Q: Québec City, Canada

Notre-Dame de Québec Basilica-Cathedral: Québec City, Canada (December 2016)

Focusing has been difficult the past few months, so I'm taking an alternative approach to A-Z this year: looking back at past travel, editing or re-editing images from travels before, and responding to travel-related questions. Hope you are able to join me on this journey to my past!

For Day Q, I decided to go with this shot of a stained glass window in Québec. I was trying to only post images I hadn't shared on my blog before … or images that I had shared before but that I was able to re-edit and make look better. I tend to focus most of my post images on location shots – like an exterior shot. I'm very particular about which interior shots I share, because there is only so much room for it on a blog post! And you all only have so much interest in seeing them. 

Other places I considered for this post: I can't think of any other Q places I've been to!

On to today's questions –

49. What's the worst piece of travel advice you have ever received?

Every time we ask for advice about when we should arrive at the airport, it's usually wrong. 

We once were told we could arrive at CDG one hour before departure and be fine. While we wouldn't typically follow that advice, we also had limited time for returning a rental car in "as good of condition or better" than we rented it in. So, we pushed our limits. BIG mistake. HUGE. Don't do that.😛

When we were visiting Sharm-El-Sheikh, we noticed the airport was tiny, so we asked hotel staff how early they thought we should arrive at the airport for our domestic flight to Cairo. They told us an hour. Once again, I got distracted – this time shooting the beauty of Sharm! We departed for the airport approximately an hour before we needed to board our plane. Then we saw the line. 😳 Trying not to freak, we jumped into line. We stood there for nearly 30 minutes with the line not moving. Then, we heard someone shouting "Anyone going to Cairo?" We rushed to the front of the line "Yes! Yes!" They asked for our tickets (the only flight tickets for our entire trip that we had been given in advance), which we temporarily struggled to find (another minor freak out) and then began going through security. Much to our surprise, we actually made it onto our flight to Cairo checked bags and all with only 30 minutes actually spent in the airport and a lot of time spent freaking out in line.

So, while we've generally gotten in trouble for listening to people regarding airport time tables, there was one time when we were wrong and the people we listened to were right. As it turns out, in Lana'i City, the airport opens as a specific time and not a minute before. Even if your goal is to arrive two hours before your domestic flight back to the mainland, you will not be able to get through security until the airport opens. And with two terminals, they don't let you go through security, even when the airport is open, until only about 30 minutes before your flight takes off. In this case, the cab driver we talked to was correct in saying we would be fine only allowing an hour at the airport. I guess it all depends on the city you are visiting, the time of year, and your comfort levels.

50. How much stuff have you lost while traveling?

I lost some of my favorite hair clips while traveling. That was a little devastating because I had had them since high school. I'm not really good at keeping track of my things, though, so it was inevitable that it would happen someday.

I've also lost (or left behind) $100 headphones, cell phone chargers, camera battery chargers, camera batteries, etc… When I unplug my phone from being charged or take a necklace off my neck, I have to put it in my luggage right away or it runs the risk of being left behind.

When you are packing it's a good idea to only bring things you are comfortable losing. And always double check your hotel room to see if you left anything behind! Check under the bed, in drawers, etc… In fact, ideally, just don't use the drawers. You are more likely to see any items you are leaving behind if they are out on surface areas rather than put away.

51. Which religious or spiritual site you've visited has been your favorite?

Justin and I went to the Mustafa Mosque in Sharm-El-Sheikh right after we visited The Heavenly Cathedral. While I do love seeing the insides of beautiful churches, I think my favorite spiritual site view was seeing this mosque as the sun was going down. We weren't actually allowed to enter because they were doing their five o'clock prayer but was nice seeing the gorgeous sunset, hearing the beautiful call to prayer, and taking in the architecture that made up the building. It was an experience unto itself.

Have you ever received really bad advice that you followed? What happened?

See other posts in this year's A-Z.

A • B • C • D • E • F • G • H • I • J • K • L • M • N • O • P

C: Montréal, Canada

Mount Royal Park: Montréal, Canada (January 2017)

Focusing has been difficult the past few months, so I'm taking an alternative approach to A-Z this year: looking back at past travel, editing or re-editing images from travels before, and responding to travel-related questions. Hope you are able to join me on this journey to my past!

