Château Versailles

Château Versailles is a boutique hotel at 1659 Rue Sherbrooke Ouest in Montreal's Golden Square Mile, assembled from several converted historic townhouses. The Guy-Concordia metro station is a short walk away, and the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Concordia University and the shops of Rue Sherbrooke and Rue Crescent lie within a few blocks. The setting is residential and leafy compared with the downtown towers, in a district that once housed the city's wealthiest families.

The townhouse structure gives the hotel an intimate scale and a varied layout, with standard rooms, superior rooms and suites that differ in size and character from one building section to another. Typical rates are around CAD 210 per night. Amenities include wifi, breakfast available on site, a fitness centre and parking, the last of which is useful in an area with restricted street parking.

The vibe is traditional and European in feel, in keeping with the Victorian and Edwardian streetscape of the Square Mile. It appeals to couples, museum visitors, visiting academics and travellers who prefer a smaller, quieter property to a convention hotel. The hotel does not list a full-service restaurant, so dinner is taken at nearby restaurants on Rue Crescent, Rue de la Montagne and Rue Sainte-Catherine, which have a wide range of options in Montreal's nightlife district.

Visitors should note that older townhouse buildings can have stairs and uneven layouts, and that room sizes vary, so it is worth asking about the specific room type when booking. The museum quarter is walkable, and Mount Royal's lower trails are accessible by a short uphill walk or bus. Peak summer demand coincides with the Grand Prix and the jazz festival, when rates climb across the Golden Square Mile.