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May 20, 2008 Lodging Econometrics Reports Canadian Construction Pipeline At a High in Q1 2008 with 265 Projects/33,964 Guestrooms The Pipeline Has Now Begun to Unfold in Earnest USA – Lodging Econometrics (LE), the Global Authority for Hotel Real Estate, announced that Canada’s Construction Pipeline totaled 265 projects and 33,964 guestrooms at the end of Q1 2008, a high for the cycle. Hotel construction in Canada has been solid. The total number of guestrooms in the Pipeline grew for an eighth consecutive quarter, and is up 14.2% year-over-year. All projects included in the LE Pipeline have dedicated land parcels, are being actively pursued by developers and have been verified by the brands. The total Pipeline appears to have reached its peak, as project and room counts have held steady for the past three quarters. Those to Start Construction in the Next 12 Months, 93 projects/11,649 rooms, and those in Early Planning, 83 projects/9,975 rooms, are at highs for the cycle. Meanwhile, the totals for Under Construction, 89 projects/12,340 rooms, are down from the cyclical peak established in Q2 2007.” Several Factors Have Developers Becoming Cautious Certain dynamics have aligned to cause developer caution. The Bank of Canada instituted three consecutive decreases to its key interest rate since December 2007, down a quarter-point in both December and January, then a further half-point in February, indicating concern about a slowing in the economy. Hotel operating statistics were strong in 2006 and 2007, however, a continued decline in visitors from the United States due to the low US Dollar, higher gasoline costs and reductions in discretionary spending, along with indications that domestic travel is apt to decline as well, mean that guestroom demand is likely to soften moving forward. With these emerging concerns, it appears that hotel developers are taking a cautious approach for the moment. The number of New Projects announced into the Pipeline, 15 projects/2,038 rooms in Q1 2008, represents a 58.3% decrease from Q4 2007 for both projects and rooms. It is the smallest count seen in over three years. Construction Starts for Q1 2008 totaled just 9 projects/1,329 guestrooms. Although first quarter Construction Starts are historically slower than the rest of the year, the counts for Q1 2008 are at a very low level. Projects already in the Pipeline are proceeding at a sluggish pace, with projects backlogged in the Scheduled Starts and Early Planning stages, suggesting that developers are more conservative and taking a wait-and-see approach. LE’s Forecast for New Hotel Openings LE’s Forecast for New Hotel Openings estimates that 82 projects having 9,554 rooms will come online in 2008, while 88 projects/10,807 rooms are slated for 2009, with 12,340 rooms already Under Construction. This represents a gross growth rate of 3.5% and 3.8%, respectively, before any guestrooms are removed from inventory. Net New Supply grew 2.0% in 2006 and 1.9% in 2007. Currently, The Pipeline, growing throughout the decade, is beginning to unfold just as demand is modestly starting to soften. Development is Concentrated in Key Markets Of the 33,964 rooms in the total Pipeline, only 16% of those rooms are full-service, with 57% in the select or limited service segments. Another 27% is currently designated as Independent. Approximately 70% of those rooms in the Independent segment will choose a brand prior to opening, mostly in the select and limited service category. The bulk of hotel development is in the Central and Western regions. Ontario leads the Central provinces in terms of pipeline counts, with 94 projects/14,072 rooms, while Quebec has 25 projects/3,800 rooms. In the Western Region, Alberta, with 61 projects/6,457 rooms, and British Columbia, with 44 projects/5,430 rooms, have the largest provincial pipelines. Ten markets have the significant share of the Pipeline. In these markets, there are 123 projects/18,902 rooms, or 56% of the total Pipeline. In Ontario, Toronto leads with 34 projects/5,946 rooms, with Niagara Falls second at 13 projects/3,013 rooms. In Quebec, Montreal’s pipeline stands at 11 projects/1,786 rooms. For the Western Region, Vancouver, at 19 projects/2,628 rooms, Edmonton, at 13 projects/1,526 rooms, and Calgary, at 10 projects/1,486 rooms have the largest pipelines. All other markets have six or fewer projects. Global Brands Lead the Way Global brands currently make up 72% of projects within the total Pipeline. InterContinental leads with 55 projects/5,626 rooms, with 40 Holiday Inn Express’ and 9 Holiday Inns. Marriott International has 28 projects/4,115 rooms under development, 15 of which are Residence Inn and Fairfield Inn properties. Hilton Hotels follows, with 24 projects/3,701 rooms, then Starwood Hotels & Resorts with 15 projects/3,021 rooms. Super 8 accounts for 31 projects/2,184 rooms of Wyndham Worldwide’s total pipeline, most of which are being developed by master franchisor, Superior Lodging Corporation. It’s a Time of Transition After rapid growth mid-decade, the Construction Pipeline may be at its cyclical peak. The economy appears to be moderating and lodging demand slowing, yet New Openings flowing from the Pipeline will be accelerating throughout 2008 and 2009. Developers have sensed the economic transition and turned cautious, as both New Project Announcements and movement within the Pipeline are slowing. It’s early in the transition. More time will be required to assess trends for the near term. :thumbsup: :thumbsup: This info comes from http://www.lodgingintelligence.com/2008/Canada%201Q08/1Q08CanIndustry.htm

Canada Says Aloha to aloft Starwood Hotels' New Select-Service Hotel Brand, Created by the W Hotels Team, To Open Properties in Toronto and Dorval TORONTO, May 16 /CNW/ - Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT) announced today at the Canadian Hotel Investment Conference, plans for two aloft hotels in Canada. These aloft properties, part of Starwood's new select service hotel brand, will be located in downtown Toronto and in Dorval at the Montreal Airport, and will be franchised under long-term license agreements with Starwood. In the same way W Hotels broke through the clutter of conformity in the upscale hotel arena, aloft - A Vision of W Hotels will raise the bar in the tired select-service category, delivering urban-inspired, loft-like guest rooms, enhanced technology services, landscaped outdoor spaces for socializing day and night and an energetic lounge scene to nearly 500 markets worldwide by 2012. "aloft has set out to eliminate the trials of travel by incorporating style, convenience and a social environment - similar to the atmosphere in W's Living Rooms - to an otherwise tired, lonely experience," said Brian McGuinness, VP, aloft brand development. "We're excited about moving into Canada - clearly aloft has made a strong connection with the development community in North America and around the world." aloft guest rooms will feature 9-foot ceilings, oversized windows to maximize natural light and create a residential feel, ultra-comfortable beds, well-designed workspaces, and wireless access throughout the property. The hotels will also feature re:fuel, a gourmet grab & go food and beverage concept featuring signature sweet, savoury and healthy foods, 24 hours a day, as well as a destination bar for unwinding, aptly named w xyz. The aloft Toronto will command a superb address in the dynamic Niagara St. and Portland St. enclave. The hotel will feature 250 guest rooms in a brand new construction high-rise concept. The site, adjacent to picturesque Victoria Memorial Square Park, backs onto Front St. West, with the arrival court and main entrance on Niagara St. The area is fast becoming known for lifestyle offerings, including some of the city's best restaurants and hippest residential projects. The developer, owner/operator is Manga Hotels International, which is owned by Dave Toor. Construction is slated to begin mid-2007, with a projected opening in late 2008. The aloft Dorval will offer travellers at Pierre Elliot Trudeau International Airport a refreshing new place to stay. The new hotel, featuring 136 loft-like guest rooms, will be located right at the entrance to the bustling airport. The developer and owner/operator is the Silver Hotel Group, owned by Deepak Ruparell. Construction is slated to start in late 2006, with a projected opening some 12 - 18 months later. "We are thrilled to be bringing the aloft concept to life in this vibrant, hip area of Toronto," said Dave Toor, President & CEO, Manga Hotels International. "aloft hotels brings a unique sense of style and service to our guests that will bring something fresh and exciting to the market. It is great to be working with the team at Starwood as they continue to raise the bar." "It is very exciting for us to have the opportunity to be on board as this new brand takes off in Canada," said Deepak Ruparell, President, Silver Hotel Group. "We believe that aloft hotels will offer travellers a new twist on their hotel stay, offering a stylish, refreshing alternative to what's currently out there." Each aloft hotel will incorporate W's heritage: a totally sensory experience, design integrity and attention to materials as much as to details. Design visionary David Rockwell and the Rockwell Group, whose award-winning projects include the Kodak Theater, Nobu and the W Union Square, collaborated on aloft's design.

Stinson planning giant tower as part of Connaught development May 21, 2008 By WADE HEMSWORTH The Hamilton Spectator Harry Stinson is planning a soaring signature building that would become a symbol of Hamilton in the same way the Eiffel Tower is for Paris, or as the Empire State Building is for New York City. “Every city needs an icon,” Stinson said. The L-shaped Connaught Tower would rise to a sharp and dramatic point 1,000 feet over downtown Hamilton — making it about three times the height of the Niagara Escarpment, and dwarfing downtown’s current giant, the Century 21 tower virtually across the street. Stinson unveiled his plans at a reception Wednesday. But before he can build the tower at the southeast corner of the Connaught site — now a parking lot — he plans to refit the old hotel, turning it into a hybrid hotel operation and condominium residence, with amenities that include a lavish lobby bar, grand ballrooms, a 24-hour coffee shop and a 24-hour grocery store. Construction of the entire complex would cost about $180 million, the developer said, and would have an ultimate retail value of about $350 million. Stinson said he has bought the former Liaison College property on John Street South and plans to add it to the Connaught complex, which he has purchased for $9.5 million in a deal that closes at the end of June. Before then, he is planning to open a sales office near the property downtown to begin selling about 300 condo units in the historic hotel building. Those units in the upper floors of the hotel would range from $199,000 to $299,000, and would come fully furnished, he said. Meanwhile, the lower floors would operate as a boutique hotel. Completing the hotel building — which Stinson plans to do within he next two years — would pave the way to build the tower by generating income and proving there is a market for downtown Hamilton properties. “The elephant in the room is will anybody buy these? I can’t say that for sure,” he said. The tower project would reach a height equal to 100 storeys, with about 80 floors of usable space and the narrow top of the spike reserved for wind turbines and other mechanical elements. “It’s inefficient, but it gives the whole thing its punch,” he said. The top units of the building betwen the 70th and 80th floors would each be single units with stunning views of the city, said the developer -- and would sell for the equivalent of a nice house in Dundas, he said. About five storeys of the new tower would be reserved for the hotel operation, he said. The entire complex would feature underground parking space for 1,000 vehicles, divided between conventional spaces for short-term parking and mechanical parking slots for longer stays. http://www.thespec.com/News/BreakingNews/article/372668