For Day C, I choose this shot of Mount Royal Park in Montréal, Canada. The view from there was outstanding! On a beautiful spring or summer day, you could take a picnic up there and really enjoy the view. We were visiting on a cold winter day; I had a hard time getting images before my hands turned into icicles. They did have hot chocolate and coffee available for purchase from a vending machine which helped get us through. Definitely plan for the weather if you ever visit!

Read more about my visit to Mount Royal Park and Montréal, Canada here.

Other places I considered for this post: California, Charleston (SC), Cinque Terre (Italy), Chattanooga (TN), Czech Republic, Catalina Island (CA), Carmel (CA), Clearwater Beach, (FL), Cairo (Egypt)

I've been to a lot of places that start with the letter C!

Here are today's questions –

7. What's your favorite place that you've traveled to so far?

This is like choosing a favorite child. How do you choose?!

Favorite beach? Hawai'i. Probably Banzai on O'ahu, but there were many amazing beaches in Hawai'i!

Favorite winter destination? Either Dresden or Québec. Loved watching a blizzard from a bar in Québec City, Canada with a cup of hot chocolate! Also, Québec is super walkable. The art in Dresden, Germany won me over. Who doesn't love cute architecture?

8. What place is currently at the top of your bucket list?

GREECE! I want to see all of the blue and the tile and the water! I don't foresee the food being a disappointment either.

Also making the list: Spain, Morroco, Mexico, Japan, Italy (again), Canada (again), Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, the Caribbean Islands, Oregon (state), and a road trip across the US.

But if I had a free ticket to almost anywhere, I'd probably go.

9. What's the best travel advice you've ever received?

Get to the airport 3 hours before your flight when flying out of the country, 2 hours before for flying within the country.

This really threw me for a loop when we attempted to arrive early at Lana'i City airport in Hawai'i. No one was there! And they didn't take us through security until only a few minutes before the flight was set to take off!

Alternatively, we were told we would only need an hour at Sharm El Sheikh airport; when we got there, we saw the line and freaked! Turns out they call you by flight but for foreigners in a weird country, the line was quite alarming!

Other life-changing travel advice?

- The Chase Sapphire Reserve gets you free lounge access. It can save a bunch on food costs! It also pays for GOES membership once every 4 years making getting through security that much faster. And when Ultimate Reward points add up, it's a great card for getting free nights at a hotel!

- Pack LIGHT! What would you wear at home? Take that. Nothing more. You can buy almost anything you need where you are going. Also, layers. Take things that go well together. Do you need a different pair of jeans for every day of the week? Probably not. But maybe do take extra underwear and socks. Of anything that gets dirty, these are the things I'd be less likely to re-wear. Or go without. Who am I to judge?

Is there a city that starts with the letter C near you? Am I just awkward in the number of 'c' destinations I've been to?

See other posts in this year's A-Z.

A • B

What to Eat, Where

Over the last three years, I've had the privilege and joy of traveling to a number of different places and trying food combinations that were beyond my imagination. I've learned that just because you've had a certain food or tried a certain activity in one place doesn't mean you will dislike it another. In fact, food, for me, has been a way of breaking out of the mold and learning to try things that I otherwise might pass up. Luckily, my husband is a foodie and has very little that he won't try … which inevitably spurs me on.

Below, I have listed for you the foods and food combinations I have learned about through my travels. Maybe some foods you were already aware of? Maybe there are some new ones for you? Perhaps, you are currently planning to travel to one of these locations?

Whatever the case may be, let me take you away to food paradise … one city (and in some cases, country) at a time…

1. In Hawai'i…

Get fresh fruit. Maui pineapples, passion fruit, guava, coconut, mango, apple bananas. (Yes, apple bananas are a thing.) The fruit I had in Hawai'i was some of the best I've ever had. :)

Kona coffee. Every island has a different flavor, and, according to my husband, it's all delicious.

The Mauimosa is a fun take on the more traditional mimosa. It's made with pineapple wine.

Macadamia nuts grow on multiple islands in Hawai'i. You can get them without all of the additional preservatives, so that's nice. I'm kind of in love with the Hawaiian Host chocolate covered macadamia nuts. Add a bit of caramel and … mmm mm good! :)

Banana bread. Aunty Sandy's banana bread on the Road to Hana in Maui is pretty amazing especially right out of the oven.

The "plated lunch" in Hawai'i is pretty unique. You get a meat of your choosing + macaroni salad + rice. It sounds weird and makes you wonder where the vegetables are, but it's actually really good.

