Where to stay · Montreal · Canada
Where to stay in Montreal
7 neighbourhoods compared, with the trade-offs hotel listings don't tell you.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Krestavilis at English Wikipedia, Public domain
Quick answer
For a first visit, stay in Old Montreal. Cobbled streets, grey-stone buildings and the Old Port waterfront. Best alternatives — families: Downtown; budget: Mile End; nightlife: Plateau Mont-Royal.
Key facts
- First visit
- Old Montreal
- Families
- Downtown
- Budget
- Mile End
- Nightlife
- Plateau Mont-Royal
Best area for each kind of trip
| Trip type | Area | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-timers | Old Montreal | Cobbled streets, grey-stone buildings and the Old Port waterfront |
| Families | Downtown | Shopping streets, museums and the Underground City |
| Couples | Old Montreal | Cobbled streets, grey-stone buildings and the Old Port waterfront |
| Budget | Mile End | Bagel bakeries, cafés and artists' studios |
| Luxury | Old Montreal | Cobbled streets, grey-stone buildings and the Old Port waterfront |
| Nightlife | Plateau Mont-Royal | Colourful row houses, outdoor staircases and Saint-Laurent bistros |
| Food lovers | Plateau Mont-Royal | Colourful row houses, outdoor staircases and Saint-Laurent bistros |
| Solo travellers | Plateau Mont-Royal | Colourful row houses, outdoor staircases and Saint-Laurent bistros |
| Shopping | Downtown | Shopping streets, museums and the Underground City |
| Quiet stays | Little Italy | Jean-Talon Market, espresso bars and family trattorias |
Montreal neighbourhoods in detail
$$$$ · Best for first-timers, couples, luxury and culture
Old Montreal
Vieux-Montréal, the 17th-century French settlement beside the St. Lawrence, has cobbled Rue Saint-Paul, Place Jacques-Cartier, Notre-Dame Basilica and stone warehouses converted into boutique hotels and restaurants. The Old Port waterfront adds the Clock Tower, a Ferris wheel and summer festivals, and Place-d'Armes and Square-Victoria metro stations sit on its edge.
- Good
- Historic atmosphere and walkable sights; Boutique hotels in old buildings; Waterfront promenades
- Watch out
- Touristy restaurants around Place Jacques-Cartier; Pricey in summer and quiet in winter
- Nearby
- Notre-Dame Basilica, Old Port, Place Jacques-Cartier, Pointe-à-Callière
$$$ · Best for first-timers, shopping, families and culture
Downtown
Downtown stretches along Rue Sainte-Catherine and Boulevard René-Lévesque at the foot of Mount Royal, with department stores, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts on Sherbrooke Street, McGill University and, to the east, the festival plazas of the Quartier des Spectacles. Underground passages of the RÉSO link metro stations, malls and hotels in winter.
- Good
- Central for metro, shopping and festivals; Wide range of large hotels; Indoor connections in winter
- Watch out
- Busy, commercial streets; Less character than the Plateau or Old Montreal
- Nearby
- Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Quartier des Spectacles, McGill University, Mount Royal Park
$$$ · Best for food lovers, couples, nightlife and solo travellers
Plateau Mont-Royal
The Plateau is Montreal's postcard neighbourhood of row houses with wrought-iron outdoor staircases, leafy Parc La Fontaine and streets — Saint-Denis, Avenue du Mont-Royal and Boulevard Saint-Laurent — lined with cafés, bistros, bars and boutiques. Mount Royal Park is a short walk away and the Orange metro line runs along its western edge.
- Good
- Excellent restaurants and bars; Classic Montreal street life; Close to Mount Royal
- Watch out
- Mostly small hotels and rentals; Noise on Saint-Laurent at weekends
- Nearby
- Parc La Fontaine, Boulevard Saint-Laurent, Mount Royal Park, Schwartz's
$$ · Best for food lovers, solo travellers, budget and culture
Mile End
North of the Plateau, Mile End mixes Hasidic, Italian, Greek and Portuguese heritage with a creative scene: the rival St-Viateur and Fairmount bagel bakeries, Café Olimpico, record shops and studios in former textile buildings near Rue Saint-Viateur. The quieter streets of Outremont and Rue Bernard border it to the west.
