The Ritz-Carlton Montreal

In a city with so many small independent hotels, it’s practically a subversive gesture to stay in a Ritz-Carlton. This hotel, though, like Montréal itself, is steeped in history—opened in 1912, the Ritz-Carlton has played host to everyone from Douglas Fairbanks to John Travolta.

The exterior may radiate old-world grandeur, but the interiors have seen a two-hundred-million-dollar renovation. Anyone expecting trend-chasing minimalism, though, will be in for a shock—though meticulously restored, the guest rooms are bursting with antiques, marble and gilt, looking for all the world like a period film set, with only the odd television set or ethernet jack to spoil the illusion.

Rooms are large, despite the hotel’s age, and the comforts are legion, from marble fireplaces to palatial beds with 300-thread Egyptian cotton sheets. And the public spaces are even more opulent, from the marble tiled floors and wood paneling of the lobby to the second-floor ballroom and the Jardin du Ritz, a manicured garden complete with a fountain and a duck pond.

Michelin-star-renowned chef Daniel Boulud serves up French culinary wonders from his open kitchen at Maison Boulud, including artisanal Québécois foods and a masterful list of 300 wines. Bide your time until then at the Palm Court for afternoon tea or the Dom Pérignon Bar for fine champagne — or, more likely, both. Any number of options lie just outside, whether for dining or shopping—Holt Renfrew and Ogilvy’s department stores are nearby, as are all the designer shops of Ste. Catherine Street. Galleries and museums abound including the Museum of Fine Arts, and the Old Port is a short taxi or metro ride away.