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sebas030
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2 hours ago, Cyber Kat said:

 

We looked at the HOHO bus, but it looks like they only sell 2 day tickets.  We arrive at 4 pm, so that day is out.  We have a full day the next day, but we board our ship on the day after that.  Through the ship, we have a walking tour, a Food Tour, and the multi-media presentation at the Notre Dame Basilica.

We have 3 nights in Montreal prior to taking the train to QC to board our ship from there.  We do have the 2 day HOHO ticket.  We booked a walking tour of Old Montreal on Day 2 at 11:00 AM through Viator for $23 that has excellent reviews.  I am not sure how much we will actually use the HOHO tickets on Day 2.  It may be a throw away day since the tickets are available for two days.  After the walking tour we may head over to the Fine Arts Museum, which is on the route.  We may use the HOHO there just for transportation.

 

We will still have 3 nights pre-cruise in QC (with tours) and a 13 night port intensive cruise following.  DH wants me to not over commit (as I am prone to do) so that we aren't exhausted before we even board the ship, so we may just see where we go as the mood strikes that day.  We do have dinner plans with friends near the Museum of Fine Arts on Day 2, so that is why I thought we may just head that direction.

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On 8/24/2019 at 6:48 AM, ams cruiser said:

Thank you to the kind people who have taken the time to post such helpful advice!  I have read this whole thread but unfortunately, did not keep track of specific pages, so please forgive me if I am repeating an old question.

 

We will be staying at Springhill Suites, and I am wondering whether we should take a taxi or a limousine to our hotel.  Somewhere in the 26 pages was advice about how this hotel is not considered "downtown" and would not qualify for the set taxi fare, so a limousine might not be that much more?  (I'm sorry, I tried to do a search, but could not find the post again.) And could we pay by credit card, or is it better to have CAD for taxis?

 

Also, we will be pretty tired after our day of travel, so would welcome a recommendation for a place to have a good dinner (on a Sunday evening) near the hotel.  

 

Merci!

I think both of these must have been missed by the locals - yes, Springhill Suites is outside the 'downtown core' fixed fare zone. But a limo would run quite a bit more than a cab unless roadworks/major traffic problems seriously racked up the fare. IIRC it's in the $63 limo fare zone, whereas a cab should be <$50 on the meter (the price for the fixed fare zone is meant to reflect a reasonable average fare to that area, and Springhill is not far beyond it so should only be a few bucks more). I'd post a link to the limo price maps, but I'm traveling with a teeny screen and it's very footery to embed links easily. Credit cards yes (Visa & MC anyway) so unless you were going to acquire CAD cash anyway, I would not bother just for cab fare. If you're cruising to smaller Canadian ports though it could be a very good idea, and sometimes you get a better rate if you buy more currency.

 

Dinner nearby - Toque! is a long-standing and excellent resto that's not much over a half mile away, but on the gourmet end of the scale so might not work if you're just looking for a simple 'refueling' meal after a long day. Keg steakhouse is super close, Canadian (though not at all Quebecois) and might suit for something filling and good value. I think there was also a very popular Creperie just along the road with a pun-based name like 'Crepe Suzette' (sorry, it's been close to 10 years since I stayed in this hotel!)

On 8/25/2019 at 11:30 AM, pmjnh said:

Hello,

 

Is Uber (or taxis) available at the cruise ship terminal after disembarkation? We will need to go to a local neighborhood Avis rental station.

Thank you

Cabs will definitely be lining up for an arriving cruise ship; Uber comes on request, but I would imagine that some drivers will be deliberately hanging around nearby as cruise pax are a reliable source of fares.

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2 hours ago, martincath said:

I think both of these must have been missed by the locals - yes, Springhill Suites is outside the 'downtown core' fixed fare zone. But a limo would run quite a bit more than a cab unless roadworks/major traffic problems seriously racked up the fare. IIRC it's in the $63 limo fare zone, whereas a cab should be <$50 on the meter (the price for the fixed fare zone is meant to reflect a reasonable average fare to that area, and Springhill is not far beyond it so should only be a few bucks more). I'd post a link to the limo price maps, but I'm traveling with a teeny screen and it's very footery to embed links easily. Credit cards yes (Visa & MC anyway) so unless you were going to acquire CAD cash anyway, I would not bother just for cab fare. If you're cruising to smaller Canadian ports though it could be a very good idea, and sometimes you get a better rate if you buy more currency.

