Montréal is one of those cities that’s comprised of equal parts party and romance. It’s basically lit & lux, if that makes sense; Europe meets New York with a sprinkling of Paris – okay, I’ll stop. But seriously, my boyfriend Dax and I wanted to celebrate my birthday and our one year of dating, and Montréal was a beyond-perfect choice – essentially like a 4-day continuous date.

We ate, drank and shopped our way through the city that’s been on my bucket list since forever. And let me tell you: in between the poutine spots, St. Catherine’s Street shopping and the hippest breweries (not to be dramatic), but a piece of my heart has definitely been left there. J’adore Montréal!

Okay so the first two nights we were staying at the Alt Montreal, but we accidentally Ubered the complete wrong way to the Alt Hotel Quartier DIX30 from the airport, which was slightly irritating at the time, but did allow me to snap this pic of the ultra swanky foyer – slick, right?

Anyways. We took another Uber to the correct Alt, and it was everything. I mean, not only was it a stylish corner suite on the top floor, but they had balloons decorating the table, little gifts, and a special note to me welcoming us to the Alt. WTF! The customer service here was some of the best I have ever had.

AND LOOK AT THAT VIEW.

I’m currently doing a 40-day yoga challenge at One Yoga Saskatoon right now, so I made a commitment to myself to stick with my practice even whilst knee deep in reuben sandwiches and IPAs. The best part is, I not only stuck to the challenge, but the Alt had a beautiful fitness centre with ‘the Mirror‘ which made that super easy. Have you heard of the Mirror? It’s an unassuming piece of mirrored décor that transforms into a personal gym class with a trainer when it’s turned on; I did a kettlebell yoga workout one day, and a deep yin the next.

We basically did a lot of strolling around aimlessly on this trip, which was perfect to me since I could not. stop. taking. PICS! I was just so visually overstimulated – lighting installations; neon signs; and obviously old, magical buildings, galore.

So for day 3 and 4, we made our way to the super-posh Hôtel Le Germain Montréal, also located in Downtown Montréal.

This hotel was closed for a year for major renovations and, as a result, is the chicest thing I’ve ever seen.  The decor is sixties-inspired and reinterpreted in a very modern way.  (Our round bed is what I imagine heaven might be like?… I really miss that cozy cocoon of goose feather elegance.)

Feat. #InstaBF of the year^

This bathroom is glorious, but not ideal for someone who already takes too long getting ready – it’s just so lux it makes you just wanna linger. With a rainfall shower, the prettiest lighting, a Nespresso machine, and gloriously soft 100% cotton towels and bathrobes, it was kind of very hard to get me to leave the room at some points.

Until you say “deluxe continental breakfast” served by the Restaurant Le Boulevardier. Think cappuccinos, fresh o.j. + croissants, smoked salmon, fresh fruit bowls, and the perfect scrambled eggs and crispy bacon.

To die.Bar Flaneur’s, in our hotel lobby, was where we had champagne and freshly shucked oysters during our last evening. We savoured the night slowly with bubbles upon bubbles and soaked in the sophisticated atmosphere. It was truly the perfect end to a perfect trip.

 

Until next time, Montréal xo

T