The Best Places to Stay in Montreal for First Time Visitors

In this article, I have listed down three best places to stay in Montreal for tourists. The most popular area is Old Montreal, which is home to the main attractions in Montreal. It is the best place to stay if you are visiting Montreal for the first time. Below are detailed descriptions of the three respective areas. You can check out the below map to get a sense of the areas’ locations.

1. Old Montreal

Old Montreal is the most popular place to stay in Montreal for tourists. The district exudes an old world charm with its historic architecture and quaint cobblestone streets. This area is also known for its awesome restaurants and trendy boutiques. If you are visiting Montreal for the first time, this is the perfect area to stay at.

What to Do in Old Montreal

Rue Saint-Paul – This beautiful cobblestoned street is lined with beautiful historic buildings. There are many bistros, boutiques and art galleries here. We checked out the beautiful facade of Bonsecours Market, visited the popular public square Place Jacques-Cartier, and had dinner at a great Italian restaurant L’Usine de Spaghetti.

Old Port – This historic port is located along the St-Lawrence River. Nowadays, it is a lively area with many fun waterfront activities such as cycling, roller-blading and Segway rentals. There are many old buildings and shipping containers-turned shops along the river promenade. The area also has a science centre, IMAX Theatre, ice skating rink, and even a ferris wheel.

Basilique Notre-Dame de Montreal – This majestic cathedral is world-famous for its gorgeous interior decor. We were captivated by the soaring vaulted ceilings, resplendent colours and ornate details. I also recommend checking out Aura, a light and sound show that highlights the church’s interesting history.

Centre d’histoire de Montréal – This small museum showcases Montreal’s history from the 17th century to the present.

Where to Stay in Old Montreal

B&B – During our holiday in Montreal, we stayed at a wonderful Airbnb. Our stylish apartment had good amenities, free WiFi, and was located at a great location in Old Montreal. You can check out the full review of our Montreal airbnb.

MidRange – Hotel Bonaparte is a wonderful value-for-money boutique hotel situated in a great location near Basilique Notre-Dame de Montreal. It offers comfy rooms with beautiful hardwood floors and wood furnishings, a rooftop terrace, free WiFi, and a luxurious rain shower. The hotel staff are very friendly and helpful too. Click here to see the latest prices and reviews for Hotel Bonaparte.

Luxury – If you want to pamper yourself, you can check out The William Gray. This luxurious modern hotel is located in a perfect location right on Place Jacques-Cartier, across from the Old Port. It offers stylish contemporary rooms, a classy rooftop bar, free WiFi, a hotel spa and gym, and a (small) swimming pool. Click here to see the latest prices and reviews for The William Gray.

2. Downtown

Downtown is the business district of Montreal with many commercial skyscrapers, shopping malls and several museums. This is also a convenient area to stay at because it is just beside the Old Montreal district. There are several big chain hotels here. However, the buildings here are more modern and therefore the area does not have Old Montreal’s European flair.

What to do in Downtown

Montreal Museum of Fine Arts – This is the largest museum in Montreal. The exhibits range from ancient artifacts to Renaissance artworks to Contemporary artworks. There are works by prominent artists such as Rodin, Picasso, Monet, Rembrandt, Warhol etc.

Mary, Queen of the World Cathedral – This church is a smaller replica of Saint Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. We were impressed by the high vaulted ceilings, the pretty stained glass windows and ornate details.

Underground City – This is not really an attraction but a network of hotels, shopping malls, office buildings and residences interconnected by underground corridors. We saw some decent restaurants and shops here. It was also a good place to hide from the cold winter weather for a while.

Quartier des Spectacles – This is Montreal’s arts and entertainment district, with many performance halls, street entertainers, bistros and food trucks. It is famous for hosting world-famous festivals and events such as the Montreal Jazz Festival, Grand Prix Weekend, etc. You can check out this list of festivals and events going on in Quartier des Spectacles.

Where to Stay in Downtown

MidRange – The Hotel Omni Mont-Royal is a great value-for-money hotel located in a central location in Downtown. It offers spacious and clean rooms, a decent breakfast spread, and even has an outdoor pool. Click here to see the latest prices and reviews for the Hotel Omni Mont-Royal.

Luxury – If you have deep pockets and want to indulge in luxury, The Ritz-Carlton Montreal is the perfect hotel for you. This number one ranked hotel on TripAdvisor offers luxurious modern rooms, high-tech marble bathrooms with heated floors, free WiFi, excellent service and a wonderful breakfast spread. Click here to see the latest prices and reviews for The Ritz-Carlton Montreal.

3. Le Plateau Mont-Royal

Le Plateau Mont-Royal is a trendy enclave with many popular cafes, bistros, bars, and trendy boutiques. The district is known for its classic stone duplexes with wrought iron staircases. It is home to the urban park, Mount Royal Park. If you want to stay in an artsy neighbourhood with a youthful vibe and experience local Montreal culture, this is the place for you. It is a little far from Old Montreal and Downtown, but public transport is readily available and you can reach the main tourist attractions within about 30 minutes or less.

What to Do in Le Plateau Mont-Royal

Mount Royal Park – This large urban park is great for outdoor enthusiasts. It is home to the extinct volcanic mountain, Mount Royal. We took a public bus up to the mountain’s summit, but it is possible to hike up the mountain too.

Saint Joseph’s Oratory – This minor basilica is the largest church in Canada. By the time we finished walking the long pathway and flight of steps leading up to the entrance of the majestic church, we were already feeling a little breathless.

Mile End – This artistic neighbourhood is famous for being an enclave of art galleries, trendy boutiques and awesome eateries. Make sure you check out the pretty Victorian houses with their iconic wrought iron staircases. We had lunch at Beauty’s Luncheonette, an old school diner that offers delicious Eastern European comfort food. Bagel lovers will be happy to know that there are two renowned bagel shops here: Fairmount Bagel and St-Viateur Bagel.

Jean Talon Market – This is the largest farmer’s market in Montreal, with a wide selection of fresh fruits and vegetables, cheese shops, oyster bars,food stalls, local baked goods, and more! It is a great place to immerse in local Montreal culture. (Technically, Jean-Talon Market is not situated within Le Plateau Mont-Royal. It is actually part of the adjacent Little Italy neighbourhood.)

Where to Stay in Le Plateau Mont-Royal

B&B – Casa Bianca is a great B&B located beside Mount Royal Park. It is a 5-minute walk from Beauty’s Luncheonette. The charming inn offers cozy rooms with hardwood floors, a classic bathtub in the living room, and a wonderful breakfast. Click here to see the latest prices and reviews for Casa Bianca.

MidRange – The Armor Manoir Sherbrooke is a charming boutique hotel located in a beautiful historic building. It offers classic Victorian-style rooms that are clean and comfortable. It has a relaxing lounge with soothing music and a cool automatic wine dispenser. Location is quite good too: it is a short 15-minute bus ride to Downtown, and a 20-minute bus ride to Old Montreal. Click here to see the latest prices and reviews for Armor Manoir Sherbrooke.

Conclusion

We hope you have enjoyed reading our article on the best places to stay in Montreal for tourists! If you are visiting for the first time, I would recommend staying in Old Montreal which has many great boutique hotels that are near the main tourist attractions. However, if you prefer staying in modern big chain hotels, then Downtown would be a better option. If you want to be in a less touristy area, then Le Plateau Mont-Royal would be a good place to stay and experience local culture. That’s it and please feel free to ask any questions in the comments section below!

This article is part of our completely free and fantastic Ultimate Montreal Travel Guide for First Timers. Why spend days researching when all your holiday information is simply a click away?