Heather Whipps

Travel Professional,

Rank: 113

Montreal, Canada.

Age: 24-35

Sofitel Montreal
(Montreal - Accommodations)

Sofitel is the whole package!

Sofitel Montreal is the whole package. I visited this newish hotel in October of 2008 and it was love at first sight. The Sofitel smells good – seriously – and its design really celebrates Montreal, in little ways and big, like the huge colorful rug filled with hockey scenes in the lobby. Not what you’d expect from a chic downtown hotel, but it works. Everyone is also extremely friendly and helpful in that refined way. This is the place where you’d imagine a stylish European jetsetter would stay in Montreal.

Heather Whipps

Travel Professional,

Rank: 113

Montreal, Canada.

Age: 24-35

Places D'Armes Hotel & Suites
(Montreal - Accommodations)

Request a room high up to get the best views...

I didn’t get a chance to stay at Le Place d’Armes, unfortunately, but took a tour in September/08. For something like girls weekend or romantic couples getaway, this would be the perfect spot. Place d’Armes is in a great location at the edge of the Old Port, so you’re walking distance to pretty much anywhere downtown. There’s lots of nightlife in the area, but you’re also treated to one of the best bars in town right at the hotel – Suite 701, which has a terrace open in the summer with great views in all directions. When it comes to the rooms, request something a little higher up to get the best views of the area.

Heather Whipps

Travel Professional,

Rank: 113

Montreal, Canada.

Age: 24-35

Pierre du Calvet
(Montreal - Accommodations)

I can see some people loving it and others, not so much.

It’s tough to rate this unique spot. I can see some people (couples wanting romance, history lovers, etc.) LOVING it, and others (trendy youngsters, techies, etc.), not so much. I visited Pierre du Calvet in early 2009 and got lost in the history and ambiance of the place, with its really old, woody feeling and fantasyland kind of layout. You really do feel like you’re transported back to another time, especially given its location, which is perfect for someone that wants to spend time wandering around the old city. I wouldn’t recommend it for the winter though, when the area really slows down, or for anyone who really loves the modern look, because this is the exact opposite!

Heather Whipps

Travel Professional,

Rank: 113

Montreal, Canada.

Age: 24-35

Opus Hotel
(Montreal - Accommodations)

Opus fills the boutique niche in a coveted area.

I stayed here back in late 2006, when Opus was still the Hotel Godin. Besides painting some walls, though, the Opus design team kept much of the (very cool) scheme the same, including its concrete ceilings, swirly marbled lobby and slightly retro feel. Overall, this hotel fills a very badly needed niche for boutique accommodations outside of Old Montreal, and with gusto — its coveted spot on the corner of Sherbrooke and St. Laurent boulevards couldn’t really get more convenient for partiers or business people. I’m now itching to try its two resto-bars, especially the new Koko which, if the atmosphere matches the super funky look, could become a star in its own right on St. Laurent.

Heather Whipps

Travel Professional,

Rank: 113

Montreal, Canada.

Age: 24-35

Hotel Nelligan
(Montreal - Accommodations)

The first you notice is the cool, homey lobby atrium.

I was duly impressed by the Nelligan when I visited (with no overnight stay) in September, 2008. The first thing you notice about the hotel is its cool, homey downstairs area, which includes the atrium — a great spot for an after-work drink. Rooms were on the softer, but high quality side. It’s probably because the Nelligan caters to an “older” crowd…say 35 and up. This feels like the place to stay when you have money, but are over that showy stage and just want to get the best for your top dollar. Ps – if you’re there in the summer, don’t miss the chance to have a drink on the very happening Sky Terrace.

Heather Whipps

Travel Professional,

Rank: 113

Montreal, Canada.

Age: 24-35

Cafe Titanic
(Montreal - Restaurants)

Fresh and hearty fare, plus cool communal dining.

I’ve been to Titanic many times over the years, and I’ve yet to order something that disappointed. Everything is so fresh and so hearty, which is a treat considering its relaxed cafeteria style. I love the way the restaurant is laid out so that you may share a big table with strangers – don’t worry, you get used to it – and it feels like you’ve invaded a friend’s big, warm dining room. The only knock I would give it is that many of the sandwiches, which could easily be split with a friend, are so big that they’re a bit hard to eat.

