PHOTO: http://www.cafekrieghoff.qc.ca/petit-hotel/

Fodor's Expert Review Café Krieghoff Petit Hotel

Name: Café Krieghoff Petit Hotel
Price range: $$$

Joanne Latimer

Sitting snug over a café, this small hotel is a treasure. Breakfast is included, along with friendly staff and the privacy you usually expect from an Air B&B.

YOU SHOULD KNOW Outside, there’s a narrow metal staircase that must be mounted before reaching the front door, located on the second floor. Arrange for the door code before your arrival.

room

Soundproofed and renovated, the seven rooms have en suites, dark wood floors, desks and fluffy white bedding. The decor is a bit safe (read: boring), but tasteful.

YOU SHOULD KNOW There are no rooms with king-sized beds--only queens and singles. Plus, there are only seven rooms, so book early.

bathroom

In a word, small. Let’s add two more words: underwhelming and simple. However, they’re clean and well appointed.

lobby

There isn’t much of a lobby, really. Once you mount the stairs to the second floor, you use a digital keypad to enter the upstairs building. That leads to the rooms. However, there is a second-floor terrace to stop and collect yourself before entering.

dining

Breakfast is included in the Café Krieghoff downstairs, featuring pastries and warm breads, juices and strong coffee. Locals mingle freely with guests. Both prefer to sit on the front terrace.

LOCATION

Getting Around

Cartier Avenue is in the Quartier Montcalm—or Montcalm district. It’s crisscrossed with bus routes, so ask locals how to get around and they'll point you to the right bus stop. The hotel has no parking lot, so guests have to look for public spaces. Be careful, because you may have to move your car frequently throughout the day, even if you park on side streets.

Restaurants

Café Sirocco (5-minute walk) will never let you down for a fun night of tapas and other Mediterranean cuisine.

Bars

Right across the street from the hotel, there’s Le Jules et Jim (2-minute walk), a bar revered for its cinematic décor, selection of Quebecois beer and it scotch menu. It has been attracting arty locals for over 30 years.

WHY WE LIKE IT

Summer in Canada is all about sitting on a terrace, and Petit Hotel Krieghoff has a two-story terrace with signature red umbrellas. The terrace looks onto bustling Cartier Avenue, known for its vibrant local shopping and dining. When the hotel renovated a few years ago, it promoted itself from an auberge to a boutique hotel, but that’s a stretch. The rooms are serviceable and fresh, but let’s not get carried away. After all, there are no king-sized beds. Still, this hotel puts you right in the action of daily life in Montcalm.