 

Dinner nearby - Toque! is a long-standing and excellent resto that's not much over a half mile away, but on the gourmet end of the scale so might not work if you're just looking for a simple 'refueling' meal after a long day. Keg steakhouse is super close, Canadian (though not at all Quebecois) and might suit for something filling and good value. I think there was also a very popular Creperie just along the road with a pun-based name like 'Crepe Suzette' (sorry, it's been close to 10 years since I stayed in this hotel!)

Cabs will definitely be lining up for an arriving cruise ship; Uber comes on request, but I would imagine that some drivers will be deliberately hanging around nearby as cruise pax are a reliable source of fares.

Thank you so much for your advice! I thought I had read somewhere on this thread that a limo to Springhill Suites, because it is outside of the designated downtown area,  was not much more than a taxi, but we're perfectly happy taking a cab.  We will be in Montreal/Quebec City for almost a week, before boarding our cruise ship, so plan on bring some "starter" CAD$.  We're hoping to find a bank ATM near our hotel.  

 

Appreciate the suggestion about Toque!  The menu and reviews sound incredible!  It looks like a possibility for our second night, but I think we will walk down the street to Keg Steakhouse for our first night post-travel refueling. I think you are thinking about Creperie Suzette, which is another place on my list.  

 

Did you ever try The Aubergesaint-Gabrie, restaurant adjacent to the hotel?  It has excellent reviews, apparently in a building that once housed the oldest inn in North America.  In addition to the restaurant, there is a speakeasy in the basement on weekends!

 

Thank you for taking the time to post while traveling. ( I was afraid my post had gotten lost.)

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HI AMS,

 

I have been several times to Auberge St-Gabriel, mostly for business lunches or office functions (X-Mas parties) and have always enjoyed it.  The building is fantastic and the food is excellent, and reasonably priced for its quality.

 

As for a speakeasy in the basement, I'm not sure.  But.... There is one at the corner of St-Amable and Ste-Vincent.  That's about 90 seconds' walk from hotel St-Gabriel.  You will go down a flight of stairs, and then... through an antique (surprise) door.  The entrance is that black door that reads «Sortie» (exit) and the doorbell is on the right.  Pretty sure not many tourist guides have this.😎

 

By the way, on the same picture, you can see Café Olympico.  Best coffee house in Old Montreal, in a very nice hotel that has a fantastic terrace on the roof.  The entrance to that rooftop bar is also hard to find: it's on St-Amable, a few feet past the yellow planters you see on this screenshot.

 

Enjoy your stay in YUL and have a great sailing from YQB.

 

Patrick

Screen Shot 2019-08-27 at 6.19.09 PM.png

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3 hours ago, Zephyr173 said:

HI AMS,

 

I have been several times to Auberge St-Gabriel, mostly for business lunches or office functions (X-Mas parties) and have always enjoyed it.  The building is fantastic and the food is excellent, and reasonably priced for its quality.

 

As for a speakeasy in the basement, I'm not sure.  But.... There is one at the corner of St-Amable and Ste-Vincent.  That's about 90 seconds' walk from hotel St-Gabriel.  You will go down a flight of stairs, and then... through an antique (surprise) door.  The entrance is that black door that reads «Sortie» (exit) and the doorbell is on the right.  Pretty sure not many tourist guides have this.😎

 

By the way, on the same picture, you can see Café Olympico.  Best coffee house in Old Montreal, in a very nice hotel that has a fantastic terrace on the roof.  The entrance to that rooftop bar is also hard to find: it's on St-Amable, a few feet past the yellow planters you see on this screenshot.

 

Enjoy your stay in YUL and have a great sailing from YQB.

 

Patrick

Screen Shot 2019-08-27 at 6.19.09 PM.png

Hi, Patrick,

 

Thank you so much for your recommendations and this helpful photo.  The Aurberge St-Gabriel is now a must in our limited time in Montreal!  No worries about the Speak Easy.  We're more early morning than late night folks, but I thought the description and the history of the building was fascinating.  

 

We'll definitely stop by the Cafe Olympic, and, hopefully, the rooftop bar as well.  All three places are now recorded in my Montreal spreadsheet, which is getting longer by the day, and seems to have mostly food recommendations!

