Stay in one of the best old Montreal’s boutique hotel, the Hotel Gault: historic charm meets modern design, spa indulgence, and concierge service in the heart of the city.
Tucked away on a quiet cobblestone street in the heart of Old Montreal, Hotel Gault is one of the city’s best-kept boutique secrets. Set inside a beautifully restored 19th-century building, this hotel blends historic charm with sleek, minimalist design, the kind that feels both luxurious and effortless.
I stayed here during a trip to Montreal in January 2024, and within minutes of walking into the lobby, I knew this place was something special. From the spacious, loft-style rooms to the soft jazz playing in the background, everything at Hotel Gault feels intentionally calm and curated.
If you’re planning a weekend in Old Montreal and looking for a stay that’s as beautiful as the neighbourhood itself, Hotel Gault is a true hidden gem. In this post, I’ll walk you through what makes it stand out, including the rooms, amenities, and what’s just outside the front door
A Historic Building in the Heart of Old Montreal
Part of what makes Hotel Gault so memorable is its setting. The hotel is housed in a stately 1871 greystone building, originally constructed during Montreal’s Golden Age. A time when the city was thriving, expanding, and becoming the economic heart of Canada. That same year, Montreal’s population reached 100,000, making it the country’s most prosperous and vibrant city.
The building was originally home to Gault Brothers & Co, a dry goods business founded by Andrew Frederick Gault, later known as the “Cotton King of Canada.” Designed to serve as a warehouse and store, the building stood alongside other iconic 19th-century structures like Marché Bonsecours, the Merchants Bank of Canada, and Banque Molson, all of which helped define the architectural identity of Old Montreal as we know it today.
Since 2002, this historic address has taken on a new life as Hotel Gault, a luxury boutique hotel that honours its past while embracing sleek, modern design. Inside, you’ll find warm wood tones, industrial finishes, high ceilings, and a calm, minimalist aesthetic, all tucked behind that classic stone façade.
The location couldn’t be better. Hotel Gault is situated on a quiet street just steps from the Old Port, Notre-Dame Basilica, the Montreal Museum of Archaeology and History, and some of the city’s best restaurants and cafés. It’s the kind of spot where you can easily explore on foot by day, and return to a peaceful, design-forward space at night.
Loft-Style Rooms That Feel Like a Private Retreat
What truly sets Hotel Gault apart is its rooms. Each of the 30 suites has been designed with a minimalist, loft-inspired approach that makes the space feel more like a private apartment than a traditional hotel room. With 10- to 12-foot ceilings, oversized windows, exposed concrete or original brick walls, and custom-built furnishings, the rooms strike a balance between industrial edge and quiet luxury.
All rooms include plush beds with crisp linens, heated bathroom floors, Nespresso machines, high-speed Wi-Fi, and thoughtful extras like bathrobes and slippers. The layout invites you to slow down, to actually enjoy your time inside instead of just using the space to sleep.
There’s no cookie-cutter design here. Each room has its own character and flow, but they all share the same clean aesthetic: soothing colours, sleek lighting, and high-end finishes that make even the quietest corner feel intentional.
Thoughtful Amenities and Boutique-Level Service
For a small hotel, Hotel Gault offers an impressive range of amenities, all designed to make your stay feel seamless, calm, and comfortably luxurious.
One standout experience during my stay was the in-room breakfast, which I highly recommend. Served on a rolling tray at your requested time, it felt more like a private brunch than a hotel convenience. Fresh pastries, seasonal fruit, hot coffee, and a perfectly cooked egg dish, all delivered to your suite so you can start the day slowly, without even putting on shoes.
You can also enjoy breakfast and brunch in the hotel’s on-site restaurant, located just off the lobby. With its floor-to-ceiling windows and soft natural light, it’s a lovely space to settle in with a coffee and watch the street come to life. The menu is simple, thoughtful, and seasonal, just like the hotel.
THE DETAILS
Price | Rooms start at 240$ per night.
Reservation | You can book your stay here.
What’s Nearby: Explore Old Montreal on Foot
One of the best parts of staying at Hotel Gault is that you’re perfectly placed to explore Old Montreal without ever needing a car. The hotel sits on a quiet street just a few minutes’ walk from some of the city’s most iconic landmarks, museums, and waterfront paths.
Here are a few easy-to-reach highlights:
- Old Port of Montreal (7-minute walk): Stroll along the river, rent a bike, or stop for a coffee while watching boats go by.
- Notre-Dame Basilica (10-minute walk): One of Montreal’s most iconic buildings — be sure to step inside to see the vaulted blue ceiling and stained glass.
