Where to stay in Montreal for the Osheaga Festival?
June 23, 2010 5:48 PM Subscribe
Where to stay in Montreal during the Osheaga Festival?
Driving up from NYC for the festival. Never been to Montreal before. Have no idea where to stay. Need help.
It's my girlfriend and I. We would like to have relatively easy access to the festival for Saturday, but plan on exploring Montreal on Sunday and Monday. So I think it's probably more of a priority to have a spot conducive to enjoying Montreal more than it is important to have a spot that's super close to the festival.
Driving up from NYC for the festival. Never been to Montreal before. Have no idea where to stay. Need help.
It's my girlfriend and I. We would like to have relatively easy access to the festival for Saturday, but plan on exploring Montreal on Sunday and Monday. So I think it's probably more of a priority to have a spot conducive to enjoying Montreal more than it is important to have a spot that's super close to the festival.
I highly recommend Le Sous-Bois - it's a youth hostel in the Old City: http://www.lesousbois.com/
I stayed there last year for Worldcon - it's cheap, reasonably clean, and only a ten-fifteen minute walk from the Metro. It also really is right in the middle of the Old City - it's a fun location. And there are these little two-person cabins you can rent in the courtyard - should be ideal for you and your GF.
posted by Mr. Excellent at 6:23 PM on June 23, 2010
I stayed there last year for Worldcon - it's cheap, reasonably clean, and only a ten-fifteen minute walk from the Metro. It also really is right in the middle of the Old City - it's a fun location. And there are these little two-person cabins you can rent in the courtyard - should be ideal for you and your GF.
posted by Mr. Excellent at 6:23 PM on June 23, 2010
I guess it depends on your budget and tastes and what exactly you want to see while in the city - like any big city, Montreal has all kinds of lodging at all kinds of pricing.
basically, if you want to shop, you want to stay near downtown, somewhere between Guy to the West, Union to the East, Sherbrooke St. W. to the North, and Rene Levesque W. to the South
if you want to see some European-type architecture and churches, stay in Old Montreal like whalebreath and Mr. Excellent mentioned.
The Plateau (Laurier to the North, Rachel to the South, Ave. du Parc to the West and Papineau to the East) is more into an artsy-fartsy with a whole lot of cafes, and you are near Mont Royal Park. No upscale hotels here, but some decent lodging nonetheless.
why not check out tripadvisor.com? They usually give good advice!
posted by bitteroldman at 7:09 PM on June 23, 2010
basically, if you want to shop, you want to stay near downtown, somewhere between Guy to the West, Union to the East, Sherbrooke St. W. to the North, and Rene Levesque W. to the South
if you want to see some European-type architecture and churches, stay in Old Montreal like whalebreath and Mr. Excellent mentioned.
The Plateau (Laurier to the North, Rachel to the South, Ave. du Parc to the West and Papineau to the East) is more into an artsy-fartsy with a whole lot of cafes, and you are near Mont Royal Park. No upscale hotels here, but some decent lodging nonetheless.
why not check out tripadvisor.com? They usually give good advice!
posted by bitteroldman at 7:09 PM on June 23, 2010
The festival is on the island so it's not really possible to be super close, so follow advice from others on areas of the city that are good to stay in. Note that a festival ticket includes free transit for the day/weekend, and the metro runs directly to the festival site from Berri-UQAM station which is within easy access of most metro lines and many buses, so you really can stay anywhere in the city.
I will comment that the same easy access does make for difficulty getting out of the site and off the island if you wait until the main headliner is done. Depending on the size of the crowd there can be a big crush at the station with a long wait for a train. Personally (as I'm usually there alone) I wait for the last song to get underway then fast-walk to the station to get out of there before the crowds.
It's an awesome festival so enjoy!
posted by valleys at 7:28 PM on June 23, 2010
I will comment that the same easy access does make for difficulty getting out of the site and off the island if you wait until the main headliner is done. Depending on the size of the crowd there can be a big crush at the station with a long wait for a train. Personally (as I'm usually there alone) I wait for the last song to get underway then fast-walk to the station to get out of there before the crowds.
It's an awesome festival so enjoy!
posted by valleys at 7:28 PM on June 23, 2010
Response by poster: Great suggestions. Thanks, all.
posted by scooterdman at 7:37 PM on June 23, 2010
posted by scooterdman at 7:37 PM on June 23, 2010
This is probably super late, but I recommend very much Le 1 Rene-Levesque. It's almost wrongly and frighteningly inexpensive (~$100/night), but is actually great: central location btw Chinatown, Downtown, Old Montreal, St Denis, etc, clean, newish furnishings, close to transit stations. It's on Rene-Levesque at St Laurent.
posted by urbanlenny at 8:50 AM on June 25, 2010
posted by urbanlenny at 8:50 AM on June 25, 2010
Typing this from the #1 Rene-Levesque, which is as good as urbanlenny says. Unfortunately le Sous-Bois seems to have closed down, the phone is disconnected and a quick ride-by shows no signs of life.
posted by anthill at 4:54 PM on July 24, 2010
posted by anthill at 4:54 PM on July 24, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
If privacy and independence are more your style, then just make sure you don't get sucked into staying 'downtown' (unless you like chain stores, shitty clubs and fast food). The plateau is a nice area. Old Montreal is beautiful. The village is trashy and kind of sketchy but fun.
posted by whalebreath at 6:21 PM on June 23, 2010 [1 favorite]