Heritage Glamour Meets Cozy Charm at the Best Hotels in Montréal

Montréal is often called the most Parisian city in North America, but anyone who’s been knows it has a verve all its own. From the cobbled lanes of Old Montréal to the leafy streets and Victorian townhouses of Plateau-Mont-Royal and the artsy cafés and vintage shops of Mile End, Québec’s largest city deserves more than a quick weekend escape. Visit in the summer to enjoy extensive bike paths, outdoor markets, music festivals, even urban plages like Clock Tower Beach. In winter, Montréal slips into snow-globe mode, all candlelit bistros and cozy gastropubs serving warming local classics from gourmet poutine to tourtière.

The best hotels in Montréal capitalize on the city’s charms, with many occupying historic landmarks like 18^th-century merchant houses or even the original headquarters of Canada’s famed jeweler Birks. With most clustered in Old Montréal and along the Vieux-Port, you’ll be well positioned for exploring Montréal’s grand European-style landmarks, world-class dining and drinking scene, and stunning riverside scenery.

Vogue’s Guide to the Best Hotels in Montréal:

• For a Bijoux-Inspired Stay: Hôtel Birks Montréal
• For Waking Up Waterfront: Auberge du Vieux-Port
• For Direct Access to a Gourmet Food Market: Four Seasons Hotel Montréal
• For an Affordable Option: Le Petit Hôtel Vieux-Montréal - Saint-Paul
• For a World First: The Ritz-Carlton, Montréal
• For Luxe Spa Treatments: Hôtel William Gray

Here, the 10 best places to stay:

Hôtel Place d'Armes

Courtesy of Hôtel Place d’Armes

Spread across four neoclassical buildings dating to the 19^th century, the Hôtel Place d’Armes is located just steps from Montréal’s soaring Notre-Dame Basilica and the St. Lawrence River. Exposed brick and original woodwork give the 169 rooms a sense of history, while Frette linens, Le Labo amenities, and the occasional electric fireplace keep things decidedly of-the-moment. While the city’s famed Bota Bota floating spa is just a 15-minute walk away, wellness-seeking guests will find no reason to leave the property: The hotel’s 3,000-square-foot spa has a eucalyptus-scented hammam and 10 treatment rooms offering everything from Biologique Recherche facials to lymphatic drainage massages and nail care featuring products by toxin-free Parisian brand Manucurist. For its relatively small footprint, Hôtel Place d'Armes punches far above its weight from a culinary POV, with a fabulous on-site brasserie, a trendy sushi bar, and a panoramic roof terrace (open seasonally) that’s widely considered one of the city’s best spots for outdoor drinks with a view.

• Amenities: Restaurant, spa, gym, bar, roof terrace
• Bonus Tip: Carve out time to visit the adjacent Notre-Dame Basilica, whose soaring vaulted ceilings and stained-glass windows served as the backdrop for many high points in Canadian history, including Céline Dion’s wedding to René Angélil.
• Address: 55 Rue Saint-Jacques, Montréal, Quebec, H2Y 1K9

Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth

Courtesy Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth

Despite the city's reputation as North America’s most French city, the mood at Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth skews unmistakably British (perhaps the name tipped you off?). Spanning an entire city block on René-Lévesque Boulevard, this 950-room grande dame nods to the 1960s with pops of bold color, geometric light fixtures, graphic rugs, and Eero Aarnio–style ball chairs. The most sought-after key? The 17th-floor suite where John Lennon and Yoko Ono spent a week on their honeymoon in 1969, staging their famous Bed-In. For dining, guests can tuck into casual bistro fare at Rosélys, or graze at the 8,000-square-foot Marché Artisans, home to an artisanal bakery, a doughnut counter, a pizza oven, and crêpe and ice-cream stations, among other temptations. The spa is a highlight: swim a few laps in the heated indoor pool, then indulge in an anti-aging facial using Swiss brand Valmont or Sothys Paris.

• Amenities: Restaurants, bars, food market, gym, spa, pool
• Bonus Tip: The hotel sits above Central Station and connects to two Métro stops via Montréal’s Underground City—more than 20 miles of pedestrian walkways, shopping centers, and entertainment—so you can criss-cross downtown without braving sub-zero streets.
• Address: 900 Rene Levesque Boulevard Ouest, Montréal, Quebec, H3B 4A5

Hôtel William Gray

Courtesy of Hotel William Gray

The façades of the two 18th-century greystone buildings that form Hotel William Gray have remained virtually unchanged for centuries. Step inside, though, and the 127-room property stands out as one of Montréal’s best modern refits of a historic monument. A three-story glass atrium links the original merchant’s home to an eight-floor contemporary tower crowned by a rooftop terrace. On your doorstep is pedestrian-friendly Place Jacques-Cartier—one of Old Montréal’s liveliest stretches, with buskers and food vendors—but there’s just as much buzz inside the property, from a stylish boutique stocking Canadian fashion labels like local favorite Le Cartel to an outpost of Café Olimpico, the Montréal institution known for its strong espresso, cannoli, and European soccer paraphernalia. Browse books, play pool, and spin records in the Living Room before retreating to the 5,600-square-foot spa, complete with a Himalayan salt room, Finnish sauna, seasonal outdoor pool, and treatments by sustainable Italian brand Comfort Zone, among others.

