Le Monastère des Augustines

A monastery with yoga may seen ironic or even sacrilege but here they blend as effortlessly as the ancient beams with modern conveniences. The original facade is wrapped in metal and glass. The landscaping is fittingly restrained as is the decor. The bed is comfortable and linens soft. Very quiet on the ground and throughout the faculty. The shower had ample (very) hot water. The windows have shutters for darkness. Overall were very happy with our stay and recommend it without hesitation.

This might be the best hotel I’ve ever stayed in! The location was fantastic - we arrived by VIA rail and it was an easy walk from the train station, while also being so close to all the major attractions. Despite being so central, the Monastère exudes peace and tranquility. We stayed in a contemporary room, which was small, but beautiful and quiet, with an excellent little reading nook. The bed was so comfortable! The food was incredible - we loved the silent breakfasts included in our stay (This is the first hotel breakfast I’ve had that felt genuinely nourishing), and the lunch we got from the takeout counter once. The staff was always welcoming and friendly and very willing to let me practice my rusty French without automatically switching to English, which I appreciated!

i don’t usually write reviews, but this deserves one.||||i took a week off work for the first time in ages and decided to start it with a solo getaway to disconnect and recharge. while looking for a last-minute hotel, i came across Le Monastère des Augustines. the name gave me pause, but the more i read, the more intrigued i became. what i found was a space that feels warm, calm, thoughtful, and built to help you slow down and reconnect with yourself.||||in 1639, three augustinian sisters crossed the atlantic to québec and founded the monastery and the hôtel-dieu, the first hospital in north america still open today. imagine 12-hour days caring for the sick, then walking a few meters back to the monastery for prayer and rest. resilience is an understatement.||||by the 2000s the number of sisters declined. what do you do with a 17th-century monastery and its archives ? sell it ? no. demolish it ? neither. they transformed it, gave it a facelift ! in 2015, it reopened as part museum, part wellness retreat, part holistic center. to my surprise, it is run as a non-profit. the profits are reinvested into preserving heritage, something truly refreshing (even relieving) in a world so driven by profit.||||my stay began with a massage shortly after check-in. the therapist began with a thoughtful consultation and brought genuine care. later i wandered through the museum, then had dinner. a buffet of organic, locally sourced food that rotates daily. plenty of choice without feeling careless. a breath of fresh air. i ended the night with a quiet walk before bed.||||the next morning, breakfast was taken in silence. not an imposition, more an invitation to be present. no small talk, just eating. it worked. before leaving, i stepped into the chapel. even for someone outside the faith, the space felt grounding. i admire how it holds so delicately centuries of stories while still offering a concept so innovative and relevant for today.||||overall, it was a wonderful experience. it is not a hotel in the usual sense, but rather a museum-inn-retreat where history, wellness & hospitality intersect. for me, a 10/10 stay i’d absolutely recommend.

When I travel, especially internationally, I prioritize comfortable, quiet accomodations over luxury. I'd rather spend my money on experiences than on sleep. Le Monastere des Augustines hit the sweet spot for me! I opted for a traditional room, which meant a twin bed and a shared hall bathroom. I never once had to wait for a shower or toilet. The hotel is ideally located within a short walk (about a block) of numerous restaurants and shops. However, its position on the edge of Old Town means it's a peaceful retreat from the tourist bustle. I loved silent breakfast, lunches on the terrace and reading on the terrace before bed. (I was rarely the only person enjoying the view with a book!) The restaurant is good and cost-effective, and I was grateful for numerous vegetarian options. If I return to Quebec City, I will absolutely stay here again!

One of the most unique hotels I've ever stayed in! This place is truly peaceful and full of history, an oasis right in the heart of Quebec. Our room was fantastic: super clean, bright, and comfortable. The breakfast was delicious, with plenty of healthy options to choose from. On top of that, the hotel offers divine massages and other mindful activities that really elevate the experience. Truly a must-stay when visiting Quebec!

