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| - Stay here instead of somewhere more expensive. Seriously.
If you are looking for a good home base during a visit to Montreal, the Embassy Suites may be your best option.
The hotel is located across the street from the Metro, with Place d'Armes and the Cathedral of Notre Dame right around the block. Vieux Montreal, with its cobblestone streets and restaurants and shops, is only a short walk away. And the walk is very pleasant (if a bit uphill).
The rooms are clean and well-equipped. Plenty of space to spread out, with comfortable beds and decent kitchenettes. The hotel strikes a good balance: It has the amenities that I appreciate at cheaper or more family-oriented hotels -- such as the refrigerator, kitchen, and sofabed -- while still maintaining the high-level of service and, well, fanciness that I enjoy from a more upscale place.
The service is top-notch. Attentive and friendly, but no so attentive that you feel like you are being watched.
The dining area offers a view of the street that is great for people-watching, including some outdoor cafe-style seating. The complimentary breakfast is crowded and chaotic, but that's how complimentary breakfast is. People on vacation carry two plates with 40 pieces of bacon back to their tables while trying to balance four cups of artificial orange juice in the crooks of their arms. With that said, the food here is better than at other Embassy Suites, and the dining area is a bit roomier, which eases the congestion. Breakfast here was actually pleasant. That's not the case at many other Embassy Suites hotels.
The complimentary drinks (the manager's reception) in the evening is the icing on the cake. It was great to relax with a (free) drink in the dining area after a day walking the sights. It was even better to grab a (free) drink in the dining area while waiting for my wife to get ready for dinner.
If there is one downside, it's that the elevators are overworked. There are too many guests with too few elevators, so the wait to get upstairs or downstairs can be of excess of 5 minutes during the busy times in the late morning or early evening. That's a venial sin considering the good experience and the value that this hotel offers. I would stay here again in a heartbeat; it's a great hotel.
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