Auberge St. Jacques

Some arriving guests are thrown off by the modest, nondescript entrance to the check-in area, where they're separated from the front desk staff by a large, bullet-proof glass window -- a remnant of its previous history as a motor court motel. The small lobby has a snacks and drinks vending machine as well as a coffee vending machine. Restaurant delivery flyers and various area guides and tourist information are displayed on a table. This is definitely a check-in and depart-for-your-room lobby that belies the fact that clean, freshly renovated rooms with charming decor await. Also surprising is an upscale events room for private parties in the hotel basement that includes a pool table, large flat-screen TV, dining area, sink, microwave, sauna and showers. But the space is available for group rental only and with no dining facility, there's no central gathering area for guests. 

Auberge St. Jacques is west of downtown Montreal in a mostly commercial district. Surrounded by car repair shops on a busy road, it’s certainly not a pretty neighborhood. While considered safe, some guests report feeling a bit uncomfortable with the surroundings. It’s a bit isolated, with no restaurants or attractions within reasonable walking distance. But a metro bus stops right outside the motel and can get guests to the Metro Vendome subway station on the city’s Orange Line in eight minutes. Trudeau airport is about 20 minutes away by car, as is Place des Arts, Latin Quarter, Old Montreal, and City Centre downtown. The new McGill University Health Center is about a five-minute drive. 

The current owners, who purchased this motel in 2013 and completed renovations in 2015, did a nice job of dressing up these standard motel rooms and making them fresh and playful. No two rooms are decorated exactly alike. Boldly patterned bedding such as damask or geometric diamonds are paired with bright colorful accents like electric-yellow side tables. Gray carpeting and walls in off-white, gray, or pale yellow provide a neutral backdrop. Rooms are spacious enough for a budget-oriented property, but they are sparsely furnished with wall-mounted, 32-inch flat-screen TVs, simple nightstands, mini-fridges topped with microwaves, and either small corner tables or wall-mounted granite bars. Some rooms have tiny closets tucked into a corner, while others have no closet, hangers, or even hooks. A few rooms have small kitchen-style counters with mounted microwaves. Four other rooms have leather couches and coffee tables as well as jetted tubs mounted on platforms outside the bathroom that includes glass-enclosed circular showers. Travelers should be aware that some rooms allow smoking, and some couples-oriented rooms have mirrors on ceilings and can be rented in four-hour blocks. And there's a free adult channel available on the property’s cable package. But guests report that the rooms are exceedingly clean and generally quiet with very comfortable beds. Bathrooms aren't quite as stylish as the bedrooms, but they do include shower/tub combos as well as a small granite-top vanity. All rooms offer free Wi-Fi. Rooms are offered in various combinations of queen, king, two singles, and two doubles.

Free on-site parking is provided, and Wi-Fi is free throughout the property. Vending machines sell snacks, drinks, and coffee in the lobby, and free coffee is provided in the morning upon request. While no breakfast or dining facilities are offered, several local restaurants deliver to the motel. In the basement below the lobby is a room that can be rented for private parties that includes a pool table, sink, large flat-screen TV, dining table, couch, sauna, and showers.