And for dessert be sure to grab some shaved ice. To do it right, you need it layered with vanilla ice cream on the bottom, sweetened condensed milk on top, and a handful of mochi. With the right syrup flavors covering the ice, on a hot, sunny day at the beach, this treat is delicious!

2. In NYC, New York…

Grab an egg cream soda. It comes in chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry flavors, though not all flavors are always available at the same place. And no, you won't get sick and die from drinking raw egg, because there isn't any in the drink!

Pizza is next. Just any street vendor will do.

And some people claim the bagels are the best. Something about the New York City water?

Photo credit: edwardkimuk via Visual Hunt / CC BY-NC-ND

3. In Boston, Massachusetts…

A Boston cream pie/cake is a MUST. My preference? Mike's Pastry in Little Italy. Trust me: this treat served anywhere else in the world will never be the same.

Photo credit: greg.turner via Visual hunt / CC BY-NC-SA

4. In Charleston, South Carolina…

Shrimp and grits are a staple. I don't eat fish, but that's what they say, anyway.

5. In Atlanta, Georgia…

Try the fried chicken. Ideally with a lot of sides. Think mac and cheese, cornbread or drop biscuits, fried green tomatoes, mashed potatoes with gravy, coleslaw, fried okra, baked beans, and collard greens. A new thing I've only recently been introduced to is red pepper jelly which goes great on a biscuit! The jelly is sweet and tastes nothing like you (or at least I) would expect.

For dessert, be sure to get a peach cobbler (also can be made with a variety of other fruits including blueberries, apples, and strawberries) or fried peach pie. Peaches are the Georgia state fruit.

A popular drink, one that would be served with your fried chicken at grandma's house is sweet tea. If you've never had sweet tea before, take it slow. Southerners tend to like their iced sweet tea made with ALL of the sugar. Another option is lemonade, which is almost completely different from the European style. In the US, we use still water, sugar, and (yellow) lemons. Obviously, you can substitute with (green) limes, if you want, for a completely different flavor.

6. In southern Germany…

Käsespätzle is my thing. Minus the onions.

Currywurst is also a thing; it's one I didn't come to like until my husband made it at home… It's almost sweet tasting and doesn't remind me at all of the curry flavor found in Indian food.

Maß beer is also a standout. I don't drink it, but how can you not associate those large glasses of beer (especially during Oktoberfest) with Germany?

7. In France…

You have crêpes and galettes. As much as I have tried to like savory galettes, I just don't. I prefer sweet crêpes instead.

The French omelet (not served as breakfast) is absolutely amazing and unlike any American omelette that I've ever had. It's more light and airy. And they serve it with fries!

My husband is a fan of the mussels served in a cream broth and served with fries like you find in the Brittany region of France. I dislike seafood, so … there's that. :)

Hot chocolate is a must, though. I cannot leave without having a cup of Angelina's, even in the heat of summer!

Another delicious sweet is the salted caramel found in the Brittany region of France which is also pretty amazing. I wouldn't go out of my way to get it, but if you happen to be there anyway, why not?

8. In northern Italy…

My favorite meal would be salami, a delicious baguette (I know – French!), cheese (even Parmigian Reggiano is acceptable!), and a glass of wine looking out over the ocean with friends as the sun goes down. #win! I'm also a huge fan of their balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Nothing I can buy in the states tastes anything like it!

Unfortunately, I found myself disappointed in most other foods I tried while there – gelato, pizza, spaghetti. Could it be my American taste buds interfering? … Or did we just choose all of the wrong restaurants?

9. In the Québec region of Canada…

How can you not have poutine?

I'm also a HUGE fan of Michel Jodin's iced cider in the Québec region.

Then there is the Canadian syrup which is found in almost everything … from hot drinks to candy to breakfast "sauces". While the syrup itself is very good, I have to say you haven't really tried "Canadian syrup" until you are eating it served in a mug or spread out on snow as a sticky candy to be wrapped around a stick.

Photo credit: akimapilot via VisualHunt / CC BY-ND

10. In Prague, Czech Republic…

Trdelník, a delicious street food pastry made with cinnamon and filled with Nutella. I hear in the summer you can add ice cream to it too! How fun would that be?!

11. In Key West, Florida…

To be determined.

In a few weeks, my husband and I will be making the drive to learn more about what foods are served there. They will be hosting a key lime festival (wherein they drop key lime pies from lighthouses and the person who keeps it most intact wins?), and you can bet I will be drinking a tropical drink and soaking up the sun. Am I crazy? Well, that too is to be determined. It's possible.