During on our hiking weekend of Canada, I toured this Museum with several friends who stayed at the adjoining hotel. The tour was an hour and it was the most fascinating walk through history I have experienced in recent years. The Museum is in the historic wing of the hotel, and it is deemed to be the first hospital (circa 1639) north of Mexico. The exhibition is a well-preserved display of artifacts that gives us a glimpse of how enduring, endearing, involved, and committed the Augustinian Sisters were in caring for the sick and poor as well as how the practice of apothecary evolved into what we know as today's practice of medicine. Walking through the halls of yesteryear, we saw a fraction of the vast collection of items known to be in their collection. This historical tour is a must-see even if you do not stay in the hotel.

What a calm and serene place even though it represents everything that is wrong with organized religion in the form of forced conversions. The main museum is closed for renovation but you may walk through the building and the grounds. Go around lunch time and enjoy a totally sublime fresh meal of soup, salads etc, all vegetarian.and at a reasonable price in this super expensive city.

It was a wonderful experience. I stayed in one of the contemporary rooms with a queen bed, desk and a wardrobe. This is a compact room but was surprisingly quiet. The bed was VERY comfortable. There is a small museum that I have been to before and really enjoyed. Breakfast is included. A small buffet with fresh fruit, eggs and breads. All homemade. What is unique is that it is to be eaten in silence. It was REFRESHING and very enjoyable. I had a Signature Massage and it was glorious. Very peaceful, grounding and relaxing. I highly recommend this extra.

Peaceful, tranquil respite from the bustle of a cruise ship! The first encounter was a bit of an adjustment - no noisy lobby with the clacking of wheeled luggage across the floor or tourists crowding the front desk for recommendations. Off the beaten path of tourist-crowded restaurants, souvenir shops, and groups of students after school, this quiet respite is actually a monastery! There's a spa, restaurant, and to get to the elevators/stairs to your room, you pass through their museum. You have a couple of choices when booking - a contemporary room (upgraded, modern, minimalist), or a traditional one. Heads up (literally!) - the contemporary rooms are on the upper floor, and have a slanted ceiling which may be awkward for some. The restaurant is wonderful - breakfast is European-style. It comes with the room, and there is so much variety to choose from. Don't expect it to be like some hotel chains in the U.S. with noisy waffle makers, machines that dispense juice, or huge toasters that rotate your bread. Loved staying here - central to everything, including an 8-minute walk to the train station!

So this is my first night of 7. The contemporary rooms are more hotel like. But note: no TV or phone. The website said bring hairdryer, which I did, a big use of space for a carryon only traveler, but I did as stated, only to find a hairdryer in the room. Bed is a twin, but very comfortable, duvet, mattress cover, nice linens. Don't even think about checking in before 4 pm. I tried at noon, 3 pm and finally at 410 pm my room was ready. They did keep my luggage though as I waited. WiFi works well. I travel and work from the computer so WiFi is a must. I purchased the breakfast included meal plan. Will let you know how that is.

I wish I could transport this place to somewhere closer than Quebec!! It is tranquil. Peaceful. Quiet. Pure nourishment. A functioning monastery, this hotel opened in recent years. It houses a spa, a restaurant, and a museum. Technology is limited, chatter is quieted, and comfort is necessary. There are two floors of accommodations above the museum. One, has more traditional rooms of the old monastery. Twin bed, few things in the room. And shared bathrooms. I stopped into use the bathroom on the way to my room, and it was quite nice and private. However, still shared. The top floor are the premium rooms, more typical of a hotel. Oh wow, these rooms are magnificent. The bed had top of the line linens, and was the most comfortable thing I've ever slept on. The window out had a beautiful view. The lines and architecture of the room was simple, but elegant. The bathroom, had a deep tub. This was essential for this tall gal after each day of climbing the hills of QC. I slept so incredibly well. Read a ton. And barely talked. It was a delight for someone that is constantly "on". It was nice to be "off". And breakfast...was a breakfast bar each morning that I enjoyed.

