The first hotel in North America to bear the Ritz-Carlton name is in Montreal. Opened in 1912, this is arguably the finest hotel in this revitalised city. Its legendary status has been cemented by the countless politicians and celebrities who have graced the hotel including Queen Elizabeth II, Winston Churchill, and musical legends The Rolling Stones and Céline Dion.
Hotel
Situated in the historic Golden Square Mile, it would be hard to find a more refined and upmarket location in town with nearby modern art galleries and high-end boutiques cementing this. The design blends history with five-star modernity and more observant hotel guests will notice three different Ritz-Carlton logos throughout the hotel to signify their illustrious history.
There’s the iconic Cinderella staircase for ladies to impress with their ballgowns. Small touches are significant like the lifts opening onto the reception counter, so staff can greet each guest personally, and the centrepiece of the hotel is, without a doubt, the sumptuous Palm Court. With a regal marble fireplace, grand chandeliers and a high vaulted ceiling with painted palm trees, this is the place to see and be seen in town. This is where you can enjoy Montreal’s most coveted high tea service (more on that later).
Room
Rooms are extremely spacious starting from their entry-level, deluxe king at 400 sq ft to the spectacular royal suite at 4,700 sq ft with 12 connecting rooms (unsurprisingly the largest suite in Montreal). You either get a Montreal city view or a garden view and the rooms are furnished in an archetypal style with generally muted colours along with an occasional splash of royal purple or blue.
The rooms are equipped with high-tech amenities such as motion sensors that activate lights to guide guests in darkness. They also offer intuitive memory of guests’ temperature preferences when they check in. They offer plenty of adapters for electronic devices and USB charging points, so you won’t have to worry about charging your multiple devices.
Finally, their standout bathrooms are a must-mention. Constructed with gleaming marble, there is underfloor heating, a generously sized bathtub and a futuristic multi-functional toilet with a heated seat that also has a massage function. They also offer exclusive Asprey bath amenities to ensure you are well-moisturised irrespective of the weather outdoors.
Food and drink
High tea at their Palm Court is the place to enjoy afternoon tea in Montreal. The exquisite tea, homemade sandwiches and classic scones and pastries make for a refined experience. The creations respect the traditions of the pastry kitchen which has been offering this service since 1912 rather than anything more post-modern.
Breakfast is offered at Maison Boulud. Even for your first meal of the day, you will be offered artisanal Quebecois products such as a salmon bagel or the soufflé omelette. Dishes are presented exquisitely, so a dish of smoked salmon is presented as a rose with splashes of salmon roe.
For dinner, renowned chef Daniel Boulud has recrafted classic French dishes with local ingredients from Montreal, so expect dishes like ‘Plume des Champs’ farm guinea fowl supreme. Caviar plays a prominent role on their menus which can be enjoyed from breakfast to dinner.
Spa
You know this is no standard spa when you have waterfalls, fireplaces and an indoor saltwater pool on their rooftop. Spa St. James offers state-of-the-art treatments you’ll rarely find elsewhere, with the likes of advanced oxygen facial and body contouring massage.
They also offer a non-surgical facelift which is hugely popular with the Montreal elite. With a serene relaxation area along with a cosy fireplace, 12 spacious treatment rooms and also a generously sized gym with the latest training equipment, you won’t struggle to entertain yourself at the hotel, even if the weather is frosty outside.
To do
The stand-out activity to do in the area is to visit the nearby, Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. It is the largest art museum in Canada by gallery space and often hosts blockbuster pop-up exhibitions like their recent ‘Seeing Loud: Basquiat and Music’. Their exhibitions span every discipline from archaeology to fine arts, to contemporary practice. And it isn’t surprising at all to see so many contemporary art galleries nearby given the renowned status of this museum.
In a nutshell
If you want a five-star experience that intertwines history with modernity, The Ritz-Carlton Montreal is just the hotel for you. You’ll experience faultless service along with the very best of amenities.
Factbox
The Ritz-Carlton, Montreal offers rooms from 660 CAD per night.
Address: 1228 Sherbrooke St W, Montreal, Quebec H3G 1H6, Canada
Phone: +1 514-842-4212
Email: yulrm.leads@ritzmontreal.com
Website: ritzcarlton.com
All imagery, unless stated, provided by The Ritz-Carlton, Montreal.