Trip Advisor – Certificate of Excellence 2013
Prior to visiting Montreal, my biggest challenge was deciding whether to stay in Downtown Montreal or Old (Vieux) Montreal. Bars, nightlife, shopping, and restaurants are just a few keywords that encapsulate the area of Downtown Montreal, whereas cobblestone streets, cafes, French restaurants, and buggy rides epitomize the area of Old Montreal. Which one’s better? Well, that depends on what you like to do. My personal favorite was Downtown Montreal since there were other cuisines to choose from aside from French, in addition to there is more to do during the evening hours.
Old Montreal is quite small, cultural, and would appeal to families as well as those looking for a romantic getaway. On the other hand, Downtown Montreal is more modern, lively, and would most definitely appeal to singles as well as those looking for some nightlife. That’s the best I can sum it up.
Once I narrowed down the location, deciding on a hotel was the next challenge. With so many good hotels in the vicinity to choose from, I finally decided on the Le St-Martin Hôtel based on its proximity to Rue Saint Catherine and Rue Saint Crescent, beautiful luxury rooms, and overall value. Aside from a few issues mentioned below, my husband and I enjoyed a wonderful stay at this tasteful boutique hotel.
Lobby & Fireplace
Breakfast A La Carte… part of our hotel rate at restaurant L’Aromate
Grand Lux Room Entrance
Comfortable Bed w/Down Comforter
Grand Lux Room w/Fireplace
Love the sliding shutter doors between the bathroom and bedroom, fyi… you can close them, but they aren’t sound proof.
Bathroom w/standup shower, tub, & flat screen TV
Double Sink
Tub 
Other Details
LOCATION
980 Boulevard de Maisonneuve West
Montreal, Quebec H3A 1M5
(downtown – 1 block from Saint Catherine)
WEBSITE
Le St-Martin Hotel
RECOMMENDED STAY in Montreal
3 to 4 nights
VERDICT: 4 / 5
This lovely boutique hotel is close to Rue Saint Catherine and Rue Saint Crescent, hence it is the perfect location for shopping, dining, and clubbing. The spacious rooms are contemporary and have a warm and cozy feel. The bathrooms are spacious, but only certain rooms have a stand up shower – make sure you read the details prior to booking. We walked into the room to sounds of soft classical music playing, this was a really nice touch since I am a fan of classical music.
My issues…
1. The walls are too thin. Despite being on the highest floor, you can hear doors slamming. The sound of the AC/Fan blocked out the noise at night.
2. The customer service is okay, by this I mean the service at the front desk is not particularly welcoming, but very matter of fact. Having said that, I found the bellboys to be much more friendly, attentive, and helpful than the folks at the reservation desk.
3. The service at the restaurant where I ate breakfast each morning was painfully slow. Now although the restaurant at the hotel is under a different management, I did eat breakfast at the restaurant, and so I need to mention this. The restaurant next door seems short-staffed during breakfast hours. We waited almost 10 to 15 minutes just for our “first” cup of coffee, every morning. Additionally, the Brioche Banana Bread that was on the menu was sold out each day, and yes I showed up for breakfast ½ an hour prior to closing, but still. Apparently, everyone wants Brioche Banana Bread for breakfast in Montreal, and I’m thinking if it is so popular, just make a little extra.
Aside from the issues mentioned above, overall I was extremely happy with my stay at Le St-Martin. The room was spacious, cozy, and comfortable, and not to mention the unbeatable location in Downtown.
Pros:
Centrally Located in Downtown – 1 block to Saint Catherine and 3 blocks to Saint Crescent.
Old Montreal – 20-30 minute walk or $12 CAD one way cab ride.
Warm & Cozy Lobby w/Fireplace.
Beautiful Comfortable Rooms.
Spacious Rooms & Bathrooms.
Keurig Coffeemaker
Hear Classical Music upon walking into the room.
Room w/Fireplace, although we didn’t use it summertime.
Cordial and Helpful Bellboys.
Complimentary Wifi.
Cons:
Walls too thin.