I booked a stay at Hôtellerie d'Expérience au Monastère des Augustines based on the information I found on their website that promised a relaxing experience. While a mindful stay was my primary reason for booking a room here, the most appealing feature of the monastery is its close proximity to the sightseeing in Quebec City. In Quebec City, I had a wonderful time. As a single traveler, I attended many cultural exhibits, including part of the QC film festival, a free walking tour of the city's historic sites, and a visit to the wonderful Morrin Centre. I feasted on creme brulee at Le Chateau Frontenac, poutine at a bar on Rue Saint Jean, and a cold beer at Cafe du Monde on the waterfront. The most disappointing part of my trip was the service at Hôtellerie d'Expérience au Monastère des Augustines. I had no problem with the sparse accommodations and shared bathrooms of the authentic cloisters. I also enjoyed the museum that I leisurely explored for free. I took many photographs and learned much about the Augustinian Sisters who founded Le Monastère. My disappointment came when I realized that the program of daily activities were not as they were represented on the website at all. Nearly every activity cost extra to participate in. I would not have minded spending extra, but I got the feeling that none of the other guests participated in such activities. For activities where there was no charge, the activity itself was pitiful when compared to the description of the activity in the glossy marketing materials. For example: The brochure: The Creation Series 10:00 - 11:00 am Mandalas, scrapbooking and more The reality: a vacant room where one could work on a large puzzle, or add to a scarf that someone had begun to weave on a loom The brochure: Inspiration Series 8:00-9:00 pm Films, roundtables, conferences The reality: a room with a DVD collection where I could sit and watch videos alone I had looked forward to getting a massage, but no information about booking one was presented to me. In fact, no one from Hôtellerie d'Expérience au Monastère des Augustines ever asked if I needed anything, or if I was enjoying my stay, or if I wanted to participate in any of the activities- paid or otherwise. For a place that seeks to "promote rest, renewal, and self-discovery," I found the atmosphere to be unnecessarily harsh and the staff was brutally distant. This could not have been more evident than in the second morning I spent eating the "silent breakfast." I rose early and showered so I could get a seat at the window in Le Restaurant. I arrived there at 7:15 and took a seat by the windows. On my first morning, I had sat at a table for six visitors and I ate my breakfast alone, while other couples chit chatted quietly, despite the restriction on speaking. As a single traveler, I had hoped that a view of nature out the window would be a more pleasant way to start the day. No sooner had I sat down and unfolded my napkin did a staff member approach me to ask that I move from my seat. She explained that Le Monasterie was booked solid and they needed the larger tables for the many guests who would soon descend upon the breakfast area. I reluctantly moved to the same table where I had eaten breakfast the previous day. I spent nearly a half hour eating my breakfast- which was the same exact food, without variety, that had been presented the previous day. During the half hour, only three other guests visited Le Restaurant for breakfast, leaving dozens of tables, including all those by the windows, empty. I am not a person who gets riled up about many things. I live and let live. I go with the flow. But I found this request for me to move from my seat to be outrageously inappropriate. I had hoped to "savour a unique experience in a relaxed atmosphere," but what I found was anything but tranquil. At that point, I decided to bring my concerns to the front desk person when I checked out. I quickly packed, eager to leave the horrible breakfast experience at Le Monasterie, in what was otherwise a wonderful vacation, as quickly as possible. When I arrived at the front desk to check out, the clerk was distant, unconcerned with asking me if I enjoyed my stay... unconcerned with me- overall. I decided to say nothing. It can be uncomfortable for most people to travel alone. My experience at Le Monasterie made it more uncomfortable. I should have said something at the front desk, but at that point I just wanted to get out of there. Perhaps my stay at Le Monasterie truly has been a spiritual journey. I learned that a wonderful visit to Quebec City shouldn't be spoiled by flying into a rage at the front desk clerk. Rage... probably not the emotion the Augustinian Sisters were going for.