I'm thinking of taking a trip to Montreal next month.

[IntravenousDemilo]

What should I see? What should I do? I've never been there before. Are there any Montreal DUers who'd like to get together for a cocktail?

[gula]

1. What kind of things to you enjoy

There are lots of all kinds of festivals in Montreal, so if you could give me an indication of the dates, I could check it out for you.

Getting together sounds great.

Waiting to hear from you,

A bientôt,

Regula

[IntravenousDemilo]

2. I'm tentatively planning my trip for somewhere in the 2nd to 3d week in August...

... say, roughly between the 13th and 19th, shortly after my boyfriend goes back to Chicago. I'll likely journey there via Via. Is the train station anywhere near Le Village? How are hotels in the area?

Doug

[ClusterFreak]

3. I just spent a few days in Montreal myself...

I was there on business last week...the train station is in old Montreal (I think?! Anyway it seems like most everything in that part of town is "old"!)...there are a number of hotels nearby. On the high end, pricier side is the Hyatt Regency Montreal...I think in the ballpark of 250 bucks a night give or take...and on the economical end is the Comfort Hotel and Suites on St. Hubert Street...

It's probably a 5 - 10 minute cab ride from the train station...I got a good internet deal...85 bucks a night! It's nothing fancy - and is adjacent to the bus station - but it's just a two minute walk to St. Catherine Street...and it's clean and comfortable.

[IntravenousDemilo]

6. Comfort Hotel and Suites sounds just fine to me.

I don't see myself ever spending $250/night for a hotel, no matter how much money I make. My Depression-era parents would spin in their graves.

I'm wondering if the hotel will take walk-ins. I don't believe in credit cards, so I've never had one; you try reserving a hotel room without one, and it soon becomes clear that you'll be considered a second-class consumer, even if you have first-class cash.

[sourmilk]

4. Train station is right downtown. Walking distance to Old Montreal.

http://www.viarail.ca/train-stations/en-station-montreal-quebec.html

Lots of good, inexpensive hotels in Montreal:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotels-g155032-Montreal_Quebec-Hotels.html

My favorite:
http://www.versailleshotels.com/chateau/downtown_montreal_boutique_hotel.htm

Awesome place - tres romantique! The hotel restaurant (Brontë) is realy nice, too. Usually for approx $150 / night, too!!!

Lots of good restaurants, too:
http://www.10best.com/Montreal,QC/Restaurants/Best_Restaurants/

I can PERSONALLY recomment Gibby's, if you are looking for the best steakhouse in town. Make sure they seat you in the main dining lounge, rather than downstairs, though...it's a beautiful, old building.

Check out Place d'Youville in Old Montreal if you are into old buildings, museums, magnificent arthitecture and facades. If you like to take pics, you will be in HEAVEN. Lots of old churches in the Old Montreal / Downtown area, too (St. Joseph's Oratory (Mont Royal) and the Notre-Dame Basilica (Quai Victoria) are MUST SEE places, even if you are an ATHEIST!). Great Chinatown on St. Laurent ...also La Musee des Beaux-Arts on Sherbrooke, if you are into art.

If you like shopping, go to Rue St. Denis. Lots of interesting boutiques (some are a little outre, or racy) and a TON of cool antique shoppes. While you are on St. Denis, go to "Juliete et Chocolate," http://www.julietteetchocolat.com for UN-friggin-believable desserts.

Want to party/dance - go to Crescent St., near Ste. Catherine downtown (Club Systeme and Electric Ave, are fun)...

Best Smoked Meat - Shwartz's or Ben's (although I STILL like Snowdon Deli the best, they are ALL awesome.)
Best Bagels - Fairmount Bagel on Fairmount W. (hands DOWN!) http://www.fairmountbagel.com/eng/index.htm

Otherwise, here's a pretty good guide. I went to school in Montreal from 1981-86. I miss this city so friggin' much, I could CRY, sometimes...

And, NO, you do not EVER have to speak French in Montreal. EVERYONE can speak English in Montreal (although you may find a few rude assholes who pretend that they don't - just ignore them).

Don't worry about getting around - TONS to see withing walking distance of downtown/Old Montreal, cheap cabs and one of the best Metro systems in North America...

Enjoy yourself...

[IntravenousDemilo]

5. Thank you. This is good info.

I'm the kind of guy who likes to be out and about when I'm on holiday, and since I don't tend to spend a lot of time in my hotel room, I don't go for luxury accommodation and the price associated with that. As long as the room is clean and my stuff is secure, that's all I need.

I do want to try the best bagels and the best smoked meat sandwiches. I'm sure that the ones here in Toronto are just pale carbon copies. In fact, I may have to bring some home with me on the train.