The Montreal Botanical Gardens Has a Stunning Assortment of Plant Posted on May 26th, 2008. If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting! by Peter Mason Montreal may be the ideal holiday spot for couples or families. Montreal tourism has grown considerably in over the last few decades. This city gives the visitor a distinctive experience throughout their stay. They will discover a great mix of tradition and enjoyment. Montreal’s tourism industry is certain to provide enchantment to young and old, family and couple, and man and woman. Some of the Attractions - Zoos, Museums and More The Fonderie Darling, a world-renowned art museum, is one of Montreal tourism’s wide assortment of interests which are characteristic to that city. The gallery assists young artists across Canada. For the laugh-seekers, there is the Just for Laughs Museum. This venue documents the lengthy history of national and international comedy. It is certain to be an entertaining time for the whole family. Montreal has countless exciting natural drawing cards such as the Biodome and the Montreal Botanical Gardens. The Biodome houses animals, plants, and greeted its first visitors in 1992. It can even alter the atmosphere to match a any geographical ecosystem. On the other hand, the Montreal Botanical Gardens gives a stunning assortment of 22,000 different plant species and varieties. This globally acclaimed garden is thought to be one of the finest on earth. The gardens offer both international and local plant life. Visit the Zoo Ecomuseum for young kids. The zoo exhibits countless species of animals. It is terrific for smaller children. A larger zoo is known as the Parc Safari, which is an appealing museum and home to more than 700 animals. Alongside the zoo, there is an amusement park and a beach. The Stewart Museum is a grand and appealing place for any history hound. This museum has an exceptional compilation of old maps, antique documents, old-fashioned weapons, navigational apparatus, and old scientific devices. This only describes the permanent exhibits; there are numerous part time displays that are certain to grab your interest. All these attractions show us that now in certain terms that Montreal’s tourism industry has matured and is worthy of world consideration. Places to Stay in Montreal There are a number of fabulous five-star hotels and many cozy bed and breakfasts in Montreal. Up scale tourism, a reason Montreal enjoys so many enchanting hotels. For the same reason the city and environs also benefits from exquisite B&Bs. One of the most admired four-star bed and breakfast is the Sir Montcalm. This high-end bed and breakfast makes available the lavishness of a four star hotel with all the charm of your own home. The Fairmont Queen Elizabeth is an elegant five-star hotel that is definitely an unforgettable experience. An exclusive attribute of this hotel is that it joins the underground concourse level to the 30 km underground shopping center. These are only two of the numerous places to stay in Montreal. About the Author: Concentrating on informating about flights to alicante, Peter Mason wrote most often for http://www.alicante-spain.com . His articles on alicante flights can be found on his website . http://thebaron.us/2008/05/the-montreal-botanical-gardens-has-a-stunning-assortment-of-plant/

MONTREAL No North American City Offers Its Style & Ambiance By Ray Chatelin Photos By Toshi No city in North America offers the style, character, or ambiance that you find in Montreal. And no city generates as many questions about its accessibility. Montreal is a place in which history is taken seriously and where today the city's most picturesque parts date from its origins. Montreal was first discovered by the Europeans when Jacques Cartier arrived in 1535 and the first settlement was established by Samuel Champlain in 1611, making the city one of the oldest in the western hemisphere. It’s where churches from the 17th and 18th Centuries and restaurants housed in buildings built in the early 1700s are commonplace. Mark Twain once said you couldn't throw a brick without hitting a church in Montreal. He was right. There are 450 on the island of Montreal, more than in Rome. Notre Dame Basilica, just off the old quarter on Place d'Armes is the most spectacular with its Rose stained glass windows and gold ornamentations. With two-thirds of the nearly two million population in the greater Montreal region speaking French, the city is French not just in spirit but in everything it does. For here is a culture not to be found anywhere else in North America. Latin in temperament, boldly proud, the French have carved a small North American island from a vast prairie of English speaking Canadians and Americans. It's an inheritance of history that French Canada hangs on to with fierce pride. Frankly, there isn't a city on the continent - sorry, New York and San Francisco - more taken by its own unique character. Both cosmopolitan and yet intensely French, it's a place that's extremely fashion conscious, has an old town that dates from the late 1600s, and is a city that’s determined to enjoy life. So here, you find incredible restaurants, a rich cultural collection of theatre in several languages, a great symphony orchestra, opera, ballet, jazz, chamber music, a major world film festival, and a series of quarters - neighborhoods with their own charm. Start with a sampling of exciting new trends and tasty traditions in Old Montréal before trying an exotic treat on the bustling streets of Chinatown. From there, you'll discover the smorgasbord of shops and eateries along Saint- Laurent Boulevard and enjoy a few local favorites like poutine, bagels and smoked meat. The official language is French, though in Montreal English will get you anything you want. Wherever you go, you'll be spoken to first in French, all signs, by law, are in French, and there's only one daily English-language newspaper, the Montreal Gazette. But that's no real problem. Once you reply in English, that's the language you'll be dealt in. Montrealers today speak a total of 35 different languages, reflecting the diverse heritage of peoples who have immigrated to the area. The metropolitan region is the second largest in Canada, behind Toronto and ahead of Vancouver. Just 300 air miles (480 kilometers) from New York, its climate is as volatile as its politics which, to English-speaking Canada, is often unfathomable. In winter, temperatures can drop to -27 F (-33 C), matching what you'd get in mid-winter Minnesota - and rising to 97 F (36 C) in mid-summer, which is about equal to downtown Manhattan. Some 50 different airlines serve the city with inter-North America flights into and from Montreal-Trudeau Airport, the city’s primary arrival point. Montreal is also linked by Amtrak from New York. Three major expressway lead into the city from the U.S. - Route 91 to Boston, Route 87 to New York, and Route 89 to Vermont. Getting around is easy although it often feels as though you've been deposited in the middle of a foreign country with French being spoken everywhere. All of the streets are laid out in grid fashion, much like in New York. It's tough to get lost. The major thoroughfares such as Sherbrooke, Rene Levesque, Maisonneuve, and St. Catherine go east and west and are parallel to the St. Lawrence River, while the small, intimate side-streets with their restaurants and boutiques are north and south and are perpendicular to the river. The subway system is one of the best in North America with four lines - all of which interconnect - and 68 different stops. Le Metro, as it's called in French, runs from about 5:30 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. daily. You can easily spot them, their large square signs with a white arrow on a blue background pointing downwards to the entrance. The metro stations are also mini art galleries with the city having one of the gorgeous systems in the world. A visit to the metro is highly recommended and should be on your must-see list. The downtown area is laced with underground shopping corridors, 30 km (20 miles) worth. It's possible - sometimes necessary in the winter - to spend the entire day walking the "underground city" that is linked to major above-ground stores. Toronto has the same concept, but without the French style. Downtown is where you find the great boutiques, museums, and department stores. Sherbrooke is Montreal's Fifth Ave with the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Holt Renfrew (an exclusive department store), the Museum of Fine Arts, and rows of art galleries, and restaurants that not only line Sherbrooke but radiate out into the side streets. Crescent, MacKay and Bishop Streets are where you'll find the trendiest bars, nightclubs, restaurants and the Hotel de la Montagne (Hotel at the Mountain) with its super-deluxe category baroque-styled facilities. But it's the old town that's the most fascinating. There's only two other cities in North America with anything like it - Quebec City and New Orleans. This is where the world’s second largest French city had its start. The old stone buildings have been renovated since the early 1960s into a variety of more contemporary uses such as restaurants and small shops and clubs, galleries, and private residences. Montreal is unique in that it offers deluxe and expensive category hotels in both North American and Continental style, although the downtown area is also awash with more modest inns and hotels. The finest hotels include The Ritz Carlton, W Hotel, Le Centre Sheraton, Sofitel, Four Seasons, La Meridien, Ramada Renaissance, and the Queen Elizabeth – all of which fall into the kind of international standard familiar around the world. But there's another style, uniquely French that adds to the overall atmosphere. La Citadelle, and Hotel de la Montaigne are two European style hotels, with 181 and 132 rooms respectively, that offer personalized service in more human dimensions than the larger, though exceptionally well appointed, international hotels. The Hotel Shangri-La is an exquisitely decorated hotel in the downtown area that is often overlooked, but that provides exceptional service. Montreal is a place unique to North America and a place that will take you to Europe without ever leaving the continent. For more information check out the website at http://www.tourisme-montreal.org . http://www.visavismag.com/content/view/459/77/ originaly posted by habfanman, SSC

Taken For A Ride In Montreal Warning: Loyal reader ripped off by taxi driver at Montreal Airport. by Wendy Perrin Frequent globehopper Joe_Kayaker reports that he was "taken for a ride" when he landed at Montreal International recently: "It was late in the evening, the shuttle bus to the Airport Novotel had stopped running at 10:00 p.m., and none of the taxis would take me on such a short trip. Grrr. I finally found a taxi driver who would take me. As we were driving to the hotel, he said he didn't understand why the Novotel was called an "airport hotel," since it's not really that close to the airport. We drove for quite a while, and the ride cost $30. When checking into the hotel, I asked how much a cab ride from the airport is supposed to cost and was told, 'No more than $15.' I overpaid by only 15 bucks (well, Loonies), but how does one avoid being taken in by unscrupulous taxi drivers? Thanks, Joe" Joe, you paid $15 in what I call "tourist tax." I've been taken on circuitous routes and overcharged by cab drivers in many a city -- Cairo, Beijing, Moscow, New York -- but I have to say I'm surprised to hear of this occurring in orderly and lawful Montreal. Here's my test-driven advice for avoiding unscrupulous airport cabbies: 1) Ask the hotel in advance how long a taxi ride it is from the airport and what the cost should be. The Hotel Novotel Montreal Aeroport's web site says it's "just 10 minutes" from the airport and provides a map of the route (see left). 2) Before getting into a cab, ask the driver how much the ride will cost. If he quotes a price higher than what the hotel told you, offer your price. Negotiate and reach an agreement before stepping into the cab. 3) When you arrive at your destination, if the driver demands a higher price than was agreed to, ask for a receipt with the driver's name on it, write down his ID number (make known to him that you're recording it), and take out your camera to snap a picture of him and the car. Often, as soon as you pull out the camera, the driver will drop the price. One more thought: If the hotel has a doorman or bellman, see if he can hold the cab while you notify the front desk that you're in the process of being ripped off. I've never done this myself, but I bring it up because a few weeks ago a hotel in Madrid happened to suggest just this. When I called the Tryp Atocha a few days before my arrival in Spain to confirm my online reservation and find out what the length and cost of a cab ride from the airport should be, the front-desk clerk volunteered that if the driver tried to overcharge I should tell the front desk and they would deal with him for me. I got the impression that they had done so for other guests in the past. Hope this helps, Joe. Always good to hear from you. http://www.concierge.com/cntraveler/blogs/perrinpost/2008/04/taken-for-a-rid.html?mbid=rss_cntperrin

