Colorful, bilingual, and proudly multicultural, Montreal has a strong personality and a lot to offer, from its food and culture to its big, big energy. Québec’s largest city is also home to a vast hotel portfolio that reflects the richness of its identity. From sleek luxury towers downtown to characterful Old Montreal properties that incorporate historic 18th- and 19th-century architecture, these hotels often incorporate the very aspects that make this place sing: Think French-accented on-site brasseries, smart cocktail lounges, plenty of locally made art and design objects and, lately, a slew of swanky rooftop spaces offering views of the skyline.
The past decade has seen a major construction boom, with even more hotels on the way. Joining recent openings like the 1920s-tinged Honeyrose Hotel (pictured above) and the high-design Hotel Vogue are in-the-works properties like Hotel SonoLux, the city’s first light and sound immersive hotel; the Entrepôt Van Horne, which will take over a Mile End warehouse topped by an iconic water tower; and the Royalmount Hotel, part of a $5 billion 1.8-acre, carbon-neutral real-estate project.
The latest installment of AFAR’s Hotels We Love series will guide you to the best places to sleep in the city, from the hotel where John Lennon and Yoko Ono staged their 1969 “bed-in” to the one where Elizabeth Taylor married Richard Burton. Read on for the 15 best hotels in Montreal, listed in no particular order.
The rooms and suites at Fairmont the Queen Elizabeth are filled with design nods to surrounding Montreal neighborhoods.
Courtesy of Bonjour Québec
Fairmont the Queen Elizabeth
- What to expect: A historic masterpiece that has been totally revamped
- Neighborhood: Downtown
- Loyalty: Accor Live Limitless
- Book now
The majestic “Queen E” hotel became the stuff of rock legend when John Lennon and Yoko Ono recorded “Give Peace a Chance” in suite 1742 during their 1969 antiwar “bed-in.” The 950-room hotel, which has hosted all kinds of celebrities since its opening in 1958, relaunched in 2017 after a year of top-to-bottom renovations. The new Queen Elizabeth is better than ever, with suites designed and named after Montreal neighborhoods: Mile End (geeky), Griffintown (edgy), Homa (funky), and so on. And John and Yoko’s room has also been turned into a specialty suite, complete with music-history memorabilia. The lobby Nacarat Bar and the rooftop Nacarat Terrace offer exceptional bites to accompany your expertly made cocktails, such as “boreal-flavored” foie gras macarons and absinthe-grilled octopus. From $285
The Canada-based Four Seasons prioritizes beds so comfortable that many loyal fans buy the mattresses for their own homes.
Courtesy of Four Seasons Hotel
Four Seasons Hotel Montreal
- What to expect: A swanky design-focused luxury hotel with an unforgettable restaurant
- Neighborhood: Downtown
- Book now
The (Canadian!) Four Seasons brand came back to Montreal in 2019 after years of being MIA, and it was, for the city, major news. This 169-room hotel has a signature look, ambience, and even scent that attracts a cool crowd, be it to the Instagram-worthy restaurant bathrooms (yes, it’s a thing), the South Beach–style indoor-outdoor patio, or the pink-and-marble lounge that will make you wish you had more upcoming parties. Rooms are clean-lined and modern, with a simple black-and-white palette, pops of pale pink, marble-clad bathrooms, and floor-to-ceiling windows. New York celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson has set up shop here with eponymous restaurant Marcus, while a luxury Guerlain spa will soothe tired travelers. From $375
The Honeyrose’s elegant Commodore Restaurant serves cuisine inspired by a classic French bistro.
