Nacarat Bar, Queen Elizabeth Hotel, Montreal

If I could give them 6 stars, I would. The cocktails were really good, unique blends and excellent presentation. We were seated at the bar, which gave us a nice vantage point into their operation. Their whole team is highly professional. The manager came and spoke with us, what a nice gentleman. We got a charcuterie plate, which was great, and they surprised us with a little extra for a special occasion. The overall ambiance was lively but not overbearing. The interior design is simply spectacular. I absolutely recommend this bar and will 100% be back..

amazing views of montreal and a great spot to enjoy drinks and appetizers. great atmosphere with an extensive cocktail list and bites. service was very friendly,efficient and professional. prices were a bit high, but expected for such a spot. live dj with music.

A great bar with excellent cocktails. Cool bartenders and good driving music. I went there twice in 3 nights and never regretted it, since absolutely all the cocktails were just a bomb. The only cons is that they close very early (00-00), although there were always a lot of people and only came around 10-11 pm.

Only review for drinks. Coolest cocktail menu with handwritten designs and descriptions. Rare to find many places that provide so much detail and thought into their menu! The service was quick and the bartender both friendly and very knowledgeable. Highly recommend as a place to stop in for drinks!

When U serve the cold drink 🍹 please give a tissue with, at 6:30 U are not that much busy, Thx. We have been there just for drinks 🍹 we didn’t take a risk & had a dinner somewhere else. Atmosphere is good.

We had a reservation at 8 pm and called an hour before to inform them that we will be 20 min late, got no response twice and left a voice mail. When we got there, we were told our table got cancelled (with no prior notice whatsoever) and that we will have to wait for an hour. Two of the ladies were willing to put us in priority since we had a reservation but the third lady (blond woman) was passive aggressive, didn’t want to hear the situation out in any way whatsoever and insisted we cannot be in priority, so we decided to leave. As people who are regulars at Nacarat and usually have a great experience there, that was deeply disappointing

Raphael (who really should be the next James Bind) and his team gave us the warmest welcome to Montreal. We have found our new home away from home. Merci beaucoup!

After supper drinks are just what you'd expect. Quick (Very Quick) and expert bartending, a stimulating atmosphere and a large, large cocktail menu. We even had a delicious little dessert

I'll start this review with the caveat that I was here in late April when the hotel staff was on strike so they were running with a skeleton crew most days. The location of the Queen Elizabeth is excellent. We drove into the city and were able to leave our car parked and walk or Uber to all the spots we wanted to explore. We stayed in a king room on a high floor. Hallways are long, but quiet. Rooms are tight, but functional. I really enjoyed the Le Labo Rose products in the bathrooms, but wish they wouldn't restrict the lotion as I don't always want to stand up at the sink to put lotion on. I was most impressed by the use of space within the room. There were multiple seating areas for us in the small room and it never felt too small. Breakfast was offered each day in the lobby and was excellent. Probably some of the best pain au chocolat I've had outside of France. Service was friendly and readily bilingual. The trickiest part of our stay was the garage; for starters it was very difficult to find, even with the directions from the hotel. Once there, the valet was hard to find and didn't seem very enthused about helping us with our luggage or cart. Not the end of the world, but just an area that didn't seem on the same level as the rest of our Fairmont experience.

Ok I stayed in late April and it was great. I came in early before my conference and left after an extra day. Room: same as most other hotels. Nothing very special. The room was facing the sun so over all I found the room either too hot or too cold. When I talked to the staff they told me they are switching over to the AC. In the washroom I found that the flushing the toilet was not all right I wounded if it is the plumbing. Food for the conference was amazing and perfect. Even in the breakfast that was a small volume versus the normal set. I was not complaining when it was free. Cause of the strike! So thank you for having the strike! It worked in my fav.. Location: right above the train track and you could also walk down to old Montreal in about 30 minutes. When you leave and having to catch the train you get it to it with out going outside. Which is a bonus! Spa: it was ok but again trying to book the day before is hard. They don't seam to be near the phone all the time. Washroom issue is still a problem with them also. I felt it was to expensive with what you got. It was nice but it's not like I would book again. Gym: Was not bad but the fit class that draw me to the hotel was not working and the staff that could help was on strike so I could not sure it. However over all it was a very good gym for a hotel. I could not talk about the pool cause it was closed when I was their cause of the strike.