L'hôtel Reine Élizabeth fête ses 50 ans 5 avril 2008 - 18h08 La Presse Simon Diotte Lors de sa construction, l'hôtel Reine Elizabeth n'avait pas uniquement comme fonction d'accueillir l'élite économique du Québec. Il devait aussi combler un trou béant laissé par les voies ferrées de la gare Centrale. Son avènement, combiné à l'ouverture de la Place Ville-Marie quelques années plus tard, marqua le déménagement définitif du centre-ville du Vieux-Montréal vers les lieux actuels. Cinquante ans plus tard, le Reine Elizabeth, avec ses 1039 chambres, ce qui lui confère le titre du plus grand hôtel canadien à l'est de Toronto, demeure d'une importance capitale pour Montréal. «Depuis son ouverture, il a toujours été le bateau amiral de l'industrie hôtelière montréalaise en raison de son emplacement exceptionnel et de ses grands espaces dévolus aux congrès», affirme Gilles Larivière, président de la division montréalaise Horwath HTL, importante firme de consultants en hôtellerie. Ce grand hôtel a pourtant failli ne jamais voir le jour. Les premiers plans été tracés en 1911, mais son promoteur, Canadien Nord, a fait faillite. Le projet est repris en 1929, avec l'ajout d'une gare souterraine et d'édifices à bureau. Les travaux débutent, mais la crise économique fait tout arrêter. Il subsiste alors un énorme trou au coeur de la métropole pendant des années. «Il a fallu construire un pont sur René-Lévesque (anciennement Dorchester) pour enjamber cette excavation, que les Montréalais avaient en horreur», rappelle David Hanna, directeur des programmes d'études supérieures au département des études urbaines de l'UQAM. Ce n'est qu'en 1938 que les travaux reprennent avec la construction de la gare Centrale, complétée en 1943. Quant à la construction du «Queeny», elle ne commence que dans les années 50. Ça représente alors tout un défi technique. Pour le soutenir au-dessus des voies ferrées de la gare Centrale et amortir les vibrations du passage des trains, le bâtiment de 21 étages en forme de "L" repose sur 160 piliers de béton. À son ouverture, il est le deuxième plus grand hôtel du Commonwealth et devient l'un des premiers hôtels américains dotés d'escaliers roulants et d'une climatisation centrale. Son promoteur est le Canadien National, une société d'État. Son président, Donald Gordon, Écossais d'origine au tempérament fougueux, choisit de le baptiser Le Reine Elizabeth, en l'honneur de la jeune reine qui vient d'accéder au trône en 1952. Toutefois, cette décision est perçue comme une insulte par les francophones. Une pétition, qui recueille 250 000 signatures, réclame qu'on lui accole le nom de Château Maisonneuve, en l'honneur du fondateur de Montréal. En vain. Donald Gordon persiste et signe. Si les francophones semblent avoir passé l'éponge sur cette vieille controverse, un autre aspect du Reine Elizabeth ne fait toujours pas l'unanimité: son style architectural, qui adopte le courant du fonctionnalisme. Richard Payette, directeur général de cet hôtel de la chaîne Fairmount, en est parfaitement conscient. «Il existe deux écoles de pensée à ce sujet: certains ne trouvent aucune vertu architecturale à ce bâtiment, alors que d'autres apprécient son style épuré, symbole d'une époque», dit-il. M. Payette invite les gens à visiter l'intérieur de l'hôtel. «C'est là où on est vraiment sexy», dit-il à la rigolade. L'établissement vient d'ailleurs de subir une cure de rajeunissement de 40 M$ au début des années 2000. Le plus remarquable, c'est le hall, aussi long qu'un terrain de football canadien. Autrefois sombre et austère, il est maintenant inondé de lumière, grâce à l'aménagement du salon de thé en façade. Depuis son ouverture, le Reine Elizabeth accorde une importance continue aux oeuvres d'art et les dernières rénovations n'ont pas fait exception à la règle. Dans les corridors, les chambres et les salles communes, on retrouve des oeuvres originales et des lithographies d'artistes renommés, la plupart originaires de Montréal. «Il a fallu que je me batte avec les designers pour inclure des tableaux originaux dans notre décor, car il est davantage courant d'insérer des reproductions», raconte M. Payette en m'invitant à faire le tour du propriétaire. Se balader dans cet hôtel permet de saisir une partie de ce qu'est l'art actuel québécois et canadien. Si le Reine Elizabeth a conservé son prestige au fil des décennies, c'est aussi grâce au Beaver Club, l'une des meilleures tables à Montréal. Il tire son nom d'un prestigieux club privé qui était situé autrefois sur Beaver Hall et qui regroupait les puissants marchands de fourrure. À ce titre, son décor était encore constitué de vieux panaches jusqu'à tout récemment. Ils viennent d'être mis au rancart. On ne peut évidemment parler du Reine Elizabeth sans glisser un mot sur les célébrités qui l'ont fréquenté. Outre la reine d'Angleterre elle-même, Charles de Gaulle, Mikhaïl Gorbatchev, Nelson Mandela y ont séjourné. Son épisode le plus célèbre: le bed-in de John Lennon et Yoko Ono, dans la suite 1742, afin de protester comme la guerre du Vietnam. C'est dans cette chambre, en 1969, qu'ils enregistrèrent Give Peace A Chance, un hymne qui marqua une époque.

A place to indulge your inner fantasy The opus montreal is a hotel with multiple personalities Mar 30, 2008 04:30 AM MONTrEAL–Remember when getting in touch with yourself involved either recreational drugs, transcendental meditation or, at the very least, a dusty summer of backpacking across Europe? No longer. Today, it's a high-end affair, best achieved at boutique getaways, like the uber-chic Opus Hôtel Montreal. At the corner of Sherbrooke St. and Boulevard Saint-Laurent, where Old Montreal meets new, Opus Hôtel Montreal's 136 rooms and suites evolved from the venerable Hotel Godin, North America's first poured-concrete building. Built by Joseph Arthur Godin in 1914, the sleek art nouveau structure was updated in 2004, by architect Dan Hanganu, who added a modern wing of glass and steel. When Opus Hotel Vancouver owner John deC. Evans bought the property in 2007, the goal was to improve while preserving original elegance. The painstaking process is still underway, as architects work to revamp the fine dining restaurant and build what is expected to become Montreal's largest terrace bar, with dramatic space indoors and out to accommodate both large groups and the chic evening crowd. The Evans family knows hotels. Having already enjoyed great success with Opus Vancouver, they were confident their Quebec version would be well received. "We knew Montreal had the right vibe for this kind of hotel," says Katherine Evans, 27, daughter of John and the force behind Opus Hôtel Montreal's promotion, marketing and food and beverage functions. Opus has quickly become one of Montreal's most stylish boutique hotels, and certainly the only one to offer rooms that enable guests to get in touch with their inner Pierre, Susan, Mike, Dede or Billy. Finding yourself at Opus is a matter of matching decor to desire. Creative interior design that echoes a successful system used at Opus Vancouver has divided the hotel's rooms and suites into five personality collections, each with distinct characteristics. Pierre, for example, is a Parisian designer, in search of a sophisticated sanctuary. The walls of his room and suite collection are deep orange, the furniture, rich dark wood, and the bed coverings a mix of strong, warm textures and patterns. The effect, at once dramatic and urbane, invites you to pour yourself a glass of something very expensive and put your feet up. If the inner you is tender, select the Susan. With walls drenched in periwinkle, soft white linens and romantic silken pillows, a Susan suite is riddled with romance, the white leather settees and ottomans so languorous, you might just drape yourself over them and never leave. Elegant Pierre, romantic Susan, high-powered physician Mike, musician-party-boy Billy and outrageous diva Dede (take special note of the funky toss pillows on Dede's beds) – choose the suite that speaks to your inner self, slip into the robe that awaits in your closet, and head for the bathroom. Every Opus room and suite features a porcelain paradise with not only delectable L'Occitane amenities and perhaps the deepest bathtub you'll ever soak in, but also a personal, hand-held oxygen canister to give brain cells a boost on the road to self-discovery. Continue your self-discovery voyage at nearby Spa Valmont (the only Canadian location of the famous Swiss line) where therapists cosset you in plush terry and provide to-die-for facial and body treatments. Signature products contain the finest salmon roe – like face caviar, it's a decadent restorative. Rejuvenated, celebrate the glorious new you at Opus' Suco Restaurant while Executive Chef Mohammed Zai, recent winner of Quebec's chef of the year award, spins local fare into exotic delicacies. http://www.thestar.com/Travel/article/349113

Hôtel ALT Architectes: Lemay Michaud Fin de la construction:2007 Utilisation: Hôtel Emplacement: Quartier DIX30, Brossard ? mètres - 14 étages Description: - Le projet est coutera 21 millions de dollars et les chambres couteront 129 dollars.

The upscale new face of Old Montreal More laid-back scene smacks of sophistication Maxine MendelssohnFor Canwest News Service Sunday, March 09, 2008 First came boutique hotels and condos, then yoga studios and shops. Now it's bars, supper clubs and a vibrant nightlife: Old Montreal has become a party destination in its own right. And its more laid-back scene is attracting some of the club kids who once clambered to get into the city's hot spots. While these places still pack in the crowds, a bit of fete fatigue has set in on Montreal's two traditional party streets -- Crescent St. and St. Laurent Blvd. The lineups that don't move, some as long as 100 people, the hefty price tag on drinks; it can be a bit much. Now, chic partiers co-exist nicely with tourists in horse-drawn caleches winding their way through the cobblestone streets. New resto-bars like Santos, Wilson and Cherry are becoming popular destinations, offering their own brand of chic decor, fancy drinks and a party atmosphere. On the weekends, smaller bars in Old Montreal are often filled to capacity, but the larger ones have plenty of breathing room. "In the Old Port, if they don't let you in it's not because you're not having bottle service, it's because there's no room." Some party places on St. Laurent Blvd. have become so in demand that they only let in customers who order bottle service, which can cost upwards of $300. The 20- and 30-somethings who flock to Old Montreal want intimate dinners and drinks, not teens flaunting cash and downing rows of vodka shooters. There are occasional, small lineups and only one club has a cover charge in Old Montreal. It's definitely easier to get your foot in the door. "They make it easy and appealing to party here," said 27-year-old Maria Toumanova. "Everything is getting a facelift and people are coming down to check it out. It's a great alternative to the common party places downtown." Dimitri Antonopoulos has been betting heavily on Old Montreal for the last eight years. His company, the Antonopoulos Group, owns a number of Old Montreal hot spots including Suite 701, Mechant Boeuf and the Place d'Armes Hotel, which opened in 2000. "The W Hotel (which opened four years later) also helped bring people down here, then restaurants and nice shops started opening up, too. All these businesses attracted a savvier customer and hipper tourists," said Antonopoulos, VP of marketing. Mechant Boeuf is Antonopoulos's newest venture. There is always a place to sit, and conversations don't require yelling, something that's standard at the downtown clubs. "These are discerning partiers," Antonopoulos said. "They know the ins and outs of clubbing, but they're growing up and maybe they want something different. It's a new market in Montreal." © The Vancouver Province 2008 http://www.canada.com/components/print.aspx?id=2750276e-1761-495b-b845-d1a0490f8856

