Help! I only have 3 nights/2 days in Montreal. Should I eat at Toque! or Caprices de Nicholas? (They both sound great.) Which are the best clubs for dancing to progressive house/electronica/80s mixes? Where are the boutiques with the trendiest Canadian fashion designers (women's clothes)? Any tips would be appreciated! Also, has anyone done the speed or jet boat rides on the Lachine Rapids?? THANKS!!!

I would pick Toque although I have never eaten at Caprices but we thought we would and decided to eat at Toque again instead.
Aside from my favorite store in Montreal-Holt Renfew-there are a zillion boutiques on St Catherine and in Westmount and all along St Denis. Montreal is a great shopping town!
Just wander the Underground shopping and the Ailes shopping area..I got so many great things last fall!
Have fun!

Thanks alot, Scarlett! If any other must-see or must-do places come to mind, let me know...Betty

Betty,
type Montreal into the text search box and every post on Montreal will come up. There have been numerous postings about restaurants and shopping. I must admit many of those posts are mine, as I love to shop and eat in Montreal
Pick out some then post back if you have questions, see what appeals to you.
Have fun~

Hi Scarlett,

Toque! was superb! Also discovered a new, smoke-free, BYOB restaurant "Restaurant Les Infideles" that we really liked. Didn't make it to Holt's department store, and we found Ogilvy's to be a little stuffy, but loved the home furnishing store CABAN and the Canadian designer DUBUC makes unique & sexy clothes!! Want to return next August. Where do you usually stay when you're in Montreal?
Best wishes, Betty

Hi Betty!
I am so glad that you liked Toque. Isn't it pretty?
Ogilvies is a little stuffy but I like their handbags and cosmetics and the Mac shop..
For the past three years we have stayed at the Le Germain. If we ever change hotels, I will try the Sofitel on Sherbrook.
We also like going in the fall~

Watch out for Holt Renfrew--they overcharge and they tell you there is no duty as a selling point but there is duty on everything in the store since they are no longer covered by the NAFTA treaty. Olgilvy's is much more honest and is the store the women in Montreal prefer. Simon's is also very good--it's less expensive and much more trendy. Have fun!

Duty fees has to do with your country of residence; they are the ones who decide what you pay on what, what you are entitled to. No store should advise you on that.

dreamybeach,You just had a bad experience with HR..Not ALL women in Montreal prefer Ogilvys! It is nice but not on the same level as HR and if you can afford it, Holt Renfrew is a lovely place to shop and have lunch.

Hey guys, I've shopped all over the world and the sales people in the better stores are quite reliable--especially when they say something is duty free! This is why this experience with Holts was such a surprise. And, the FedEx agent who has to call US residents about the duty they have to pay after the fact told me that this happens very very often to Americans who shop at Holts. Holts attracts more foreigners than Olgilvy's does--according to their executives--and while I am sure some women in Montreal prefer Holts, I do know a large number of professional women who live in Montreal and none of them do. Now, I have a first hand experience which allows me to understand why and I thought it worthwhile to share it! Maybe Holt's "level" needs some rethinking. Maybe the clothes they have under their labels are not actually made in Canada so the US government believes they are not duty free. I spoke with a US Customs investigator and he said my situation was a type of semi-fraud. A store whose sales force misrepresents the true cost of goods to US citizens is not chic!