 

I'm sure we will enjoy your beautiful city, and so looking forward to our Canadian tour!

 

With warmest regards,

 

Janet

 

 

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10 hours ago, martincath said:

I think both of these must have been missed by the locals - yes, Springhill Suites is outside the 'downtown core' fixed fare zone. But a limo would run quite a bit more than a cab unless roadworks/major traffic problems seriously racked up the fare. IIRC it's in the $63 limo fare zone, whereas a cab should be <$50 on the meter (the price for the fixed fare zone is meant to reflect a reasonable average fare to that area, and Springhill is not far beyond it so should only be a few bucks more). I'd post a link to the limo price maps, but I'm traveling with a teeny screen and it's very footery to embed links easily. Credit cards yes (Visa & MC anyway) so unless you were going to acquire CAD cash anyway, I would not bother just for cab fare. If you're cruising to smaller Canadian ports though it could be a very good idea, and sometimes you get a better rate if you buy more currency.

 

Dinner nearby - Toque! is a long-standing and excellent resto that's not much over a half mile away, but on the gourmet end of the scale so might not work if you're just looking for a simple 'refueling' meal after a long day. Keg steakhouse is super close, Canadian (though not at all Quebecois) and might suit for something filling and good value. I think there was also a very popular Creperie just along the road with a pun-based name like 'Crepe Suzette' (sorry, it's been close to 10 years since I stayed in this hotel!)

Cabs will definitely be lining up for an arriving cruise ship; Uber comes on request, but I would imagine that some drivers will be deliberately hanging around nearby as cruise pax are a reliable source of fares.

Am I missing something here Martin?  The Springhill Suites on rue Saint-Jean-Baptiste in the Vieux Port is within the fixed fare zone, as set by the city. Or is there another Springhill Suites outside the zone?  

 

http://ville.montreal.qc.ca/portal/page?_pageid=8177,92215612&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL

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16 hours ago, laverendrye said:

Am I missing something here Martin?  The Springhill Suites on rue Saint-Jean-Baptiste in the Vieux Port is within the fixed fare zone, as set by the city. Or is there another Springhill Suites outside the zone?  

 

http://ville.montreal.qc.ca/portal/page?_pageid=8177,92215612&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL

Nope, you didn't miss anything L - that was entirely my mistake. I was operating from memory about where cab & limo zone boundaries were and thought that Saint Laurent was both the eastern end of the fixed taxi zone and the limo 'centre-ville' $58 zone boundary. Thanks for catching my mistake! Google Maps does actually list a second Springhill Suites but it's also within the zone, and appears to be a restaurant!?!?!

 

@ams cruiser you can safely take a cab for just $41, apologies for the mistake, and nope, haven't tried the speakeasy or resto you're asking about... but if you're looking at restos for your other dates I'll throw Au Pied de Cochon into the mix as it remains my absolute fave in the city; it's the only resto I have never failed to visit when in Montreal (except trips before it opened obviously, but on most of them I think the chef was at Toque!)

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1 hour ago, martincath said:

Nope, you didn't miss anything L - that was entirely my mistake. I was operating from memory about where cab & limo zone boundaries were and thought that Saint Laurent was both the eastern end of the fixed taxi zone and the limo 'centre-ville' $58 zone boundary. Thanks for catching my mistake! Google Maps does actually list a second Springhill Suites but it's also within the zone, and appears to be a restaurant!?!?!

 

@ams cruiser you can safely take a cab for just $41, apologies for the mistake, and nope, haven't tried the speakeasy or resto you're asking about... but if you're looking at restos for your other dates I'll throw Au Pied de Cochon into the mix as it remains my absolute fave in the city; it's the only resto I have never failed to visit when in Montreal (except trips before it opened obviously, but on most of them I think the chef was at Toque!)

Many thanks to laverendrye and martincath for this information. ( I'm trying to do a double post to include the post back on p. 16 that had me wondering about the best way to go to the Springhill Suites.  This post also indicated that Springhill Suites is not considered a part of the downtown area.)  

 

It sounds like we should be able to take the cab for $41.  Martincath, I will definitely add Au Pied de Cochon to my list.  I'm now faced with the happy "problem" of having too many great choices.  (As my friend, who just returned from your beautiful area just wrote to me, "I wanted to try more places, but I just ran out of dinners!")

