Montreal accommodations Help

[Delvalboy]

Hi all.. after a few years of considering it, I have decided to go to Montreal. After reading the posts about the types of guys, I think I have landed on taboo as my primary spot, and maybe a trip to campus.

 

Can you recommend a hotel that is close by? Looking for something around March, comfortable, maybe 3 star, around $150 USD a night range. I'm not super adventurous when it comes to food so some walk-able options would be great in more of a fast casual type atmosphere. I don't want to sit in a fancy restaurant at a table by myself.

 

I'd also be open to where to absolutely avoid =)

 

cheers

Edited November 29, 2019 by Delvalboy

[Ichabod]

I have been staying at the Hotel Gouverneur for years, but it has gotten shabbier and shabbier. The location is very convenient for the stripper bars and the Gay Village, and the prices are in line with your budget. But they don't do any maintenance, and it's gone way downhill. I doubt I will go back.

 

Having said that, it is very easy to get around Montreal on the Metro; the Papineau stop is a block away from Taboo and Expose. So staying further away is still quite convenient.

[twinkboylover28]

Ditto what Ichabod said. Hotel Dorian is even more economical than Le Gouverneur, plus it's located above Taboo; however, I would never stay at either hotel.

 

Keep in mind Montreal has huge taxes, especially on hotels.

 

My favorite hotel (after having visited Le Village 18 times since May 2005) is the Courtyard by Marriott on Rene Levesque, but it's like $250 USD per night (including taxes) during May.

 

I also like Hotel Mount Stephen which is even more expensive. I no longer stay at the OMNI Mont-Royal as it's showing its age.

 

You can stay anywhere in Montreal, as the metro and bus system will take you virtually anywhere in minutes for cheap.

 

My favorite time to visit Montreal is mid-May and late September when the weather is most pleasant.

Edited November 29, 2019 by twinkboylover28

[Karl-G]

Delvalboy,

 

The Gouverneur Hotel is not shabby. It is very acceptable and used by Quebecois, French-Canadian visitors, and families on many repeat visits. It is not luxury, but there is nothing wrong with it. It is 29 stories high (I think), so you have size, services, and anonymity, if you wish. No problems or questions with guests.

 

You can find good prices for it on many of the discount sites (priceline, hotwire) and sometimes the hotel site itself. You can usually get it for a base price of $104-$127 (and sometimes under $100), plus taxes and fees. It is your best buy in the Village.

 

The Gouverneur is part of a full square block of buildings, including offices, banks, shops, drugstore, etc. On the ground floor of the complex is a large, new food court with a dozen different fast casual cuisines with large open area for seating; many singles eat there. There is also a large IGA grocery with a superb bakery, where you can get fresh croissants every hour of the day. They also have many prepared salads, veggies, sandwiches, etc. which are sometimes useful. There are numerous fast-casual restaurants along Ste. Catherine, which is right outside the hotel. St. Hubertus is fine and inexpensive and plenty of room for singles.

 

From the Gouverneur you walk underground to the Berri-Uqam metro station and also to the splendid national library and the campus of UQAM (University of Quebec in Montreal). It is an urban campus with all buildings connected underground. Montreal also has an Underground City downtown filled with shops and restaurants and connected to all the major buildings downtown, so winter or bad weather is no hindrance. A different approach to intense winter than the skyway system of the Twin Cities. And March will still be part of winter in Montreal.

 

Getting from the airport to the Gouverneur is very easy. Get on the 747 bus at the airport and ride to the Berri-Uqam stop (simply ask the driver). It is the last stop before the bus station and one block away from the hotel, straight ahead. Or take the 747 to its first stop, Lionel Groulx Metro, and transfer to the Green Line or Orange Line metro and ride to the Berri-Uqam metro stop. Your bus ticket is good for all buses and metros for 24 hours. So you simply use that ticket. If you plan much use of the metro, the next day is a good time since you have a free pass for that 24 hours. The ticket costs $10 CD. (That's about $7.50 US these days and a great bargain.) You buy them from a machine in the airport, close to the doors to outside. Get two and save the other one for when you return to the airport; you won't have to fool around with buying a return ticket.

 

The Gouverneur is a 5 minute walk to Campus, another 2 minutes to Stock and another 5 minutes to Taboo. If this is your first visit to Montreal, you ought to at least stop in at all three venues for a few minutes. Be aware that they will vary from night to night, so try them more than once, and they will be busier after 9:00 rather then before. Their best nights are usually Wed-Sat.

