Where to stay

Montreal's history includes early First Nations habitation, French settlement in the 1600s and modern commercial development. Enjoy this delightful blend of historic and modern cultural attractions with a stay in Ville-Marie or Old Montreal. These areas have some of the city's early architecture, including Montreal City Hall, the Notre-Dame Basilica of Montreal and the Old Port of Montreal. Nearby, Golden Square Mile is filled with hotels convenient for visiting the cultural attractions of McCord Museum and Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. Sometimes called the Quartier du Musée, it's also a great place to stay to visit the Underground City to shop, dine or simply walk comfortably when outside weather is unpleasant. Stay in the Mile End neighborhood for even more galleries and museums or the Quartier des Spectacles for ballet, opera and symphony performances. For French immersion, book accommodations in Plateau Mont-Royal, where colorful row houses are decorated by ornate wrought iron staircases leading to second-floor entrances.

The cosmopolitan city of Montreal has a surprising amount of green space. Book a hotel in Mont-Royal to be near the large Mount Royal Park, where rowing or skating on a lake and cross-country skiing offer year-round fun. Stay along the St. Lawrence River in Hochelaga-Maisonneuve. Centuries ago, Iroquoians established a village in this pretty setting, now the site of the beautiful Montreal Botanic Garden. Take advantage of the city's northern location for skiing. Hotels in Longueuil on the east side of the river are less than a 30-minute drive to beginner slopes at Saint Bruno. Book accommodations in Brossard, which is still close to the city center but just over an hour's drive to Mont Sutton. On the west side of the city, Fabreville's hotels are only slightly more than an hour from great skiing at Mont-Tremblant or Mont Blanc.

In Montreal, quiet supper clubs transform after dinner to become booming dance parties, DJs blast music through the night and unused basements become eclectic bars. Book a hotel in the neighborhood known as The Village or Gay Village, where 80 bars and restaurants offer endless opportunities for great dining and nightlife, especially for the LGBTQ crowd, but welcoming everyone. Running from The Village to Downtown Montreal, Sainte-Catherine Street is lined with many bars, clubs and restaurants and equally as many choices of accommodations. The Latin Quarter surrounds the University of Quebec. Book a hotel here to enjoy the neighborhood's youthful nightlife. Mile End is a good spot to stay for a full day of celebration; start with mimosas at brunch and end with classy cocktails in the evening.

Montreal could easily change its name to the city of festivals, with a full calendar of exciting seasonal events throughout the year. Book a hotel in Downtown Montreal or Sainte-Laurent to enjoy the February festivals of Montréal en Lumière and Nuit Blanche. Stay in the aptly named Quartier des Spectacles, where nearly 40 festivals are held a year, including the Montreal Jazz Festival in June, Just for Laughs in July and other events that bring in top talent to entertain festivalgoers. Stay in the Old Montreal neighborhood in December to attend a joyous performance of The Nutcracker by the Grand Ballet at Place des Arts or enjoy nearly a month of celebration during Merry Montréal.