What are some foods and drinks you associate with different locations? Have you ever tried a food in one place only to discover that it tastes completely different elsewhere? Are there specific foods you have to get every time you visit a specific location or place?

Share! And link-up with Top Ten Thursday!

What is there to do in Montréal on New Year's Eve?

It's day nineteen (for me) in the A-Z blog challenge! This month I'll be sharing all about my Christmas/New Year travels to Canada – providing insight into the places I went, reviewing the hotels I stayed at, and telling my story. Today's letter is X for the eXciting fireworks we got to watch on New Year's Eve from our hotel room at Auberge du Vieux-Port in Montréal, Canada. Feel free to follow along as I make my way through the alphabet this month! :)

Even though I had been planning our trip to Montréal for weeks, I neglected to do one of the most important things that one must always do when going somewhere on a holiday: getting reservations at a restaurant for dinner.

At first, I put off this aspect of planning because I wasn't sure if we were actually going to Montréal…

Then, it was because I was trying to plan all of the other things. (My method of building a trip itinerary is to start with the decisions that come easiest to me. For some reason, figuring out dinner for New Year's eve did not strike me as an easy task.)

My next problem was that I was afraid of the French language… (Don't be! Most people in Montréal speak both English and French.)

Finally, my decision was made all the more complicated in that my husband and I didn't want to spend hundreds of dollars on a meal. Montréal offers lots of options for New Year's eve, many of which are multi-course meals with entertainment and opportunities to watch the holiday fireworks with your fellow diners. My preference was to go somewhere on the cheaper side, less extravagant, less noteworthy, more down-to-earth, and just have dinner.

Upon arrival to Auberge du Vieux-Port, we sat down with the concierge and came up with a plan. She recommended Holder as a great place for a New Year's Eve meal. Not being familiar with the area, we ran with the idea. I mean - so long as we had a place to eat, right? … And one that wouldn't have us waiting in line forever? :)

Holder was approximately a 30-minute walk from our hotel and on our way, we spotted this…

Just one of the many Cité Mémoire exhibits located all across Montréal bringing the cities history to life. If you listened to the recording I did, you can hear where someone pulled us aside to explain what we were seeing. (We had no idea what the exhibit was or of its existence!)

Unfortunately, we didn't have a lot of time following our discovery to go around the city in search of other historic projections (plus it was super cold!), but the exhibit is continuing on throughout the year. If you find yourself in Montréal for any reason (business or pleasure), definitely consider going around the city seeking out the projections and downloading the app to learn more. (Alternatively, they have a guide that can take you around as well.)

After a bit of harassing my husband ("Are we there yet?" … "Are you sure you know where you are going?"), we spotted our restaurant. (Warmth! At last!)

They were going to sit us in the middle of the restaurant before I asked for the window seat. After checking their reservations, they agreed that we could have the seat we wanted. (Just know that if you want a window seat, tell them that when you make your reservations!)

We spent a few minutes looking at our menu before deciding exactly what we wanted.

By then though, we realized our friends across the ocean were celebrating the new year! Quickly, we messaged them wishing them a happy new year. :) But of course, when they sent a picture of their entirely family toasting, we tried to send them a toasting image in response…

Only we failed. Do you know how difficult it is to shoot an "us-ie" without a selfie stick in a dark restaurant? Not to mention I'm totally not photogenic, so having my picture taken is a NO.

… And we weren't drinking champagne …

I guess there is always next year?

Despite my claim to not want a multi-course meal, Justin and I still got one… *sigh*

We began our dinner date with a Caprese salad, followed up with dinner entrees of peasant soup (for me) and duck confit (for him), and ended our dinner with a cheese plate and mi cuit au caramel (like a chocolate lava cake only with caramel instead). By this time, our three-hour reservation was up and it was time to head back out into the snow to our hotel…

Before the fireworks were set to begin, Justin and I repacked our bags for our trip home, set up my tripod on the large window seal of the hotel room, and then laid down for a quick two-hour nap. (We were exhausted!)

Only a few minutes before midnight, I jumped out of bed and set myself up for photographing the fireworks…

Cloud coverage was absolutely terrible for photographing the fireworks. Add this to the fact that we were on the lowest level of the hotel, and I was happy to get the shots I got.