 

The hotel is a 15-20 minutes easy walk down to the Old City, harbor, and Place Jacques Cartier. This is the 18th century part of town, filled with restaurants, tourist shops, art galleries, and the Grande Roue, a very large ferris wheel with little cabins, from which you get splendid views of the city and harbor.

 

Bon voyage!

[+ BOZO T CLOWN]

The Gouverneur, now under new management, with a new name (Hotel Place DuPuis), is a DUMP.

Based on the TripAdvisor reviews below, the change of name didn't improve the quality of the hotel. You can put lipstick on a pig.....

When Bozo stayed there, the linens were dirty and rug was filthy.

Read the TripAdvisor reviews before you even consider staying at this fleabag:

 

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g155032-d183244-Reviews-Hotel_Place_Dupuis_Montreal_Downtown_Ascend_Hotel_Collection-Montreal_Quebec.html

 

You're better off sleeping with the homeless on the streets than staying at the Gouverneur/Hotel Place Dupuis.

 

Stay at one of the nicer chain hotels downtown like the Marriott, Delta, Sheraton, etc. It's less than a ten minute Metro ride to the Gay village. Or, if you're a walker, you can hoof it in about 30-35 minutes. During March, you should be able to get a good rate. Most hotels offer a discount to AAA members.

As for the Gouverneur, AVOID!

 

Bozo

[+ newatthis]

I used to use priceline when I visited Montreal and got very good 4* bargains at the standard hotels (Marriott, Hyatt, Intercontinental, ....) in town, all of which are a very short metro ride from the Village. (I like staying away from the Village to enjoy the rest of the city.) But under $100, even on priceline, is a thing of the past. More recently, I have been using airbnb with very good results. There are a number of Montreal hotel threads here that are worth checking out -- I recall someone had a good experience with a 3* close to the Village whose name escapes me. It was definitely not the Gouverneur/Dupuis, whose quality has been a subject of dispute in this forum for many, many years. (I have never stayed there and have no opinion.)

[Delvalboy]

UGH I meant $150 US lol

 

Also - I looked at the Metro site and it doesnt seem to run much past midnight (or am I reading that wrong?)

[Karl-G]

The last train on each metro line leaves between 12:30 and 1:00 a.m. After that, it is taxi or walk. There is a taxi stand with a line of taxis always outside Taboo's door.

 

Many of the reviews of the Dupuis look bad. All I can say is that I stayed there in September. The room was large and clean. I got a low price, so I did not have a premium room. It was perfectly quiet. The a/c and heating worked just fine. All hotel staff were warm and helpful: the desk clerks, the concierge, the chamber maids. When I go out in the morning, I always make a point to say good morning to the maid on the floor and tell her I am leaving to go out and my room number. Always, the room is clean with lots of fresh towels by the time I get back at 1, or 2 or 3 and expect company. The towels were always clean, and many of them, as were the bed linens. The shower pressure was just fine and hot water fine. The coffee maker worked fine. I don't use refrigerator or microwave, so I don't care. I had no problem finding an outlet to recharge my camera battery. There were no stains on my carpet or ceiling. I never saw a bug. There is a popular bar for drinks on the 2nd floor, so I don't understand the criticism. It was much used while I was there.

 

Delvalboy asked for hotels in a certain price range. None of the downtown hotels fall within this category, I think. The Sheraton has dates in March, but starting at $270. Etc.

 

There have been several good reports about airbnb, so that might be the way to go.

[Karl-G]

One block from the Gouverneur/Dupuis is a Fairfield by Marriott, which has just completed a total remake from when it was the "Lord Berri." I have not stayed there, but I stopped in the lobby and talked with desk clerks. Free breakfast included, and the dining area looked pleasant. Rates in March start at $141 plus fees. It is only a block from the Dupuis/Gouverneur, so it would still be easy walking to bars. It is next to the big Archambault music store and across the street from one of the university buildings, half a block to the metro.