Great hotel! My wife and I were lucky to get rates about half off as government employees without needing work orders for both here and Chateau Frontenac in Quebec City. They didn't even ask for any work identification and upgraded our room to one with a better view. Like the Chateau Frontenac in Quebec City and the Chateau Laurier in Ottawa, this hotel has historical significance despite a much more modern feel. Much of the history is from the latter half of the 20th century rather than earlier like the other two as it opened under previous names in 1951 until its current namesake and ownership that began.in 2001. The NHL drafts were held here, the Quebec Parliament met here in hiding during times of Quebec separatist terrorism multiple times, John Lennon and Yoko Ono had their second bed-in here in protest of the Vietnam War and record Give Peace A Chance, and Queen Elizabeth II stayed here four times. It is very conveniently attached to Gare Central and walking distance to attractions, restaurants, and Underground City shopping (it is part of the Underground City network) which made this perfect as we traveled by Via. There is an elevator that connects the two we found, but can be hard to locate. There was the potential of a strike but none happened. Unfortunately the strikes have been on and off for several months and the hotel closed for the holidays. Hopefully they resolve the dispute soon as the staff and management are all great and they did their best to provide the best service to us and other guests. The room was modern and spacious with a great view of the city. Our king bed was very comfortable. Plenty of space to put our four suitcases. They even had a special beer for this hotel in the minibar. We didn't really check out much of the amenities but Cafe Krema was amazing downstairs with great hot drinks, treats, and a cozy fireplace in the lobby. The staff were friendly and helped us promptly when our keys didn't open the door one night. We look forward to hopefully staying here again.

I frequently travel to Montreal and decided to go to this famous place because of its great downtown location and the fact that John Lennon and Yoko Ono held their Peace event here. I could not have been more disappointed. Not only were the accommodations average and unimpressive for a supposedly luxury hotel, but staff were rude and unhelpful. They did ot even display a memorial to the most famous event that ever will occur here, but the sign says Le Reine Elizabeth instead of the correct La Reine Elizabeth. So embarrassing and disrespectful.

I love me a Fairmont! This one is centrally located and beautifully decorated, but what really knocks me out is the service. I have yet to have a bad experience service-wise at a Fairmont property. Even the room service food was great and the customer service agent on the phone made me feel like I was brilliant for merely placing my order. (HAHA!) Montreal is a stunning city and this hotel represents that and does not disappoint!

Best best best stay. Third floor terrace was superb. Room view was fabulous! Highly recommend staying here close to everything.

I would offer more stars, if I could. It has been 25 years since I first visited - and Fairmont has only improved. Every aspect of this hotel, from Valet parking to the exquisite Roselys is designed with us few, lucky guests in mind. We won't stay away so long, this time. Such a pleasure - my only regret is that we had to leave so soon. Jim from Massachusetts (25th anniversary celebration)

The hotel is pretty awesome great location however, the air-conditioning in the rooms is pretty nonexistent. If you're a woman with hot flashes, don't come here you will be miserable.

Go to the Roseley! The brunch as fantastic. You'll love it. Fresh everything, good service, and good coffee.

Was excited to come stay at this hotel due to the great reviews and the great location, unfortunately I had one of the worst hotel experiences that I have ever experienced and will not be staying at this property or any property owned by Fairmont again. To preface, my stay happened to coincide with a strike unfortunately, but that is not what I will be complaining about. The strike did limit access to the hotel to the side door only and had all of the restaurants closed for all days except for the last of my stay. Upon checking in we asked for a crib for our infant which they said they would send to the room right away. We had also requested this upon booking. We still did not get the crib even after an hour, so we called the front desk to inquire. They had denied hearing about the crib and eventually had it delivered around 15 minutes later. When we first entered the room, the toilet seat had a poop smear and was clearly not fully cleaned. The windowsill was also quite dusty, which was disappointing for a hotel of this caliber. Otherwise, the room was nice and the view fantastic. We returned later that night and found that our hotel room and many of the rooms on the floor did not have power. I had to go down to the front desk to inquire about this, to which I was told that there was a storm and most of the city did not have power. This was in fact incorrect since even the lobby and many other floors had power. My issue with this was that there was no indication that the problem was acknowledged or being worked on. Usually even in a lower tier hotel a note would be passed around to the effected rooms, or a sign would be clearly visible in the lobby upon entry. We finally got the power back a few hours after midnight. The next morning, we noticed a massive leak coming from the air conditioning unit. We immediately called the front desk, and they said they would send someone upstairs to which I gave them permission to enter if I was not there. My family left for the morning and returned in the early afternoon. Nothing had been done. I again called the front desk who denied ever getting a notification that there was an issue. 30 minutes later a technician came up and said we had to switch rooms. Thankfully we were moved to the same room, type two floors up. Overall, the lack of customer service, uncleanliness upon check-in, never once having the room turned over the whole stay (3 nights), and never getting something as simple as an apology or acknowledgement of these inconveniences are the reasons I am giving this establishment such a low score. The whole experience was so off-putting, especially since we had paid so much for the stay. Do yourself a favor and book any other hotel in the city and stay away from any of the Fairmont properties.

