Hotel in Montreal
 

Just returned from a 3 night stay at AUBERGE VIEUX DU PORT,in the old city. supposedly considered by Fodors as one of the top 20 hotels in the World. Maybe if you like hangers that you cannot remove, air conditioning controlled by the front desk, an attempt to put you on a low floor, when you book a high floor. And then, when you complain, they suddenly find a room on the high floor that just magically appears. Hard to believe that this hotel is any more then a quaint inn with perhaps 2-3 stars. Not (4)stars. By the way, their famous restaurant wouldn't last a month in New York with the poor service and constant mixups, not to mention that wonderful (sic) French attitude/

I can't believe that Fodors can consider this as one of the world's top 20 hotels. As the OP says, it's a pleasant inn (I'd give it 3 stars) but no more than that. I'd certainly stay there again, but I wouldn't expect it to be a deluxe hotel.

My experience with the restaurant (Les Remparts), however, differs, and I found it quite good. However, that was four or five years ago and a lot can change in the meantime. I'm not sure what bellowslane means by the "wonderful" French attitude.

Laverandrye, of course you know what she meant by typical French attitude. The fact that this poster even mentions comparisons with New York reflects much ignorance and is typical of the American attitude that what's at home is always the best. This person apparently has nothing better to do than to whine; poor her (or him!).

Anyone who mentions hangers that you can't remove as a complaint, loses credibility in my book.

I agree that this is not a 4 star hotel though.

Find me the place where fodors lists it at the tp 20 in the world, that's a mistake.

I also have no idea why Fodor's would consider Auberge du Vieux Port one of the world's best--it's nice enough, but not even close to that league. However, I had to read the comment about "French attitude" twice to make sure I was seeing right. Usually the posters on this board don't drag along that kind of prejudice. You can only hope that they were not pre-judging their guests as the American stereotype of obnoxious hicks, unable even to hold a knife and fork correctly.

Funny, I'm a New Yorker, and most of my dining experiences in Montreal have been MUCH BETTER than my NYC dining experiences.

In NYC, all they're thinking about is rushing you out of the place so that they can turn the table over...rush, rush, rush...

Poor bellows must have a hard life ...

Bellowslane...I know how you feel.
My wife & I speak passable French.
We love French culture & visit Quebec or France every few years.

The majority of our experiences have been wonderful...but every now & then you meet the stereotypical rude French person. I don't think it is cultural but individual.

On our last trip we lodged at the Hotel Mont Gabriel, Ste. Adele, Quebec, on the way to Mt. Tremblant.
We reserved a "Tyrol" mountain/valley view room. They gave us a parking lot view in the old wing.
The conversation with the manager turned into an extended agrument which lasted over an hour as they kept showing us everything except what we had reserved. We would not recommend this hotel, as despite good amenities the management prefers French Canadiens, then other Canadians, somewhere down the line are Americans.

JSM

I'm amused but not surprised by the remarks of some of the posters (e.g. "wonderful French attitude", "stereotypical rude French"}that Québec culture and French culture are one and the same. They're not, and haven't been for a long time. French Canada developed down a very path from France, and while there are many similarities, there are just as many between Britain and the United States, for example. There is a common language, but Québecois is very different in pronunciation and to a lesser extent in vocabulary from that spoken in France. The culture, while different from English-speaking Canada and the rest of North America, is still North American and not French, in the same way that English-Canadian culture, while heavily influenced by Britain (even more so than Quebec's is by France) is very different from Britain.

If you are interested in learning how France and the French are different from Québec and the rest of French Canada, read "Sixty Million Frenchmen Can't Be Wrong" by Jean-Benoît Nadeau and Julie Barlow, two Canadian journalists, or if you read French, Nadeau's "Les Français Aussi Ont un Accent."

As jmaldonado noted, rudeness is an individual, not a cultural thing, and so, I suppose, is incompetence. Why I've even encountered both in New York, of all places.

JSM has offered this story in two threads. In this, left out is the most important detail that the reservation was not made directly with the inn, but through a third-party vendor, Hotels.com, which has a reputation for problems reservations.