 

Apparently, the former Hyatt on the Place des Arts is now a Doubletree. It's a little too far for walking, but it has a great location. It is on top of the Centre Dupuis, a large indoor mall with lots of restaurants and fast-casual on the lower level. Hotel connects directly underground to the metro, the opera house and the concert hall. Prices for March look like $149. It was a very nice hotel when I stayed there in the past, exceptionally large rooms. You can usually get a discount for AAA or AARP or if you stay several days or if you pay ahead (and you're especially nice to the reservations clerk). It has had several owners, and each time they redo it, they give reduced prices for a while to attract customers. I think it is that time for Doubletree.

[twinkboylover28]

The 747 Airport bus stops directly in front of the Courtyard by Marriott on Rene Levesque. The metro is a short 5 minute ride to Berri-UQAM and Pappineu.

 

I love the IGA store too. I just prefer to take the metro to the IGA and then take it back to my nice, safe hotel near the Golden Square mile in the much safer/nicer upscale part of town.

 

The IGA has awesome cakes and deli sandwiches. There are 24/7 restaurants everywhere in Montreal like Joe's Paninis and La Banquise.

 

After the metro closes at 12:40am I simply walk to Rene Levesque where your STM metro pass will be good for the 24 hour buses which take me directly to the front door of my hotel.

[Karl-G]

There are a couple of other hotels near the area. Hotel Suites LaBelle is an all suites hotel half a block from the Gouverneur. I have never stayed there. The prices are really low in March, so you wold really save money. But check out reviews.

 

Hotel St. Denis is a couple blocks away, but has very low rates in March, and it was highly rated by someone on this board a year or so ago. I have never stayed there.

[Karl-G]

I have just looked at reviews, and they are very good for both Suites LaBelle and Fairfield Marriott. I think I might try one of them and lock in a low price now. Hotwire shows perhaps the best rates.

[RealAvalon]

Hi all.. after a few years of considering it, I have decided to go to Montreal. After reading the posts about the types of guys, I think I have landed on taboo as my primary spot, and maybe a trip to campus.

 

Can you recommend a hotel that is close by? Looking for something around March, comfortable, maybe 3 star, around $150 USD a night range. I'm not super adventurous when it comes to food so some walk-able options would be great in more of a fast casual type atmosphere. I don't want to sit in a fancy restaurant at a table by myself.

 

I'd also be open to where to absolutely avoid =)

 

cheers

Hi, I don't know where you are from, remember that March is still winter in Montreal and there will likely still be a lot of snow. Something to consider when walking around if you're not used to that. For the extra price of hotels, given you're taking a trip anyway, spring in Montreal (May) is nice.

[Alfstoria]

Hi all.. after a few years of considering it, I have decided to go to Montreal. After reading the posts about the types of guys, I think I have landed on taboo as my primary spot, and maybe a trip to campus.

 

Can you recommend a hotel that is close by? Looking for something around March, comfortable, maybe 3 star, around $150 USD a night range. I'm not super adventurous when it comes to food so some walk-able options would be great in more of a fast casual type atmosphere. I don't want to sit in a fancy restaurant at a table by myself.

 

I'd also be open to where to absolutely avoid =)

 

cheers

 

Hi @Delvalboy, I hope i inspired you to go to Taboo. If yes, go as you soon as you can, while it last. I was in Montreal last week for my birthday to share it with my regular boy- he sometimes dance in Campus, now i visit him at least twice a year.. But once my romantic birthday was over,i ended up at Taboo. I stayed at this very cheap hotel in Saint Andre street/Rue. The Hotel Saint-André. Its very cheap, and it shows, but if you just want to be close, walking distance, to the bars. SA,can be used as a reference location. it is a one block from Campus, two blocks from Stock and one block off Saint Catherine Street's restaurants, coffee shops and two giants Duane Reade type of pharmacy. If you choose Hotel SA, ask for 1st or second floor only. The breakfast is really bad but i usually had mine in St Catherine. If is too cheap for you. You can find better hotels in that area. But is hard to find a good hotel close to Taboo; besides i wont be doing anything else but hanging out at Taboo, so the distance keep me from it.

 

For Taboo, i always take an Uber, you can walk but is a good 15 min walking but in Uber $8 CD I wont recommend staying in a hotel close to Taboo, as much as i like it, that area is kind of deserted and the Dorian Hotel looks awful. And i am the type that doesn't mind hookup hotels, but Dorian doesn't look good at all. Also,[MEDIA=imgur]3m5byp1[/MEDIA] the cheaper the hotel the badder the WiFi ,something to keep in mind, the one in HSA is ok. It works for me.