Great hotel right in downtown Montreal. My husband and I enjoyed this place. The hotel is very clean, spacious and safe. Our room was cute and cozy and everything was well maintained. The location is also great especially if you plan on doing local things. Tons of restaurants and easy access to their subways. Spa area is very nice too. They have an indoor pool & hot tub. They also have valet service for your vehicles. It was a 10/10 stay.

While we loved the hotel, the way we were treated in the bar ruined our entire stay. I have also reached out to Fairmont privately to discuss this, but they have not replied so I will post it here. We had a $100 credit to use during our stay. On Thursday night after a day of site-seeing, we went in the bar, Nacarat, for a drink. We ordered a red wine, which had obviously turned. But they were busy and we just signed our tab (with appropriate 20% tip) and left. Saturday night we returned for a drink after being out all day. We were dressed in sweaters and jeans, as were many others. The hostess sat us at the bar, as requested. It was moderately busy but not packed. Waited about 10 minutes without being served, even smiling and making eye contact with bartenders. 5 more minutes, hostess seats a couple beside us at the bar, a server immediately comes from behind and gives them water and drink menus. I smile and make eye contact and he nods. I assume he'll be back. Hostess sits another group to our right, server immediately comes again and gives them waters and menus and delivers the first couple's drinks. We've easily been there 25 minutes with nothing. I wave my hand over my head to get his attention. He comes to us, " how may I help you?" I point out we haven't been served. "What would you like ma'am?" No offer of water or menus like the others. I tell him we just want beers. He asks what beer, I ask for a Coors or a Molson l, he says "we don't have that, how about a Bud Light - or are you against that?" At this point I do not know if he's making fun of us or not, I just want a drink, so say sure Bud Lights are fine. He delivers them fairly quickly without incident. We drink them in 10 or 15 mins. Then he continues to serve everyone around us still, I'm sure seeing our empty beers, but pivots quickly without helping us 3 times. I look at my watch. It's 10 p.m. I tell my husband "at 10:15 we are leaving without paying." At one point I tell a bartender we would like to pay, and I see him tell the server, who does not come to us. So at 10:15 we very slowly gather our coats and belongings and head out. As we are stepping out the door I wave goodbye at our server, who then chases us out into the lobby waving our receipt. "Were your Bud Lights not cold enough?" I let him know we'd been trying to leave for 20 minutes but he kept serving everyone around us and not us. He invited us back in for "Bud Lights I will personally serve you cold!!! If Bud Light does not insult you!" We told him no thank you, it's clear you don't wish to serve us and we have never walked out on a bill in our lives. Plus last night our wine had turned. He continued to have loud words with my husband in the lobby being sure to insert "ice cold Bud Lights!" often. We left. The hostess had taken our room number, so really I knew they could have charged us if they wanted to. If Nacarat does not want people in jeans in at night they need to post a dress code or tell the hostess not to seat them. If the server does not want to serve Americans or Bud Light, he should not work at a hotel bar. Our very nice stay was ruined by this incident and Fairmont has not replied to private messages.