Nonchalant Front Desk Staff.
Service at restaurant for breakfast is painfully slow.
Location: Excellent | Value: Excellent | Sleep Quality: Good | Rooms: Very Nice | Service: Average
Other Good Options:
Sofitel Montreal Golden Mile (downtown)
Le Germain Montreal (downtown)
TELL ME: Have you been to Montreal? If so, where did you stay? Do you recommend staying in Downtown or Old Montreal?
Akila says
Nice review on the hotel... Hope it would help people who decides to stay there...
honeywhatscooking says
Thanks Akila.. hope so too, hence the review. 🙂
Khushboo says
You lost me at brioche banana bread ;)! Er yum! I'm thinking you need to get experimental in your kitchen to make up for not being able to eat it there! Great review, Nisha! When I visited Montreal, I stayed at my friend's apartment, who was studying at the time in McGill!
honeywhatscooking says
I know.. so annoying that they ran out. I know, I need to make it soon. Thanks K... it's always nice staying with a local, you really get a sense of the city.
Ameena says
So service in Canada is slow in general, at least in my experience. They are not in a hurry there...unlike in the US. Also, Montreal is just not the friendliest city, even my Montreal-born mom confirms this.
What a gorgeous hotel. Sorry about the banana bread, but when I move to NYC later this month Maya and I will make you our version. I think you are going to love it!
honeywhatscooking says
Really... I just assumed it was like the US - prompt and friendly. I didn't know that about Montreal, but I also don't think Paris is a friendly city, so perhaps the connection.
It is a nice hotel.. aside from the issues.. cozy and comfy. Lol.. I would love to try your version, the one at the hotel was 'brioche' - have to google it. 🙂
Frederic Aouad @ Le St-Martin Hotel Particulier says
Thank you very much for choosing Le St-Martin Montreal and taking the time to share your experiences with your community.
Overall we are happy to read you enjoyed your stay at our establishment and rest assured we will re-visit procedures and training regarding the service you received both at our Front Desk and our restaurant.
We always cherish guest feedback as we continuously strive to improve the experiences we offer.
Thanks again for choosing Le St-Martin, and we look forward to hosting you again soon!
Best,
honeywhatscooking says
Hello Fred.. thank you for your comment. Much appreciated. I was truly happy with my stay at your hotel.. I wish I had a chance to try the Brioche Banana Bread, but next time. I look forward to visiting again. Thank you!
Parita says
What a gorgeous room! I love that they use down comforters! And I would have been irritated with the slow service as well, since that is part of what you pay for! Great review, N!
honeywhatscooking says
Thanks P.. it was, so cozy, it reminds me of home, it felt like home. I love down comforters, eventhough it was summertime, I blasted the AC. Yeah, service is important, it wasn't bad at all, but it wasn't over the top. Thanks!
Georgia | The Comfort of Cooking says
Oh, I LOVE a cushy, plush hotel room and that one is just gaw-geous! I want to go to Montreal more than ever!
honeywhatscooking says
Thanks Georgia... me too! It is a pretty room.. my husband said the room looks so much better in the photos, I guess when you're there after a while you forget about the nice room. It's a nice city to visit.. yeah it's a plane ride for you, but it's worth it. 🙂
Joanne says
Sounds like a lovely place (minus the service issues!)
honeywhatscooking says
Thanks Joanne... it was a really nice hotel, the service wasn't bad, but wasn't friendly. I guess some cities are just like that.
Guru Uru says
Such a cosy gorgeous room, I am jealous of the luxury 😀
Cheers
CCU
honeywhatscooking says
Thanks.. I love cozy and pretty rooms.
Kiran @ KiranTarun.com says
The room is so plushy and gorgeous!! Hate it when it comes with service issues.
honeywhatscooking says
Thanks Kiran... I thought so too. Service wasn't bad, but wasn't amazing.. it was okay. 🙂
Doris C. Graham says
Wow.I love bedroom.It really luxurious.Space of hotel not so large.It creates a warm.Besides all the others room in the hotel are very beautyful.