Anything Montreal

[p_mori7]

Jerry;

 

There are several good choices in Old Montreal:

 

http://www.qdg.ca/restaurant/les-soeurs-grises

This is closest.

 

http://mcauslan.com/en/terrace/how-to-get-there/

OK, this one is a little out of the way, but it's a cool place !

 

http://www.dieuduciel.com/en/home.php

 

http://www.brasseriebenelux.com/sherbrooke

 

http://www.brutopia.net/brutopia.htm

 

http://les3brasseurs.ca/eng/

In Old Montreal. I like this place.

[sebas030]

Hi,

 

I am staying near the Notre Dame Basilica and was wondering if there are in great beer bars with lots of regional brewers on tap in that area? I am willing to walk a few miles.

 

Thanks,

Jerry

 

 

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I really like the 3brasseurs ( 3 Brewers ) it's a Belgium/French inspired cuisine ( which I like ) and beer made on site...6 or 7 different kind and you can have a tasting of all the regular ones...plus the seasonal one.

 

They have a few big screen tv's showing all the latest video clips or the sport event that is live that day.

 

I have spent many $$ there...I enjoy the place very much :)

 

 

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[BldLvr]

Hello, I am wondering what the Montreal airport is like. We will fly in from Chicago and would like to know how long for customs and how long will it take to get our luggage. Thanks for any replies.

[p_mori7]

Hello, I am wondering what the Montreal airport is like. We will fly in from Chicago and would like to know how long for customs and how long will it take to get our luggage. Thanks for any replies.

 

 

The Montreal airport is a moderately large modern airport. It has undergone a lot of expansion / renovation work over the last 5-10 years.

 

Getting through Customs will depend on your time of arrival.

 

You will get a declaration card on board the aircraft. Keep a pen handy.

 

Flights from Chicago (assuming either United or Air Canada) are usually handled by smaller regional jets. Those flights usually come into gates 80-89. Those gates are quite a walk to Customs, but there are 3 or 4 sets of motorized walkway. The walk to Customs is along an elevated walkway, so expect to go up 2/3 flights of stairs to get to the walkway (there are motorized escalators & an elevator as well). If you have any mobility issues, there are airport staff with electric carts.

 

The Customs Hall is very large. From the elevated walkway you will take an escalator down into the Hall. Canadian Residents will be directed to the right side of the Hall, while visitors from elsewhere will be directed to the left side of the Hall.

 

Mid-day flights are the best for getting through Customs quickly. Evening flights can take a while, because that is usually when flights from Europe arrive, and those big planes can really clog the Hall with passengers.

 

You will walk up to a Customs officer, he will process your declaration card and check your passports. They are usually nice to talk to. After he stamps your declaration card and says OK, he will hand you back the card. You must keep the card in hand in order to give it to another Customs Officer after you collect your luggage.

 

You then walk past his booth and head to the right towards the luggage collection carrousels. To get to the carrousels, you will head down a motorized / inclined walkway (There is also an elevator). At the bottom of that walkway is a large signboard which tells you what carrousel your luggage will be on.

 

After you collect your luggage, you will be directed down a hallway towards the exit and out into the main terminal. Midway down this hallway there will be 1 or more Customs Officers. You will hand them your stamped delaration card (no more need for Passport). He will decide if your lugagge needs to be inspected or not (usually not), and then you walk past sliding glass doors out into the main terminal. You will be on the Ground Floor of the terminal. Near the doors to the outside, you will find the booth for the #747 airport bus which can bring you right downtown for about $10 per person. If you walk left about 200' through the terminal, you will come to the Taxi & Limo areas.

 

Enjoy your visit !

 

:)

Edited September 21, 2014 by p_mori7

[BldLvr]

A big Thank you! You are so helpful, we will enjoy our visit!

[p_mori7]

Well...the Fall colors are REALLY starting to set in !

 

Those cruising the St-Lawrence to/from Montreal or Quebec over the next 3 weeks will be treated to amazing sights !

 

The best week will probably be the first week of October near Quebec City and along the North Shore.

 

Enjoy !

 

:D

Edited September 25, 2014 by p_mori7

[Cruise_More_Often]

Thank you, everyone, for the excellent suggestions.

 

Les 3 Brasseurs: We had a wonderful lunch there. I had just logged onto this thread on our way from Quebec City to Montreal and saw the suggestion. Our cab driver from the bus station had no idea where the Hotel Nelligan was and dropped us off on the sidewalk at 106 Rue St. Paul East instead of West. The 3 Brasseurs was right across the street, so it was fate that led us there. We both had burgers (coleslaw for me, sweet potato fries for DH).

