Help - Best Places to Stay/dine/see in Montreal
 

I am traveling with 2 friends to Montreal from May 26-28. I am unsure of where to stay or what to dine or see, although the first two are of primary concern right now. Does anyone have suggestions on:

1) Where to stay: Old Town, Downtown, or Plateu? Also, where on the map are these areas?

2) Which hotels are the best? Each of us would like a bed and some luxury, but are also looking for reasonable prices. :)

3) What restaurants provide the best culinary delights?

4) What are the "can't miss" things to see?

5) Does anyone know of good blues/jazz clubs?

Thank you!

3)

Check out the Hotel XIX Siecle for a nice hotel and moderate rtes.
For dinner Bonaparte was superb. Have fun, it is a great city.

We loved the Auberge Sans Soucy in the Old Port. I would say either there or The Plateau.

It is a culinary heaven! I would absolutely recommend Brunoise and Garde Manger. Brunoise being more of a "destination" but Garde Manger is fun, hip and in the Old Port.

All three of the areas you mentioned have their pros and cons, and you would probably be happy with any of them.
Old Town is very charming but touristy and somewhat isolated from the rest of the city. Lots of nice, small hotels, a little on the pricey side. Old town is near the waterfront.
Downtown is very cosmopolitan, and feels a little like Manhattan with a French twist.It is centered around St Catherine Street and McGill University. Lots of big department stores, crowds of well dressed working people hurrying around during the day. Lots of big hotels. Crescent Street is the liveliest part of downtown for nightlife.
The Plateau is the most European and ethnic area, with lots of small shops and cafes, and many byob restaurants. It roughly lies within St Laurent to Papaneu, and from Sherbrooke up to Mt Royal. Not too many big hotels, but many small ones and lots of b&b's. This is my favorite part of the city to stay.
There is a very well known jazz club downtown on Almyer near the Delta Hotel - it used to be Biddles, but has recently changed it's name. Check out the 'Hour' and the Mirror' for other music happenings. There are many small clubs along St Laurent and St Denis that feature live music.
Things not to miss are Notre Dame basilica, the view from the to of Mt. Royal,a boat ride on the river, and just strolling around the Plateau on a warm evening. The Botanical Gardens are also amazing if you enjoy nature.

Thank you for your suggestions, and if anyone has anymore, keep them coming!

You definitely have to try Marche Movenpick. It is a different type of experience from your usual sit down or buffet restaurant. We definitely enjoyed it while we were in Montreal. It is in the Place Ville Marie.

As for where to stay, we stayed at the Le Centre Sheraton. We thought it was a nice hotel, as well as convenient to the places we wanted to go, including the Metro.

Lord_Mesron, Marche Movenpick has been closed for more than a year. Too bad, it was very handy, especially at odd hours

Hi. We just got home from Montreal--had a great time. We stayed at the Omni downtown and were very satisfied. Their concierge service was outstanding. If you register for their Select Guest program--no charge--they will upgrade your room if an upgrade is available and will deliver coffee to your room each morning. A good deal if you are an addict as I am. We paid $169/night, plus tax, with two free nights on points. Close to the Metro, an important consideration.

We had excellent meals at L'Express, Au Pied de Cochon, and L'Entrecote St. Jean. The first two are in the Plateau area and the third is downtown about a block from our hotel.

We stopped in at a club in the Plateau called Quai des Brumes on Rue St Denis. They have music seven nights a week. They call themselves a jazz club but it seems more like a mix. Very friendly crowd.

As far as "can't miss" things to see: I liked wandering the Plateau area, getting lost in the underground city one day when we had bad weather, and the view of the city from the top of Mount Royal. There are four walking tours outlined on Frommer's, we printed them out and brought them along. We didn't try them all but they were good background reading none the less.

I hope that helps. Have a great time. It's a wonderful city.

My wife and I will be in Montreal, too in about a month. Is it better to drive around the city or take the Metro? Do they sell passes where you can take unlimited rides for a number of days?

thanks, Lucas

The metro is fabulous! I was there in the early stages of recuperating from a foot fracture so walking was difficult. We hopped on and off the buses and took the metro everywhere. It was quite easy. For far flung places we took cabs if need be.

I recommend the Botanical Garden as a site to visit. It's lovely and easily accessed by the metro.

Lucas,

There are tourist passes of 1 and 3 days for the bus and metro. See here for more details

http://www.stm.info/English/info/a-cartet.htm

JQ

Thanks, JQ! We'll definitely getting that! I've always belived that walking and taking public transportation is the way to do it to know a city.