//Fiction//Fiction//Fiction//Fiction//Fiction//Fiction//Fiction//Fiction//Fiction// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hôtel Chaboillez (Rue Notre-Dame/Rue Peel/Rue De la Cathédrale) Promoteur: Hôtel Chaboillez Directeur du projet : M. Jean-François Péladeau Architectes : PCR Architectes & associés Début des travaux : Mai 2008 Fin des travaux *: Mai 2010 Type de construction : Résidences de luxe/Hôtel Nombre d’étages : 35 étages Hauteur totale: 130 mètres Avec un développement rapide du quartier Griffintown et le terrain avant de l'ancien Planétarium étant classé «espace vert», il a donc fallut développer le stationnement, maintenant inutile, de l'acien musée de l'espace de Montréal, déménagé au Parc Olympique. Premiers rendus :

MAGNIFIQUE MONTREAL VISIT THE FRENCH CANADIAN CITY WITH A TOUCH OF OOH LA LA… Posted: Tuesday 22 Jan 2008 COMMENTS (0) Above: Hotel St James Located on an island in the St Lawrence River, Montréal, in the French-speaking province of Québec, offers an intriguing mix of North American culture and European heritage – you’ll find Parisian Metro signs and a statue of Queen Victoria in the main square. Canada’s second city is compact, clean and efficient and has a dynamic entertainment scene. The shopping isn’t bad either – you can stroll from the designer boutiques on elegant tree-lined streets to the specialist shops of Little Italy or China or the antique stores strung along the cobbled streets of Old Montréal. WHEN SHOULD I GO? It’s punishingly cold in winter, but you won’t get cold if you head below ground to Underground City – the vast entertainment and shopping mall. Also, the freezing temperatures mean you can head to a nearby ski resort, such as Mont Tremblant, for a short break. Summers are warm but you can cool off with a cruise down the river or a jet boat ride through the Lachine rapids. The international jazz festival (www.montrealjazzfest.com) is held June 26-July 6, while the Just For Laughs comedy festival (www.justfourlaughs.ca), where Jimmy Carr and Billy Connolly have performed, takes place July 10-20. ABOVE: Montreal at night WHERE SHOULD I STAY? If you’re a boutique hotel fan, look no further than 61-room Hotel Le St James (www.hotellestjames.com), housed in a former bank in Old Montréal. It blends traditional upper crust decor in its public rooms with modern furnishings and technology in its bedrooms. Madonna, U2, the Rolling Stones and Sir Elton John have all stayed and we hear that Paris Hilton checked in the night after OK!. The hotel also has private access to the Underground City, which stretches for nearly 19 miles and connects with Metro stations. WHERE SHOULD I EAT? OK! loved the ’50s-style drive-in experience at the Orange Julep (7700 Decarie Blvd). For a relaxed lunch, try Olive et Gourmando (351 St-Paul West) or go one notch up and book a table at the French eatery L’Epicier (311 St-Paul East) in Old Montréal. For people watching, head to a city institution, the chic Café Cherrier (3635 St-Denis), which has a fantastic outdoor terrace. In the evening, try local favourite Les Deux Pierrots (104 St-Paul East), an intimate French-style cabaret, or for fine dining Bonaparte (447 St-Francois-Xavier). And make sure you try the Québecois speciality poutine – chips with melted cheese curds and gravy. It tastes a lot better than it looks! WHAT MUST I SEE? There are two highlights you shouldn’t miss. For panoramic city views take the bus (number 11 from Mont-Royal Metro station) to the summit lookout. Depending on the time of year, you can walk, snow-shoe in the park or hire a pedalo on Beaver Lake. Next up, Old Montréal. Tour it in a horse-drawn carriage or wander on foot taking in the Pointe-à-Callière museum, which presents Montréal’s history in a fascinating interactive way. Or you can pop into the ornate Notre-Dame Basilica, where Céline Dion was married, or pick up some souvenirs at the Bonsecours market. WHERE SHOULD I STOP? Montréal is a cornucopia of shopping opportunities, with 1,200 boutiques in a nine-block area. The best can be found along Rue St-Denis, Laurier Avenue or in Old Montréal for arty finds. In the downtown core you’ll find department stores Ogilvy (1307 Ste-Catherine) and Holt Renfrew (1300 Sherbrooke West), which house international designers and smaller celeb-coveted labels. Given the exchange rate, there are some fantastic bargains to be had. For shops on St-Denis, head to Moly Klute – not for the shy, retiring type! The funky, recycled clothes and accessories, such as a tote bag made from records, will certainly be talking points. Almost next door is Muse, where designer Christian Chenail offers some fab casual dresses. Dubuc is one label that’s causing ripples internationally. His clothes focus on tailored menswear with slight quirks, like the suit jacket with a vest stitched on top. Foodies will salivate in Arthur Quentin, which has every kitchen gadget imaginable. Finally, Revenge has been at the forefront of Canadian design and brings 25 smaller eclectic labels under one roof. WHICH STARS MIGHT I SEE? Montréal is a hot favourite with filmmakers. Last year alone you could have bumped into Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett filming The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button, Jason Statham shooting Death Race, or Evangeline Lilly in Afterwards. Meanwhile, Kate Beckinsale was in they city to film Whiteout and Anne Hathaway for Get Smart. WHAT'S THE NIGHTLIFE? There’s plenty to do at night. The best bars and clubs are located on Crescent Street and Blvd St-Laurent above Sherbrooke Street, the latter being more upmarket. It takes 25 minutes to walk between the two streets or it’s a five-minute cab ride. For the best views, head to the sleek lounge bar Club 737 (1 Place Ville-Marie) atop one of Montréal’s tallest skyscrapers, or to Pullmans Wine Bar (3424 Avenue du Parc), a chic-minimalist joint with a lengthy wine list. HOW DO I GET THERE? British Airways (0870 850 9850; www.ba.com/montreal) is currently offering a three-night Montréal Sweet Escape package from £479 per person including flights from London Heathrow and accommodation in a four-star hotel. http://ok.co.uk/travel/view/314/Magnifique-Montreal/

Yvon Laprade Le Journal de Montréal Plus d’un millier de chambres vont s’ajouter au «parc hôtelier» montréalais d’ici à 2009, prévoit le président de l’Association des hôtels du Grand Montréal, Bill Brown. «Il y a plusieurs chantiers en cours et d’autres qui vont se mettre en branle», a-t-il confié hier au Journal de Montréal. Il y a une semaine, l’Embassy Suites a ouvert ses portes dans le Vieux-Montréal. Un hôtel de la chaîne Westin sera inauguré en 2008-2009 dans l’ancien édifice du quotidien The Gazette. Le Crystal de la Montagne (hôtel-condos), sur 11 étages, doit accueillir ses nouveaux clients le printemps prochain. Le Hilton Garden Inn, près de l’avenue du Parc, prendra les premières réservations à la fin de 2008. Un hôtel de la chaîne Marriott s’élèvera du sol, également à la fin de 2008, à proximité de l’aéroport Montréal-Trudeau, à Dorval. Au rond-point Dorval, l’hôtel Fairfield Suites affichera sa bannière en janvier prochain près du Best Western. «Il y a aussi le projet de conversion en hôtel et condos de l’ex-hôtel Viger qui fera l’objet d’audiences publiques», souligne Bill Brown. Actuellement, l’Association regroupe 71 membres qui sont propriétaires des plus grands hôtels (de plus de 90 chambres) et qui totalisent 16 612 chambres. Les hôtels génèrent des revenus annuels de 320 M$. Le taux d’occupation moyen annuel est de 67,7 %.

Bonjour, A chaque jour (ou presque) je vais poster une photo prise par moi d'un object ou d'un lieu à Montréal - à vous de devenir c'est ou! Je veux des réponses spécifiques! ---------------------------------------------------------------- Tableau des gagnants: (1) 14 Novembre 2007 - Entre le Hotel Intercontinental et le WTC Montreal, Rue des Fortifications - OursNoir (2) à venir ---------------------------------------------------------------- Je commence: 14 Novembre 2007

Montreal's restaurants fluent in French BY RAPHAEL SUGARMAN Saturday, December 1st 2007, 4:00 AM Europea's chef, Jerome Ferrer, prepares a fine French meal. New Yorkers looking for the perfect destination to tantalize their palates needn't spend hours traveling overseas to Paris. They should instead make the relatively short jaunt to Montreal and enjoy a culinary tradition that is just as passionate and arguably more exciting than that of France. "The food [in France] is very good and very classic, but here we are more open-minded," says Normand Lapris, executive chef of Toque, a highly rated Montreal restaurant. "When I am cooking, I don't think to myself, 'I can't use this recipe or this spice because it is not French,'" adds Lapris. "If I like curry, I put curry in my food." Fostering classic French cuisine - while remaining open to North American eclecticism - makes Montreal an ideal city for food lovers. More than half the city's 20 top-rated restaurants are classified as French or French-Canadian, and the cuisine - and its Quebecois influences - undeniably inspires the greatest passion in Montreal's kitchens. A very good case can be made that the city's top French restaurants - including Chez L'Epicier, L'Express, Au Pied de Cochon and Toque - offer every bit as delectable and memorable a dining experience as any spot in Paris. Because Montreal is, by nature, a French city, dining in a bistro here offers a much more authentic experience than similar establishments in New York or other North American cities. "When you are dining at L'Express, you feel like you could be in Paris, like you are in another world," says Lesley Chesterman, restaurant critic for the Montreal Gazette. Much like France, the quality of restaurants in Montreal is driven by the superb food markets. At the Atwater Market in the Saint-Henri district, and at the Jean-Talon Market adjacent to Little Italy, locals and tourists alike marvel at the bounty of luscious, home-grown products. At Jean-Talon, make sure to visit Le Marche Des Saveurs du Québec (The Market Flavors of Quebec), a pair of shops that feature a staggering 7,000 delicacies produced in the province. "The small producers make all the difference here in Quebec," says Carl Witchel, a local food historian. "The difference between Montreal and New York is that here you can go into a really inexpensive bistro with 20 or 25 seats and have something really remarkable." IF YOU GO ... Where to stay: Le Saint-Sulpice: Cozy boutique hotel in the heart of Old Montreal, a block from Notre Dame. (877)-SULPICE. Hotel Le Germain: A gem in the city's downtown business district. (514) 849-2050. Where to eat: Nuances: Jean-Pierre Curtat's wonderful French fare, irreproachable service and ethereal sunsets. (514) 392-2708. Club Chasse Et Péche: You have to love a place that lists "Six Oysters with Charisma" on the menu. (514) 861-1112. Europea: The Lobster Cream Cappuccino with truffle oil is just one of chef Jerome Ferrer's inventive offerings. (514) 398-9229. Beaver Club: Located in the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth Hotel, this opulent stalwart has been serving classic French cuisine for decades. (514) 861-3511.

