During the Summer months one of my favourite places to visit is the city of Montreal. If I could, I would travel there each weekend from May to August and do nothing but shop, eat copious amounts of pain au chocolat and enjoy some of the cities amazing dining experiences. I recently took a little weekend trip to “La Belle Province” in the new 2014 Cadillac ATS sedan and stayed in Hotel Le Germain, one of the cities most premier accommodations. Owned and operated by a small family owned company appropriately named Groupe Germain, this chic hotel is situation in the heart of downtown Montreal, yet resides on an uber quiet street – allowing guests to be in the midst of the hustle and bustle within seconds but sleep at night without noise pollution. The location is perfect for guests without vehicle transportation, as the hotel is within walking distance of Rue Sherbrooke – which is the home of high-end luxe stores such as Holt Renfrew, Hermes, Catherine Malandrino, Tiffany & C; art shops and the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. Also within a close radius, the popular Saint Catherine Street and plenty amazing dining opportunities.

Images above are of Hotel Le Germain’s Deluxe Room with queen size bed

I have stayed at many boutique hotels during my travels and usually find that there is more of an investment in the building’s design and style than there is with hiring competent and helpful staff. Luckily, Le Germain did not cut corners on either. The staff was beyond accommodating to both myself and my dog Brooklyn (yes, this is in fact a pet friendly hotel!) and went the extra mile to ensure my pup had an equally comfortable stay by providing her with a comfy Germain dog bed, food/water bowls, and of course treats. Concierge also eagerly advised me upon check-in that they could provide dog-sitting services should I want to venture anywhere that is not dog friendly, provided restaurant recommendations that are actually cool and not run of the mill tourist traps, and even packed my vehicle with an ample supply of their branded water bottles to ensure I stayed hydrated during my daily excursions.

With loft like design, concrete ceilings, earth tones, contrasting textures and modern design, each of the guest rooms felt and looked ultra roomy.  I am very particular about hotel bathrooms and it’s not uncommon for them to be so small it’s difficult for two people to get ready in there simultaneously. However, the washrooms in Le Germain are all oversized, even those in the regular guest rooms.  They contain ultra plush white robes, tubs and showers overlooking the bedroom and luxe toiletries from Molton Brown, the UK’s bath and body product connoisseurs. Although this was primarily a trip of leisure, I still had work to do, which was made easy with the room’s expansive work station. And the best part hands down had to be the hotel’s beds and accompanying bedding, which was designed exclusively for Le Germain by Quebec fashion icon Marie Saint Pierre. The high thread count and plush duvet and pillows made me feel as if I was  literally sleeping on a cloud. It has been years since I’ve slept that good. In need of extra space? not to worry… in addition to the 99 guest rooms, Le Germain also has two penthouse suites that each have two floors, 1.5 baths, full kitchen and large dining and living rooms and surprisingly only goes for $950 a night.

Living and dining room of the 16th floor penthouse suite

Although Le Germain impressed me on many levels, they did fail in one area. Minor, due to the fact that I was only there for a couple of days, but could be an issue for those guests who are staying much longer. Their restaurant Laurie Raphael fell flat in my personal opinion. Headed by Executive Chef Daniel Vezina, the presentation of the dishes that I was served during the dinner service was indeed pretty but the taste was subpar, which was a disappointment seeing as though Restaurant Victor in Groupe Germain’s Toronto location on Mercer is absolutely exquisite. Furthermore, the service (in the restaurant only) was less than stellar. However, a deluxe breakfast is included in the room rate, which is served buffet style. For those that have food sensitivities to gluten and dairy may find it a bit challenging to eat during the breakfast service as it’s filled with breads, bread putting, cheeses and oatmeal.

Other services/amenities worth noting:

• Espresso bar on the main level
• Computer with high speed wifi in the lobby in addition to complimentary wifi throughout the hotel
• Valet (which is needed as street parking is very limited in the area)
• Renovated fitness room with cardio and weight equipment, towels and water
• In-room massage and spa services

In the end, I had a fabulous stay…the concierge and front desk staff were so amazing I was sad to leave after the fews days I spent there – and I look forward to returning as a guest hopefully during my next visit to Montreal. For more information and rates on Le Germain Hotel, head to their website and you can stay up-to-date on current and future deals via Twitter. One of the most active twitter accouts I have ever seen from a hotel, if you have any questions, concerns, feedback or require help at any time, make sure to tweet @HotelGermain