• Amenities: Restaurant, bar, shop, spa, gym, coffee shop, pool, rooftop terrace
• Bonus Tip: The on-site Maggie Oakes restaurant is famed for its 45-day dry-aged beef and weekend brunch serving.
• Address: 421 R. Saint-Vincent, Montréal, Quebec, H2Y 3A4

Hôtel Birks Montréal

Courtesy Hotel Birks

For the unacquainted: what Tiffany & Co. is to New York, Birks is to Montréal. In 2018, the 146-year-old jeweler—famed for its robin’s-egg-blue boxes and a celebrity clientele that includes Meghan Markle and Rupi Kaur—made its foray into hospitality, opening a 132-room hotel inside its century-old headquarters on Phillips Square. The building’s richly ornamented façade remains, as do exquisite interior details: original plaster moldings, Birks’ stained glass, and imposing marble columns. Two glass-enclosed floors were added up top, housing suites with panoramic terraces and downtown views. Even the entry-level rooms feel indulgent, with marble bathrooms, white damask bedcovers, and the occasional gas fireplace for frigid winter nights. The centerpiece is Restaurant Henri, designed by Montréal studio Atelier Zébulon Perron to channel early-1900s Paris, with pendant lamps, carved ceilings, and a brass bar backed by mirrored walls and a glittering lineup of cocktail coupes and Champagne magnums. Your order: escargots with confit garlic, brown butter, and panko, followed by magret de canard with Saladaise potatoes fried in duck fat and sweet-and-sour apricot sauce.

• Amenities: Restaurant, shop, spa, gym.
• Bonus Tip: If you’re going to pick up a souvenir, beeline to the Maison Birks jewelry store (connected to the hotel via an indoor glass corridor) to shop celebrity-favorite styles such as the Snowflake Snowstorm Diamond Earrings Meghan Markle wore at her wedding rehearsal.
• Address: 1240 Phillips Sq, Montréal, Quebec, H3B 3H4

Auberge du Vieux-Port

Courtesy of Auberge du Vieux-Port

You could easily wake up in this 45-room hotel and swear you’d been transported to a rustic country inn deep in Québec. As the city’s only hotel located on the St. Lawrence River, Auberge du Vieux-Port is the jewel of the independent, family-owned Gray Collection. Rooms lean rustic-chic: wrought-iron beds swaddled in goose-down, exposed brick walls, and views of the river or lively Rue Saint-Paul (Montréal’s oldest street). Settle in for a game of chess or leaf through a leather-bound book in the cabinet-of-curiosities–style Living Room before snagging a lunch reservation at Pincette, a casual spot modeled on an Atlantic Canadian lobster shack that serves lobster poutine, housemade lobster ravioli, and sky-high seafood platters. You’re well placed for strolling the verdant landscaping and bike lanes of the Grand Quay of the Port of Montréal—just make it back in time for dinner at atmospheric Taverne Gaspar, a Parisian-inspired brasserie that ranks among the city’s most romantic date spots.

• Amenities: Restaurants, bar, gym, rooftop terrace
• Bonus tip: As you walk along the St. Lawrence, keep an eye out for Moshe Safdie’s legendary Habitat 67—a Brutalist icon where guided tours offer a behind-the-scenes glimpse into one of the city’s most striking architectural marvels.
• Address: 97 Rue de la Commune E, Montréal, Quebec, H2Y 1J1

The Ritz-Carlton, Montréal

Courtesy The Ritz Carlton Montreal

Since 1912, the Ritz-Carlton Montréal has set the standard for luxury—not just in Quebec but in all of Canada. Built by the same architects behind New York’s Grand Central Station, the grand dame on Sherbrooke Street has hosted luminaries including Queen Elizabeth II, Winston Churchill, and Elizabeth Taylor (who married Richard Burton in the Royal Suite in 1964, after allegedly giving hotel staff just two hours to prepare!). More than a century later, the 129-room hotel—the first that Swiss hotelier César Ritz permitted to use his name—still has the same sparkle, thanks to the white-glove service and the deep sense of history that fills the opulent common spaces. The brand’s famed afternoon tea service was allegedly born here, and at the Palm Court the tradition has been brought into the modern day with tea varieties from Canadian brand Sloane and creative sweet bites like infused cucumber-jelly tarts. Continue the indulgence at the spa, home to a heated rooftop saltwater pool, steam room, and sauna, plus treatments incorporating homegrown ingredients like Canadian maple sugar. Finish the day at Maison Boulud, where you can dine in a cozy indoor room with a fireplace or in a year-round greenhouse overlooking the garden.

