Pros

  • Located in Plateau Mont-Royal, near trendy restaurants and shops
  • Historic decor like original molding, hardwood floors, and quirky Canadiana
  • Clean, basic rooms with quirky touches, like Salvation Army finds
  • Free breakfast features homemade pancakes, real maple syrup, and yogurt
  • Rooftop terrace with a barbecue and vegetable garden
  • TV room, game room, communal kitchen, and book-swap library
  • Small business center, including free printing of travel tickets
  • Planned activities, like barbecue nights and tastings in local microbreweries
  • Discounts at music and film festival
  • All-day free coffee and tea
  • Free Wi-Fi throughout property
  • Self-service laundry
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Cons

  • Shared bathrooms in need of cleaning and minor repairs
  • No air-conditioning or TVs in rooms
  • No elevator
  • No parking
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Bottom Line

The Gite du Plateau Mont-Royal is a family-run hostel in the heart of the vibrant Plateau Mont-Royal neighborhood. The Victorian walk-up has been restored to maintain historic accents like original molding, hardwood floors, and embossed cast-iron radiators. All 26 rooms feature quirky Salvation Army finds, like kitschy lamps and old school desks, but lack air-conditioning and TVs. While the en-suite bathrooms are clean, some shared bathrooms show signs of wear and -- during our 2017 visit -- the communal bathtub needed cleaning. As an alternative, the similarly historic Abri du Voyageur in the Quartier des Spectacles is more affordable. However, the Gite is a better option for travelers wanting perks like a great breakfast featuring homemade pancakes and real maple syrup, plus planned cultural activities and discounts at festivals. 

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Amenities

  • Cribs
  • Internet

Oyster Hotel Review

Gite du Plateau Mont-Royal

Scene

A family-run hostel with historic cachet and nods to Canadian culture

Almost a century ago, the Gite du Plateau Mont-Royal’s building – a Victorian townhouse built in 1885 – was a guesthouse that hosted Prohibition-era Americans flocking to Montreal for its wild nightlife and racy red-light scene. Although its guest list has cleaned up since – when we visited one of the dorms was occupied by German choristers visiting Montreal to perform at the Notre-Dame Basilica – owner Carl Gagne is proud of his property’s history and has clearly gone to great lengths to showcase it. He renovated the building himself – and continues to maintain and improve it – while preserving architectural accents like solid wood molding, cherry wood floors, and embossed cast-iron radiators, which are still the building’s sole source of heat. The exterior is a classic example of the Montreal Victorian architecture often seen on Plateau postcards, with its gray limestone facade and oeil-de-boeuf windows nestled in a Second Empire mansard roof. Carl has plenty of insights about the building’s history and the curious artifacts in the common areas, like antique wooden skis, snowshoes made by a First Nations tribe, and his uncle’s moose antler trophy, which are all fun nods to local Canadiana culture. 

See More Scene

Location

In the heart of the Plateau Mont-Royal on Sherbrooke Street

The Gite du Plateau Mont-Royal is located on bustling Sherbrooke Street, the thoroughfare that defines the southern limit of the Plateau Mont-Royal neighborhood. This part of town is known for world-class restaurants offering cuisines as diverse as Montreal’s population. The closest metro station, Sherbrooke (Line 2), is six minutes away on foot. Though great for dining and boutique shopping, this area doesn’t offer much in the way of historic sights or museums. However, Old Montreal, the Old Port, and the Notre-Dame Basilica are all 25 minutes away by public transit, while the Contemporary Arts Museum (MAC), Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, and Quartier des Spectacles are all 10 to 15 minutes away by public transit. The Bell Centre, Biodome, and Botanical Gardens can all be reached in 20 to 25 minutes by public transit. Plan on 40 minutes to an hour to reach Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport via public transit, depending on traffic.

See More Location

Rooms

Clean, spartan rooms with homey decor but some bathrooms in need of attention

Of the 26 rooms, six are dorms, eight are private rooms with en-suite bathrooms, and the rest are private rooms with shared bathrooms. Each is decorated in a haphazard mash-up of Salvation Army finds, including kitschy cupid globe lamps, solid wood student desks, and Matador paintings. Though floral bedding and furniture like formica dressers are outdated, pistachio green walls, exposed brick walls, hardwood floors, and the odd stained glass door all lend them a touch of pep. Keep in mind that there are no TVs, safes, or air-conditioning in rooms, though free Wi-Fi is available throughout. All rooms include bed linens, but only private rooms come with towels (dorm guests can rent towels at reception). Most rooms have power outlets and lamps next to beds. En-suite bathrooms are basic, yet clean, with stall showers, pedestal sinks, hairdryers, and shampoo/bodywash dispensers. The shared bathrooms showed signs of wear when we visited, including peeling paint. Additionally, the common bathtub looked like it could use a thorough scrub.

See More Rooms

Features

Communal kitchen, free Wi-Fi, free pancake breakfast, rooftop terrace, and planned activities

Features are fairly numerous at this otherwise simple property. The ground-floor lobby area has a PC and printer where guests can print travel tickets for free. There's also a game room, self-service laundry, and a bright seating area with couches and armchairs plus a flat-screen TV. A generous free breakfast of homemade pancakes, real maple syrup sourced from a local erablière (maple farm), toast, and yogurt is served every morning. The fully equipped kitchen offers all-day coffee and tea for free, and can be used by guests. Guests can pick herbs and vegetables, or use the barbecue, on the lovely rooftop terrace as well. This terrace also hosts the hostel’s weekly barbecue dinners, which are offered during the summer. The hostel organizes events to help guests discover the vibrant Plateau Mont-Royal area, like beer tastings at local microbreweries, happy hours, and walking tours followed by dinner at local eateries. Festival-goers benefit from discounts at the Fantasia, Nouveau Cinema, and Montreal International Documentary film festivals as well as at the Pop Montreal music festival. The front desk sells items including locks, umbrellas, adaptors, and alarm clocks. There's no on-site parking, but hostel staff can suggest nearby lots. Book swaps or loans are encouraged at the hostel’s small library. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the building. 