Courtesy of Honeyrose Hotel
Honeyrose Hotel Montreal, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel
- What to expect: 1920s glamour with clever touches like rooftop beehives and a movement studio
- Location: Downtown
- Loyalty: Marriott Bonvoy
- Book now
Opened last May in downtown’s museum-filled Quartier des Spectacles, the 143-room Honeyrose Hotel was designed with an eye toward 1920s glitz, complete with art deco touches and a statement staircase to the mezzanine that might look at home in Gatsby’s mansion. Paintings by local artist Roxy Peroxyde decorate the walls of sophisticated rooms that feature plush velvet and warm wooden accent pieces and elegant wall molding details. The two parts of the hotel’s name, honey and rose, can be found throughout the property in floral textiles in the hallways, a flower shop selling preserved “eternal roses,” and even rooftop beehives on the 15th floor. The hotel also hosts a movement studio where guests can take classes from Essentrics, a stretch workout created by former National Ballet of Canada dancer Miranda Esmonde-White, or simply enjoy the dry sauna, spa, or indoor pool. In addition to dining at the California-inspired Muze Lounge & Terrasse, guests can grab a spot around the stunner of a circular bar at Commodore, the hotel’s French bistro, which serves inventive dishes like smoked scallop crudo with kumquat confit and samphire and Parisian-style gnocchi with butternut bechámel. From $280
The spacious rooms at Hôtel Gault are filled with modern furnishings by design companies like Knoll and Herman Miller.
Courtesy of Hôtel Gault
Hôtel Gault Montreal
- What to expect: Modern furnishings in a 19th-century landmark
- Neighborhood: Old Montreal
- Book now
One of the loveliest stays in Old Montreal, this 30-room boutique hotel occupies a gray-stone building opened in 1871 by Andrew F. Gault, a fabric and haberdashery wholesaler once known as “The Cotton King of Canada.” The facade may be imposingly grand, but the rooms inside are modern and almost residential-feeling, with sleek midcentury furniture by Knoll and Herman Miller, while public spaces feature works by local photographer Valerie Jodoin Keaton. The apartment-style suites, complete with kitchenettes and stylish work areas, are surprisingly spacious and particularly well suited for digital nomads who need a little extra space. The on-site restaurant is open for weekday breakfast and weekend brunch; try the Montreal-style bagels with smoked salmon or tartiflette, a hearty French dish made from potatoes, cheese, lardons, and onions. From $210
Great art, food, location—what’s not to love?
Courtesy of Hotel le Germain
Hotel Le Germain Montreal
- What to expect: A chic, local, family-operated boutique hotel
- Neighborhood: Downtown
- Book now
The Germain Hotels brand is well established and respected in the province of Québec. Family-owned and -operated, the boutique hotels focus on gastronomy (the Germain family story started with restaurants), design, and comfort, and each hotel nods to the city in which it is located. Hotel Le Germain Montreal is in the heart of downtown, so you can walk anywhere you want to, such as the Time Out Market Montreal or the shopping avenue of Sainte-Catherine Street, for starters. Because this is a local property with a taste for design, the hotel welcomed a giant (171-foot-tall!) mural by artist Michelle Hoogveld in 2021. The building’s brutalist facade also inspired designers to go with a ’60s-inspired decor, in a tribute to the futuristic Expo 67 world’s fair, with 136 rooms that include space-age design details like hanging bubble chairs and metallic, mirrored light fixtures. From $195
Hotel Nelligan occupies four historic buildings that date back to the 1850s.
Courtesy of Hotel Nelligan
Hotel Nelligan
- What to expect: historic buildings with a destination-worthy steakhouse and rooftop bar
- Neighborhood: Old Montreal
- Book now
Montreal-born poet Émile Nelligan lends his name to this 105-room Old Montreal hotel, where his portrait watches over the plant-filled atrium. The Nelligan occupies four historic buildings, which over the years have housed grocery and fabric warehouses, a paper company, and even a pharmaceutical laboratory. These days, the digs are decidedly more luxurious, with rooms that include rainfall showers, Marie L’Oie down comforters and pillows, Bluetooth speakers, and Le Labo bath amenities. Befitting its location in one of Canada’s great food towns, the hotel is home to Méchant Boeuf Bar-Brasserie, known for its dry-aged beef and raw bar, and the recently renovated Terrasse Nelligan, a rooftop bar with incredible views of the skyline. From $160
The Hôtel William Gray incorporates two historic Old Port buildings that date back to the 18th century.
