Background
The Four Seasons Hotel Montreal initially opened in May 2019 and marked the debut of the Ontario-based luxury group in the city. It closed in September 2020 due to the pandemic and reopened in May 2021.
Where is it?
On Rue de la Montagne in Downtown Montreal. It is within the Golden Square Mile district, where the city’s bourgeoisie resided in the late 19th century (hence the name).
The hotel also shares the building with the Holt Renfrew Ogilvy luxury department store for those that want to splash even more cash – this is connected on the third floor through the doors of the Marcus Bar and Lounge.
What's it like?
Designed by Lemay and Sid Lee Architecture, the 17-storey bold black building clad with glass walls stands out on a sunny day in Montreal. The exterior gets the Four Seasons’ luxury touch with gold lines, while cut-out sections add an abstract element to the angular structure.
A revolving door on street-level is signposted as the Marcus restaurant, which is a little confusing. Higher up, affixed to the building, is the Four Seasons logo. The ground-floor space has a gallery-like feel – so much so that I didn’t want to touch anything or sit on the white marble stools in case they were an installation.
The doormen are very friendly and welcoming (I was offered a carton of Four Seasons-branded water) and guide you to the gold lifts around the corner to reach the third floor lobby.
The hotel’s sleek, simple and sumptuous interiors have been designed by Paris-based firm Gilles and Boissier in collaboration with Philip Hazan, and have a brighter feel than the dark exterior. The lobby has a colour scheme of pink and grey, with a glitzy installation featuring bottles of Ruinart Champagne and chandeliers.
Check-in is from 3pm but my room was not ready so I was offered a complimentary drink in the adjoining bar, which was a nice way to start the experience. Check-out is at noon and you can leave your bags with reception, who will send them downstairs so that you don’t have to go back to the third floor to collect them.
Rooms
As you exit the lifts on floors nine and higher, there is an open-air atrium featuring Montreal-based designer Pascale Girardin’s white and gold floral-inspired installation Contemplation. The ethereal installation is made up of 90 floral suspensions in aluminium, each with gold gilded accents, which cascade from the 18th floor down to the ninth.
The 150 rooms and 19 suites are located on floors 6-12 and so benefit from city views, and the Leonard Cohen mural on the facade of a nearby high-rise, thanks to the floor-to-ceiling glass windows. The design is sophisticated, with a calming colour palette of cloud white, rose pink velvet furnishings, plenty of marble, and bronze and gold accents.
The categories include superior and deluxe (both 38-44 sqm), deluxe carré doré (37-44 sqm), premier and premier carré dorré (both 42-52 sqm). There are also 18 residences in the property.
All categories include four-poster beds and a table for work and dining, but the latter also comes with a stylish chaise longue and a larger marble-clad bathroom with a freestanding bathtub and mirrored gold screen-like doors that open onto the bedroom. The doors are a nice touch, with the mirror effect creating a distorted view and reflecting the building’s exterior design.
Amenities across all the accommodations include free wifi, robes and slippers, luxury Byredo bath products, a safe, minibar, kettle and Lavazza coffee machine.
Four Seasons is great at simplifying the guest experience, using modern contactless technology such as an in-room tablet for hotel services such as 24-hour room service, access to newspapers and local tips. The latter acts as your port-of-call and is extremely useful for quick queries, with an instant messaging service allowing you to get any of your questions answered.
There are also plenty of USB and plug sockets throughout the room, along with buttons to adjust the lighting and open/close the curtains from the luxury of your bed.
My One King Bed Premier Carré Doré room was beautiful in terms of design and comfort. Unfortunately it was a connecting room, and my neighbours were a very noisy family who kept me up at night and woke me up early in the morning.
Food and drink
The third floor is home to both Marcus Lounge and Bar and the separate Marcus Restaurant and Terrace, both named after chef Marcus Samuelsson and designed by Atelier Zébulon Perron.
The former is located to the right of reception and features a neutral colour palette with velvet furnishings in light pinks and greys. It offers light bites, signature cocktails and non-alcoholic alternatives (the Eden’s Garden mocktail is delicious).
The restaurant, located to the left of the lobby, is where the real buzz occurs. The lively venue marries Art Deco design with elements of a French brasserie – imagine monochrome flooring, brass accents, wicker seating and swathes of marble.
While the menu focuses on produce from the sea, the design is far more green, with tropical window-sill plants above the leather banquettes at the back of the restaurant. As I studied the menu, towers of seafood appeared on neighbouring tables, giving me an image of the meal to come.
The menu is split into sea, harvest and land sections. I opted for a scallop tartare starter, a zingy dish beautifully presented in shells on ice, followed by silky black cod with lime on a bed of potatoes and edamame, alongside the fiery rapini with crunchy garlic, chilli oil and lemon. I had no complaints whatsoever and was too full for dessert but can vouch for the look of the strawberry tart with yuzu and cream cheese.
I ordered breakfast to my room the following morning via the in-room tablet, which lets you know how long it will take (45 minutes for my order, but there’s an express option available).
There’s plenty of choice for all dietary requirements, and my avocado and smoked salmon toast with a side of fresh fruit and pastry basket was all very fresh and beautifully laid out.
Leisure
The first floor is home to a spa with eight treatment rooms. The sixth floor has a tranquil skylit heated indoor swimming pool with large daybeds, a sauna and steam room. There is a well-sized 24-hour fitness centre on the same floor.
Meetings
The fifth floor has 1,096 sqm of events space including two connectable function rooms, the Palais des Possibles ballroom (which can host up to 450 guests) and the west-facing Belvedere terrace.
Verdict
The Four Seasons once again lives up to its excellent reputation with its sophisticated luxe design, bustling dining outlets and top-class service. The hotel is well-located for those wanting to explore Montreal – just don’t opt for a connecting room!
Fact box
Best for
Exceptional service and sleek design
Don’t miss
Seafood towers and signature cocktails at Marcus Restaurant
Price
Internet rates for a flexible midweek stay in September started from CAD$839 for a Deluxe Carré Doré room
Contact
1140 Rue de la Montagne, Montreal, QC, H3G 1Z5; +1 (514) 843-2500; fourseasons.com/montreal
