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Rénovations majeures du Marriott Residence Inn, situé sur la rue Peel! Je suis vraiment très excité par cette nouvelle! La tour actuelle est une véritable plaie! Le projet : http://www.jlp.ca/fr/hotelerie/marriott-residence-inn-montreal-centre-ville.html

http://www.tastet.ca/2014/10/22/ouverture-de-balsam-inn-exclusivite/ Quand on entre dans le nouvel établissement d’Alexandre Baldwin, d’Alexandre Wolosianski et de Nicole Lemelin (Whisky Café, Baldwin Barmacie, Taverne Square Dominion), d’Éric Dupuis (chef du Dominion et maintenant du Balsam Inn), de Virginie Bergerot, Benoit Essiambre (Taverne Square Dominion), on sent que tous les efforts de ces jeunes (et un peu moins jeunes) gens à rendre le lieu magique ont fait leur effet. Connus pour créer des endroits qui deviennent des classiques intemporels à Montréal, ils ont encore une fois réussi à concevoir un espace qui se démarque et donne envie de rester. Balsam est une sorte de sapin Baumier, arbre typique du Québec, fier ambassadeur de notre plus belle province. Inn, c’est parce que lorsqu’ils ont récupéré l’espace, situé dans un ancien hôtel-restaurant qui date de 1927 — la Taverne Square Dominion et l’hôtel Square Dominon qui ont résisté à la Grande Dépression, mais qui ont été éradiqués par un incendie qui les a réduit en cendres — les propriétaires ont réalisé que le premier étage de la bâtisse était à l’époque la cuisine de l’hôtel Square Dominion. Le « Inn » est donc un hommage au contexte historique rattaché à l’immeuble. En plus, c’est assez joli. À la porte d’à côté de la Taverne Dominion, le restaurant Balsam Inn ouvrira donc officiellement ses portes au début de novembre. Magnifique décor sorti essentiellement de l’imagination explosive du jeune Baldwin, la source d’inspiration principale du décor du Balsam Inn est celle d’une brasserie des années 40. Tout le local a été construit durant les rénovations à l’exception d’un magnifique four à bois de l’époque. Beaucoup de détails frappent: les plafonds de 14 pieds de haut, les anciennes banquettes du feu Chez Gauthier, splendides tabourets vert forêt du bar, le repose pieds en laiton du bar qui est une ancienne rampe de l’Oratoire St-Joseph, l’armoire de bar qui vient d’un vieux magasin général, les luminaires élégants qui rappellent une vieille brasserie ou même les portes vitrées donnant sur la cuisine qui proviennent d’une antiquité industrielle sur l’Avenue du Parc. Monsieur Baldwin, il a l’œil pour ce genre de choses. En salle, on compte environ 80 places, un espace restaurant tables assises et un espace tables hautes, qui évoque l’ambiance d’un bar. Cocktails aux saveurs plus sautillantes que ce qu’on a l’habitude de déguster; un peu du goût de la forêt, du balsam nous dit-on. Le bal de salle sera dirigé par Benoît et Léa Wolosianski, la magnifique fille du propriétaire, qui est aussi très allumée, ne vous inquiétez pas. Le restaurant commencera seulement avec un service de soir, lunchs à venir incessamment. Aux fourneaux, puisque c’est toujours ce qui nous excite le plus les papilles chez les Tastet, le chef Éric Dupuis concocte un menu en sept actes; pains plats cuisinés au four à bois — délicate alternative au pain ou à la pizza — élément du menu qui permet de lier le reste des plaisirs; salades, viandes, poissons, pâtes et/ou fromages. Finissez avec un gâteau à l’orange, un tiramisu ou autre péché sucré si vous le désirez. À tous les amateurs de hockey, tout comme le Dominion, qui sont tous deux à 5 minutes de marche du Centre Bell, le restaurant offre une formule rapide et délicieuse pour les soirées de match. Étant donné que le centre-ville de Montréal n’offre pas une panoplie de très bons endroits où aller prendre une bouchée de qualité, nous vous conseillons de retenir l’adresse. Longue vie à vous. — Élise Tastet

Le 400 Sherbrooke Ouest Architectes: Geiger Huot Architectes Fin de la construction:2008 Utilisation: Hôtel/Résidentiel Emplacement: Centre-ville, Montréal ? mètres - 35 étages Description: - Plus grosse construction à Montréal depuis 1992.

The Holiday Inn in Pointe-Claire near Fairview seems to be getting a facelift. When I drive by it tonight or tomorrow, I will try and take a picture of it.

Et bien le bonjour à tous! Je fais une mini-tournée, mais étendue sur plusieurs jours. J'ai commencé (pas beaucoup) le 8, j'ai continué le 9, et je vais surement continuer le 11 (sauf en cas de pluie). 8 janvier 2008 Le vistal et Symphonia 9 janvier 2008 Hilton Garden Inn Reflet de votre dévoué Gilbert... Louis Boheme Hilton Garden Inn J'ai vraiment une fixation... À suivre....