PS: next to Hotel Saint-Andre is a hostel. And sometimes I got me one of those boys ?

 

If you want more details in the pleasures and joys of Taboo Bar DM me. Have fun.

Edited November 29, 2019 by Alfstoria

[Karl-G]

Historic Note:

 

Stock was originally located above a Vietnamese Restaurant across the street from the St. André Hotel on Rue St. André. You climbed a wrought iron staircase outside to get up there. In winter, when the steps were covered in ice and you had a couple of drinks, it was a bit dicey.

[+ newatthis]

...Apparently, the former Hyatt on the Place des Arts is now a Doubletree. ...It has had several owners, and each time they redo it, they give reduced prices for a while to attract customers. I think it is that time for Doubletree.

Indulge me in a walk down memory lane. When I first started frequenting Montreal, this hotel was transitioning from Wyndham to Hyatt. In those years, I often scored rooms (very nice rooms!) in the $40-60 range by bidding on priceline.

[alrajee]

The closest I've ever been to the Village was the Double Tree at the Place des Arts. I definitely like the area—there's a mall adjacent to the hotel and you can traverse Saint Catherine for food options.

 

From here, the strip clubs are about 15 minutes via the green train (get off at Beaudry) or the #15 bus (among others). If you end up missing the last train—admittedly, I always do this—you can hail a cab or if it's not nasty out, it's a 25-minute walk.

 

As others have mentioned, March is still winter in Canada (and quite frankly, most of the Northeast United States), so be prepared for snowstorms.

 

If you don't speak French, don't worry. Montreal is unofficially bilingual, by which I mean French is the sole official language but many of its citizens speak English to some capacity. Don't let the opportunity go to waste to practice speaking the language though, even if the accent is markedly different from European French.

[Zippo5]

I genuinely don’t mind the Gouvenour. Just pay more for a better room. Location to the village is ideal. Have also stayed at the Doubletree (former Hyatt) and this is walkable and a nicer hotel.

[+ azdr0710]

We seem to have some hotel snobs here on the forum. Though I'm certainly no MTL expert, I stayed at the Governeur (sp) in 2016 and found it entirely adequate for my unpretentious needs. No better location for St. Catherine St. Slip out the hotel's "back door" for direct access to the aforementioned IGA and mall/food court. The 747 bus and Metro are right across the small park to the west.

 

The homeless sleeping on the heat grates (January, 2016) right outside the hotel's front door and the cocaine peddler on St. C. did not bother me in the least. I walked everywhere in town and felt no apprehension at all. I feared MTL would be the Paris of North America, but found the city friendly, low-key, unpretentious, and full of stuff to see and do.

Edited December 1, 2019 by azdr0710

[john1973]

Gouverneur's location cannot be beat when doing the rounds of the strip bars and for commuting as well. It has an indoor pool, a food court, and access to a subway station.

[twinkboylover28]

We seem to have some hotel snobs here on the forum. I stayed at the Governeur (sp) in 2016 and found it entirely adequate for my unpretentious needs. The homeless sleeping on the heat grates (January, 2016) right outside the hotel's front door and the cocaine peddler on St. C. did not bother me in the least.

 

Haha priceless. Guess that makes us (the majority who posted reviews on TripAdvisor, Etc.) "hotel snobs."

Ask Azdr0710 and KatlG for your money back when you find the Gouverneur to be the dump that is is.

 

Plus, the city of Paris is awesome.

[twinkboylover28]

Speaking of beat:. https://www.google.com/amp/s/montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/two-adults-and-a-minor-charged-after-off-duty-montreal-cops-beaten-up/amp

[twinkboylover28]

[MEDIA=reddit]montreal/comments/63nedc[/MEDIA]

[+ Steve yabsley]

I’m old fashioned - I stay at the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth (La Reine Elizabeth) - it’s a taxi/Uber ride away from the Gay Village, but a great hotel, surrounded by good places to eat and has a convenient bus to YUL, or in the summer, stay in old town (Springhill Suites).

[AvengingDanno]

My preferred spot is the Fairfield these days. The rooms were nicely updated, free breakfast and definitely walkable to the gay village/stripclubs (long walk to Taboo though).

My last few visits to the Gouverneur, I stayed in the business class rooms. The hardwood floors were nice but my guests and I would track in huge amounts of sand/salt/gravel from the winter sidewalks.