Photo by Alexi Hobbs
Hôtel William Gray
- What to expect: A chic, locally owned and operated boutique hotel with a (nearly) year-round rooftop
- Neighborhood: Old Montreal
- Book now
The 127-room Hôtel William Gray comprises a newly built glass tower that rises above two historic buildings that date back to the 18th century and have served as a warehouse, barracks, a printing shop, stables, a brasserie, and more. Today, it’s owned and operated by the Montreal-based Antonopoulous family, who have passed the hotel business down from generation to generation over four decades. Among their many properties in the city—nine restaurants, five hotels—William Gray is their finest, in the heart of Old Montreal. Linger on the terrace overlooking the Montreal Great Wheel, at the rooftop resto-bar, or in the lobby with a drink and a book, a game of billiards, or a board game. The rooms are sleek yet comfortable, fusing history and modernity, just like the surrounding neighborhood, the unique Old Montreal. From $235
At Humaniti, the rarest of finds in Montreal: a massive outdoor hotel pool.
Courtesy of Humaniti Hotel
Humaniti Hotel Montreal
- What to expect: A Miami-inspired high-rise hotel with a rooftop pool (a rarity in the city!)
- Neighborhood: International District
- Loyalty: Marriott Bonvoy
- Book now
Montreal has long awaited the completion of the Humaniti project, but the result was worth it: This striking new Marriott Autograph Collection hotel is in a mixed-use building with commercial and residential space and has the largest patio in Montreal, plus one of the city’s very few outdoor hotel pools. The 193 rooms have a hard-edged industrial vibe with large black-and-white photographs, yellow statement chairs, and geometric light fixtures and area rugs. Humaniti is also home to Restaurant h3, which includes a wildly impressive wine cellar and a tasting menu that playfully incorporates French flavors and Canadian ingredients in dishes like foie gras crème brûlée with haskap berries and scallop ceviche with lime buttermilk and saltwort. Rooms feature floor-to-ceiling windows and curated local artworks. From $290
Hyatt spent $25 million sprucing up this business-traveler–friendly flagship property.
Courtesy of Bonjour Québec
Hyatt Place Montreal – Downtown
- What to expect: A WFH(otel) space that focuses on the new business traveler
- Neighborhood: The Village
- Loyalty: World of Hyatt
- Book now
The hotel at this address had long been well located, with spacious rooms, but it was also outdated and, frankly, uninteresting. The pandemic pause was the perfect occasion for the Hyatt brand to take over and make its grand comeback in Montreal; Hyatt invested $25 million to turn the place around. The result is the 354-room flagship property for a new Hyatt Place concept, delivering coworking spaces, the latest tech for business travelers, an on-site bistro, an indoor pool, and large rooms that all offer unobstructed views of the Montreal skyline (plus free breakfast and competitive rates). From $155
Le Mount Stephen Hotel includes hand-painted bathtubs perfect for soaking in after a day of sightseeing.
Courtesy of Le Mount Stephen
Le Mount Stephen Hotel
- What to expect: Vestiges of a historic private club on the left, hyper-modern Leading Hotels of the World property on the right
- Neighborhood: Golden Square Mile
- Loyalty: Leaders Club
- Book now
Did you know that there are only three Leading Hotels of the World in Canada, and one of them is in Montreal? Founded in 1926, the Mount Stephen Club was a private club that used to host the most lavish parties in the city and was located in an opulent 1883 Italian Renaissance–style mansion. While the club has since shuttered, its impressive headquarters still stand, now as part of Le Mount Stephen, which also includes a much more modern wing. Inside the luxury boutique property is a sumptuous wooden staircase, and the majestic Bar George is now the place to go for creative cocktails and classic British fare. Other pluses: top-class service and plush rooms with chromotherapy rainforest showers. From $225
The indoor saltwater pool offers gorgeous views of the Montreal skyline.
Courtesy of Ritz-Carlton Montreal
The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Montreal
- What to Expect: A très chic and timeless classic
- Neighborhood: Museum District
- Loyalty: Marriott Bonvoy
- Book now
Both local and international celebrities gather at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Montreal, whether for Sunday brunch at Maison Boulud by Daniel Boulud or to celebrate a special occasion. (Sixty years ago this March, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton got married at the hotel.) No matter why you’re there, something about this Montreal gem will make you feel important. It is indeed a special place. The Ritz offers European-inspired charm steps away from museums and historic buildings, and its 96 rooms and 33 suites are some of the largest and prettiest in the city; there’s an old-world glamor to the rooms, broken up by attention-grabbing statement wallpaper and Louis XV chairs upholstered in bright-pink fabric. Since the hotel’s opening in 1912, it has offered a popular afternoon tea service in the Palm Court, which now also houses a Dom Pérignon Champagne bar. And the service? World-class, of course. It is the Ritz, after all. From $335
Though the inspiration may be French, the rooms at the Sofitel are much bigger than the ones you’ll find in most Parisian hotels.