Rather than immediately go to bed, we opted to try the strawberry and white chocolate Bûche de Noël we had purchased in Québec City as we watched all of the city's firework go-ers walking, dancing, and singing as they headed back to their homes and cars. Overall, this wasn't a bad way to end our first trip to Canada. :)

Have you ever celebrated the New Year in another country? What do you typically do for New Year's eve?

A • B • C • D • E • F • G • H • I • L • N • P • Q • R • T • U • V • W

Montréal: So Much to See And Do!

It's day eighteen (for me) in the A-Z blog challenge! This month I'll be sharing all about my Christmas/New Year's travels to Canada – providing insight into the places I went, reviewing the hotels I stayed at, and telling my story. Today's letter is W for what we did in Montréal. 

Auberge du Vieux-Port Hotel

It's day seventeen (for me) in the A-Z blog challenge! This month I'll be sharing all about my Christmas/New Year travels to Canada – providing insight into the places I went, reviewing the hotels I stayed at, and telling my story. Today's letter is V for the Auberge du Vieux-Port Hotel on the Saint Lawerence River in Montréal, Canada.




Destination: Montréal, Canada
Date: December 2016- January 2017
Hotel: Auberge du Vieux-Port
Address: 97 Rue de la Commune East, Montreal, Quebec H2Y 1J1, Canada
Brand: none
Elite Status: none
# of travelers: 2
nights: 2

Making the Decision

This hotel was the very first hotel I picked for our time in Montréal. I booked in October without knowing for certain if we would actually be visiting Montréal for New Year's eve. However, even at that time, the hotel was requiring all guests to book two nights if you had any intention of staying there for the New Year's Eve celebration. The price was quite high, but I had done research; this was a good hotel to stay at if you wanted to see the New Year's eve fireworks from your room.

Of course, as with all hotels, you make a gamble even when you book the best possible room available. And with my gamble, I lost. Kind of. Read on to find out how and why this gamble did not quite work in my favor…

Getting There

Justin and I took a taxi to our hotel. We were starving and knew we had very little time to see the sights in Montréal.

This particular hotel isn't incredibly close to anything aside from the Saint Lawerence River. The airport is a good 30 minutes away (by car), the train station is maybe 10 minutes away (by car), and the metro is about a ten-minute walk. (Of course, keep in mind that every walk felt longer because of intense snow! Blizzard-like conditions had just passed through a day before!) If you drive, the hotel offers a valet service.

My recommendation:
+ Take the cab or brave the snow in the winter. Use the subway system.
+ In better weather conditions, consider walking. The city is large but mostly flat in comparison to Québec City. The subway system and cabs should get you where you need to go without the additional valet parking fee.

There is no direct shuttle to and from the airport, but TripAdvisor reviews seem to suggest that you can take an airport shuttle to the subway system and get *close* to the Auberge du Vieux-Port Hotel. We did not try it, so I can't comment on it.

Checking-In & Concierge

Our early lunchtime arrival had us at the hotel too early for check-in, but the staff were more than happy to hold our luggage for us. At this point, we requested a room on a high floor (we had already paid an extravagant amount for a room with a "view") and to speak to the hotel concierge about booking dinner reservations for New Year's Eve. The hotel staff gave us a kind small and indicated that if there were any available rooms on a high floor they would keep our request in mind.

While waiting on the concierge to finish up with another client, we helped ourselves to some hot chocolate and coffee in the hotel lobby. Tea was also an option available to us.

Minutes later, after we introduced ourselves, she recalled that she had left a message on my husband's cell phone indicating that if we needed anything prior to our stay to let her know including New Year's Eve dinner reservations.

Oops.

Either way, it made us feel special that she remembered calling us.

Upon sitting down at her desk, she gave us a run through of options. Multi-course or single course? Expensive or cheap? … What kind of cuisine did we want? Within walking distance perhaps?

We made it easy for her and agreed with almost everything she said.

Then, she gave us a map, explained that the ferry was currently out of service for the winter and explained how best to get to different places around town.

We were set free until it was time to return to the hotel and check-in!

Elevators & Room Availability

After exploring for a bit (on a search for a raclette warmer and getting lunch), we returned to the hotel just in time for check-in just after 3 PM. Our room still wasn't ready. In fact, our room wasn't ready for check-in until 5 PM! Ridiculous much?

As if I wasn't irritated enough by that, they gave us a room on the BOTTOM floor (of rooms, that is).

*facepalm*

I was fuming.

We pressed the button for the elevator and as we were waiting, the front desk staff suggested we take the stairs instead. Because somehow I would be able to release all of my anger on the stairs, perhaps?

