec
Phone: 514/861-3511 or 800/441-1414
Fax: 514/954-2256
Over C$120
Units: 1,064
Web Site: www.cphotels.ca
In the center of the city, this Canadian Pacific hotel is situated over the Gare Centrale train station. The crowded lobby is a bit too much like a railroad station – but rooms are modern and spacious, with lush pale carpets, striped Regency wallpapers, and chintz bedspreads. Two Penthouse floors have business services; the Gold Floor is a hotel in itself – it has its own elevator, check-in, and concierge. The hotel is home to the Beaver Club restaurant. Conventions are popular. 2 restaurants, indoor pool, hair salon, health club, 3 bars, baby-sitting. AE, D, DC, MC, V
Loews Vogue
1425 rue de la Montagne
Montréal , PQ H3G 1Z3
Phone: 800/465-6654
or 514/285-5555
fax: 514/849-8903
Price: Very Expensive
C$169-C$399 double; from C$375 suite
Units: 142
Métro Stop: Peel
The Vogue opened in late 1990, and it instantly displaced the Ritz-Carlton at the apex of the local luxury-hotel pantheon. Confidence resonates from every member of its staff, and luxury breathes from its lobby to its well-appointed guest rooms. Feather pillows, duvets dress the oversized beds, fresh flowers, cherry wood furniture, and marble bathrooms with Jacuzzis. Other amenities include fax machine, modem access, safe, in-room movies, bathroom TV, and plush robes. And you walk out the front door and the upscale clubs are within 100 yards of the hotel (Club Wanda’s, French Kiss and the dance nightclubs of Peel Street).
Dining/Diversions: Societé Café serves three meals a day, with outside tables in summer. The lobby bar, L’Opéra, has piano music Thursday through Saturday and an outdoor terrace in summer.
Amenities: Concierge, 24-hour room service, dry cleaning and laundry, baby-sitting, secretarial services, express checkout, small exercise room, and coin-operated laundry. A/C MINIBAR TV TEL. Credit Cards: AE, DC, ER, MC, V. Valet parking C$15.
Lord Berri
1199 rue Berri
Montréal , PQ H2L 4C6
Phone: 888/363-0363
or 514/845-9236
fax: 514/849-9855
Price: Inexpensive
C$75-C$82 double
Units: 154
Métro Stop: Berri-UQAM.
After being a Days Inn, this economy hotel has returned to its old name. You can’t argue with the low rates, which give this hotel it’s value. If you don’t plan to spend much time in your room, then this is your best budget option in the city. Its located in the Latin Quarter of the city. Rooms have full bathrooms and offer in-room movies. Several floors are set aside for nonsmokers.
A/C TV TEL. Credit Cards: AE, CB, DC, DISC, ER, MC, V. Outdoor parking C$10.
Montagne
1430 rue de la Montagne
Montréal , PQ H3G 1Z5
Phone: 800/361-6262
or 514/288-5656
fax: 514/288-9658
Price: Moderate
C$145-C$155 double
Units: 138
Métro Stop: Peel
In the lobby a pair of 6-foot carved elephants, two gold-colored crocodiles, and a nude female figure with stained-glass butterfly wings sitting atop a splashing fountain. Up on the mezzanine is the main dining room, Le Lutétia. Light meals are available beside the pool on the roof, 20 stories up, and there’s dancing under the stars. Off the lobby, a cabaret lounge featuring a piano player and jazz duos (Monday to Saturday) leads into Thursday’s, a bar/restaurant with a spangly disco and a terrace on rue Crescent. After all that, the relatively serene bedrooms seem downright bland. Given all these inducements, a stay here is a genuine bargain, especially in contrast to the expensive Hotel Vogue, across the street.
A/C TV TEL. Credit Cards: AE, CB, DC, DISC, ER, MC, V. Parking C$12.
Montréal Bonaventure Hilton
1 place Bonaventure
Montréal , PQ H5A 1E4
Phone: 800/267-2575 in Canada
or 800/445-8667 in the U.S.
514/878-2332
fax: 514/878-3881
Price: Very Expensive
C$130-C$299 double
Units: 395
Métro Stop: Bonaventure
The Hilton’s main entrance is at de la Gauchetiére and Mansfield, but the lobby is on the 17th floor. From aloft, the hotel looks as if it has a square hole in its top. That’s the 2+-acre rooftop garden, with strolling pheasants, paddling ducks, and a heated pool. All guest rooms have color TVs in the bedrooms and black-and-white sets in the compact bathrooms, as well as views of the city or the garden. There are nonsmoking rooms and an executive floor. All rooms, public and private, have recently undergone renovation.