Courtesy of Sofitel Hotels
Sofitel Montreal Golden Mile
- What to expect: Large rooms, great restaurant, and Parisian flair
- Neighborhood: Golden Square Mile
- Loyalty: Accor Live Limitless
- Book now
Sofitel Montreal Golden Mile is probably one of the best-kept secrets in the city. A French chain, Sofitel is well established in Europe, and its Montreal location is right in the heart of the Golden Mile, a few blocks from the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. It offers a Parisian sensibility, though unlike in the City of Light, the rooms come oversized. (Also, the beds are oh-so comfy.) The views of downtown Montreal mesmerize, and the value for your money is unbeatable. Its on-site restaurant, Le Renoir, is also one of the best tables in the city, offering a French menu (bien sûr!) and, in season, one of the most attractive outdoor patios in town. Note that, as of mid-April 2024, the lobby and restaurant are being renovated. From $245
The Vogue Hotel’s chic lobby is centered around a mirrored metallic fireplace.
Courtesy of Vogue Hotel Montreal Downtown, Curio Collection by Hilton
Vogue Hotel Montreal Downtown, Curio Collection by Hilton
- What to expect: Ultra-stylish public spaces with elevated dining options
- Neighborhood: Golden Square Mile
- Loyalty: Hilton Honors
- Book now
With a name like Vogue and a setting in downtown’s boutique-filled Golden Square Mile, it’s no surprise that this newly reimagined member of the Curio Collection by Hilton is all about high style. Take, for instance, the runway-ready lobby area, which is done up with curving Venetian plastered walls and black walnut wood, conversation-starting accents like upside-down-U-shaped light fixtures, and a mirrored-bronze, suspended fireplace chimney. The 148 guest rooms and suites, meanwhile, feature slouchy, free-form seating in sherbety pastel colors and Santal 33–scented Le Labo toiletries, which smell of cardamom, iris, violet, and smoky wood. Equally stylish are chef Antonio Park’s dining options: Cafe Bazin, a French bistro with pilgrimage-worthy pastries; YAMA Bar, which serves curated sake and cocktails atop a Turkish travertine bar; and YAMA Restaurant, which has a mountain-inspired Asian menu with dishes like burrata kimchi, torched Wagyu sandos, and tteokbokki (rice cakes) with crab. From $225
Whimsical wall designs and gold accents bring the W’s signature over-the-top vibe to guest rooms.
Photo by Brandon Barre
W Montreal
- What to expect: A happening property that was the first W hotel in Canada
- Neighborhood: Financial District
- Loyalty: Marriott Bonvoy
- Book now
For decades, W Montreal was the only W property in Canada (until 2022, when Toronto got its own). The Montreal spot is still one of a kind, at the junction of Old Montreal and the Financial District, in a historic building facing the lovely Victoria Square. This has been the place to be seen since opening day. Ever evolving, the 152 rooms, restaurant, and lobby have been revamped, and an outdoor patio has opened, serving innovative cocktails and delicious food. This W hits all the right notes—playful yet thoughtful—and the location couldn’t be better. From $220
The hotel’s hot tub is a great place to relax on even the coldest of Canadian winter days.
Photo by Pascal Proulx
Warwick Le Crystal – Montreal
- What to expect: A convenient location and a sprawling wellness area with an indoor saltwater pool
- Neighborhood: Golden Square Mile
- Loyalty: Warwick Journeys
- Book now
Just a five-minute walk from the Bell Centre—the home of the Montreal Canadiens—this convenient boutique hotel is right in the thick of it, and all 131 rooms are either suites (equipped with kitchenettes) or even grander penthouse suites, which include expanded kitchens, workspaces, and outdoor terraces. The hotel is home to the Siam Downtown, a sister restaurant to one of the city’s best Thai restaurants, and on the 12th floor, you can find an indoor saltwater pool, a Swedish-style sauna, a spa with seven private treatment cabins, and an outdoor hot tub that’s perhaps even more enjoyable when you’re surrounded by snow. From $200
This story originally published in 2022. It was most recently on March 27, 2024, to include current information.
