Montreal hotels: how to choose
A Montreal hotel choice comes down to neighbourhood first, then matching the property to your trip and your dates — because festival season and the Grand Prix move prices far more than the calendar suggests. Here’s how to read the market before you book.
What hotels are like, by area
Vieux-Montréal (Old Montreal)
Boutique hotels in converted 18th- and 19th-century stone buildings — characterful, but check for elevators and room size.
Nightly feel: High; this is Montreal’s premium, most-photographed district.
Downtown / Ville-Marie & Quartier des Spectacles
The widest choice — big-brand chains, business hotels and festival-adjacent properties, many linked to the Underground City.
Nightly feel: Mid-to-high; spikes hard for Jazz Fest, Just for Laughs and the Canadian Grand Prix (mid-June).
Plateau-Mont-Royal
Fewer traditional hotels — mostly small inns and B&Bs; most travelers here book apartment-style rentals instead.
Nightly feel: Mid, where available.
Mile End
Boutique guesthouses and a handful of design hotels; low-key and residential.
Nightly feel: Mid.
Griffintown
Newer condo-style hotels and extended-stay properties near Atwater Market and the canal.
Nightly feel: Mid; often better value than Downtown for similar quality.
What surprises first-time hotel bookers
- Quebec’s sales taxes (GST + QST, ~15% combined) are added at checkout and are never included in the rate you see when browsing — budget for it.
- Festival season (Jazz Fest and Just for Laughs, late June–mid-July) plus the Grand Prix (mid-June) push prices up city-wide, not just Downtown — this matters more than any “summer peak” generalization.
- Many Old Montreal boutique hotels occupy heritage buildings with small or no elevators — ask if mobility or heavy luggage is a concern.
- In winter, ask whether a Downtown hotel connects to the Underground City (RÉSO) — it lets you reach the Metro, restaurants and shopping without stepping outside into the cold.
- Downtown parking is scarce and expensive; confirm whether it’s included if you’re driving in.
- Air conditioning is standard in modern hotels, but Montreal summers get hot and humid — double-check it in older, heritage-building boutique stays.
When to book
Book well ahead (2–3 months) for Jazz Fest/Just for Laughs (late June–mid-July) and the Grand Prix (mid-June) — these are Montreal’s true peak, not a generic “summer” window, and prices and availability move sharply. Winter has softer, cheaper rates outside the December holidays and Igloofest weekends. Prefer free-cancellation rates so you can re-book if a price drops.
Check live prices & availability
See current rates for Montreal hotels on Expedia.
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