We stayed in loft 806 owned by the AUBERGE VIEUX DU PORT. Ate in the Hotel etc. I agree with none of the negative comments. Lovely place, lovely people. French attitude? I found a lot of Anglophones work there? Anglophone with a French attitude HMMMM. Again I agree with none of the negative Comments. I do not doubt the less desirable room assigning scam, it is universal. I encountered it in the Chateau (Castle) in Ottawa and promptly got my room via - yea right - wrong answer - give me my room with a view. Any experienced traveler knows that gig. Experience travelers also know that hotel staff get very low pay and it is amazing that they treat travelers as well as they do, especially when we are tantrum prone pains in the ... The breakfast was awesome. PS I am an American. An American with out the stereotype attitude. Great place-loved it. How many stars? I reference Niagara Falls and the drive on Lundy’s Lane strip. All inclusive progression from the supposed best stars (5?) to real bad negative 5oo stars. AUBERGE VIEUX DU PORT is near or on the top. No regrets for me.

Hi sobolik,

I love Montreal and the Old City too! Just wondering what you were charged per night for Loft 806. Was it beautiful?

Many thanks,
Betty (NYC)

3 Nights was bumping up against $1000.00 at the final bill with parking etc. I love to save money but Montreal - with 3 women - Old City out the front door etc. No regrets. Beautiful it was. Happy to spend it on my Wife and kids. I could find plenty to complain about just give me a topic and I can complain with the best. To be fair and honest though I have nothing to complain about for this property. I would prefer it for free but ...

Wow. for $1,000, you could have rented a loft there for one month!

Please let me know the name of the Old city loft for one month for $1000. I will try to return asap. I know I could have bought one the one I looked into for $400,000

"The culture, while different from English-speaking Canada and the rest of North America, is still North American and not French..."

Laverendrye, you got me thinking about what "North American culture" might be exactly and how Quebec might or might not apply. The influence of big chain stores, suburbanization, megamalls and Hollywood in Quebec IMO being prevalent on other continents (Australia, Europe) I think comes under more "global capitalist Westernized culture" and is not "North American" per se. Also, given the strength of the homegrown film/television industry and other grass-roots cultural influences here, I think Quebec does come off as distinct.

Thinking about aspects that make unite the province uniquely with the rest of North America, the things that struck me are the presence of an NHL sports franchise (and formerly in baseball, the Expos), the accent with which Quebeckers who speak English well often speak, perhaps the popularity of burgers/fries/pizza (although is this so different from say Australia?), the presence of the (often very different culturally) First Nations populations and being part of a continent that was colonized by French/Spanish/English in the last several hundred years. Throw Mexico into the North American picture and only the last two points in my mind could be considered uniquely "North American" culturally.

DAN

Egads !!!! simplify folks !!! Too much emphasis on differences .... I'm a scot/english/irish/whatever bloke from l'il ole P.E.I. , married to a " Quebecois Pure Laine " living in Montreal , 7 years in Quebec city , with 2 completely bilingual children ..... Don't search for all the differences .

I find the personal attacks by many of the replies to be quite amusing and shows a total lack of travel understanding. A top 20 hotel is self explanatory. For the price Auberge charges, any savy traveler expects their own A/C controls, modern hangers, turn down service without asking, and a top restaurant that functions well. Our reservation was lost, the wrong dish was served, and I could go on and on. Why attack the messenger? You are all acting towards me in the same way the French Canadian hotel people acted towards my complaints, which I might add, were made politely and in a dignified manner. Don't tell me to be savy when I am offered a low floor room after I booked a high floor. Even if we know it is done, the hotel is at fault, not this writer. I have been working in France for 30 years and believe I know what French attitude can be like. Excuse me for ruffling those feathers..

I think it was the last sentence of your O.P. that "ruffled feathers " (not actual complaints about the hotel)..... The New York , French Attitude thing . You might have lived in France for 30 yrs. , but this is Canada .