Chateau St-Marc

Entering the Chateau St-Marc leaves no doubt that this was once a tony private home. The circa 1879, converted home welcomes guests with marble floors, a large sculpture, small crystal chandelier, traditional art, and a carpeted wooden staircase that leads to guest rooms on two upper floors. The small foyer is as close as the hotel gets to a lobby or front desk. Check-in is down the hall in the kitchen area, where breakfast is served daily in clusters of small round tables on top of hardwood floors accented by a nice runner rug. The dining area is small but cozy and like the rest of the hotel, traditionally decorated. Some may find the decor old-fashioned or grandmotherly, but others will delight in the period details and ornate furnishings. Nearby is a narrow spiral staircase that some guests find a bit daunting, which leads to the basement rooms. And despite the antiques, the environment is casual and friendly, more like a bed-and-breakfast than typical hotel atmosphere.  

In the Shaughnessy Village district, the Chateau St-Marc is in a residential neighborhood downtown, just off the Rue St. Catherine thoroughfare. Several restaurants on busy St. Catherine are just a three-minute walk away, and popular shops on that street are just a bit farther. Walking, the Georges-Vanier metro station is seven minutes away and the Bell Center sports arena is 13 minutes away. Old Montreal and its sights can be reached in 10 minutes by taxi or 30 minutes walking. Travel to Trudeau International Airport takes about 20 minutes by car and around 30 minutes by public transportation. 

As one might expect in an old house converted to a hotel, rooms here have their individual quirks, such as a large spa tub abutting the dining area in the Imperial Room. And there's a huge range in the room layouts, from the small economy rooms in the basement with no view to the spacious Imperial Room with an outdoor patio with seating. Some one- and two-bedroom apartments are located in an annex building about a three-minute walk from the main building. Many rooms have separate sitting areas with leather couches and chairs and even electric fireplaces with mantels. Generally, guests can expect spacious, traditionally decorated rooms with diverse artwork, antique furniture or quality reproductions, large writing desks, hardwood floors accented by Oriental-style rugs, plush bedding, and exposed stone or brick walls. As with the public spaces, the decor might feel old-fashioned or cluttered to some. Most bathrooms are quite luxurious, roomy, and new with marble tile walls and flooring, granite vanity tops, and glass-enclosed showers. Many rooms have a spa tub with whirlpool jets, some in separate rooms with wall-mounted flat-screen TVs, but a fee is charged for using them. All rooms include at least one flat-screen TV (some with Blu-ray DVD player), microwave, coffee pot, single-cup coffeemaker, electronic safe, mini-fridge, icemaker, iPod/iPhone docking station, voice mail, and free Wi-Fi.

A continental breakfast is served in the dining area and included in the room rate. The hotel also has a small conference room and offers next-day dry cleaning and self-serve laundry. A parking garage is available for a fee, but it’s over a block away. A valet accompanies the guests to the parking garage when they arrive to demonstrate how it works. Limited street parking is available at times, but it’s best to ask hotel staff for details. Wi-Fi is free throughout the property. The hotel has a 24-hour, private shuttle to the airport for a fee. It also can take guests to attractions throughout downtown.