Hotels in old Quebec City ?

August 27, 2005 7:40 PM

I am seeking suggestions for reasonably priced decent hotels in Quebec city old town. We are planning for the upcoming long weekend.

I would also like to have some opinion on whether Quebec city or Montreal may be more enjoyable destination for us. We are quite familiar with Boston/NY City and enjoy both of them very much. We are not into nightclub scene. But we enjoy good food and drink. We are looking for a relaxing trip with some nice sights and places to visit and of course some good shopping. I myself went to Quebec city a long time ago in the middle of winter. It was not that fun then. But this is late summer. We are driving up there.

thanks in advance

posted by flyby22 to travel & transportation (6 comments total)

Quebec City is cute and most of the interesting stuff is neatly contained within the city walls. You can stash the car in one of the underground lots and walk everywhere. There are numerous good places to eat, and certainly enough to do to keep you busy for a couple of days.

I organized an event in Quebec a couple of years ago and my friends seemed happy with the Chateau Bellevue, which is on a quiet park behind the Chateau Frontenac.

Reserve something as soon as you can. Quebec's a popular spot for long weekend getaways. The official tourism site might be useful.
posted by zadcat at 7:58 PM on August 27, 2005

Montreal is more like Boston/NYC than Quebec is.
Quebec City is older and smaller, and French-only. Montreal is bilingual, bigger, newer.
For shopping, it depends what you want: downtown Quebec has a lot of small specialty stores. Montreal has lots of everything.
For sightseeing, Quebec City is prettier. It has lots of old buildings, and the whole downtown area looks like a picture book. Montreal has a nice old part, but the downtown core is modern and messy.
To me it feels like downtown Montreal is more accomodated to people actually living and working there, and downtown Quebec City is more involved around tourism and prettiness.

I lived in Quebec City for four month a few years ago, but that was also in mostly in winter (I arrived in early October), so I don't know much about summer either. I also can't help on the hotels, as I was living in the 'burbs at the time (that's where the university is around there), but if you find a place, I can probably tell you what the neighbourhood is like and if it's close to useful things.
Quebec has a pretty good bus system though, so if you're not exactly downtown, it won't be a problem to get there easily.
posted by easternblot at 8:02 PM on August 27, 2005

My wife and I stayed at this B&B, which had a very central location in the walled city, a great customizable breakfast, and plenty of romantic charm. I don't know whether they'll have space on such short notice (I kind of doubt it) but we really enjoyed our stay there.
posted by birdsquared at 10:11 PM on August 27, 2005

The Chateau Belle-vue is very nice and reasonably priced. I've only ever been there during the winter festival in February, though.

There are lots of good places to eat and drink in old QC. The places that stand out are brunch in the old railroad hotel overlooking the St-Lawrence; a fondue place that is just down the street; and an Irish pub where you can order some Guinness. This pub, inexplicably, has the best sausages I've ever eaten, year after year.
posted by ikkyu2 at 10:47 PM on August 27, 2005

If you have the cash, there is only one place to stay in Quebec City: Le Chateau Frontenac.

I would recommend QC over Montreal at this time of year; after a major festival every weekend of the summer, Montreal is tired by late August.
posted by docgonzo at 10:26 AM on August 28, 2005

I've lived in Quebec City, and I've stayed at the Chateau Frontenac. It's very nice but it also costs a lot. I think that unless it's a honeymoon or you've got money pouring out of your pants you are better served by staying at the Lowes Concorde which directly on the Grande Allée with the Plains of Abraham on the other side of it. Although technically it's outside of the old city it is right on the edge of it and still in an amazing area.

You can still visit the Frontenac and even try out the wine and cheese sampling they hold regularly.

If you want something right in the old city, the Auberge St-Antoine has only been open a year or two and is quite the hit, being almost a museum of sorts.

If you just want good rates and are willing to drive each day to check out the sites, then any of the hotels in St-Foy will fit the budget minded tourist, while still being very nice places to stay.
posted by furtive at 7:00 PM on August 28, 2005