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Where to stay in Montreal

Montreal's main areas sit close together between the river and Mount Royal. Stay in Old Montreal for cobbled streets, Notre-Dame Basilica and boutique hotels; Downtown for shopping, the Bell Centre and the big hotels; around the Quartier des Spectacles for festivals and good-value rooms; or on the Plateau for colourful streets, cafes and a local feel. The 747 express bus runs from the airport to downtown 24 hours a day.

Find your area, then your hotel

Tap one of our picks, or any area, to see its hotels on the map, what it costs, where we'd book and how long it takes to get around.

In short: our pick for each kind of trip. Tap one to see why.

Should you stay in

Old Montreal?

Cobbled streets, Notre-Dame & the Old Port

What a night costs

Budget
$225
Mid-range
$300
Luxury
$530

3rd cheapest of 4 areas, about $75 a night less than Downtown & Golden Square Mile.

Where we'd book

The verdict

The historic heart of Montreal, with cobbled streets, Notre-Dame Basilica, Place Jacques-Cartier, the Old Port and many of the city's best boutique hotels.

  • Stay here if
  • First-time visitors
  • Couples
  • History lovers
  • Look elsewhere if
  • You're on a tight budget
  • You want lively nightlife on the doorstep
  • You want to stay where locals live

Minutes to the sights

  • Notre-Dame Basilica2 minwalk
  • Pointe-à-Callière5 minwalk
  • Place Jacques-Cartier8 minwalk
  • Old Port9 minwalk
  • Chinatown9 minwalk
  • Palais des congrès9 minwalk

Stations and airports

10 min to Place des Arts. Place-d'Armes, Champ-de-Mars and Square-Victoria-OACI stations on the Orange Line are on the edge of the old town, and downtown is two or three stops away.

  • From Montréal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL)bus 174, metro 262 min
Read the full Old Montreal guide →

Typical rates for a double outside peak events, not live prices. Updated Oct 2026 · How we rate areas · Minutes planned with the Transitous (MOTIS on published GTFS timetables and OpenStreetMap) for a weekday, including walking and waiting · Booking through our links costs you nothing extra and may earn us a commission. Learn more

Montreal questions

What is the best area to stay in Montreal for first-timers?

Old Montreal puts the big sights within easy reach and is 10 minutes from Place des Arts. Downtown & Golden Square Mile are good alternatives.

Which area of Montreal has the cheapest hotels?

Plateau Mont-Royal and Quartier des Spectacles & Latin Quarter, with budget hotels from around $100 and mid-range around $170–$180 a night.

Where should families stay in Montreal?

Plateau Mont-Royal has the best mix of parks, calm streets and sights for kids.

Where is the best nightlife in Montreal?

Quartier des Spectacles & Latin Quarter has the most bars, restaurants and late nights. Plateau Mont-Royal are good alternatives.