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On 4/28/2016 at 2:21 PM, sebas030 said:

 

 

Hi Barbara,

 

There is a flat rate for a taxi from the airport to downtown Montreal for 40$.

 

The flat rate for a limousine ( easily available without reservation at the airport ) is 55$.

 

The catch is that the "downtown" area stops at St-Laurent boulevard...it's one street west of your hotel....so if you were to get out on St-Laurent and walk one block to your hotel, it's 40$...if the go outside that area ( hotel door ) they will charge per meter from the airport and could be 5 or 10 or even 15$ more just for that block...

 

Flat rate for a limo from the airport to your hotel door is 60$...not a bad deal at all...and a limo ride can start a holiday on the right foot !

 

Have fun !

 

1 hour ago, martincath said:

Nope, you didn't miss anything L - that was entirely my mistake. I was operating from memory about where cab & limo zone boundaries were and thought that Saint Laurent was both the eastern end of the fixed taxi zone and the limo 'centre-ville' $58 zone boundary. Thanks for catching my mistake! Google Maps does actually list a second Springhill Suites but it's also within the zone, and appears to be a restaurant!?!?!

 

@ams cruiser you can safely take a cab for just $41, apologies for the mistake, and nope, haven't tried the speakeasy or resto you're asking about... but if you're looking at restos for your other dates I'll throw Au Pied de Cochon into the mix as it remains my absolute fave in the city; it's the only resto I have never failed to visit when in Montreal (except trips before it opened obviously, but on most of them I think the chef was at Toque!)

Oops, here it is.  I'm just getting the hang of how to quote more than one post at a time.

 

Edited by ams cruiser
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1 hour ago, ams cruiser said:

Many thanks to laverendrye and martincath for this information. ( I'm trying to do a double post to include the post back on p. 16 that had me wondering about the best way to go to the Springhill Suites.  This post also indicated that Springhill Suites is not considered a part of the downtown area.)  

 

It sounds like we should be able to take the cab for $41.  Martincath, I will definitely add Au Pied de Cochon to my list.  I'm now faced with the happy "problem" of having too many great choices.  (As my friend, who just returned from your beautiful area just wrote to me, "I wanted to try more places, but I just ran out of dinners!")

No worries. Seems like my brainfart may simply have been recalling an earlier taxi zone boundary, given that post from Sebas you quoted.

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  • 3 weeks later...

We are staying at the Chrome Hotel (215 Rene-Levesque Est). Is it possible to take a bus from the airport there... I know there is a station a block or two away? Also, my mom is 84 so lugging luggage too far might be an issue. And if you can take a bus, can you use the 3day pass from the airport? Many thanks in advance, Andrea.

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Hi Andimark,

 

yes, there is the express bus, number 747 (747- get it?).

 

I just checked the transit authority’s journey planner, and it seems there is a stop at the corner of Rene-Levesque and Hotel-de-Ville, where your hotel appears to be.  The travel time mid-afternoon is about 45 minutes. 

 

There are  other options,  but I would not choose them myself, even without luggage. 

 

With respect to which transit pass to purchase, you can see your options on the STM’s web site: http://www.stm.info/sites/default/files/pdf/en/tarifs.pdf

 

 My reading is that the 3-day pass allows you to use the 747. 

 

For you convenience, there is a journey planner on the home page, www.stm.info/en

 

Have a great time in YUL. 

 

 

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On 8/27/2019 at 2:11 PM, martincath said:

 

 

 

Cabs will definitely be lining up for an arriving cruise ship; Uber comes on request, but I would imagine that some drivers will be deliberately hanging around nearby as cruise pax are a reliable source of fares.

Thanks so much. We will be taking  a cab or Uber to Avis car rental Metcalfe and St Catherine. Is this a long distance?

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3 hours ago, pmjnh said:

Thanks so much. We will be taking  a cab or Uber to Avis car rental Metcalfe and St Catherine. Is this a long distance?

Exact distance will depend which pier you're docked at, but should be in the 1.5 - 2 mile range. Google Maps is your friend for this type of question (with some local advice if there are e.g. specific roadworks that would impact routing).

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On 9/19/2019 at 4:10 AM, Zephyr173 said:

Hi Andimark,

 

yes, there is the express bus, number 747 (747- get it?).