A Weekend in Old Montréal November 12, 2007 Nothing could be more romantic than taking a new flame (or an old love) to a European city for a long winter weekend. With the euro pounding the dollar, however, it makes sense to see the cobblestone streets and candlelit cafés closer to home. French speaking and cosmopolitan, Montréal is the perfect proxy for Paris, and a real value with the Canadian "loonie" at one to one with the dollar. Splurge on a limo from the airport (about $50) and settle into a boutique hotel in historic Old Montréal. Your ticket to sure-fire romance is just outside your hotel door. Best spa experience For the ultimate couple's massage in the most curiously cozy of environs, book a hot stone treatment at Le Spa. Converted from a vintage bank vault, the small space oozes peaceful luxury. Candlelight bounces off the brick ceiling, rugged stone walls, and a heated onyx floor. Le Spa in the Hôtel Le St James, 355 rue St-Jacques Most panoramic sunrise With the massive arc of the Biosphere peeking over the distant tree line, the clock tower at the north end of Vieux-Port provides an exceptional backdrop for dramatic morning skies. Gentle currents of the St. Lawrence River flow below your feet as the rising sunlight glistens off the Jacques Cartier Bridge on the near horizon. C'est magnifique! Vieux-Port at Quai de l'Horloge. Best place to sip wine Tuck yourself away in an alcove at Hôtel Le St James' tiny lounge, with its high-backed love seats and dim lighting. Black-clad waiters provide excellent -- but unobtrusive -- service, sliding roasted almonds in front of you and disappearing without a word. An impressive wine list features world-class wines by the glass (for under $15). Most decadent treat Forget the crème brûlée. It's child's play on the splurge scale when compared to Bistro Boris' pommes frittes (French fries). Deep fried in duck fat and dipped in spicy mayo, these fries are pure indulgence. Flickering candles and intimate tables set the scene at this diminutive eatery. Best place to hold hands As dusk fades to night, park yourself on a bench in the Place d'Armes -- across from Basilique Notre-Dame. Royal blue lights suddenly appear in the cathedral's windows and arches, mimicking the color of the darkening sky. Water trickles from the park's central fountain, casting an emerald glow. The effect is stunning. Don't miss a visit to the church earlier in the day. It's intricate interior is wonderfully rococo without being overly ornate. Most romantic cliché Although frightfully unoriginal -- and a bit expensive at $45 for 30 minutes -- an evening carriage ride through Old Montréal is still terribly romantic. Glimmering lanterns along Rue St-Paul and the clip-clop of the horse's hooves on the cobbled streets set the stage for cozy snuggling under faux fur blankets. Carriages line up in front of the Basilique Notre-Dame, 110 Rue Notre-Dame Ouest. Best reason to wander from Old Montréal Catch a taxi (or hop on the Metro) to rue Sherbrooke Ouest and impress your love with an afternoon of old-world elegance. Take high tea at the Ritz-Carlton's posh courtyard garden. Make sure to ask for a table on the heated terrace overlooking the duck pond. After tea, stroll across the street to the Musée des Beaux-Arts. The collection here features work by local artists and select works from both European and modern masters. Where to Eat The fries at Boris Bistro are a must, and the duck and salmon dishes are well prepared. Three-course meals with wine run $45-$55. Restaurant Gibby's is a Montréal institution. Steak and oysters live up to the hype. Three-course meals with wine run $60-$80. Skip dessert at Chez L'Epicier at your own risk. The menu features a chocolate "club sandwich," with sliced strawberries replacing the tomato, basil for lettuce, and chocolate for roast beef. The pineapple "fries" are sheer crispy sweetness. A three-course meal with wine runs $75-$100. Where to Stay Expedia offers great deals at the delightful Hotel XIX Siecle. Ranging from $125-$165 per night (depending on your travel dates), the rate includes parking and a European-style continental breakfast buffet. The location can't be beat -- it's near Basilique Notre-Dame and Le Spa. Slightly more upscale, Hotel Le Saint Sulpice is also in the heart of Old Montréal. Weekend rates start at $165 for a simple loft suite; $305 for a superior loft suite with breakfast and a spa credit. ---Dawn Hagin