 

Hotel Nelligan: I cannot say enough about this hotel. Okay, I can say that we already made reservations there for a two-night stay next August! Great location in the Old Port area; best, most friendly hotel staff we have ever encountered; interesting architecture (formerly three separate old buildings joined together, with the old brick and stone walls left); absolutely gorgeous renovation and the bathroom was especially nice with a glass shower. The only thing to watch out for is the continental breakfast. It's excellent but very expensive ($43 for two) if it isn't included with your stay. We didn't know until we had already eaten that our stay did not include breakfast. We did, however, get two glasses of wine during happy hour.

 

Grey Line tour: We took both tours the afternoon we arrived, and they were great; we even went up on Mount Royal. The tours are in both French and English.

 

Amphibus Tour: Okay, we're goofy for water tours, and this was similar to the Duck tours in other cities. The tour narrator was incredible, a young man named Mustafa, who really got you involved in the tour. We did go many of the places we had already seen on the other tours, but then we also saw Montreal from the water.

 

Walk, walk, walk: There is so much to see in the Old Port of Montreal, and walking is the way to see it. Rue St. Paul Street, where the Nelligan is located, is the most interesting street. It is divided into the Est (east) and Ouest (west), and the eastern part is cobblestone. Be sure to walk at night and see all the old buildings lighted.

 

Bank of Montreal (I think)

 

Notre-Dame Basilica

 

Hotel Nelligan

 

We ate dinner at a little place on Rue St. Paul, close to our hotel, called Stash Cafe. Turns out it's Polish, quite busy, a live pianist, good food and not too expensive.

 

Anyway, we had a blast in Montreal and can hardly wait to return.

[sebas030]

Thank you for the feedback !!!

 

Glad you had a great time here !

 

.

 

 

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[p_mori7]

Anybody care to guess where I had dinner before going to the hockey game on Sunday evening ?

 

 

Schwartz's Baby !

 

:D

[tillys mom]

Wow, now I'm hungry. Thanks for the feedback- we are less than 3 weeks from our trip. The weather report looks cold and wet, but maybe it will improve.

I forgot to ask about tipping on the flat fee for the trip from airport to SpringHill Suites. Would 5 CAD be about right?

Virginia

[p_mori7]

That's about right !

[Alberta Quilter]

Hi, We will be arriving in Montreal via cruise ship on Saturday, May 16/15. We will be following up our cruise with a stay in the Eastern Townships. We will have +/- a week post cruise.

 

As this is a long weekend (Victoria Day) in Canada, are we better to stay in Montreal for a couple of days and then go to the Eastern Townships or get out of Montreal right away, tour the Eastern Townships, and see Montreal before flying home to Alberta?

 

Thanks for your help!

[Cruise To Relax]

Thanks for all the good info. Any problem getting a taxi in the evening when the big planes arrive? Thanks.

 

The Montreal airport is a moderately large modern airport. It has undergone a lot of expansion / renovation work over the last 5-10 years.

 

Getting through Customs will depend on your time of arrival.

 

You will get a declaration card on board the aircraft. Keep a pen handy.

 

Flights from Chicago (assuming either United or Air Canada) are usually handled by smaller regional jets. Those flights usually come into gates 80-89. Those gates are quite a walk to Customs, but there are 3 or 4 sets of motorized walkway. The walk to Customs is along an elevated walkway, so expect to go up 2/3 flights of stairs to get to the walkway (there are motorized escalators & an elevator as well). If you have any mobility issues, there are airport staff with electric carts.

 

The Customs Hall is very large. From the elevated walkway you will take an escalator down into the Hall. Canadian Residents will be directed to the right side of the Hall, while visitors from elsewhere will be directed to the left side of the Hall.

 

Mid-day flights are the best for getting through Customs quickly. Evening flights can take a while, because that is usually when flights from Europe arrive, and those big planes can really clog the Hall with passengers.

 

You will walk up to a Customs officer, he will process your declaration card and check your passports. They are usually nice to talk to. After he stamps your declaration card and says OK, he will hand you back the card. You must keep the card in hand in order to give it to another Customs Officer after you collect your luggage.

 

You then walk past his booth and head to the right towards the luggage collection carrousels. To get to the carrousels, you will head down a motorized / inclined walkway (There is also an elevator). At the bottom of that walkway is a large signboard which tells you what carrousel your luggage will be on.

 

After you collect your luggage, you will be directed down a hallway towards the exit and out into the main terminal. Midway down this hallway there will be 1 or more Customs Officers. You will hand them your stamped delaration card (no more need for Passport). He will decide if your lugagge needs to be inspected or not (usually not), and then you walk past sliding glass doors out into the main terminal. You will be on the Ground Floor of the terminal. Near the doors to the outside, you will find the booth for the #747 airport bus which can bring you right downtown for about $10 per person. If you walk left about 200' through the terminal, you will come to the Taxi & Limo areas.

 

Enjoy your visit !

 

:)

[p_mori7]

I was away on vacation this past week, and returned earlier this evening.

