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All about the Extras
Leave your car in the lot and let the concierge design your day. This is a great walking city and we found the concierge desk to be an invaluable source for maps, directions, and advice on what to see and where to dine. Also ask them for the brochure on jogging routes, which maps out scenic choices that line the St. Lawrence. You'll want to jog because the fitness room is absurdly small for a hotel of this size. I had to get up pretty early on vacation to snag one of the two elliptical machines. You're much better off trying to do laps during the adult swim times.
My kids loved the hotel mascot, a large Burmese mountain dog named Santol that always seemed to be sleeping next to the concierge desk. It was mid-August when we arrived, so I'll give the big fluffy one the benefit of the doubt and say it was just too hot for him. If you head here during the Winter Carnival, drop me a line and tell me if he's more chipper.
The Art of Smart Timing
Most likely you'll be reading this write-up in 2009, the year after the city's 400th anniversary celebration. Paul McCartney and Quebec favorites Celine Dion and Cirque du Soleil all came to town last year to take part in the festivities, along with half of eastern Canada. So guess what? The smart time to go is now, since rates will be reduced to try to lure travelers back.
If you're brave enough to endure the frigid temps and snow of winter in Quebec City, three hours north of Montreal, then you deserve the more affordable rates. You'd be wise to go during Winter Carnival when the city shakes off the icicles for weeks of good ole fashion fun. If you do make it to town in winter, be sure to check out North America's only ice hotel, Hotel de Glace. New rooms are created each year out of 12,000 tons of snow and 400 tons of ice, along with an Absolut ice bar, Jacuzzis, and a dance club. Bring those long johns. Temperature inside is a mere 27 degrees Fahrenheit.
For Mom and Dad
You'd be foolish not to have a romantic rendezvous in North America's version of Paris. For classic bistro fare like steak frites or cod, check out Echaude on Rue Sault-au-Matelot. A local favorite for fine dining is Laurie Raphael, near the Musee de la Civilisation in the Old Port. If you still have energy after dinner, take in the live music scene on Rue St. Jean. But best of all is the walk to and from dinner, up and down cobblestone streets that twist and turn inside around the fortified walls. It's the closest thing to Europe on the continent.
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