I'll also be scouting out the gay village and surrounding area, so when I take Terry there, I can show him stuff. For instance, we really only have one male strip club of note in T.O., but I understand there are quite a few in Montreal.

Yup, I do like to take pictures. And I do want to practise my French as much as I can... it's a little rusty right now.

[sourmilk]

7. There are hotels with reasonable rates in downtown Montreal, too.

Many around $100 per night. I mentioned the Chateau Versailles because it's one of my favorite places to stay (and eat!) in Montreal and I have a lot of really nice memories of my visits there. It's a real bargain at $150 / night. Man, I love Montreal for its vast assortment of "Boutique Hotels" - there's just so much more "atmosphere" in this city than in all of friggin' Ontario! I stayed at Hotel Le St. James one New Year's Eve, too. Sigh...incroyable, mais, c'est tres cher ($400 / nuit). There are a few "gay friendly" hotels, too, but they're not so nice (as you might expect). Here's a pretty good list of what's available, overall:
http://montreal.hotelscheap.org/

You are right about the smoked meat (even at Dunn's) in T.O. - it tastes like cardboard in comparison to "la vraie chose." I like the smoked meat at Snowdon Deli and Shwartz's best. If you go to Shwartz's, give yourself some time - it's ALWAYS incredibly busy, and make sure you don't mind sharing a table - everybody does it, there. Most restaurants are busy - more people go out to eat (especially a la famille) in Montreal than any other place I know - waaaaaay more than T.O. If you like Chinese, go to the Kam Shing
in CDN (Cote des Neiges) - not downtown, but easy to find. They have the best "Hot Pot" in the city, and pretty much the best food, overall (ask anyone). Abbreviations - CDN = Cote des Neiges, TMR = Town of Mont Royal, NDG = Notre Dame de Grace, CSL = Cote St. Luc, that's all I can remember right now. There are quite a few really good, fun, little "microbrasseries" in Montreal, too (if you like good beer). As an added bonus so many sidewalk cafes you won't know where to stop...but your waistline is going to suffer.

You can pretty much speak as much or as little French as you like in Montreal - it's entirely up to you. As far as pictures go, there are so many buildings from 18th and 19th century (and still some 17th century, too), so many incredibly beautiful churches (make sure you see the Oratory, at least), you will be in postcard heaven. The waterfront is not really all that pretty, but there are some nice spots around Quai Victoria to take pics (old houses, more churches, the Basilica, etc.)

Here's the link to "Go Montreal" I forgot to post in my previous message:
http://www.go-montreal.com/areas_village.htm

Here is where you may want to take Terry - don't forget your leather if you go to the Black Eagle, and make sure you go to the BACK of the bar!
http://english.montrealplus.ca/feature/gay/8410/bars.jsp

I hope you have a great time (In fact, I'm sure you will - how could you NOT?)

[Bragi]

8. Good heavens!

How could a nice Saskatchewan fellow like you have never visited Montreal!

Go and enjoy all the city has to offer (within reason and according to personal tastes, of course).

- B

[iverglas]

9. I'l miss you by two days :(

We arrive on the 22nd. You sure you don't want to stay a little longer??


We're going to La Ronde! And going to try to hit some blues/jazz venues, hopefully not in the club district.


There's an exhibition on I want to see:

http://www.mmfa.qc.ca/en/expositions/exposition_128.html

Refus Global 60 Years Later: Recent Acquisitions
June 19 to December 7, 2008


I went through every bleeding hotel here:

http://secure.rezserver.com/city/?refid=1000&rs_cid=3000030122&t=l

It's amazing how fast quaint old-world charm becomes bedbugs and surly staff when you read the reviews. Since my companion prefers not to spend all that money and end up stuck in a dump, we're going with a big hotel that has a really good CAA/AAA price -- about $120/night for king, windows in two directions, smoking. I can send you the site if you like.


You'll also just miss the film fest, which starts on the 21st.

http://www.ffm-montreal.org/en_index.html


Jazz, in case you're interested:

http://www.sortiesjazznights.com/2/Left_menu/jazzvenues


I also went through everything here checking performance schedules for anything that looked like it wasn't a DJ and pounding noise ...

http://www.highwayhome.com/travel/tourismbycity/montreal/montrealnightspots.html


Montreal smoked meat and Montreal bagels, of course!


I can also direct you to a couple of on-line listings where there are tickets to Céline Dion's performance for a mere $600 or so a pair ... but dang, you'll miss that too, I guess. ;)

[IntravenousDemilo]

11. Malheureusement...

... I have a singing gig here on the 24th and I have to get back to T.O. and rehearse. Sorry I'll have to miss you, iverglas.

[IntravenousDemilo]

10. Yeah, I know...

.. especially one who roots for the Canadiens. I certainly regret not having seen a game played at The Forum.

I just didn't have the money to travel with before.