A stunningly redesigned classic hotel awaits travellers to one of the world’s great cities.
Hotel Le Germain Montreal recently underwent a $30 million renovation, emerging with six new floors on top and a thorough remake of rooms, the lobby, the second floor Le Boulevardier restaurant and the meeting spaces. You’ll now find 136 rooms, up from 101.
They weren’t able to use a crane so they built a new roof and raised it up six times to create six floors. There are truly spectacular suites on the 18th floor in the new section, as well as a remarkable gym with killer Montreal views and all the latest gadgets, including Pelotons and a virtual workout machine called The Mirror, which allows you to virtually interact with a trainer.
The hotel dates to 1999 but the building was erected in 1967. That being, of course, the year of Expo ’67 in Montreal, the Germain folks (it’s a family-run chain of fantastic hotels across Canada) wisely opted to give the place a retro look. You’ll find round, mushroom-shaped lamps in the rooms, hanging basket chairs (a real hoot, and quite comfortable) and other fun touches, including bathrooms with wallpaper featuring 1967 headlines about Expo, the beloved Montreal Canadiens, and more.
They have small black soaps in the bathrooms that are fashioned in the shape of the Man and His World Pavilion from Expo ’67, along with a specially designed fragrance. Our room was one of three in the hotel with a round bed, which matched the hanging chair and was super-comfortable and very cool to look at.
Le Boulevardier and the lobby bar, Flaneur, are now decked out in rich, copper tones with striking lighting and wavy, copper bits that evoke a fanciful Frank Gehry design. The architects installed mirrors on parts of the ceiling at Le Boulevardier, allowing diners to gaze up and see folks strolling or cycling along down below on Rue Mansfield. It might take you a minute to figure out what you’re looking at, but it’s a very cool feature.
Flaneur offers up everything from oysters to champagne and good, strong coffee, while Le Boulevardier features a brasserie-style menu, including classics such as duck magret, beef tartare and terrific tuna tataki. The hotel also added a small patio out front for al fresco dining, which is a great addition.
Naturally, you’ll still find the fine, European touches that have made Germain properties (and their sister Alt hotels) so popular all over Canada; including espresso coffee makers in your room, large, stylish showers and sleek design all around.
Le Boulevardier Restaurant, Hotel Le Germain, Montreal. JIM BYERS PHOTO
The hotel is perfectly located for both business folks and tourists. You’re less than a block from Rue Sherbrooke and McGill University. The fabulous Montreal Museum of Fine Arts is a 10-minute walk, and you’re maybe 25 minutes from Old Montreal on foot.
Of course, things have changed a little given COVID-19. There was a large bottle of sanitizer at the front door and sanitizing stations all around. We were required to wear masks in the public areas, of course, and they offered no-contact check-in and check-out. If you make a reservation and need to cancel, you can do so up to 4 p.m. on the day of your scheduled stay and you won’t pay a penalty.
They weren’t serving breakfast in the morning in the usual dining spot because of the virus and social distancing policies, but the hotel provided a tasty delivery to our room in the morning; a bag with yogurt, a fruit cup, a flaky croissant, orange juice, cold meats and cheese.
The number of seats in the dining areas also have been trimmed back to provide customers with more space.
It’s been very difficult for a hotel that would normally attract tons of business travellers, but the Germain folks are doing their best, said Marie Pier Germain, VP of marketing for Germain Hotels.
“In Quebec, we’ll call someone who wants to explore the world of food a gourmand. Those kinds of people are happy to still travel. But many people are on the fence, and some are quite conservative and don’t even want to leave their homes.”
“It’s so strange,” she told me over a coffee at the Flaneur lobby bar. “The maxim for hotels used to be ‘Don’t bother the guest,’ but now people want to see staff buzzing about and cleaning things.”
Germain said a boutique property like Hotel Le Germain Montreal might have an advantage down the road in that people can more easily get to know and trust their staff.
