Recent reviews Montréal
[magdadh, 14/11/2010] The whole area of Old Montreal is pretty good, and the same applies to the bit by the St Lawrence river, near the Science Centre. It's here that parts of the old port have been turned into a shipping skansen of sorts, not really a proper museum but not a scrapyard either, with old, rusty ships moored by the quay, looking part desolate and abandoned, part picturesque, as so many things in Montreal do in fact.
It's only a short walk from the main drag of Old Montreal, and stone's throw from city's remarkable Pointe-à-Callière museum.
[magdadh, 14/11/2010] Pointe-a-Calliere is Montreal's history and archaeology museum, a relatively new (less than 20 years old) but already well established institution located in a modern building designed by Eperon in Place Royale, in an area occupied previously by a customs' house. The original building suffered structural problems and was demolished to make room for a parking lot in the 50s'! The excavated foundations of the customs' house now form the largest part of the lowest level of the Pointe-a-Calliere. But there is more to Pointe-a-Calliere. It's in the exact spot where the first European colonists set
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[magdadh, 14/11/2010] We stayed one night in the Jazz Hotel after travelling from Toronto to Montreal. The hotel is located within five minutes walk from Berri-UCAM Metro station and in the lively if somehow shabby Latin Quarter, within walking distance of Old Montreal and China Town (as well as the red light district). It's not the smartest of locations but not bad either, and very central.
What matters, though, is what's inside. Jazz, despite having "hotel" in its name is really a Bed and Breakfast, and does not operate 24 hour reception, but the owners / staff are available 24 hours a day only a buzzer call away
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[magdadh, 14/11/2010] We visited the Insectarium as part of a joint trip with the Biodome and the Botanic Gardens. It's a medium-sized museum dedicated to insects in all format and sizes (there is a small arachnids' gallery too). There are live insects, from giant cockroaches to stick insects to bees as well as very many dead ones (particularly a wonderful collection of butterflies) pinned in cases, divided into various regions of the world.
I was particularly impressed by the exhibition space dedicated to social insects, with excellent, interesting, informative and illuminating displays on various aspects of col
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[magdadh, 14/11/2010] Mount Royal is a hill that raises in the middle of Montreal and after which the city was in fact named. Natives call it "the Mountain" despite the fact that it's less than 150m high, but this reflects its importance in national psyche as much as the actual elevation. It is now covered by a park (or rather tamed woodland, designed in the 1870's by the same man who designed the New York's Central Park), criss-crossed with walking and cycling paths, with some water features and winter sports facilities, and inhabited by hundreds of squirrels.
As a park, it's a good walking area and if you don't
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[magdadh, 14/11/2010] The whole Olympic Village and the Stadium in particular was, apparently something of a folly or a white elephant, and the city is still paying for it thirty years since the construction.
We visit on what is probably weather-wise the worst day we had in the four weeks we have spent in Canada. The temperature just below freezing and a sleet and hail drizzle is falling to freeze immediately on contact with just about anything. The tree branches are covered in transparent sheaths of ice, and a cold wind is blowing that chills one to the bone.
It's not a weather in which brutalist 70's concret
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[AIniesta, 27/05/2010] The hotel room was very interesting. The staff were very friendly, but it is definitely very different from what you get at other hotels. If you are looking for something comfortable and charming - at a friendly budget - then this would may be the best choice.
[magdadh, 09/04/2010] Biodome is a part of Montreal's Olympic Village and in fact has been set up in what use to be the Velodrome, a bicycle-helmet shaped building next to the grand stadium with the Montreal landmark inclined tower.
We visit on what is probably weather-wise the worst day we had in the four weeks we have spent in Canada (at the time of writing of this review). The temperature just below freezing and a sleet and hail drizzle is falling to freeze immediately on contact with just about anything. The tree branches are covered in transparent sheaths of ice, and a cold wind is blowing that chills one to
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[FcBarcelona, 27/01/2010] It's quite a lovely hotel. Completely different of everything i'm used to! Decoration is great The room was very spacious , clean and well-equiped The staff is very kind and always trying to help. The location is also excellent .
[tartlette, 20/10/2009] The first stop on our trip to Canada took us to Montreal. We had been planning to stay with friends but when that fell through the week before we went we had to find somewhere else pretty quickly. We wanted somewhere cheap, being students on a tight budget, but also wanted somewhere with private rooms as the thought of sharing a bedroom with strangers just doesn't appeal to me. So after looking in the guide book we ended up booking a room here.
