PHOTO: https://www.facebook.com/HotelPUR/

Fodor's Expert Review Hotel PUR, Quebec, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel

Name: Hotel PUR, Quebec, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel
Address: 395 rue de la Couronne, St-Roch, Québec City, Québec, G1K 7X4, Canada
Telephone: 418-647–2611
Price range: $$$

395 rue de la Couronne, St-Roch, Québec City, Québec, G1K 7X4, Canada See on Map

Joanne Latimer

For choosy travelers with an image to maintain, this ultrachic boutique hotel is worthy of your designer luggage. Recently renovated, it reclaimed its place in the hipster’s handbook.

Ask for a room with a view of the church. It’s magical.

room

Economical bordering on sparse, the rooms have a space-age crispness of design. Gigantic windows allow commanding city views. There are Scandi-style desks tucked behind the beds, lots of power plugs and pillows--plus a mini fridge. The walls now sport a mural of an artist’s rendering of the cityscape. Nice Herringbone carpet!

YOU SHOULD KNOW Not everyone will warm to the cool, contemporary aesthetic of the rooms. The dark hallways (is that black paint?) are a bit gloomy.

bathroom

Clean and sleek, the bathroom sports high-end Pharmacopia products. Try the Verbena body lotion. The square sinks sit on the counter. Some rooms have glassed-in showers and therapy tubs. The floors aren’t heated so keep your socks on.

lobby

The lobby is quirky, with a strange allocation of space. It’s, um, kidney-shaped? But it sets the tone for the rooms, meaning it’s uber contemporary.

pool

Swimmers love the clean, five-lap pool. It’s not a frolicking pool so much as a serious pool for people who want to get their laps done for the day. It’s best to keep a tight leash on the kids.

dining

Called simply Table, the restaurant on site is great for people watching. Long communal tables and bar-bulb lights feel chic and hip. It turns into a casual bar at night.

YOU SHOULD KNOW The contemporary décor may not loosen up anyone who doesn’t “dig” the minimal chic thing.

LOCATION

Getting Around

Avail yourself of the underground parking to avoid a ticket for parking (badly) on the street. Then, you can walk everywhere with little effort. Old Quebec City is not far, slightly up-hill. The route is peppered with historic buildings and sights.

Restaurants

Le Clocher Panché (7-minute walk) is where to go for a fun night in a casual bistro--even on Sunday.

Bars

The new hot spot is La Champagnerie (5-minute walk), for bubbly by the glass and classy appetizers.

WHY WE LIKE IT

Despite the Zen-like austerity, there's a high comfort factor, thanks to plush bedding and the rooms' capacity for high-tech gadgetry. Too bad the floors in the bathroom weren’t heated during the recent renovation. However, there’s a lap pool and a hip vibe in the lobby and bar. Saint-Roch is close enough to Old Quebec to be convenient, yet far enough away to provide a live-like-a-local experience.