Overall my stay was ok at the hotel. The front desk were very helpful and checkin was smooth. I had no problem getting to my room and getting settled in. The room was big and comfortable, but I would say a bit out-dated. The bed was very comfortable with a good amount of pillows to choose from. It was generally clean and tidy with an iron and safe facilities. I did have to dive into the snack bar once or twice, which were generally ok and satisfied my hunger. The bathroom was modern and the towels were soft. There are a few comments I would like to make though, simply for feedback on such a high end hotel. I had a good view, but the window were absolutely filthy outside. I'm sure it's hard to get these cleaned though and imagine they get dirty very quickly. The shower in the bathroom had no indication of hot or cold and what lever did what. So upon first investigation you end up in either very hot or cold water. You can't really try it out without getting fully into the shower either. The snack bar is expensive and you can't look at any item without the danger of it being added to your room bill. On top of that the cabinet was right next to the bed side table (which doesn't move). So it is very hard to open the snack drawer as the cabinet door needs to be fully open and jammed against the side table to do so. I could not get a room service menu anywhere and when I tried to log in to the QR code on my tv it didn't work. I think a paper menu would benefit this hotel, or digitally viewing it on the TV as a PDF.

I went to this hotel back in the summer 2019. I like the historic and aesthetic of the hotel. A lot of boards explaining the event with lovely decorations throughout the hotel.

This hotel is phenomenal!!! The location could not be better, the rooms are spacious, well appointed and just make you feel so special. BUT.....the hidden gem here is Roseley's Restaurant!!!! This place is absolutely the best ever! First, it's right inside the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth Hotel on the ground floor. The decor alone will knock your socks off and the staff is incredible. My Linh greets you at the front desk and treats you like you're returning best guest, even if this is your initial visit. Katherine, our waitress, was point on at all times. It's like she could read your mind and help you if you were undecided. The drinks were perfectly mixed and served promptly after we placed our order. I had the most incredible smoked salmon appetizer and hubby had crusted asparagus. I had the veal t-bone while hubby had the scallops. Communication from that point continued with eye rolls and mmmmms all over the place. The whole dining experience was worth a 12 day tour we were on and we promised to return there one day. If you ever get to Montreal, THIS.RESTAURANT.IS.A.MUST!!!!!

A very nice hotel centrally located in Montreal. It sits atop the Metro and is connected to the underground. The hotel itself is pricy to say the least. They don't give you much with the room not even water. We didn't get the included breakfast our first night in.

I didn't know John Lennon and Yolo ono were born here that's pretty cool imo. Cute hotel for a mini getaway

First time in Quebec City and stayed here for a few days. Friendly and bilingual staff- English and French of course. It's an older hotel but very historic and beautiful. We loved the surrounding area street performers- good wholesome shows.

They have updated many of their offerings and rooms - all in going with their new owners the Accord Hotels. We like the changes they have made - notably on the first floor. While there used to be a fancy restaurant that had a tasting menu, they now have a much more nouvelle Whole Foods kind of place called Marché Artisans. Here you can pick and choose what you might like for dinner, and then eat it there or take it back to your room .. neat stuff. Most of the rooms have been updated, and the hotel really has a much more au courant feel. My only complaint is the Nacarat Bar/Terrace located on the 3rd floor - the bar is open everyday but Monday and the Terrace everyday but Monday and Tuesday; I understand the need to get some time off, but the bar and terrace are located in downtown Montreal (which is a world class city) - why would you close a nice attraction like the bar/terrace during summer holidays on Mondays and Tuesdays ... it just floors me. Are you saving yourself for the winter months on the terrace - come on ... act like a world class hotel. All in all we liked the Queen Elizabeth and the changes a lot and will be back. Former 3 star now rises to 4 star.

Great service through-out the hotel. From the concierge, check in, bell hop and even the Valet. Everyone was incredibly friendly and very knowledgeable. They even did a complementary upgrade to one of the suites and it made my celebration a little bit more special. It seems like they recently upgraded the room or so I was told. It looks like it as well as you can tell from one of my pictures. The hotel gives a nice vibe and decorated real nicely. Will definitely stay here again when I'm back in town.

Good atmosphere, cocktails are really good! Music with DJ is awesome. I only stayed for less than an hour so I can't really write a lengthy review but it was very enjoyable.

If you're used to the standard Fairmont elegance, comfort, and customer service, then you'll be pleased to know The Queen Elizabeth is more of the same. However if you're used to staying at hotels which are in-and-of-themselves landmarks and architectural attractions (such as Château Frontenac and Château Laurier), then know that The Queen Elizabeth isn't that. I stayed here for just one night during a weekend trip to Montréal. The inside of the hotel was recently renovated, and it has everything going for it: swanky decor, nice shops and restaurants, and comfortable and classy rooms. The hotel is located in the business district of Montréal, right between "Mary, Queen of the World" Cathedral and St. Patrick's Basilica. It's not far from Vieux-Montréal (just a 1 km walk), but if you were looking for something in the heart of Vieux-Montréal, look further northeast. I didn't spend much time in the hotel, since I was out and about in Montréal, but my time at The Queen Elizabeth was nevertheless nice and comfortable. I'd recommend it if the location works for you and the price seems right.

