My wife and I decided to visit Montréal this summer with our children. I have always stayed downtown at other business hotels, but
this time I was looking for something with a bit more “character” that the children might appreciate.

I did a fair bit of research on the internet and decided on l’Hôtel de la Montagne. Definitely one of the most attractive features of the
hotel was the rooftop pool, which is a must when travelling with children. It seems now that I didn't do enough research, based on our experience this past week.

The hotel is nicely situated in the best part of downtown Montreal and the hotel is very comfortable and their staff was very friendly and well mannered. The facilities are very well appointed and our standard room was quite large - this is one of the very few downtown hotels that offer queen-sized beds.

But I certainly had quite a bit of concern with their swimming pool.
Their website provides an image of a quiet and relaxed pool setting that describes the scene as a “hidden oasis high above the city … a dream spot in the heart of downtown for sunbathing around the pool, having a drink and a light meal.” Their video reinforces this concept with a woman diving into a calm, clear pool as a few other guests serenely watch from the terrace.

In reality, we found a much different scene when we arrived at the pool at 2:30 P.M., after a sun-filled morning of touring the city and looking for some quiet relaxation and cool down. What we found was quite simply shocking. The pool deck was crowded almost beyond capacity, and not a single chair was available to us. The vast majority of this “clientele” were quite obviously not guests of the hotel. Most were early twenty-somethings wearing skimpy bathing suits and covered in tattoos. It was as if we had walked into a scene
from a spring break party at Fort Lauderdale! We were not alone in our reaction – another young family with a baby arrived shortly after
us with a look that showed that they were even more taken aback than we were. From the brief conversation we had with them we learned that
they were under the same false impression as we had about the access and use of the pool – that being for hotel guests only. It is definitely not. Anyone who buys a drink is welcome, and seems to have priority over hotel guests.

The crowd was quite obviously uninterested in using the pool for swimming. Apart from the full deck, there was an equally large number
of people seated around and/or standing in the water around the edge the edge of the pool. Practically everyone had a beer or cocktail glass (definitely a safety issue around a pool, I might add!), and a fair number were smoking cigarettes, some even while they were in the pool. For a young family, this was quite shocking and quite unacceptable.

It was quite obvious that this “clientele” were not guests of the hotel. I counted only five (5) people on the pool deck that I could assume were guests, given that they had hotel towels with them (since
none were being provided to guests - despite the contrary statement on their website). We were not the only guests obviously frustrated by the experience. One poor man was trying to do laps, but was having
a very difficult time “navigating” amongst the partiers and gave up after only a few ends. Another woman was trying to find some sun and a place to read her book, but after being bumped and crawled-over by the crowd one-too-many times, she too gave up and left.

For our part, my two daughters (aged 6) wanted to cool off a bit, so we “coaxed” an opening onto the shallow end wall to allow them access
to the pool. Being children, they splashed a bit as they tried to swim in the open area of the shallow end. This was obviously not appreciated by the people standing around the edge of the pool who were trying to maintain their hair, makeup and bikinis in pristine condition as well as find the chance to pickup a date for the evening. After a few minutes, we also simply gave up and left the pool area completely, quite disappointed and frustrated.

This would be a great hotel for singles and young marrieds without kids who don't mind serious crowds and want the "eye-candy" but certainly not a place for the rest of us.

A definite disappointment for us and we will not be returning anytime
soon.

Headed up to Montreal for 4 nights to attend the Just for Laughs Festival (O'Comics & Spymonkey--HILARIOUS) and one of the entries in the annual International Fireworks Competition (absolutely stunning).

We chose the Hotel de la Montagne for its location and price. We were
happy with our choice. The room, a standard king, was HUGE. Separate shower and tub in marble bathroom, comfy bed....

The furnishings were not shiny/sleek/modern, but everything was in good shape and, overall, we felt very at home there.

The concierge was helpful and also let us know for next time that he often has discount tickets available for shows around town.

Our only complaint was with the rooftop pool/bar. The pool is open to
the public, and they certainly take advantage. We went up at about 5PM, hoping to take a quick dip and sun ourselves, only to find a space PACKED with young people.

Great if you are single and interested in partying and drinking with beautiful people. Not so great if you're looking for a quiet hour in the sun with a fruity drink and a book.

There wasn't an available chair to be seen in the small pool area. I wish that they would perhaps institute a "hotel guests only" period for a few hours every day since we would have liked to relax there for a while.

The separate bar and terrasse are very nice for an outdoor drink and some light food.

Every room has a balcony, which offers great nighttime views of the city--but our one question: why don't they put chairs out there for the guests? A lil' odd.

As for location, the hotel is one block from Crescent--bars and restaurants, one block from St. Catherine--shopping GALORE (go to Simons for affordable and cute Quebec-made clothes), four blocks or so from the nearest Metro, two blocks or so from the Bell Center. Convenient enough spot for all your tourist needs.

We were on the 12th floor, overlooking Crescent, so we weren't subjected to either the street noise, or the rooftop noise that some reviewers commented on.

I would certainly return to the Hotel de la Montagne for my next trip.

:)

***Word to the wise*** Do NOT take L'Aerobus (airport shuttle) back to the airport. We got on the shuttle at 3:30 for a 6PM flight. We informed them more than once what time our flight was. Our driver was
dismissive: "Yeah yeah, it'll be fine." She proceeded to drive down streets that even we, as tourists, knew were closed off. She made several stops and didn't even pick up any additional passengers.

Because of L'Aerobus' inefficient and unreliable driver, we missed our flight and had to pay $40 each to get our tickets reissued. Even the ticket agent at Air Canada agreed that they're useless!

The service is fine FROM the airport to your hotel, but do yourself a favor and pay the $35 to get a taxi when you're heading home!

I stayed here between 6-30 and 7-3-3007. The hotel is located near Crescent Street, a large street party area. Music and singing blasted all night long as a festival was in progress from Friday-Monday. About 3 a.m. the music and party-goers departed. The street noise was incredible and to make matters worse, the TV had a volume control that you could barely here above the street din. There is no coffee maker in this 4-star rated hotel. The a/c unit was barely functional and the thick bedding was designed for the harsh Montreal winters. If you plan on visiting during the summer months when the jazz festivals and other outdoor events are planned, do not stay anywhere near Crescent Street.

Over Memorial Day weekend ten friends and myself stayed at this hotel and it was totally RAD! People say that it is dated, so what, so is your girlfriend. The pool on the roof is as cool as it gets. We arrived on Friday afternoon and the roof looked like a scene from springbreak in Cancun. So the pool and roof top bar are tight. The restaurant is killer. The club in the basement is what it is, a club in the basement of a hotel. How much can you expect? But if you are down thier on a Sunday night the ladies are fine. The location is top notch, in the middle of everything you need. The staff was awesome, they ask no questions, and answer all of them. We were here for a bachelor party and were very loud and crazy and no one ever beefed on us. I reccomend this place for anyone serious about getn' down.