You know the minute you walk in the Hotel St-Martin Montreal that it’s something special – whether it’s the warm welcome, the “at-your-service” attitude or simply the gorgeous decor of the place.

The hotel, despite a very successful recent history, started out as a big controversy – the hotel is built where a legendary smoked meat restaurant once stood. Mind you, the restaurant had been closed for several months before it was destroyed and upgraded into a 4-star hotel, but a lot of locals held on to the thought that it was part to the Montreal identity and shouldn’t have been replaced, even though the building was rapidly degrading.

To those melancholics I say: spend a night at the St-Martin, and see if you still think the change wasn’t necessary, and appreciated. As a Montrealer, I can honestly say that it was for the best for the city.

Hotel St-Martin Montreal: The Location

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It’s obvious from this map that the hotel’s location can’t be beat – metro stations, shopping streets, museums, theaters, restaurants and more are all a stone throw’s from the hotel – almost literally! If a good location is what you are after, then there is no doubt that the St-Martin is the best pick for you.

Hotel St-Martin Montreal: The Hotel

The hotel was very recently built, just a few years ago. This fact shows in the very modern decor, that’s both fresh and welcoming.

In terms of facilities, the hotel is fully equipped with a classy and delicious bistro, meeting rooms, a small heated outdoor pool with a view, a gym and a valet and porter services. Crème de la crème!

But my favorite thing about this place is without a doubt the top-notch customer service. After spending so much time in Europe where customer is never right nor particularly appreciated, it felt so good to be back in a place where smiles are free, and most importantly, sincere.

My opinion of the hotel may be slightly biased by the absolutely delicious à la carte breakfast offered by the hotel’s bistro, L’Aromate. Eggs Benedict or bacon omelette, anyone?

Hotel St-Martin Montreal: The Rooms

Now, the most important post. The hotel features many different rooms, from the regular-sized (in North American standards, of course), to luxury rooms and suites, as well as 6 “chambres particulières” – which are larger suites with a personality, all named after famous French cities.

I was assigned a luxury room, which has several upgrades from the regular rooms, including: a pedestal bathtub, a 20-inch TV cleverly placed right in front of said bath, his and hers sinks, a small fireplace next to the king-sized bed, a Keurig coffee machine, and iPod docking station, small maple chocolates, and a lot of more, as if all this wasn’t enough!

The only downside with the  room, and this is only because I’m a very prude person, are the wooden panels that separates the room from the bathroom – for people that like their bathroom privacy, this can cause some awkward situations, as the panels do not block noise and don’t close off completely. I’m aware that this is a very personal issue though, and I understand most people won’t have any problem with this.

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As you can understand from my review, I absolutely loved my stay at the St-Martin. If you are looking for a high-quality hotel with a central location, a warm customer service and an upscale feel, this is exactly what you need. The St-Martin doesn’t disappoint, and will live you wanting more. I guarantee it!

Disclaimer: I was a guest of Hotel St-Martin Montreal. As always, all opinions are my own.

Have you stayed at Hotel St-Martin Montreal before? Would you recommend it? Is this the kind of place you would book for your next Montreal getaway?