This rating is more than fair, even given it is on the heels of a resort-laden vacation and immediate preceding stay at the Fairmont Chateau Frontenac in Quebec City. They two hotels cannot even really be compared. This one is very modern and metropolitan- that one is a tourist destination just by itself. We stayed in the Gold level Or room in Montreal and the service was beyond compare. We arrived early and the room was not ready when we arrived, but the concierge directed us to the complementary lounge and then walked us around to select the room we wanted to stay in. The room was nice, the bed comfortable, and the furnishings updated and new. They had recently had a flood on the concierge floor and were renovating when we checked in, but by breakfast everything was complete and one couldn't tell there had been major renovations the night before. The one thing that no one mentioned was where to pick up the car from the valet. The night we arrived we dropped it off at the front, so when we called down to have it ready and went to wait, we ended up waiting a significant period of time before realizing they must bring them around in a different place. Finally on our own we realized they must depart from another location, and asked and were directed downstairs to retrieve our car. All in all - the hotel was wonderful, the staff and service was wonderful - but it is a hotel to see a city, not a hotel to stay in and veg out.

This is an "okay" hotel but for the price you pay it's definitely not value oriented. Rooms are nice enough but amenities are lacking. The bed sheets are lower quality (rough on the skin!), bathroom toiletries are skimpy (no cotton pads, q-tips, etc) and no complimentary water bottles. They charge for everything extra. In-room water is $9/bottle, basic internet-$16/day, compact fridge-$25, no robe or slippers provided. For a hotel in this price range one would expect a little more. The best thing about this hotel is the friendly and helpful staff. They will go out of their way to help you. Even so, I'll likely choose a different chain of hotels next time I'm on vacation or for a business trip.

The Fairmont Queen Elizabeth is a staple for us. A simple escalator ride up from the train station, the location is extremely convenient and practical - only a couple of blocks away from the best shopping in Montreal. The rooms are luxurious and the beds are as comfortable as you can find. But what makes it so memorable is the staff. They are kind, courteous and unfailingly helpful. They treat us like family and went out of their way to help my husband and I celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary more recently, making what had already been a special occasion eBen more of a treat. I am delighted to recognize their efforts and consideration here and urge others to treat themselves to this hotel and the charms of the city, more broadly.

Pros: -Quick check in and accommodating special request -extremely convenient, located minutes away from train station, bus station, restaurants -sheets are clean Cons: -out dated room, feels like the Renaissance era -stained carpet(looked like bodily fluids) -finding an electrical outlet is harder than finding Waldo -2hour wait for room service apple pie and ice cream and still no where to be seen, called multiple times after the 1hour mark(pretty sure even if it was made from scratch it would have been done earlier)

This is a fun hotel for anyone who is into design. There are interesting and beautiful touches all over the place. From the chairs in the lobby, to the wall coverings, and light fixtures. The design of the pool is super cool too. We paid significantly less than others for our room. I don't know if it was a conference rate, or if prices just drop in early November. I can imagine it's not a prime tourist time. But at $200 a night, it felt like a steal. The valet parking, felt a bit like highway robbery. But I couldn't quite figure out how to park without pulling into the valet lot. Maybe that's on me. However, I find it challenging to get accustomed to Canadian directional signage. As some other reviewer noted, the shower doors are based on the European standard. And it's true the rooms are small. I didn't mind this at all. As comfortable as everything was at this hotel, the chairs in the room were surprisingly awkward. And I still hate how hotels will provide a refrigerator that's jam packed with over priced things I don't want, but leave no room for refrigeration of the things I might want to keep cold during my stay. These are small nits to be sure. I'd gladly come back and stay there again. Especially, if there's a sweet deal on the room. Next time I would spend more time exploring the market in the lobby, because that appeared to be the source of many many culinary delights. And I regret not making it out for a cocktail in the modern lounge. But life is full of hard choices. You can't do everything in Montreal on one trip.

I spent 7 nights there (July 2023), paid a high price for a small uncomfortable room that was not what was promised. The "two queen" room might have had queen size bed platforms but the mattresses were smaller and among the most uncomfortable I've ever slept on. Even with the high price of the room you have to pay extra for wifi.

