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History and Graceful Elegance Merge at Hotel Place d'Armes in Old Montreal By George Medovoy Whenever we stay in Old Montreal, my wife and I search out lodging that gives voice to the cradle of this city's historic beginnings.
On our most recent trip, we found the Hotel Place d'Armes, a distinguished address full of historic ambiance, modern comforts, and graceful elegance right in the heart of Old Montreal. The five-story Hotel Place d'Armes, Old Montreal's first boutique-style hotel, is housed in the 19th-century Great Scottish Life Insurance building at the corner of Cote de la Place d'Armes. The building had become a powerful symbol of Britain's presence in turn-of-the-century Lower Canada. Many years later, in 1975, the Quebec provincial government officially designated the structure as an historic site, recognizing its cultural value and exceptional design. The Antonopoulos Group, a family of creative Greek immigrants that has rejuvenated a number of Old Montreal buildings in which it has established upscale lodging and restaurants, invested $6 million to open the Place d'Armes in 2000. The four-star property has garnered a number of awards, including consecutive Tourism Montreal "Prix Ulysse" awards and silver and gold medals in the finals of the Grand Prix du Tourisme Quebecois. On walking up the steps and entering through the large front doors, one of struck by the marble floors and the wonderful light filling the spacious, colonnaded lobby through ceiling-high vertical windows. As I looked around, I imagined 19th-century clerks seated at heavy desks nearby tied down to regimented detail. But all that is gone now, replaced by a vase of colorful flowers adorning at small four-footed table at the entrance, the warm greeting of the reception clerk, and a well-stocked bar just a few feet beyond. And not to forget the complimentary cappuccino and espresso percolating nearby. The lobby's modern décor is done up in warm pastels, including the large, comfy sofas, which accent a large fireplace directly behind the bar. I
made a mental note of the breakfast hour, so that we wouldn't miss the continental
repast served in the hotel's Aix du Terroir Restaurant. The roomy bathroom with a large shower came with soft terry cloth Frette bathrobes. The comfy bed had a goose down comforter and pillows that made sleep ever so wonderful. Come morning, we couldn't wait to get downstairs to Aix, where there was a lavish complimentary continental breakfast spread of all sorts of good things waiting for us, including hot and cold cereals, eggs, Montreal's great croissants, and plenty of hot coffee and tea. We loved whiling away the morning in Aix, enjoying breakfast and a second cup of coffee before setting out for the day. We found that the Hotel Place d'Armes is ideally situated for touring Old Montreal. To begin with, just across from the hotel is the famed Notre-Dame Basilica, located on rue Notre-Dame. This is also a good spot to hire one of Old Montreal's ubiquitous horse-drawn buggy for a leisurely clip-clop through the often narrow, historic streets. The buggies seem to come in every conceivable color. On our morning out, we photographed one that quickly caught our fancy - all done up in fancy pink! (A pink buggy clip clops past Old Montreal's famed basilica)
The basilica, built between 1824 and 1829, reflects Gothic Revival architecture, with a medieval-style décor. The magnificent edifice also contains an electro-pneumatic Casavant organ with no less that 5,772 pipes, heard during many concerts. The basilica's stained-glass windows chronicle Montreal's history. Near the basilica is the Vieux Seminaire (the Old Seminary), Montreal's oldest building, constructed in 1683 with a front courtyard and rear garden. At the top of the building is a public clock dating from 1701, perhaps the oldest of its kind in North America. There are many other wonderful sites to see in Old Montreal, including Place Jacques Cartier, a spacious open square in front of the Hotel de Ville bordered by cafes and restaurants. It is also very pleasant to take a walk down to the port, where the city began. Today you can find a harbor for private boats and touring vessels. Near the port area is Pointe a Calliere, chronicling Montreal's history and archaeology. One of the most easily recognizable buildings here is the Marche Bonsecours (Bonsecours Market), built between 1845 and 1850 on rue Saint-Paul and topped by a silver dome. In the 19th-century, Bonsecours housed a large indoor and outdoor market and also served as the venue for concerts. The hotel's restaurant is housed in a lower floor of the building around a theme of the French brasserie style with local and regional products. It has an intimate feel to it, with well-placed booths and tables and a striking bar to one side. Chef Janick Bouchard specializes in classic French cuisine. For the past five years, he has been doing wonders at Les Remparts, the award-winning restaurant at Auberge du Vieux Port, one of the Antonopoulos Group of Old Montreal hotels. His work at Aix has already earned Janick consecutive Tourism Montreal "Prix Ulysse awards in Gastronomy and a coveted Distinguished Restaurant of North America award. IF YOU GO The Hotel Place d'Armes is centrally located in Old Montreal, just a few steps from the Palais des Congres, Montreal's state-of-the-art convention center. For more information, call (888) 450-1887 or visit www.hotelplacedarmes.com. Our room included an in-room electronic safe, hi-fi stereo system with electronic alarm clock and CD players, access to a CD library, direct line with voicemail to two in-room telephones, high-speed Internet access and an umbrella in case of rain. For general information about Montreal and the province of Quebec, visit www.bonjourquebec.com, or call (877)-BONJOUR (877) 266-5687. You can also visit www.tourisme-montreal.org for Montreal tourist information.
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The
exterior of the Hotel Place d'Armes in Montreal.