A sampling tour of Vermont and Montreal Miami Herald BY LIZ BALMASEDA This is the trip you take when you can't decide what trip to take. You want country-style serenity, but you also want big-city fabulous. You want glorious lake views and rolling green hills, but you also want cosmopolitan boutiques, downtown bustle and jazz. A tour through the soul-soothing Lake Champlain region of northern Vermont and the stimulating thoroughfares of Montreal is a best-of-both-worlds trip you can enjoy in just five easy days. But here's a word to the overly ambitious traveler who wants to see it all on every journey: Think of this tour as a gourmet sampling, not an all-you-can-eat buffet. COUNTRY: VERMONT'S WEST COAST Our tour began in Burlington, Vt., an easily accessible destination for South Florida travelers, since JetBlue has affordable, frequent flights from Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale, with a short layover at JFK airport in New York. For big-city escapists hoping to capture a few days of peace, the gentle signs that you've arrived are noticeable right away. I saw them just moments after my flight landed in Burlington, as I walked along an airport corridor to the rental car parking lot. There they were, perfectly white, wooden rocking chairs. Not generic airport seating, but rocking chairs. The quaintness continued on the 25-mile drive south toward Vergennes, on the shores of Lake Champlain, or Vermont's ''West Coast,'' as they call it here. Along carefree U.S. 7, we passed farms and creameries, vintage New England fa?ades, sloping country roads and even one of Vermont's vintage covered bridges. This road takes you past some of the area's most popular attractions. There's the Vermont Wildflower Farm, the Vermont Teddy Bear Company and the Shelburne Museum. There are plenty of teddy bears to hug, cheeses to taste, hiking trails to explore and folk art to buy along this route, depending on your time and interests. As for us, we were in a hurry to reach Lake Champlain and check into our lakefront hotel, the Basin Harbor Club. It was close to 5 p.m. and we didn't want to miss the daylight views. But as we turned on to Basin Harbor Road, we watched the sky blacken across the sprawling farmlands. Lightning streaked the sky in the distance. The sudden darkness along this solitary road gave me the creeps, but I tried to put up a good front for my travel companion, my 16-year-old niece, Natalie Alatriste. ''We're almost there,'' I reassured her, straining to read the passing road signs. But then, like some kind of joke from the universe, one sign called out to me: ''Sleepy Hollow Lane,'' it said. Natalie and I looked at one another and burst into laughter. I stepped on the gas and sped toward the hotel. We joked about what it might be like -- the Bates Motel, maybe? And when we had to dash into the resort lobby under a thunderstorm and take an old wooden staircase to our room, we wondered what kind of adventure awaited us. Indeed, as I opened the door, I gasped. It wasn't the room that stunned me, for it was ample and nicely appointed in a charming New England style, with a quiet balcony overlooking the leafy landscape. No, what stopped my suburban South Florida heart cold was what wasn't there: There was no TV. No TV? How could I survive Wednesday night without ``Top Chef Miami''? But moments later, we walked outside to find the sun had returned, casting a magical light on the trees, the lovely walking paths, the sturdy collection of cottages and the main attraction: the shimmering lake. We sat on brightly colored Adirondack chairs and gazed at the mountains that inspired their name. The sun shone well past 9 p.m., illuminating the landscape of mountains and lake. It was simply gorgeous. The resort sits on 700 rolling acres on the eastern shore of Lake Champlain, the sixth-largest lake in America. The historic resort, which is open from mid-May to mid-October, has been welcoming families for 120 years. It offers its guests a laid-back ambience and activities that include golf, tennis, swimming, boating, water sports and hiking. There's even a museum on the grounds, the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum, devoted to the lake's history. In early October, this is a prime spot to take in northern Vermont's spectacular foliage. For up-to-date reports on leaf coloration until late October, travelers can call Vermont's 24-hour foliage hot line (for details, see below). About 7 miles from downtown Vergennes, the Basin Harbor Club embraces its remote setting, beckoning visitors to relax and forget big-city stress. That explained our missing TV set: In fact, there are no TVs in any of the resort's 74 cottages, 24 rooms or 14 suites. (I did spy a small television and two computers in a den tucked beside the bar in the main lodge. And there is telephone Internet access in the rooms.) The resort also embraces another tradition: All gentlemen over age 12 must wear a coat and tie after 6 p.m. during July and August. That first night, my niece and I dined at the Red Mill, the more casual of the two places that serve dinner at the Basin Harbor. With its funky red facade, its lively bustle and eclectic menu, the renovated sawmill quickly became our favorite place. We were hooked after our first taste of the house specialty, Basin Harbor Cheddar Ale soup: a creamy, lightly spicy tribute to one of Vermont's great gifts to the world -- cheddar. We paired it with a wonderful plate of crispy calamari tossed with scallions, pepperoncini and hot cherry peppers in a garlicky sauce. And because one can never have enough cheese, we ordered a plate of local cheeses for dessert. Our server kindly wrote down the names of our two favorites: Grafton Young cheddar and Crowley Reserve (both cow milk cheeses). The menu, varied and tempting, kept us coming back throughout our stay. Just check out the menu's description of the Champlain Valley Rabbit Papardelle: ''Braised rabbit, chocolate, espresso, brandy, paprika, raisins and hazelnuts,'' tossed over pasta. You get the idea. For breakfast, however, we preferred the Main Dining Room, an elegant, gourmet restaurant that really dresses up at night. In the morning, guests can get the same quality food and service without having to put on their fancy threads. If the cheese soup kept us coming back to the Red Mill, the French toast kept us coming back to the Dining Room. I should be more specific here: The prime Vermont maple syrup on the French toast kept us coming back. Good Vermont maple syrup, we learned, is not the sticky, overly sweet stuff they serve you at I-Hop. It's a perfectly balanced elixir that never overpowers your palate. More local delicacies awaited us in downtown Vergennes, Vermont's oldest city, established in 1788. The heart of this small, Victorian city is a great place to walk and take in the essence of Vermont. The streets are dotted with cafes and shops, along with a couple of bed-and-breakfasts. At the suggestion of locals, we stopped in at Vergennes' sweetest shop. Daily Chocolate is no regular candy store: It's a chocolate shop par excellence. Tucked below street level on a side street, it would be hard to find if not for the aromatic wafts rising from its kitchen. There, owner Floery Mahoney makes fresh batches of uniquely flavored chocolate each day. We found her behind the counter, arranging truffles and hand-formed chocolate barks. Natalie scooped up a bag of her favorite dark chocolate for the road. I was tempted by the wide selection of flavors, which included far-flung combinations like lemongrass/sake, maple/chipotle/pecan and green tea infused mint. But I resisted -- well, only because Mahoney told me the shop has a Web site, dailychocolate.net, and she gladly takes orders for shipment. TOWN: MONTREAL Fortified with Vermont chocolate, it was time to make a run for the border. Montreal is just 90 miles north of Burlington. The AAA Web site routes travelers west across the lake into New York state, where they can pick up I-87 into Canada. But that route would add at least one hour to our travel time, thanks to the Burlington-Port Kent, N.Y., ferry crossing. (There's also another crossing between Charlotte, Vt., and Essex, N.Y, a 20-minute sail along a particularly lovely part of Lake Champlain. But that crossing is farther to the south.) After conferring with Vermont locals, I decided to skip the ferry and the New York detour altogether and take I-89 north from Burlington, a breezy highway that turns into Canada's Route 133, a slower, but perfectly fine country highway that guides you into Montreal. The best part about it is there was no traffic at the border. We showed Canadian border guards our U.S. passports -- don't leave home without a passport or other valid immigration documents -- and we were on our way. While the landscape remains rural, the French signs remind you that you've entered another country, another culture. An hour from Burlington, and you can stop for French pastry and a cafe au lait -- or more maple syrup, if you wish. But once you've entered Montreal, with its skyscrapers and churning traffic, you're snapped into another reality, a world away from the rural pastures. The city carries the heart-pumping, electric charge of a big-time metropolis. We found our way to Rue Sherbrooke, a vibrant boulevard that anchors some of the city's best hotels. There, we spotted ours, the Omni Mont-Royal, a favorite of business travelers and weekend shoppers. The hotel is just off the main shopping drag, Rue Sainte-Catherine, and the entrances to the network of subterranean shopping malls that makes up Montreal's Underground City. Also within walking distance are some of the city's major museums, including the Musee des Beaux-Arts and the Musee d'Art Contemporain. But we -- meaning Natalie -- had decided this trip was not nearly long enough to squander on museum-hopping. Not when we could be shopping. We dropped off our luggage and headed for the shops. Back in Vermont, Natalie had looked up the locations of her favorite store, H&M, and didn't waste too much time directing me to the nearest one. Unfortunately, this one was not within walking distance. It was at the Rockland mall about 20 minutes north of the hotel. But the drive there gave us the chance to see the busy streets and storefronts of city's immigrant communities, a mix of cultures sharing blocks and buses. That night we met friends, transplants from South Florida, for dinner in the Vieux-Montreal quarter. They gave us a tour of the charming, Old World streets of old town. ''Doesn't this feel like we're in a tiny corner of France?'' one of my friends asked. Indeed. The narrow, cobblestone streets, quaint shops and bistros set off all sorts of French culinary cravings. Lucky thing my friends' favorite restaurant couldn't have been more French. Its name alone speaks to its specialties and no-nonsense nature: the Steak Frites. The restaurant, which anchors a corner of Rue Saint-Paul, is a cozy place where the menu is handwritten on a chalkboard. Of course, none of us needed menus -- we ordered steaks and fries all around, followed by a shared dish of profiteroles. The neighborhood is a great place to stroll at night, or listen to good jazz. After all, this is the city that each year gives us one of the best jazz festivals in the world. A perfect place to indulge in the live jazz sounds of Montreal is directly across from the Steak Frites restaurant. The Modavie is a restaurant, wine bar and jazz club featuring live music nightly. But you must dine there to watch the show. Later, as we toured the city at night, we stopped in at the sleek W Hotel, at 901 Square Victoria, for a Perrier. It was a fitting end to a great evening. The next morning, we breakfasted at Anton & James, on nearby Stanley Street, a chic coffee shop that bills itself as a ''cafeteria urbaine.'' Then we hit the Underground City, walking the malls from one end to another. As we made our way out of the city, we stopped to walk around the Plateau neighborhood, perusing the shops and storefronts along Rue Saint-Denis. I found a great music shop called L'Atelier Grigorian -- http://www.grigorian.com -- with an extensive collection of jazz. A few doors down, we also found a casual spot for lunch at La Brioche Lyonnaise, a pastry shop with outdoor seating. I could have spent hours on Rue Saint-Denis, but I knew we had to head back to Vermont. It was already afternoon, and we had a morning flight. Our drive to Essex Junction, Vt., was easy and relatively quick. We checked into the Inn at Essex, a cute 120-room country hotel that houses the New England Culinary Institute. And we arrived just in time for a spectacular dinner at Butler's, the inn's finest restaurant. There, a multi-course gourmet feast is prepared each night by the culinary students. This inn is perhaps the area's best bargain. For what you might pay at a Holiday Inn Express, you can stay at a charming, well-appointed inn with gourmet touches, spa services and culinary classes. Even the toiletries, sweet-smelling and organic, are yummy. And the place is only 7 miles from the Burlington airport -- there's an airport shuttle, too. The next morning came all too quickly as we packed our bags for our return flight. Outside, in the gardens of the inn, it was a glorious, Vermont morning, the kind that nudges you to stay a little longer. We couldn't, of course. But we did stop at the gift shop for a souvenir: a bottle of Vermont maple syrup.

Montreal's moment Stylish, historic and full of great dining options, this Québécois hot spot has evolved into North America's own City of Light. Co-owner Alison Cunningham at Joe Beef Stay Our favorite hotels are clustered around Vieux-Montréal. Hotel Le St.-James (355 Rue St.-Jacques; 514/841-3111; hotellestjames.com; doubles from $400), housed in a former 19th-century bank, is a Gilded Age fantasy of Oriental carpets, antiques and paintings, and outsize four-poster beds. The fauxhawked staff at Hotel St.-Paul (355 Rue McGill; 514/ 380-2222; hotelstpaul.com; doubles from $279) might be off-putting if the rooms weren't so comfortable and stylish, with playful fabrics brightening the dark walnut floors and white walls. Although the era of the minimalist design hotel may be ending, Hotel Gault (449 Rue Ste.-Hélène; 514/ 904-1616; hotelgault.com; doubles from $209) shows no signs of losing its edge. The exposed brickwork and cast-iron columns feel as of-the-moment as when Gault opened five years ago. Set among the port's converted warehouses, Auberge du Vieux-Port (97 Rue de la Commune Est; 514/876-0081; aubergeduvieuxport.com; doubles from $280) offers water views and a lively rooftop terrace. Shop Old Montreal has been quietly resurrected from its tourist trappings. Yvonne and Douglas Mandel, pioneers of the new Vieux, showcase their sharply tailored menswear at Kamkyl Urban Atelier (439 Rue St.-Pierre; 514/281-8221). If you go ... Montreal has great bike trails throughout the city and along the water. (Try the one that follows the Lachine Canal.) In Old Montreal, Ca Roule Montreal (27 Rue de la Commune Est; 514/866-0633; http://www.caroulemontreal.com) offers both bicycle rentals and guided tours. Nearby, Espace PEpin (350 Rue St.-Paul Ouest; 514/844-0114), a women's label, features a kimono-meets-tuxedo-shirt dress called the Écuyère. Rue St.-Denis, up in the Plateau neighborhood, is filled with charming boutiques. Couleurs Meubles et Objéts du 20e Siècle (3901 Rue St.-Denis; 514/282-4141) stocks a smart selection of Midcentury housewares, equal doses Scandinavian and Canadian. Proof that Montreal is an epicure's dream: Les Touilleurs (152 Ave. Laurier Ouest; 514/278-0008) in Mile End, where marble counters are piled with cooking implements, including Quebecer Tom Littledeer's maple spoons and spatulas. Visit the expansive Le Marché Jean-Talon (7070 Rue Henri-Julien; 514/937-7754) for regional cheeses and maple candies, and 53 kinds of sausage at William J. Walter. Eat At Joe Beef (2491 Rue Notre-Dame Ouest; 514/935-6504; dinner for two $140), the interiors (a boar's head trophy over the bar; rustic wooden tables; checkered napkins) verge on irreverent, but the food is anything but. The emphasis is decidedly Québécois -- heavy on meat, with healthy doses of foie gras and boudin. Don't Miss T+L: Montreal destination guide T+L: The next design city T+L: Mountain magic Club Chasse et Pêche (423 Rue St.-Claude; 514/861-1112; dinner for two $125), on a cobblestone lane in Vieux-Montréal, is marked by an antler-and-fish crest hanging outside the door. Dishes (striped bass with asparagus and sorrel; rabbit and lobster gnocchi) pay homage to both gun and rod, but all are refreshingly light. Leméac (1045 Rue Laurier Ouest; 514/270-0999; lunch for two $60), in the fashionable Outremont neighborhood, has all the tropes of a perfect French bistro: efficient staff, a long brass bar and a menu that ranges from a creamy blanquette de veau to a fresh salmon tartare. Part restaurant, part underground nightclub, Garde Manger (408 Rue St. -François-Xavier; 514/678-5044; dinner for two $9) offers innovative seafood (General Tao lobster), and a seat at the coolest party in town. After 9 p.m., the rock sound track comes on and the dining room fills up. Do There's plenty to explore in the city, but save time for a walk through Frederick Law Olmsted's wooded Parc du Mont-Royal (lemontroyal.qc.ca) -- views from the summit are spectacular. The municipal-looking Belgo Building (372 Rue Ste.-Catherine Ouest), the hub of the city's contemporary art scene, brims with more than 30 workshops and galleries. Two of the best are Pierre-François Ouellette Art Contemporain (No. 216; 514/395-6032) and Galerie René Blouin (No. 501; 514/393-9969). For a deeper look at Canadian art, the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Montréal (1380 Rue Sherbrooke; 514/285-2000; mbam.qc.ca) has contemporary Inuit sculptures, early-20th-century landscapes from Ontario's Group of Seven and Serge Lemoyne's exuberant 1975 "Dryden" -- a 7-by-11-foot painting of legendary goalie Ken Dryden's hockey mask. Montreal's nightlife is centered around Rue St.-Laurent, in the Plateau. Try Pop! Bar à Vin (250 Pine Ave. Est; 514/287-1648), which resembles a Danish living room circa 1966; Bily Kun (354 Mont-Royal Est; 514/845-5392), specializing in local microbrews; and Bar Plan B (327 Mont-Royal Est; 514/845-6060), a favorite among the city's restaurateurs.E-mail to a friend