I really liked this hotel. It was in a good location, close enough to the airports, good amenities, etc.

When Fairmont acquired a chain of Canadian hotels, they got some of Canada's crown jewel properties: chateaux lake Louise, Chateau Frontenac in Quebec City, whistler, etc. They also got the soviet era (1956) chestnut that is the answer to the Sesame Street song "one of these things is not like the others" Service is fantastic, and location is good (you can take a train from Toronto, and take an elevator up to your room). But those "pros" don't make up for the cramped rooms, crunchy army-grade toilet paper, and quite possibly the most expensive bottle of "welcome water" I've ever seen on 3 continents (we're in Canada - the tap water is delicious, thank you).

Really great concierge and bell hop service. Rooms are virtually soundproof! Only taking off a star for wifi prices... $15 CAD per day for the slower internet seems excessive.

Beautiful hotel with excellent service. The rooms are very spacious and well appointed. Close to everything and easy to walk. Great views from the hotel. Wonderful choice for Montreal.

Being frank, this place is little more than a large holiday inn. Our room had a fantastic view of...a parking lot. It had a king size bed, a few small chairs jammed around it and basic amenities. If it wasn't for the pad of paper that said Fairmont, it could have been any $60/night hotel. For a $250/night room I'd expect something more. The overly loud DJ made check in a screaming match with a disinterested hotelier. Not a great start. Valet was friendly, but not overly helpful. That being said, our sheets were clean, and we had a bathroom with towels. Aside from the beautiful building and proximity to old Montreal, this place had little going for it.

The Fairmont is a staple in high end hotels in Canada and this one is no exception. It's in an amazing location downtown, the place is huge and the staff are very friendly and accommodating. I came here for a work stay and was in the hotel for a couple of weeks. They keep the place spotless and even when I didn't even sleep in my bed, it would be cleaned along with my room meticulously. The doormen are nice and the customer service is great at the front. They gave me nice recommendations for late night food and places to see when I was new to the area. My only real issue was the decor seemed very dated and the rooms were a bit small. Not a big deal as most Fairmonts have this type of decoration for their rooms, but it almost felt creepy. Overall I had a great 2 weeks here!

What a great place to stay!!! Right in downtown and subway is right in basement of hotel. This could have not been more convenient. The service was more than stellar and rooms were super comfortable. Will absolutely stay here again. My favorite part was the artisan cafe! Coffee was great!

Urban comfort in the heart of downtown Montreal. The hotel is close walking distance to shopping / historic sites / recreational activities. Classy place and wonderful friendly staff ! I'd definitely be back and it's been a wonderful stay.

This hotel is OK, but there were a few things that I didn't like. One was that if you wanted a room with a view and not on the construction side, we had to wait past the check in time for this. Also the room we got with two double beds was super small. I know this is a big city, and I've stayed in lots of hotels in big cities, but this room was super tight for three of us. The staff were OK also. I didn't find them super sweet or endearing, they were fine. One thing to watch is that if you are using a debit card, they debit you for incidentals for each day of your stay when you check in, in one of my friends cards this was 100's of dollars, so I would suggest using a credit card for your stay. Food court under hotel in underground was the best part of the stay.

This very upscale hotel has some of the most comfortable beds, duvets and pillow sets of all the luxury hotels I have stayed. The front desk staff are very accommodating polite and very professional. I took advantage of the gym which was superior to most high scale gyms, plus the gym includes a pool and full spa.

I stayed at the hotel for the conference. The facilities were great for the meetings I attended. The hotel is nicely appointed and the lobby area is very nice. I especially like the rocking chairs in the lobby. The restaurant is expensive however a good alternative is the market in the hotel which offers food, drinks and ice cream! The bed was very comfortable however the room was small for two people. No refrigerator or microwave in the room however there is a coffee maker. The hotel is convenient for exploring downtown and is right next to the train station. I enjoyed my stay.

I was not impressed...at all. There were two attendees manning the "special" check-in line. I am not so special, just an average business traveler. I waited for a while, and finally walked up to them asking if I could please check -in. The service in the restaurant took place with as few smiles and pleasantries as they could muster. not sure what they are so mad about. My desk phone was broken, so I couldn't call them for a wake-up call. I had to get dressed and go down to the desk...and wait in line again. I plugged my phone and iPad into the outlet on the desk, only to wake up the next morning with both of them dead. The outlet was broken. Nice.