• Amenities: Restaurants, bars, spa, gym, art gallery, pool
• Bonus Tip: Be sure to swing by the on-site Cosner Art Gallery to glimpse works by 20^th-century Canadian masters such as the Group of Seven and Jean-Paul Riopelle.
• Address: 1228 Sherbrooke St W, Montréal, Quebec, H3G 1W9

Le Petit Hôtel Vieux-Montréal - Saint-Paul

Courtesy Le Petit Hôtel Vieux-Montréal - Saint-Paul

This pocket-sized hotel in the Vieux-Port proves you don’t need bells and whistles to make a statement. With just 28 rooms and a single social space—a cozy lobby that pours complimentary coffee by day and shifts into a cocktail spot at night—it’s a favorite of solo travelers and couples who like to drop their bags and get moving. Upstairs, hardwood floors, high arched windows, and exposed brick set an Old World mood while delivering on thoughtful extras like Canadian white goose down pillows, custom furniture designed in Quebec, Le Labo bath products, and Marshall speakers. With budget-friendly rates starting around $150/night, it’s easy to see why this is one of the city’s best-value design stays.

• Amenities: Coffee shop/bar
• Bonus Tip: This year, the Le Petit Hótel hotel group opened an even-smaller 17-room sister property on Rue Notre-Dame.
• Address: 168 Saint-Paul St W, Montréal, Quebec, H2Y 1Z7

Hôtel Gault

Courtesy of Hôtel Gault

Don’t be fooled by its 18^th-century Second Empire stone façade—this 30-room boutique hotel in Old Montréal is one of the city’s most style-forward stays. The lobby sets the mood with high industrial ceilings, photography by Montréal musician Valerie Jodoin Keaton (known for backstage shots of Paul McCartner and The Strokes), low-slung armless leather lounge chairs, and a warming fireplace around which you can browse art books and magazines. Upstairs, the loft-style rooms are decked out in designer furniture (specifically, Eames and Bertoia chairs), arched French windows, and polished concrete floors. The on-site restaurant serves a standout weekend brunch, and the staff is quick with local-favorite recommendations, from Spade & Palacio small-group tours to the hydrotherapy circuit at the nearby Scandinave Spa.

• Amenities: Restaurant, bar
• Bonus Tip: No two rooms are alike. Call ahead to request a room with a private terrace or one with an egg-shaped freestanding tub—perfect for post-sightseeing soaks.
• Address: 449 Sainte Hélène St, Montréal, Quebec, H2Y 2K9

Four Seasons Hotel Montréal

Courtesy Four Seasons Montreal

Four Seasons’ 169-room tower in the heart of Golden Square Mile eschews the usual Old World Montréal aesthetic (think heavy stone walls and wooden beams) for something decidedly contemporary and cosmopolitan. Occupying a sleek tower that connects directly to the luxury shopping emporium Holt Renfrew Ogilvy, the property is chic and refined, with light-filled interiors dressed in herringbone white oak floors, brass and mirrored surfaces, blush pink accents, and veined marble and pale pink terrazzo. The social heart is Marcus Restaurant + Terrace by chef Marcus Samuelsson, where solarium-style windows and a leafy terrace create an airy urban backdrop for dishes like fresh pasta with lobster and chili or roasted eggplant with togarashi, sweet-and-sour sauce, and Québec maple syrup. (Be sure to check out the restaurant’s excellent artwork, which comes from the private collection of Margaret Trudeau.) By night, the moody lounge is a go-to for late drinks, and the weekly Sommelier’s Soirées—a series of curated wine pairings around rotating themes—offer reason to return. After a day of sightseeing, indulge in a treatment at the standout Guerlain Spa, the only urban spa in the city to offer a Kneipp Hydrotherapy circuit, where you walk a path of polished stones to stimulate acupressure points.

• Amenities: Restaurants, bars, spa, gym, terrace
• Bonus Tip: Take advantage of the hotel’s stellar range of guided experiences, including a tour of the legendary Jean-Talon market or a wildlife safari in Parc Omega, where you might see bison, elk, and wolves.
• Address: 1440 Rue de la Montagne, Montréal, Quebec, H3G 1Z5

Hotel Nelligan

Courtesy of Hotel Nelligan

This 19th-century brick landmark in Old Montréal has had many lives—as a fabric warehouse, paper company, and lamp-and-table factory—before its 2001 rebirth shepharded in by the Greek-born Antonopoulos family (who are also the hospitality mavens behind Hôtel Place d’Armes and Petit Hôtel). The 105-room hotel couldn’t be more centrally located, just steps from the Notre-Dame Basilica, the Old Port, and the St. Lawrence River. Guest rooms balance character and comfort, with original masonry, generous windows, and polished hardwood floors—you get the romance of Old Montréal, without the creak. Marking a special occasion? Book a penthouse suite for wide-angle river views, a crackling fireplace, and a Jacuzzi built for two. In summer, locals flock to the rooftop terrace; year-round, Montréalers fill the two standout restaurants: Mama C, with its shareable Mediterranean plates, and Méchant Boeuf, a sophisticated steakhouse with serious swagger.

• Amenities: Restaurant, bar, gym, rooftop terrace
• Bonus Tip: No time for a sit-down breakfast? Stop by the new Greek-inspired Mama C Café in the lobby for a cappuccino and sweet treats like moist olive-oil lemon cake, bougatsa (sweet milk pie), and moustokouloura (grape-must biscuit).
• Address: 106 Saint-Paul St W, Montréal, Quebec H2Y 1Z3