Montreal hotels offer escape from tourists Graeme Hamilton, National Post MONTREAL - At street level, there is an old-world charm to parts of this city, where horse-drawn caleches roll over cobblestone streets, passing buildings dating from the French regime. But then again, the smell of horse urine can get a little pungent on a steaming-hot day, the cobblestones can do a number on your ankle if you're not careful, and for every building of historic interest there's another housing a tacky souvenir shop. Montreal's year-round inhabitants have discovered a new escape route from the tourist-clogged streets, which oddly enough begins in a hotel lobby. A number of city hotels have sprouted rooftop terrasses where the (admittedly steep) price of a beer is also said to buy you a smashing view, a chance to mix with the in crowd and in one case, a dip in the pool if the spirit moves you. The trend has been fuelled by a proliferation of boutique hotels in Old Montreal, which have helped revive a neighbourhood that had been sliding. The best of a bunch sampled recently was atop the Hotel Nelligan, just up from the waterfront on St. Paul Street West. In one direction, the view was of the St. Lawrence River, Ile Notre-Dame and Moshe Safdie's Habitat '67 apartment complex, gleaming as it caught the early-evening sun; in the other, Notre-Dame basilica loomed. Dormer windows on adjacent buildings looked very Parisian, although the music -- an eclectic mix of oldies ranging from Lynyrd Skynyrd to Smokey Robinson -- screamed 1970s rec room. The terrasse, called Sky, does not exactly qualify as a best-kept secret. The rooftop was packed, and the area reserved for dining had an hour-long wait for a table. An even larger crowd awaited atop the Hotel Place d'Armes on the Aix terrasse. After wandering past hotel rooms to find the door leading to the roof, we were greeted by a bouncer recording each arrival and departure with a handheld counter. Asked how many people there were, he replied that the information was "confidential." A waiter said we had arrived on the patio's busiest night of the week, a Thursday. It was largely an after-work crowd looking to start the weekend early; a hotel guest looking for a relaxing cocktail in the sun would have been surprised to find a scene fit for Crescent Street, the city's famous nightclub strip. "It's happy hour," the waiter advised us, which seemed hard to believe after having just paid $7.50 for a bottle of beer. He clarified that the prices are unchanged during this particular bar's happy hour. It's just that people are happy. The view was not the best, hurt by the fact Montreal planners over the years have allowed an architectural jewel such as the basilica to be dwarfed by modern monstrosities such as the National Bank tower on Place d'Armes and the courthouse a block to the east. For a view, the hands-down winner was Hotel de la Montagne, in the city's downtown -- and not just because its rooftop pool is surrounded by bikini-clad sunbathers. On a recent evening, looking southeast we could see clear to the Eastern Townships. In the foreground was Montreal's skyline and behind us Mount Royal. The hotel has no pretense of "boutique" trendiness, from the ebony elephants and crocodile statues in the lobby to the party atmosphere on the rooftop. "People say that it is dated, so what, so is your girlfriend," a young Ohio man who recently stayed at the hotel wrote on tripadvisor.com last month. "The pool on the roof is as cool as it gets. We arrived on Friday afternoon, and the roof looked like a scene from spring break in Cancun." Our waitress advised us that the small pool is open to all customers whether they are staying at the hotel or not, "as long as you have alcohol." Not too much, she hastened to add, relating the story of a drunken man who had a contest with friends to see who could stay underwater the longest. He never came up, she said.

(Courtesy of Luxist)

Pandox Establishes In North America - Acquires InterContinental Hotel in Central Montreal Stockholm, Sweden, July 11, 2007 - (Hugin) - PRESS RELEASE Stockholm, 11 July 2007 Pandox establishes in North America - acquires InterContinental Hotel in central Montreal Pandox acquires well-known InterContinental Hotel in Montreal for CAN$ 49 million, approximately EUR 35 million. It is the company's first acquisition in North America. The hotel consists of 26-stories and is an integral part of World Trade Centre with direct access to the Montreal Convention Centre (Palais des Congrès). The hotel consists of 357 rooms of international size, and offers the customers a full- service product with restaurants, bar, fitness and large conference and meeting facilities. The hotel is located in Old Montreal, close to the financial district. "It is with both respect and curiosity that we broaden our geographical market. The acquisition creates a good base for our establishment in Canada and North America. We hope this will be the beginning of a selective expansion in North America", says Anders Nissen, CEO Pandox AB. "North America is a natural development of Pandox' internationalisation, which creates good conditions for the competence and knowledge the company possesses to develop hotel businesses in a broad geographical market." Pandox and IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) have signed a management agreement and will in close cooperation develop, modernise and run the hotel. The hotel is in need for upgrading and through an investment program of approximately CAN$ 11 million, approximately EUR 8 million, all hotel rooms will be refurbished, new F&B products developed as well as upgrading of the meeting and lobby areas. Montreal is Canada's second largest city with a population of 3.6 million people and ranks first in the country in the number of international organisation headquarters. There is a strong demand for hotel rooms in the city. A demand that is expected to increase as Montreal becomes a more and more important city for congresses and meetings. "We are looking forward to strengthen the collaboration with IHG with whom we have good experiences of", says Anders Nissen. Seller of the hotel is InterContinental Hotels Group and Cadim, a division of the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec. __________ For further information: Anders Nissen, CEO Pandox AB, +46 (0)8 506 205 50, +46 (0)708 46 02 02, anders.nissen@pandox.se Pandox is one of the leading players in the hotel property market in Europe. The portfolio consists of 44 hotels of which eleven operations, and with a total of around 10,000 rooms located in Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, the UK, the Bahamas and Canada. Pandox hotels operate under well-known brands such as Hilton, InterContinental, Crowne Plaza, Radisson SAS, Holiday Inn, Scandic, Elite, Clarion, Quality, First or through independent distribution channels. Copyright © Hugin ASA 2007. All rights reserved. Pandox http://www.pandox.se/ ISIN: SE0000394181 Stock Identifier: SSE.PAND July 11, 2007 From the Asia Corporate News Network http://www.acnnewswire.net Topic: General Announcement Sectors: Financial General

World best awards rankings for: 1- Top 10 Cities U.S. and Canada Rank Last Year Name 2006 Score 1 1 New York 84.75 2 2 San Francisco 84.29 3 4 Chicago 82.52 4 6 Charleston 82.48 5 3 Santa Fe 82.06 6 5 Vancouver 81.45 7 7 Quebec City 80.98 8 9 Victoria, BC 79.92 9 8 Montreal 79.46 10 n/a Seattle 79.05 2- Top 100 Hotels in Continental U.S. and Canada Rank Last Year Name 2006 Score 1 5 The Aerie, Malahat, Vancouver Island 91.67 2 28 Sooke Harbour House, Sooke, Vancouver Island 91.54 3 n/a Charlotte Inn, Edgartown, Martha’s Vineyard 91.25 4 27 Inn at Little Washington, Washington, Virginia 90.87 5 6 Wickaninnish Inn, Tofino, Vancouver Island 90.83 6 n/a Inn at Montchanin Village, Montchanin, Delaware 90.00 7 n/a WaterColor Inn, Santa Rosa Beach, Florida 89.82 8 69 Four Seasons Resort, Jackson Hole, Wyoming 89.82 9 7 Post Ranch Inn, Big Sur, California 89.67 10 3 The Point, Saranac Lake, New York 89.09 11 13 Hotel Bel-Air, Los Angeles 88.81 12 4 The Peninsula, Beverly Hills 88.75 13 12 The Peninsula, Chicago 88.66 14 38 Four Seasons Hotel, Chicago 88.48 15 n/a Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch, Beaver Creek, Colorado 88.26 16 8 Tu Tu’ Tun Lodge, Gold Beach, Oregon 88.03 17 10 Monmouth Plantation, Natchez, Mississippi 87.84 18 29 Little Nell, Aspen, Colorado 87.78 19 n/a Cliff House at Pikes Peak, Manitou Springs, Colorado 87.71 20 43 Ritz-Carlton, Naples, Florida 87.67 21 2 Blackberry Farm, Walland, Tennessee 87.66 22 n/a L’Auberge Carmel, Carmel-by-the-Sea, California 87.62 23 n/a Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes, Florida 87.34 24 n/a Château du Sureau & Spa, Oakhurst, California 87.33 25 26 Mansion on Turtle Creek, Dallas 87.13 26 18 Auberge du Soleil, Spa du Soleil, Rutherford, California 87.04 27 n/a Inn at Thorn Hill & Spa, Jackson, New Hampshire 87.00 28 n/a Ritz-Carlton Lodge, Reynolds Plantation, Greensboro, Georgia 86.99 29 n/a Fairmont Le Château Montebello, Quebec 86.82 30 81 Four Seasons Resort, Palm Beach 86.74 31 n/a Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort, South Carolina 86.70 32 n/a Blantyre, Lenox, Massachusetts 86.67 33 n/a The Lancaster, Houston 86.66 34 23 Lodge at Pebble Beach, California 86.62 35 42 Post Hotel & Spa, Lake Louise, Alberta 86.50 36 33 The Broadmoor, Colorado Springs 86.49 37 36 Ritz-Carlton, Central Park, New York City 86.47 38 57 Wheatleigh, Lenox, Massachusetts 86.36 39 67 Fairmont Château Laurier, Ottawa 86.35 40 n/a Montage Resort & Spa, Laguna Beach, California 86.31 41 58 Campton Place Hotel, San Francisco 86.31 42 n/a Townsend Hotel, Birmingham, Michigan 86.26 43 16 Ritz-Carlton, Chicago (A Four Seasons Hotel) 86.16 44 31 Little Palm Island Resort & Spa, Little Torch Key, Florida 85.94 45 52 Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel, Dana Point, California 85.93 46 11 Windsor Court Hotel, New Orleans 85.93 47 32 Regent Beverly Wilshire, Beverly Hills 85.91 48 34 Bellagio, Las Vegas 85.89 49 n/a Bernardus Lodge, Carmel Valley, California 85.85 50 44 Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco 85.83 51 n/a Watermark Hotel & Spa, San Antonio 85.83 52 n/a St. Regis Resort, Aspen, Colorado 85.79 53 88 Inn at the Market, Seattle 85.77 54 n/a Wentworth Mansion, Charleston, South Carolina 85.75 55 n/a Rancho Valencia Resort, Rancho Santa Fe, California 85.68 56 59 Stein Eriksen Lodge, Park City, Utah 85.64 57 n/a The Phoenician, Scottsdale, Arizona 85.62 58 24 Four Seasons Hotel, Las Vegas 85.62 59 14 Mandarin Oriental, Miami 85.61 60 21 Four Seasons Hotel, San Francisco 85.50 61 89 Boulders Resort & Golden Door Spa, Carefree, Arizona 85.49 62 50 Fearrington House Country Inn & Restaurant, Pittsboro, North Carolina 85.45 63 95 Trump International Hotel & Tower, New York City 85.45 64 37 Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, Alberta 85.44 65 45 The Greenbrier, White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia 85.38 66 19 St. Regis Hotel, New York City 85.35 67 99 Rimrock Resort Hotel, Banff, Alberta 85.35 68 n/a Hotel Telluride, Colorado 85.32 69 76 Ventana Inn & Spa, Big Sur, California 85.28 70 n/a Charleston Place, Charleston, South Carolina 85.25 71 n/a Bellevue Club Hotel, Bellevue, Washington 85.20 72 n/a Inn at Shelburne Farms, Shelburne, Vermont 85.19 73 n/a Madrona Manor, Healdsburg, California 85.13 74 48 Four Seasons Hotel, Philadelphia 85.11 75 n/a Lowell Hotel, New York City 85.06 76 84 San Ysidro Ranch, Montecito, California 85.04 77 n/a Hotel Healdsburg, California 85.00 78 63 Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay, California 84.97 79 25 Inn at Spanish Bay, Pebble Beach, California 84.80 80 61 Four Seasons Resort, The Biltmore, Santa Barbara, California 84.79 81 79 Mandarin Oriental, New York City 84.72 82 15 XV Beacon, Boston 84.72 83 22 Four Seasons Hotel, New York City 84.72 84 n/a Inn on Biltmore Estate, Asheville, North Carolina 84.72 85 n/a Spring Creek Ranch, Jackson, Wyoming 84.62 86 93 Inn of the Anasazi, Santa Fe 84.53 87 20 Raffles L’Ermitage, Beverly Hills 84.44 88 n/a Hôtel Le Germain, Montreal 84.40 89 82 Fairmont Banff Springs, Banff, Alberta 84.39 90 n/a Ritz-Carlton Huntington Hotel & Spa, Pasadena, California 84.38 91 n/a Cloister Hotel, Sea Island, Georgia 84.28 92 64 Wedgewood Hotel & Spa, Vancouver 84.28 93 65 Rittenhouse Hotel, Philadelphia 84.26 94 9 Marquesa Hotel, Key West, Florida 84.24 95 30 The Wauwinet, Nantucket 84.11 96 n/a Hôtel Le St.-James, Montreal 84.06 97 54 Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island, Florida 84.01 98 n/a Lake Placid Lodge, New York 84.00 99 n/a Beverly Hills Hotel & Bungalows 83.99 100 49 American Club, Kohler, Wisconsin 83.97 Information from: http://www.travelandleisure.com/worldsbest/2006/results.cfm?cat=citiesusca