This update is for the reservations process only. See my other post below for a review of my actual stay. My experience with the Fairmont conference reservations manager almost made me change my mind about wanting to stay here. After speaking to a helpful person at the 1-800 number, I was transferred to the hotel since I was requesting a conference rate. After waiting several minutes for someone to answer, the conference specialist came on the line. Even though this hotel wasn't listed in my conference literature as participating, she assured me that she could offer me a conference rate. Interestingly enough, the rate she quoted me was higher than the rack rate on the website--and I told her so. She basically told me I was wrong, but I decided to book a room anyway, knowing that I could always cancel it up to 24-hours before check-in. A few weeks later, I received a notification from Hotels.com that some hotels in Montreal were having a summer sale. Upon checking the Fairmont's website I discovered that the Queen Elizabeth was included. Daily rates were 20% off with every third night free. I immediately called the 1-800 number again and asked if I could change my reservation to take advantage of the sale. I was told that I couldn't change an existing reservation, so then I said I wanted to book a new reservation and I'd cancel the original one. The reservationist said this was fine and calculated my cost under the new rates. I'd be saving at least $350. The catch was that I'd have to prepay for the room, and changes or cancellations were not allowed. I decided to check a few of the other hotels participating in the sale first before booking. When I did call back to make a reservation, the agent I got wasn't nearly as helpful as the first one. I explained that I had an existing reservation but wanted to make an additional one for the discounted rate I'd been quoted, then cancel the original reservation. This reservationist told me I'd have to cancel my first reservation by calling the conference manager at the hotel; she couldn't do it for me. I said this was fine. Then she told me that even though I was creating a new reservation, I might be charged the original conference rate anyway. WTF? When I asked why, she said that if I was attending a conference while in town, an agreement between the conference organizers and the Fairmont might result in my being charged a higher rate regardless. To this, I responded that it sounded like a highly illegal practice to me. And then I asked who exactly would be enforcing this? The Fairmont? And she said no, the conference organizers. Huh? I told her I was booking independently, not through the conference organizers, so how would they know where I was staying and for what rate? She's lucky I didn't just choose another hotel, but I really wanted to stay at the Fairmont. In the end I told her to book my second reservation using the same dates and room type as my original one. All seemed ok. The total she quoted was correct. But when I checked the reservation online later, she'd put me in a smaller room than I'd originally booked. Argh! By the time I noticed this, the sale dates had passed, but I called the 1-800 number anyway. The reservationist I spoke to this time told me he couldn't make any changes to my reservation, as per the sale restrictions. I explained to him that I shouldn't have to be inconvenienced because the reservations agent had a made a mistake. He said he'd have to put me through to the hotel itself to speak to the reservations manager, so I said fine. Again I had to wait several minutes for someone to answer, and when I explained why I'd been transferred, she read me the details of my reservation, which mysteriously had been switched to a king from a queen during the time I'd been on hold. Still, I don't know why I had to waste my time on the phone with the hotel if they'd already corrected their error. So, after such a horrendous experience with the Fairmont's reservations people, I was starting to think I'd made a bad choice in hotels. But once I arrived at the Fairmont in Montreal, I had a 4-star experience. (Please see the review of my stay at the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth below.)

I paid $600 per night. My updated room had 2 Queen beds, one of which was against the edge of the bathroom door which has a louvered door!!! That's right, the bathroom door of a $600 per night room, is louvered giving NO PRIVACY! The toilet was about 5 feet from my head while I tried to sleep, and was awakened by every toilet sound. Really terrible. I was in the 18th floor out of 20. The 21st floor is their members club floor for breakfast, cocktails, etc. it is just reopened, so it is very scant on service and food, and furniture. But again, I PAID $600 per night. Come on!!! The gym has a future spin room, but it wasn't ready....but I still had to pay full price. You get the picture. It's just NOT READY so they should have charged me less. But regardless, the room layout is horrible so I will never stay there again.