 

ALBERTA QUILTER:

 

I would say the answer would depend on what activities / sights you want to see while in Montreal and the Eastern Townships.

 

Cruise ships usually arrive early enough that getting off the island on the first saturday of a long weekend should be 'relatively' painless compared to rush hour on a weekday.

 

Getting back into the city from the Eastern Townships on a Sunday can be a chore, especially if it's later in the day.

 

I suspect that ending your week by coming back into Montreal in the latter half would be my personal choice, only because activities in Montreal are usually happening Thur-Fri-Sat-Sun.

 

There is a post earlier in the thread about the webpage for Tourism Montreal. On that site you can find an activities schedule which might help you plan an itinerary.

 

Enjoy your visit to La Belle Province !

Edited October 12, 2014 by p_mori7

[p_mori7]

CRUISE TO RELAX.

 

Taxis are usually plentiful.

 

The taxi queue inside the terminal can sometimes take a while to work through when all the big planes land...not because they aren't enough cars, it's just that the area the cab can load in can only handle so many cars at a time.

[Cruise To Relax]

Great. Thanks for the info.

[travelingla]

 

Walk, walk, walk: There is so much to see in the Old Port of Montreal, and walking is the way to see it. Rue St. Paul Street, where the Nelligan is located, is the most interesting street. It is divided into the Est (east) and Ouest (west), and the eastern part is cobblestone. Be sure to walk at night and see all the old buildings lighted.

_________________________________________

Thank you, "Cruise More Often", for posting those gorgeous photos! We will definitely have to go at night to see the buildings -- I've read a lot about Montreal and have never read this tip.

 

Everyone has been so helpful to give so many great tips on this thread -- we go May 30, 2015 and are just now making all of our arrangements.... looking forward to months of fun planning!

 

I've seen several hotels recommended -- we were considering staying at the Embassy Suites near Old Town. I read about the L Hotel -- a few blocks away - anyone have specific negatives about either of these 2?

Edited October 17, 2014 by travelingla

[LHT28]

Someone on another thread posted when you embark in Montreal & heading to the USA you will pre clear US custom/immigration at the port

 

is this true ??

 

I know in Vancouver they do this

 

Thanks

[Cruise_More_Often]

Someone on another thread posted when you embark in Montreal & heading to the USA you will pre clear US custom/immigration at the port

 

is this true ??

 

I know in Vancouver they do this

 

Thanks

That is correct, and they are very thorough. Our passports were scanned at least five times by five different people.

[LHT28]

That is correct, and they are very thorough. Our passports were scanned at least five times by five different people.

 

Thanks

That is interesting

[tillys mom]

We are flying into Montreal tomorrow night and spending 2 nights at the SpringHill Suites. I'll let everyone know about our visit when we get home.

[Caroldoll]

We have to be off the ship by 9.

 

What places would you recommend at that time of the morning...going on until we need to be at the airport at about 1. Plane leaves at 4.

 

What service would you recommend to use, i.e. driver and??? We will need that to leave our luggage in the car.

 

I love Schwartz's and poutine and I love the bagels (forgot the name of the place). Just never had to plan something this early.

 

A driver and car is really a plus if you can recommend someone good.

[p_mori7]

We have to be off the ship by 9.

 

What places would you recommend at that time of the morning...going on until we need to be at the airport at about 1. Plane leaves at 4.

 

What service would you recommend to use, i.e. driver and??? We will need that to leave our luggage in the car.

 

I love Schwartz's and poutine and I love the bagels (forgot the name of the place). Just never had to plan something this early.

 

A driver and car is really a plus if you can recommend someone good.

 

Schwartz's is open 24 hours a day :D so you could do that in the morning.

 

I've never had to use a car service here in Montreal, so I am not in a position to recommend one...nor do I have any clue how much it would cost.

 

To be at the airport for 1pm, figure a good 30 minutes to get there from Old Montreal or from Downtown...so that gives you about 3 hours of 'exploration' time and a Smoked Meat sandwich. Getting to Schwartz's from the Pier will take 15-20 minutes depending on traffic.

 

:)

[Caroldoll]

I just need to find a car service, and all is well. You are great

[sebas030]

We have to be off the ship by 9.

 

 

 

What places would you recommend at that time of the morning...going on until we need to be at the airport at about 1. Plane leaves at 4.

 

 

 

What service would you recommend to use, i.e. driver and??? We will need that to leave our luggage in the car.

 

 

 

I love Schwartz's and poutine and I love the bagels (forgot the name of the place). Just never had to plan something this early.

 

 

 

A driver and car is really a plus if you can recommend someone good.

 

 

Hi,

 

You could have a breakfast poutine at Faberge and get bagels from Fairmount bagels just across the street.

 

Both are about 5 minutes away from Schwartz's.

 

Just don't eat anything on the ship before you leave it ;)

 

 

 

 

 

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