 

I just checked the transit authority’s journey planner, and it seems there is a stop at the corner of Rene-Levesque and Hotel-de-Ville, where your hotel appears to be.  The travel time mid-afternoon is about 45 minutes. 

 

There are  other options,  but I would not choose them myself, even without luggage. 

 

With respect to which transit pass to purchase, you can see your options on the STM’s web site: http://www.stm.info/sites/default/files/pdf/en/tarifs.pdf

 

 My reading is that the 3-day pass allows you to use the 747. 

 

For you convenience, there is a journey planner on the home page, www.stm.info/en

 

Have a great time in YUL. 

 

 

Thanks... glad you put so much time in to others!

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We will be arriving in Montreal by train (Via Rail) the afternoon before our cruise and are looking for suggestions for a hotel that is easy to get to from the station and that will be easy to get to the cruise terminal.  Our only restriction is that my spouse uses a walker. Thanks in advance for your help.

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Hi  cmre07,

 

Could you indicate a date, and perhaps a glimpse of what category of hotel you might be looking for ?

 

A dead easy suggestion is the Queen Elizabeth hotel. It’s right above the Via station. First class, with the price that goes with it.  10-15 minutes to terminal by taxi and the concierge can ensure proper vehicle for DW.

 

But there are dozens of hotels between Central Station and cruise terminal. Do you have preferences or restrictions? 

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Hi all!

 

Zephyr173 ~ I too am coming by train for my Empress of the Seas cruise in Oct 2020.

I've booked at Hotel Les Suites Labelle. Any comment on that re location & distance from train station & to the port.

I have been to Montreal before so this time will just do the HOHO bus to see a few sights I missed.

Thanks for your help with info on your fair city.

 

~ Jo ~ 😊

 

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Hi Retiring Soon,

 

Well, The Hôtel you have chosen is near the pier and Old Montreal. A bit to the Eastern side of Old Montréal.  Convenient location, yet somewhat with a likeness to Jarvis in Toronto.

Your hotel is near the gay village, which is a great place to walk around and have a nice meal. Safe area.

But the near area around your chosen hotel is not one where I would enjoy a stroll.  The street is not sightly by day, and I would not go there by night (that’s my own personal opinion).  But then, this hotel is steps away from the city’s central Metro stop, which is good; yet,  most walks, protests and riots start from Place Emilie-Gamelin.

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Hi all!

 

Zephyr173 ~ thanks for your quick response to my question.

So a red light district walk would be close by is what you're saying.😉

Do you have a suggestion for another hotel, less than $200 per night with breakfast included & near the port please?

I'm probably going to be solo so want a nice area.

Thanks for any help.

 

~ Jo ~ 😊

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Hi Jo,

 

I’m not super knowledgeable about Montreal hotels, but I do know that for your price range, the Holiday Inn Montreal Downtown could be a good choice. It is right between Chinatown and Old Montreal, across the street from a metro station (Place d’Armes), and near several very nice attractions.  If your ship docks at the new pier, it is less than 5 minutes by taxi.

 

The main issue is that the cruise ships dock in Old Montreal which is very sought after, and also near downtown, where hotels tend to be expensive. 

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Have any of you considered Airbnb instead of hotels? There are several new apartment buildings in the vicinity of the central train station that has Airbnb accommodation. For our New England cruise next year, we've booked post-cruise accommodation in Montreal and Toronto, all within walking distance of the station as we would be using VIA rail from Quebec City to Montreal to Toronto.

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Posted this on Trip Advisor also--

We will be in Montreal after our cruise on Oct 30 & 31. I'm a little confused about the tickets for the Botanical gardens and the Garden of Lights. If we buy a timed ticket for the Garden of Lights -- let's say at 6:30 ( they start at 5:30)-- Do we need to also buy a separate admission to the Botanical Gardens or does ticket to Garden of Lights cover both entrance fees?

 

Website for Botanical Gardens says hours on the 2 days we will be there are 9 am to 9 pm. We were thinking about getting to the gardens around 4:30, touring the gardens and then going to the Garden of Lights around 6:30 or 7:00 assuming it will be dark by then.

 

Another question is that Oct 31 is the last day for Garden of Lights and is Halloween. Since we have a choice of Oct 30 or 31, which night would you suggest going to there?

 

Thanks for your help

 

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