I enjoy staying in Fairmont hotels. I find them historic and luxurious, even if the rooms are on the small size (due to their age). The Fairmont Queen Elizabeth was no exception - it's a beautiful hotel in the heart of downtown Montreal, walking distance to Rue Ste-Catherine and Mountain, among other hopping nightlife spots. You can also access a good amount of the downtown via underground passages, including the Metro station. The rooms are cozy but comfortable. The bed was luxurious, and the bathroom was updated and modern (except the faucets which were older, for some reason). The internet works well in the rooms (wireless and wired) and are quite speedy. A tip: join the Fairmont President's Club (free) and get free internet access, free access to the gym and other goodies. The gym was one of the best out there, with lots of machines, weights, weight machines and a nice pool. My only complaint is the nickel-and-dime charges that an expensive hotel should never charge. $29/day for parking, even for hotel guests (no discount for guests is BAD policy). Also, if you stay in the parking lot past 4pm, you get charged $23 extra. $3 for the concierge to hold your bags after checkout - really? A darn expensive hotel restaurant. A new $10 service fee for Fairmont Fit gym clothes (if you aren't a Premiere member of the club). As a frequent traveller, these left a bit of a sour taste in my mouth. Still, this hotel is beautiful and in a great location. I would recommend it!

Recently renovated. Still working some bugs out but in general a nice downtown business hotel. Staff was friendly and the doorman was a god send in helping me find some local shopping options. The decor is contemporary and not quite my style. But clean and lien lines are positively implemented.

I stayed here for a conference for 3 nights this past weekend. I'm not sure what this placed looked like before the renovation, but it is beautiful! Very clean! The staff here are also great! The staff here ask if they can communicate with you via text message, which was a nice, and not at all an annoying thing. As someone else mentioned, the room is on the smaller side, but since I was staying here on my own, it wasn't a big deal. The bathroom was pretty hip looking too! I had no problems controlling the temperature in my room either. Be sure to sign up for their FREE President's Club so you can get free wi-fi during your visit, I didn't have a problem with that either. There is a small coffee shop on the ground floor with stronger coffee than the conference served, along with some great pastries, a fine dining restaurant, and a cocktail bar which I also visited with great service. I didn't take advantage of the gym while I was there, but it too is very nice! What they don't tell you is right below the building is a whole mall with a food court, and below that as the hotel is adjacent to a train station is a French market with even more food options! Be sure to check these out, it's very convenient - especially if the weather is bad. The only bump in the road hotel-wise during my trip is they deactivated my room keys two hours before check out so I had to stand in line at the front desk for that to be fixed. Also, to hold your bags, the cost is $2.00. Many of us needed this done while attending the conference the last day. This location is great for all things in downtown Montreal, pretty much in the business district and not a bad walk to Old Montreal either. If you're looking to visit the Montreal area, I do recommend staying here!

I'm from Pennsylvania and this was my first trip to Montreal. I went in February for Valentine's Day and my hubby's b-day so I got a great deal - buy two nights, get one free, otherwise I could not have swung the price tag. That said you truly do get what you pay for. Although I thought the room was a bit small (we were in a Euro-type city after all) there were nice touches everywhere including free chocolates, water and granola bar in our room. : O ) The concierge in the lobby was very friendly and helpful. I found other staff to be just as friendly and willing to please. Nice work-out facility and inddor pool and hot tub. Hooray for the free bag check - we were able to drop our stuff off and enjoy the last day without having to do a late (and expensive) check out. But the big plus staying here in the winter is that we were hooked directly into the metro, central station and the HUGE underground city (read very large mall underground). This allowed us to stay out of the freezing cold and wind, and enjoy ourselves. Located right in the heart of downtown this would also be a great choice for business travelers.

After being closed for one year, the hotel has finally re-opened and the rooms have been nicely upgraded. I travel often for work so having a nice room to relax after flight(s) or meetings it's a must have. I highly recommend joining their rewards program for frequent room upgrades. I would stay there again. Nicely located downtown with access to underground passage to the shopping and eating area is a bonus when the weather is not so nice. Great gym facility as well. Nice work Fairmont Montreal.

Great location, staff, and views . You can access Eaton Center, The Keg Steakhouse, train station, and other shopping without leaving the building. A huge convenience, particularly in bad weather. Hotel is kept spotless. Rooms are a smidgen small , but not claustrophobic.

The place is just beautiful. Totally redone. Rooms are nice, bathroom and shower are lovely. What separates this hotel is the service. Excellent. Especially Cedric at the front desk. What a nice young man. In fact, everyone who works there is super nice. Hotel elevator leads to mini-mall underneath the hotel and metro system. Really nice place. I would 100% stay there again.