Montreal | Cold? Mais oui, but the winter welcome is warm By Kristin Jackson Seattle Times travel staff PREV 1 of 3 NEXT STEPHAN POULIN / TOURISM MONTREAL Sled-dog races are just one attraction of Montréal's Fête des Neiges, the winter festival. KRISTIN JACKSON / THE SEATTLE TIMES Saint Joseph's Oratory, seen from a tour bus, is one of Montreal's grandest churches. Related Archive | Europe without the euro awaits visitors in historic Montreal MONTREAL, Quebec — Taxi drivers kept stopping to offer us rides, beckoning to the steamy warmth of their cabs. No wonder; it was 10 degrees below zero on a February night, and we were the only people on the city sidewalk. "Non, merci," I'd wave off the taxis, determined to get some fresh air after spending the day on stuffy planes en route to this French-speaking Canadian city. The air certainly was fresh — sparkling clear and frigid as my daughter and I trudged along, swaddled in all the clothes we'd packed. I looked like a walking sleeping bag in my old, very puffy down coat. On the narrow street, wrought-iron banisters and balconies of Victorian buildings were glazed in ice. Snow sparkled in pools of light cast from living rooms and old-fashioned street lamps. Another taxi stopped: "Vous êtes fous" — you're crazy — said the driver, as we smiled and walked on. Maybe it was nuts, but the intense cold of the starry night was exhilarating. And thankfully, it warmed up in the next few days to a relatively balmy 15 degrees. Ask Travel Seattle Times travel writer and editor Kristin Jackson answers your questions about Montreal and other Canadian destinations in a live Q&A at noon Tuesday on seattletimes.com. Off-season pleasures Winter visitors to Montreal, a city of 3.6 million that's the largest French-speaking city in the western world after Paris, do miss out on the bustling summer life of sidewalk cafes, music and heritage festivals, and the city's world-class film festival. Yet there are advantages to the off-season. It's much more peaceful, with none of the summertime hordes of tourists who cram the narrow, cobblestone streets of Vieux Montreal, the historic heart of the old city that was founded in 1642 by French settlers. Flights and hotels are much cheaper. I paid less than $100 a night for a somewhat ramshackle, but cozy, suite with a kitchenette at the small University Bed & Breakfast. Its location was unbeatable — a short walk to the heart of downtown or to the restaurants of the trendy Boulevard Saint-Laurent. And winter brings its own pleasures, including outdoor skating rinks in the heart of the city; sleigh rides and cross-country skiing in city parks; and an annual winter festival (La Fête des Neiges) with concerts and other cultural events plus snowy fun, including outdoor games of volleyball and soccer and dog-sled races. And there's indoor fun, from shopping and museums to music clubs and restaurants of every ethnicity. To warm up, we headed indoors to some of Montreal's excellent museums. The premier art museum, the Musée de Beaux-Arts (Museum of Fine Arts), was a stylish place to wander among paintings and sculpture, from European old masters, including Rembrandt, to Islamic art to moody 19th-century Canadian landscape painting. Day by day, Montrealers beat the cold in "Underground City" (called RÉSO in French), a 20-mile pedestrian network beneath the city center where it's always balmy. The brightly lit underground concourses are lined with hundreds of stores and eateries, and link the city's major sights, hotels, Metro and train stations. It felt like an endless shopping mall to me, and I soon coaxed my teen daughter away from the trendy shops to the streets above. When we got too chilled, we'd warm up at one of the many European-style bakeries, indulging in fruit tarts or handmade chocolates. I'd order in French; hearing my mangled grammar, the shopkeepers would immediately switch to English. While only about 18 percent of the city's residents are native English speakers, many Montrealers are bilingual. On the bus To see more of the city and stay warm, we hopped on a Gray Line sightseeing bus for a three-hour city tour, from the pastoral heights of Mont-Royal, a 343-hilly park that rises steeply above downtown, to the stately stone buildings of Vieux Montreal and the stadium of Olympic Park, where Montreal hosted the 1976 Summer Olympics. The bus driver cranked up the heat and his patter: "It's a nice shack, eh," he cackled as we passed the sprawling 19th-century mansions of Westmount, the traditional bastion of rich, native-English-speakers. Later, the bus lumbered past the modest row-houses of East Montreal, where exterior iron staircases, built outside to save space, spiral to the upper floors. The bus became so drowsily hot, it was a relief to get out at viewpoints and at some of Montreal's grand churches, evidence of the once-firm grip of the Catholic church on Montrealers and all of Quebec province. That changed with the "Quiet Revolution" of the 1960s as Quebec turned more affluent, secular and multicultural. The faithful (and tourists) still flock, however, to St. Joseph's Oratory, a massive hilltop church by Mont-Royal park. Started as a tiny shrine in 1904 by a devout monk, Brother Andre, it expanded through his relentless efforts into an imposing, ornate church with an almost 200-foot-tall dome. Outdoor stairways climb steeply to the church; pilgrims still struggle up them on their knees, imploring for the healing miracles for which Brother Andre was renowned. Always a fan of visiting churches, I led my daughter into Notre Dame basilica in Vieux Montreal, the historic heart of the city tucked between the broad (and icy) St. Lawrence River and the downtown highrises. We whispered as we entered the ornate Catholic church, with its soaring Gothic-style nave, stained-glass windows and a vaulted blue ceiling that shimmers with 24-karat gold stars. There was only a handful of tourists, dwarfed by the vastness of the church, which, while it looks almost medieval, was built in the 1820s. It was a place to sit quietly, to think of the religion and cultures intertwined with Montreal, where the Iroquoian natives roamed for thousands of years, where French explorers landed in the 1500s, followed by fur traders, settlers and eventually the British and now waves of immigrants from all over the world. Montreal Where to stay • Stay at a downtown hotel, where you can easily walk to major sites (even in winter, thanks to the "Underground City." Some top hotels and boutiques are on Rue Sherbrooke Ouest, including the landmark Ritz-Carlton Montreal. Other upscale lodgings include the Hotel Sofitel and InterContinental Hotel. • I stayed at the moderately priced University Bed & Breakfast (adjacent to the downtown McGill University, Montreal's premier English-language university). It won't suit everyone — furnishings are eclectic and services minimal — but for about $100 a night, I got a cozy suite in an old-fashioned, townhouse-style building, with a living room, bedroom and kitchenette (www.universitybedandbreakfast.ca or 514-842-6396). • Get hotel information and make reservations through the city's tourism office, www.tourisme-montreal.org/ or phone the Quebec Department of Tourism at 877-266-5687. Getting around You don't need a car in the city; its center is compact, and the downtown and adjacent Vieux Montreal are ideal to explore on foot. For outlying areas, the city has a good Metro system. Guided bus tours are offered through Gray Line Montreal (www.coachcanada.com/montrealsightseeing/), or take a ride in parks or Vieux Montreal on a "caleche," a horse drawn-carriage (or sometimes sleigh). Traveler's tip • You don't need to speak French to get by in Montreal; English is widely spoken (However, it's generally appreciated if visitors try to speak a bit of French.) • While winter can be the most economical and least crowded time in Montreal, late September/early October and May also can be good times to visit, with lower hotel rates and more moderate weather. More information • Montreal Tourism: www.tourisme-montreal.org/ or 877-266-5687. • La F&ering;te des Neiges (winter festival): www.fetedesneiges.com/en/ In a Notre Dame side chapel, Catholic schoolchildren finished their prayers. They filed out into the street, bare-legged and laughing in their gray and navy uniforms, skipping along the snowy sidewalk. They didn't give Montreal's winter cold a second thought.