Hôtel Place d'Armes

Character and identity

Three nineteenth-century greystones on what was once Montreal's main commercial street have been knit together to form this 169-room hotel a block from Notre-Dame Basilica. Inside, the rooms are surprisingly contemporary: built from scratch in the early 2000s, they run large with high ceilings, exposed red-brick feature walls, white bedding and sheer curtains, leaning fresh and lightly mid-century. Dining is split between Brasserie 701, where a continental breakfast comes included, and Kyo, the Japanese restaurant; both handle room service. A rooftop terrasse looks across Place d'Armes square to Old Montreal and the downtown skyline. There's a spa on site and a free downtown shuttle.

Who's it for

Bottom line

The pitch here is location and value: three handsomely retrofitted greystones steps from Notre-Dame, with rooms more spacious and contemporary than the historic facade suggests. Book a suite to get the jetted tub and rain shower, and aim for summer if the rooftop terrasse matters; the included breakfast at Brasserie 701 sweetens any rate.