See More Features

Oyster Hotel Review

Gite du Plateau Mont-Royal

Scene

A family-run hostel with historic cachet and nods to Canadian culture

Almost a century ago, the Gite du Plateau Mont-Royal’s building – a Victorian townhouse built in 1885 – was a guesthouse that hosted Prohibition-era Americans flocking to Montreal for its wild nightlife and racy red-light scene. Although its guest list has cleaned up since – when we visited one of the dorms was occupied by German choristers visiting Montreal to perform at the Notre-Dame Basilica – owner Carl Gagne is proud of his property’s history and has clearly gone to great lengths to showcase it. He renovated the building himself – and continues to maintain and improve it – while preserving architectural accents like solid wood molding, cherry wood floors, and embossed cast-iron radiators, which are still the building’s sole source of heat. The exterior is a classic example of the Montreal Victorian architecture often seen on Plateau postcards, with its gray limestone facade and oeil-de-boeuf windows nestled in a Second Empire mansard roof. Carl has plenty of insights about the building’s history and the curious artifacts in the common areas, like antique wooden skis, snowshoes made by a First Nations tribe, and his uncle’s moose antler trophy, which are all fun nods to local Canadiana culture. 

See More Scene

Location

In the heart of the Plateau Mont-Royal on Sherbrooke Street

The Gite du Plateau Mont-Royal is located on bustling Sherbrooke Street, the thoroughfare that defines the southern limit of the Plateau Mont-Royal neighborhood. This part of town is known for world-class restaurants offering cuisines as diverse as Montreal’s population. The closest metro station, Sherbrooke (Line 2), is six minutes away on foot. Though great for dining and boutique shopping, this area doesn’t offer much in the way of historic sights or museums. However, Old Montreal, the Old Port, and the Notre-Dame Basilica are all 25 minutes away by public transit, while the Contemporary Arts Museum (MAC), Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, and Quartier des Spectacles are all 10 to 15 minutes away by public transit. The Bell Centre, Biodome, and Botanical Gardens can all be reached in 20 to 25 minutes by public transit. Plan on 40 minutes to an hour to reach Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport via public transit, depending on traffic.

See More Location

Rooms

Clean, spartan rooms with homey decor but some bathrooms in need of attention

Of the 26 rooms, six are dorms, eight are private rooms with en-suite bathrooms, and the rest are private rooms with shared bathrooms. Each is decorated in a haphazard mash-up of Salvation Army finds, including kitschy cupid globe lamps, solid wood student desks, and Matador paintings. Though floral bedding and furniture like formica dressers are outdated, pistachio green walls, exposed brick walls, hardwood floors, and the odd stained glass door all lend them a touch of pep. Keep in mind that there are no TVs, safes, or air-conditioning in rooms, though free Wi-Fi is available throughout. All rooms include bed linens, but only private rooms come with towels (dorm guests can rent towels at reception). Most rooms have power outlets and lamps next to beds. En-suite bathrooms are basic, yet clean, with stall showers, pedestal sinks, hairdryers, and shampoo/bodywash dispensers. The shared bathrooms showed signs of wear when we visited, including peeling paint. Additionally, the common bathtub looked like it could use a thorough scrub.

See More Rooms

Features

Communal kitchen, free Wi-Fi, free pancake breakfast, rooftop terrace, and planned activities

Features are fairly numerous at this otherwise simple property. The ground-floor lobby area has a PC and printer where guests can print travel tickets for free. There's also a game room, self-service laundry, and a bright seating area with couches and armchairs plus a flat-screen TV. A generous free breakfast of homemade pancakes, real maple syrup sourced from a local erablière (maple farm), toast, and yogurt is served every morning. The fully equipped kitchen offers all-day coffee and tea for free, and can be used by guests. Guests can pick herbs and vegetables, or use the barbecue, on the lovely rooftop terrace as well. This terrace also hosts the hostel’s weekly barbecue dinners, which are offered during the summer. The hostel organizes events to help guests discover the vibrant Plateau Mont-Royal area, like beer tastings at local microbreweries, happy hours, and walking tours followed by dinner at local eateries. Festival-goers benefit from discounts at the Fantasia, Nouveau Cinema, and Montreal International Documentary film festivals as well as at the Pop Montreal music festival. The front desk sells items including locks, umbrellas, adaptors, and alarm clocks. There's no on-site parking, but hostel staff can suggest nearby lots. Book swaps or loans are encouraged at the hostel’s small library. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the building. 

See More Features

Best Rates

Amenities

  • Air Conditioner

  • Balcony / Terrace / Patio

  • Business Center

  • Cable

  • Cribs

  • Full Kitchen

  • Internet

  • Laundry

  • Poolside Drink Service

  • Separate Bedroom / Living Room Space

  • Supervised Kids Activities

  • Swim-Up Bar

Disclaimer: This content was accurate at the time the hotel was reviewed. Please check our partner sites when booking to verify that details are still correct.