Needless to say, the elevator was so incredibly slow that we never once used it. We also used the stairs even if it meant dragging heavy luggage behind us. (And if anyone is going to have the patience for using an elevator when there is heavy luggage involved it's me!

Room & View

Our particular room was in the smack dab center of the hall. There were approximately three rooms facing the river and only a laundry room on the other side of the hall. Seeing this made me feel ridiculous for having paid extra for a "view". Hello! If everyone has a "view", then that "view" isn't actually special or worth the extra you pay for it, is it? Especially if the room you are assigned is on the bottom floor. (I'm still irritated.)

However, the room we were in was spacious with plenty of floor-to-ceiling space. The hardwood exposed beams and the brick gave the hotel a boutique feel. My husband and I, however, did not understand the NYC themed artwork we saw everywhere in the hotel; why didn't they choose Montréeal themed artwork? They are their own city. (Maybe they romanticize NYC like Americans romanticize Paris?)

The furniture in the room was lovely, and we had more than enough room to spread out. There was a small table with two chairs, a bench just in front of the bed, two bedside tables, an armoire, a work desk, and even a shelving unit in the bathroom for soaps, towels, etc… Of course, my favorite feature was the oversized window seals, which I made a point to sit on as often as possible to people-watch from our room. There is nothing better than people-watching from oversized window seals!

Unfortunately, the whole reason for the "room with a view" was so that we would be able to see the fireworks on New Year's Eve night. While it's true that we could see them, we felt we were taking a gamble staying inside and not venturing out onto the docks or publicly accessible viewing spots. (But it was cold!) We could, in fact, see the fireworks just behind some trees between our hotel and where they were shooting the fireworks from. You'll be able to see what I'm talking about when I get to letter X (in two days!).

Bathroom

Atypically large for a hotel, Auberge du Vieux-Port offered plenty of space for showering, changing, and getting ready for the day. If you have a large bedroom and master bath in your current home, you will feel at home when staying here. The hotel offers a rain shower with multiple body jets in the shower. You will definitely feel spoiled when staying here.

Food Options & Amenities

Auberge du Vieux-Port has breakfast and rooftop bar options, neither of which we tried. The breakfast hours started later than we wanted to eat, and the rooftop bar isn't open during the winter.

The hotel also felt stingy on amenities. While soaps were offered, water bottles and snack bar items cost. And while other reviewers on TripAdvisor suggest that they had free breakfast provided for them, we did not. We even found the internet spotty and hard to connect to! Aside from the spacious and gorgeous rooms, we did not feel pampered in any way by the hotel.

There was no fitness room, pool, or business lounge that we saw. They did offer terry cloth robes, an iron and board, a mini-fridge, and a TV.

Check-Out

After a late night watching the fireworks, we checked out just before 7 AM the next day to head to the Montréal Justin Trudeau Airport. We walked about 5 minutes from the hotel up a hill in the snow to a taxi cab stand, so that my husband could feel like he had saved money. The hotel staff did offer to call us a cab, though.

One thing of note: be sure to check your bill. On our bill, we found a charge for food that we had no consumed. We informed the front desk staff who let us know that they would track down the person who did eat at the restaurant and take the charge off our bill. We will grateful, but we left feeling like Auberge du Vieux-Port had done the absolute worst job at personalizing our hotel stay experience and making us feel at home than any of the other hotels we had stayed at while on this trip. (See letters D, H, and L)

Overall Review

★★ (below average)

The room was beautiful and ornate creating a unique and fun boutique atmosphere, but the customer service and amenities offered were a complete let down from what we would expect for the price we paid for this hotel.

While I might consider staying at this hotel again for its view of the river (assuming I actually received a view!) or for the rooftop bar (during the summer), I doubt I would ever have such high expectations as to return for New Years eve and expect a view of fireworks from my room. In other words, at this hotel you are paying for the pretty room and vicinity to the river; that's it. Supposedly, some people have even been bothered by a loud train that goes by the hotel early in the morning. (We didn't hear it, probably because we were up so late watching fireworks!).

If you go, expect problems and be delighted if everything goes as well or better than expected. This hotel certainly has potential; they just need to live up to it.

Your Turn

Have you ever gone into an experience with high expectations only to be disappointed? … Am I the only one that tends to be disappointed in boutique hotels?

If you've been to Montréal before, what's your favorite hotel?

A • B • C • D • E • F • G • H • I • L • N • P • Q • R • T • U