- Good
- Local, creative atmosphere; Famous bagels and cafés; Good-value stays
- Watch out
- Few hotels; A bus ride or longer walk to the metro
- Nearby
- St-Viateur Bagel, Fairmount Bagel, Outremont, Jean-Talon Market
$$ · Best for nightlife, budget and solo travellers
Le Village and Quartier Latin
Rue Sainte-Catherine Est through the Village is one of North America's largest LGBTQ+ districts, with bars, clubs and restaurants, and in summer it becomes a pedestrian street under suspended art installations. The Quartier Latin around Rue Saint-Denis adds university bars and cinemas beside Berri-UQAM, the metro's main interchange.
- Good
- Lively nightlife; Central metro hub; Affordable hotels
- Watch out
- Rough edges on some streets at night; Noisy at weekends
- Nearby
- Berri-UQAM metro, Quartier des Spectacles, Old Montreal
$$ · Best for food lovers, families and quiet stays
Little Italy
Around Boulevard Saint-Laurent north of Rue Jean-Talon, Little Italy keeps espresso bars, Italian grocers, the Madonna della Difesa church and the year-round Jean-Talon Market, one of the largest open-air markets in North America. It is residential and calm, with Jean-Talon and De Castelnau metro stations nearby.
- Good
- Excellent food shopping; Calm, local streets; Metro access
- Watch out
- Few hotels; Far from Old Montreal
- Nearby
- Jean-Talon Market, Mile End, Parc Jarry
$$$ · Best for food lovers, couples and quiet stays
Griffintown and Saint-Henri
Former industrial districts along the Lachine Canal, Griffintown and Saint-Henri have turned into loft apartments, restaurants and bars along Rue Notre-Dame Ouest, anchored by the canal's bike path and the Art Deco Atwater Market. They suit travellers who want a residential base close to downtown and the water.
- Good
- Canal-side walks and cycling; Strong restaurant scene; Close to downtown
- Watch out
- Few traditional hotels; Ongoing construction in parts of Griffintown
- Nearby
- Atwater Market, Lachine Canal, Old Montreal
Areas compared
| Area | Price | Nearby |
|---|---|---|
| Old Montreal | $$$$ | Notre-Dame Basilica, Old Port, Place Jacques-Cartier, Pointe-à-Callière |
| Downtown | $$$ | Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Quartier des Spectacles, McGill University, Mount Royal Park |
| Plateau Mont-Royal | $$$ | Parc La Fontaine, Boulevard Saint-Laurent, Mount Royal Park, Schwartz's |
| Mile End | $$ | St-Viateur Bagel, Fairmount Bagel, Outremont, Jean-Talon Market |
| Le Village and Quartier Latin | $$ | Berri-UQAM metro, Quartier des Spectacles, Old Montreal |
| Little Italy | $$ | Jean-Talon Market, Mile End, Parc Jarry |
| Griffintown and Saint-Henri | $$$ | Atwater Market, Lachine Canal, Old Montreal |
Getting to your hotel
Montréal–Trudeau (YUL) is about 20 km west of downtown. The 747 express bus runs around the clock to downtown and Berri-UQAM in about 45–70 minutes depending on traffic and requires a 24-hour or longer pass; taxis charge a flat fare to downtown and take about 30–45 minutes.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best area to stay in Montreal for first-time visitors?
Old Montreal. Vieux-Montréal, the 17th-century French settlement beside the St.
+Where should families stay in Montreal?
Downtown: Central for metro, shopping and festivals.
+Which area of Montreal is best for a budget stay?
Mile End ($$): Bagel bakeries, cafés and artists' studios.