Dining/Diversions: Le Castillon is the hotel’s French restaurant. Another, La Bourgade, is less expensive. Both have summer dining terraces.
Amenities: Concierge, 24-hour room service, baby-sitting, year-round heated outdoor pool, fitness center with sauna, and business center.
A/C MINIBAR TV TEL. Credit Cards: AE, CB, DC, ER, MC, V. Self-parking C$13.75; valet C$18.75.
Omni
1050 Sherbrooke ouest
Montréal , PQ H3A 2R6
Phone: 800/228-3000
or 514/284-1110
fax: 514/845-3025
Price: Very Expensive
C$149-C$259 double; from C$370 suite. Rates include breakfast.
Units: 329
Métro Stop: Peel.
It’s a worthy competitor to the nearby Ritz-Carlton, especially after an ongoing all-floors $5.5 million renovation by the new owners. The coolly austere lobby, lined with marble, is softened by statuary and banks of plants and flowers. Rooms are large, with fresh furnishings, but make sure that you are assigned one of the refurbished units. They are offered in escalating categories of relative luxury, from standard to premium. Robes are ready for guests’ use and there are in-room safes. On-demand movies can be chosen from a library of more than 60 titles. There are 12 nonsmoking floors.
Dining/Diversions: Zen, an upscale Chinese restaurant, offers lunch and dinner daily, as does the light-filled Opus II, which has featured a form of world cuisine through frequent chef changes. Buffet breakfasts and lunches are served in the lobby bar, L’Apèro, which features piano music in the evenings.
Amenities: Concierge, 24-hour room service, in-room massage, twice-daily maid service, car and limo rentals, secretarial services, boutiques. The impressive health club features a heated outdoor pool, open all year, with morning coffee and juice, aerobics classes, weight machines, whirlpool, sauna, and workout gear or swimsuits on request.
A/C MINIBAR TV TEL. Credit Cards: AE, CB, DC, ER, MC, V. Self-parking C$11; valet C$19.
Renaissance Hotel Du Parc
3625 av. du Parc
Montréal, Québec
Phone: 514/288-6666 or 800/363-0735
Fax: 514/288-2469
C$85 to C$160
Rooms: 455
Web site: www.renaissancehotels.com
This L-shape brick tower overlooks Parc du Mont-Royal; the McGill University campus is a five-minute walk to the west. The hotel is a briskly efficient operation, the rooms are large, and the decor is modern with blond wood and pastel shades. A large, comfortable bar is located in the lobby. This hotel is part of the Marroitt Chain. Restaurant, café, bar, no-smoking floor. AE, D, DC, MC, V.
Travelodge Montréal Centre
50 bd. René-Lévesque ouest
Montréal , PQ H2Z 1A2
Phone: 800/363-6535 in Canada
or 800/578-7878 in the U.S.
514/874-9090
fax: 514/874-0907
Price: Moderate
From C$99 double
Rooms: 242
Métro Stop: Place des Arts or Place d’Armes.
Next to the Complexe Desjardins and midway between east and west Montréal,low rates and convenient location are its primary virtues. The guest rooms are small but bright, with single or twin beds (some rooms have up to four beds), cable TV with remote, and coffeemakers. All have showers, none have tubs. There’s a lobby bar, and the dining room one flight up serves breakfast and dinner daily, but not lunch. There are two nonsmoking floors. A/C TV TEL. Credit Cards: AE, CB, DC, DISC, ER, MC, V. Parking C$10.
Wyndham Downtown
4 Complexe Desjarsins
Montreal, QC HSB1E5
Telephone: 514-285-1450
Fax: 514-285-1234
Rooms: 600
Rate Range: From C$150 to C$240 per night
Nearby Airport: Dorval International (YUL)
This is the hotel I like in Montreal in the off season it is slow and great deals. Check out prices over the internet. On average I pay less the $75.00 usd per night. What makes this hotel great is location. It is right in the heart of the city , on St Catherine and only 2 blocks from the red light area of town. You can walk to some strip clubs within a block of the hotel. Next to the hotel is a large underground shopping area with a food court for a quick bite. The lobby for the hotel is on the 5 th floor, but no problem bring girls in. I tip the doorman a couple of dollars and he leaves my car on the door. Overall
a great place to stay if you want a high end hotel.
In Rooms: Cable TV. Coffee Maker. Hair Dryer. Iron & Ironing Board. Data Line.