Heather Whipps

Travel Professional,

Rank: 113

Montreal, Canada.

Age: 24-35

Olive & Gourmando
(Montreal - Restaurants)

A taste of la vraie Montreal!

This is one of my favourite spots in Montreal – one of those places that I’d take anyone visiting from out of town for a taste, literally and otherwise, of la vraie Montreal. I’ve tasted many of the sandwiches here (try the grain-fed chicken) and the baked goodies, of course! A word to the wise: definitely share the super-indulgent butterscotch pecan square with a friend. Though this place can get really busy, you’re never more than 10 minutes between hunger and tasty satisfaction.

Heather Whipps

Travel Professional,

Rank: 113

Montreal, Canada.

Age: 24-35

Les Trois Petit Bouchons
(Montreal - Restaurants)

It was the perfect choice for a cold winter night.

I ventured to LTPB with a few girlfriends and high hopes in early 2009, having heard such great things about the place, and wasn’t disappointed. Besides the amazing food, which I could go on about, the coolest part was how it felt so relaxed there – a bit like you were at a dinner party of a really knowledgeable, foodie friend. All our servers (and we saw 4 or 5 in total) were dressed casual but clearly knew their stuff, especially about the wine. They recommended several really good choices to go along with the food, and always kept those glasses filled! My kind of place! It was the perfect choice for a cold winter night.

If it’s still on the menu when you go, I would recommend the duck salad. The only real disappointment of the night was the rice pudding (my favorite, usually), which was supposed to be flavored with sweet white chocolate but tasted more like a tiny, savory risotto, served hot and cheesy. Weird. I think we still ate it anyways though.

Heather Whipps

Travel Professional,

Rank: 113

Montreal, Canada.

Age: 24-35

Hotel Le St. James
(Montreal - Accommodations)

Check out the cool underground spa room.

For a hotel that’s only been open a few years, Hotel Le St. James feels like it’s been around forever. Maybe it’s the fancy antiques or the unfailingly old-world service. I’ve never stayed at Le St. James, but visited recently, and was as impressed as the hotel’s reputation implied I might be. Stuffed with art, gilded in gold, lacquered in heavy wood and twinkly chandeliers, admittedly, Le St. James might not be the modern hipster’s cup of afternoon tea style-wise, but I don’t know anyone who wouldn’t feel just a little bit royal walking around here. Check out the cool underground spa room, which is walled with portions of the city’s original fortifications.

Heather Whipps

Travel Professional,

Rank: 113

Montreal, Canada.

Age: 24-35

Hotel le Germain
(Montreal - Accommodations)

Le Germain is very refined.

I visited Le Germain in late 2008 and went for a tour but, sadly, didn’t have a chance to stay. If I did, I’m not sure I would have ever wanted to check out. This hotel is the way you wish your apartment looked and felt, with cool (but not flashy) interiors, good music always playing in the background and apples (everywhere!) to both decorate and munch on in times of snacking need. Despite the odd bits of playfulness, Le Germain is very refined — perfect for visiting corporate travelers who need to be in the area, but also pretty sexy. When the concierge told me that the hotel was recently voted one of the best places to make babies, I couldn’t have agreed more.

Heather Whipps

Travel Professional,

Rank: 113

Montreal, Canada.

Age: 24-35

Hotel Le Crystal
(Montreal - Accommodations)

What I remember most is the spa, which was stunning.

I wasn’t sure what to expect with this new hotel, which is kind of in an odd spot in the middle of the business area (though very close to the shopping!). When I visited in November 2008, it was very busy, with cocktails and meetings going on and lots of people in the restaurant. What I remember most is the spa, which was stunning. The rooms were some of the biggest I’ve seen anywhere, if not a bit bland in design and fit with all the bells and whistles. Maybe not the most unique of hotels, but what it does it seems to do very well. I can definitely picture a businessperson on a long-term stay feeling very comfortable at Le Crystal.