Westin Montréal Architectes: Geiger Huot Architectes Fin de la construction:2008 Utilisation: Hôtel Emplacement: Quartier International, Montréal ? mètres - 20 étages Descriptions: - L'hôtel comprendra l'ancien immeuble de The Gazette. - L'hôtel comprendra 432 chambres. - Le projet coûtera 90 millions de dollars Autres renseignements: ±600,000 ft², as follows: 400 bedrooms and suites, 50 housing units, nearly 200,000 ft² of office space, businesses and meeting rooms www.westinmontreal.com a 3d flyby video of the project http://www.westinmontreal.com/video.htm The 400-room hotel complex in Old Montréal proposed by ATLIFIC Hotels and Resorts will generate $90 million in investment, create upwards of 300 permanent jobs, and produce more than $30 million in tax benefits for Montréal over ten years. Montréal, Tuesday, March 15, 2005 – The Board of Directors of the Société de développement de Montréal has chosen the proposal submitted by Atlific, a major hotel developer, builder and manager, following a public call for tenders for redeveloping the Gazette buildings in Old Montréal. Atlific Hotels and Resorts will acquire the buildings for $10 million net. The SDM had originally bought them for $7.5 million in November 2003, before conducting various studies to ensure the optimal development of the site and dismantling and cleaning up the industrial facilities. The proposal calls for the three vacant heritage buildings to be converted and a new building to be erected on a former adjacent parking lot. The hotel complex will be linked directly to the Palais des congrès de Montréal via an underground corridor built during work on the Quartier international de Montréal (QIM). Paul Saint-Jacques, President and CEO of the Palais des congrès de Montréal, welcomed the City of Montréal’s initiative and the SDM’s efforts to attract a new hotel complex to the Gazette site. As he noted, “This link will give conference organizers a new hotel near their meeting and exhibition facilities – a key selling point for the Palais des congrès in attracting national and international conventions. The new hotel will increase the number of rooms already directly linked to the Palais des congrès.” For Clément Demers, Director General of the Quartier international de Montréal, “This new property development project, strategically located facing Place Jean-Paul Riopelle, will fit in perfectly with the specific vocation of the area, in terms of the hotel and office space and the quality of the investment. It confirms the vision of the partners in the Quartier international de Montréal. The high-quality structural facilities provided by the QIM and its neighbours have already generated over $770 million in real-estate projects. Over the next two years, further investment of at least $200 million will be added, including the Atlific project.” The best proposal for the site, the district and Montréal as a whole The SDM Board of Directors chose the Atlific hotel complex proposal for a number of reasons: it increases hotel capacity in the immediate area of the Palais des congrès; it fits in with the specific vocation of the Quartier international de Montréal; it is sure to help consolidate development in Old Montréal by rehabilitating three vacant heritage buildings and a former parking lot; and the forecast spin-off in terms of investment, permanent jobs and tax revenue for Montréal are the most attractive of the eight proposals examined by the selection committee. Atlific Hotels and Resorts, a hotel developer, builder and manager founded in 1959, manages 30 multi-brand hotels in Canada. The firm is headquartered in Montréal, with offices in Toronto and Vancouver. It was acquired in 1997 by Ocean Properties Ltd., a family business based in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, which manages over 100 hotels in the United States. Together Atlific and Ocean Properties form the fifth-largest privately held hotel-management company in North America, managing 19,000 rooms in independent hotels, resorts and such well-known brands as Marriott, Marriot Courtyard and Residence Inn, Fairfield Inn, Crowne Plaza, Hilton, Sheraton, Holiday Inn and many others. Professional Atlific staff have begun the due diligence process. Once that step is completed, in at most 60 days, the transaction will be submitted for approval by the City of Montréal Executive Committee. Atlific expects the complex to be ready about 24 months after the sale is approved. The Société de développement de Montréal is a paramunicipal property management corporation that contributes to the city's development by managing its property holdings and also oversees the promotion and development of Old Montréal. now digging:

Voici les photos :-) http://www.mtlurb.com/pictures/main.php?g2_itemId=1416 Mettez les votres ici!!

Les employés des hôtels Quality Street, à Pointe-Claire, et Holliday Inn, à Longueuil, se sont mis en grève ce matin. Pour en lire plus...

Mise à jour : 11/07/2008 11:40 Holiday Inn de Montréal Les balcons de l'hôtel risquent de tomber LCN Les pompiers de Montréal ont été appelés d'urgence, ce matin, au Holiday Inn Sinomonde pour vérifier la solidité d'une vingtaine de balcons. Les pompiers ont été capables d'enlever des morceaux de brique. De la ficelle blanche est installée à certains endroits pour maintenir en place des parties des balcons. Un périmètre de sécurité a été érigé autour de l'hôtel du quartier chinois. La direction n'a pas voulu commenter. La présence des pompiers a perturbé la manifestation de certains employés de l'hôtel, en grève depuis jeudi.

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

Bonjour à tous! Je me rend bien compte que Montréal n'est pas vraiment représenté à l'international sur des sites populaires, comme skyscraperpage.com, skyscrapercity.com, et emporis.com. Depuis deux semaines, je tente de présenter nos projets au reste du monde et ainsi leur rappeler que Montréal existe. J'ai créé quelques fils sur skyscrapercity.com. Je vous invite à aller mettre vos commentaires et répondre aux autres. Projets présentés sur SSC: Hilton Garden Inn 701 University 900 De Maisonneuve Ouest Louis Bohème Westin Montréal Tour Québécor Les Diamants Le Crystal de la Montagne

Aujourd'hui, il faisait beau, plus chaud, et j'avais à faire au centre-ville. J'en ai profité pour marcher un peu avant que le soleil ne se couche. ------------------------------------------------------------------ 333 Sherbrooke Le Montmarte Hilton Garden Inn Il me fascine... Louis Bohème Le Monstre Il faut que je fasse ça dans ma vie Pour la deuxième fois dans ma vie, j'ai apprécié la Place Ville-Marie

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.

Encore une belle journée pour des photos hier! Îlot Voyageur 333 Sherbrooke Le Montmarte Bloc Urbain 350 Maisonneuve Concorde Hilton Garden Inn Holiday inn (Terminé le vert! Maintenant, il va être noir!) Sir George Simpson [/img] Pavillon John-Molson [/img] Crystal Québécor Westin Square Dorchester (ils ont recouvert les fondations trouvées) Autres photos À ne pas manquer Îlot Balmoral

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