Other Info: Room Service. Restaurant on Site. Pool. Valet Parking. Complimentary Morning Newspaper. Valet/Laundry. Fitness Center. Business Center. Spa. Sauna. Whirlpool. Children’s Rates. Bar/Lounge on Site. Fully Air-Conditioned. Non-Smoking Rooms Available. Smoking Rooms Available.
Credit Cards:all major
The off season in Montreal is late fall (end October) until early Spring (April) but deals can be had here year round. The price difference between high season and low can be 150% but it’s still a great deal. If you want to be in downtown Montreal you can do that almost year round for about US$100 per night or less. If you don’t mind being 8 to 12 miles away from downtown the price falls in half. I love the Wyndham Downtown which is not a mid price hotel but four star hotel. The reasons are simply it’s right in the heart of things, the service is great, and the rooms are very nice with king size beds. I have paid as little as US$60 dollars per night Christmas 2001 to high season summer 2002 US$130 dollars these are internet prices. A couple of good hotels that are mid priced are:
Quality Inn Downtown
1214 Crescent
Montreal
Under US$75.00
Days Inn Midtown
1005 Rue Guy
Montreal
About US$50.00
Travelodge Montréal Centre
50 bd. René-Lévesque ouest
Montréal
Under US$70.00
The Travelodge is just outside Chinatown and about 3 blocks to RLD, The Quality Inn is only one block off St Catherine Rue west and within 2 blocks of the hottest dance clubs in the city. If you don’t mind being outside downtown Montreal try:
Econo Lodge
1981 Blvd Labelle
Laval about 12 miles 20 minutes from downtown center
less than US$40.OO
The main thing is just go to the city and check it out it’s a very easy city to learn and 99 out of 100 people love it. If you are planning on using a lot of escort services outcall downtown may be the best choice because the service is better to this location. Also closer to the action, from these downtown hotels you can walk to many of the clubs if you wanted and both the Wyndham and Travelodge are within 5 minutes (walk)of the RLD. One last note it can be cold in the winter but must things happen indoors so not a problem and street scene can be better in the winter because very few tourist sightseeing on the streets so easy to find girls.
Universite De Montreal Residence
2350 blvd. Edouard-Montpetit
Montréal, Québec
Phone: 514/343-6531
Fax: 514/343-2353
Under C$85
Rates are $23 per night or $141 per week – $87.50 a week if you book for at least three weeks.
Units: 1,119 rooms
The university’s student housing accepts visitors from early May to late August. It’s on the other side of Mont-Royal from downtown and Vieux-Montréal but right next to the Edouard-Monpetit Métro station. The rooms have phones for local calls; common lounges have microwaves and TVs. For a fee you may use the campus sports facilities. MC, V.
Wyndham Downtown
4 Complexe Desjarsins (St Catherine Street)
Montreal, QC HSB1E5
Telephone: 514-285-1450
Fax: 514-285-1234
Rooms: 600
Price: Moderate to Expensive
Rate Range: From C$150 to C$240 per night
In the off season it is slow and great deals. Check out prices over the internet. On average I pay less the $75.00 usd per night. What makes this hotel great is location. It is right in the heart of the city , on St Catherine and only 2 blocks from the red light area of town. You can walk to some strip clubs within a block of the hotel. Next to the hotel is a large underground shopping area with a food court for a quick bite. The lobby for the hotel is on the 5 th floor, but no problem bring girls in. I tip the doorman a couple of dollars and he leaves my car on the door. Overall a great place to stay if you want a high end hotel.
In Rooms: Cable TV. Coffee Maker. Hair Dryer. Iron & Ironing Board. Data Line.
Other Info: Room Service. Restaurant on Site. Pool. Valet Parking. Complimentary Morning Newspaper. Valet/Laundry. Fitness Center. Business Center. Spa. Sauna. Whirlpool. Bar/Lounge on Site. Fully Air-Conditioned. Non-Smoking Rooms Available. Smoking Rooms Available.
Universite De Montreal Residence
2350 blvd. Edouard-Montpetit
Montréal, Québec
Phone: 514/343-6531
Fax: 514/343-2353
Under C$85
Rates are $23 per night or $141 per week – $87.50 a week if you book for at least three weeks.
Units: 1,119 rooms
The university’s student housing accepts visitors from early May to late August. It’s on the other side of Mont-Royal from downtown and Vieux-Montréal but right next to the Edouard-Monpetit Métro station. The rooms have phones for local calls; common lounges have microwaves and TVs. For a fee you may use the campus sports facilities. MC, V.