LOCATION AND GETTING THERE:
The Gite du Parc LaFontaine is located at 1250 Rue Sherbrook East in Montreal. We arrived at Montreal airport late i
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[tartlette, 20/10/2009] The Olympic stadium was high on our list of priorities when we went to Montreal as it seems to be my boyfriend's ambition to visit every Olympic stadium ever built - much to my dismay! But it turned out to be well worth a look.
HISTORY:
Montreal was awarded the Olympics by the IOC in 1970. Representatives travelled to Munich in 1972 to see how they managed the games. The construction of the site began in 1973 and the games were held 3 years later in 1976. Not all of the complex was finished for the games. The tower was not completely finished until 1987.
After the Olympics the stadi
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[marion75, 22/07/2009] I stayed at the Celebrities Hotel Montreal for 3 nights in early June 2008. It is in the center of Montreal, I liked very much its location, the staff, the breakfast, the decorations of the rooms.
It was really nice
[TheDaz, 24/06/2009] Built for the 1976 Olympics, and with a small amount of public debt still owing to this day, the Olympic Stadium is nicknamed ‘The Big Owe’ by locals and stands as a point of contention in all its concrete over exaggeration out in the Eastern suburbs of the City. Easily reached by Metro from all points, the Olympic site comprises the huge stadium, the Velodrome, now converted into a Biodome museum of Nature, and parkland.
The stadium itself houses an all purpose athletics track and a huge swimming centre, regularly used for championships and training by local teams. Atop the stadium, like a
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[TheDaz, 23/06/2009] Situated on the Ile Notre Dame in the St Lawrence, the odd cruise ship of a building was built for the Expo 67 and is one of the ten largest in the world. Standing out like some forgotten concrete relic, it certainly looks to be past its design sell by date, but has a certain quirky appeal.
With five floors of varying size and layout, all clustered around a central Atrium full of lifts and elevators that also doubles as a performance stage, the Casino offers every gambling game generally available, including the popular Keno, Blackjack, Poker as well as more than 3200 slot machines, and is t
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[TheDaz, 23/06/2009] Located on McGill College Avenue, in the courtyard outside the Laurentian Bank, this large sculpture by Raymond Mason depicts more than a dozen life sized figures in a cream toughened plastic atop a stone base.
The figures all look towards a point of light not shown in the sculpture, and the further from the front the figures stand, the darker their corresponding depiction becomes. Happy and hopeful figures at the front give way to lovers, fighters, pickpockets and then malformed figures behind an armed assailant right at the back as the base lowers in steps.
The sculpture is a an underr
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[rayandron, 08/04/2009] We were new to Canada when we stayed at Motel Raphael, stayed there for 2 weeks. We are now going back to Montreal for two weekend visits, and staying here. This is are first and only pick. It is far enough out of the hussle and bussle of downtown, yet still close enough to come in for a night out. I would recomend this place to anyone that wants clean and not going to break the bank.
[Dzukas, 04/01/2009] We had a great stay at B&B Revolution just before Christmas in December 2008. Our room (Philippe) was spacious with 2 large beds, a nice view of the street, was spotlessly clean, and was supplied with an abundance of large bath towels and a hair dryer. The shared bathrooms were always in great condition. Breakfast was a welcome change from the continental breakfasts of chain motels. We enjoyed freshly baked croissants and choclatines, homemade jams, and eggs prepared to order (scrambled, sunny side up, or over easy). The B&B is thoughtfully decorated with an eclectic selection of "objets d
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[carolinaGA, 25/11/2008] Perfect location downtown, our car fitted perfectly in the free inside garage. The stone walls assured us a very quiet sleep in the room. Fresh ground coffee and home made croissants woke us up. The marmalade is delicious and home made, too!! Had a great time there and strongly recommend this place. Carolina & Gabriel
[TheDaz, 17/11/2008] Charming old style building set in the heart of the Latin Quarter, just off Rue St Denis. Small hotel, with rooms large on space and style - wrought iron beds, exposed bricks and timber, original shutter windows etc. Caters to the romantic couples after some Latin ambience, and backpackers / travellers who want a step up from Youth Hostels.
All rooms come ensuite, with room for a sofa, TV, microwave and internet point.
Friendly reception, with plenty of local information available, and open long hours.
A Breakfast room in basement that provides basic continental style fare for a small s
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[travelman, 23/07/2008] nice rooms...nice staff. a good place to go, very clean.