- Montreal Museum of Archaeology and History (Pointe-à-Callière) (8-minute walk): A fascinating museum built over the city’s original settlement.
- Bota Bota Spa (12-minute walk): A floating spa on a repurposed boat — perfect for a post-sightseeing massage or soak.
- Downtown Montreal and Sainte-Catherine Street (15–20-minute walk): Great for shopping, dining, and people-watching.
- The Underground City (access points within a 10-minute walk): Especially useful in colder months or rainy weather.
You’re also just a few blocks from several art galleries, wine bars, and cozy restaurants — many of which feel like local secrets tucked into heritage buildings.
Final thoughts : Stay at Hotel Gault
If you’re looking for a place to stay in Montreal that combines historic charm, modern design, and a sense of calm, Hotel Gault checks every box. From the loft-style suites to the in-room breakfast and attentive service, it’s the kind of hotel that quietly elevates your entire trip.
Its location in Old Montreal makes it easy to explore the city’s most iconic spots on foot, while still offering a peaceful retreat at the end of the day. Whether you’re planning a romantic weekend, a solo city break, or even a work-from-hotel escape, Hotel Gault offers a refined, design-forward experience in one of Montreal’s most beautiful neighbourhoods.
*** This visit was at the invitation of Hotel Gault. All opinions remain mine.
Looking for more travel ideas? Check out my other blog posts here!
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I almost made a very different version of this reel.
Last time I posted about Smiths Falls, the comments surprised me and a lot of them seemed to come from people who actually live there. There’s nothing to do here. It’s boring. My first instinct was to make a whole clap-back video, screenshots and all.
But honestly? I get it. Nobody is a tourist in their own town. The canal is just the thing you cross on your way to work. The museum is where you went once on a school trip in grade four. When you see a place every single day, it goes invisible.
I grew up near the Bay of Fundy – home of the highest tides on the planet – and as a kid I thought it was the most boring place on earth. It took moving away to realize people cross oceans to see what was in my backyard.
So this reel is me being a tourist in your town for you. The 1912 bridge you’d paddle under if you hadn’t stopped noticing it. The museum where you can climb into the trains, and even sleep in one. The thrift trail. The mural. All of it.
To everyone who’s never been: this is your sign for an easy day trip from Ottawa or Kingston.
And to Smiths Falls locals: I dare you to do one thing from this list this weekend. Report back. 😌
What’s the thing in YOUR town that you’ve stopped noticing? I want to hear it.
🇫🇷 La version française est dans les commentaires.
#SmithsFalls #RideauCanal #OntarioDayTrip #ExploreOntario #smalltownontario
I have a confession: half my road trips are reverse-engineered.
I don’t pick a destination and find a coffee shop nearby. I pick the coffee shop, then build a whole day around justifying the drive. A hike here, a beach there, some antiquing, all very respectable cover stories for the fact that I drove two hours for an iced latte.
Because here’s what I’ve figured out after years of crisscrossing Ontario: the best coffee shops are never just coffee shops. They’re the unofficial welcome centre of every small town. The barista knows which trail is muddy this week. The regulars will tell you where to park for free. The bulletin board has better local intel than any travel blog, mine included.
So this list isn’t really about coffee. It’s about the 12 places I use as an excuse to keep exploring this province. Swipe through, every single one comes with what to pair it with so you can build your own cover story.
From Thunder Bay to the County, consider this your permission slip to drive unreasonably far for caffeine.
Which one’s closest to you? And more importantly, what’s YOUR coffee shop worth driving for? I’m always taking notes. ☕
🇫🇷 La version française est dans les commentaires.
#OntarioCoffeeShops #OntarioRoadTrip #DiscoverOntario #OntarioTravel #SmallTownOntario
For over a hundred years, the men who lived in this house woke up, looked at the lake, and went to work captaining the Wolfe Island ferry. Three generations of them. Same water, same crossing, every day.
I thought about that a lot during my stay at @themullinhouse_ (mainly from the bathtub, because the tub faces the lake and once you’re in it there’s no reason to be anywhere else.)
The Mullin House just opened as a stay, and those who brought it back to life did it in the best way that possible. Keeping the soul of the place.Places with an actual story make my job as a photographer easy. I just have to pay attention.
And if you want to stay here too: It’s a free 20-minute ferry from Kingston, 5 bedrooms, sleeps 10. So this is your sign to plan the group trip you keep talking about.
Save this for when you book it, and be honest, would you make it out of that bathtub by checkout?
Thank you to @themullinhouse_ for having me!
🇫🇷 La version française est dans les commentaires.
#wolfeisland #kingstonontario #thousandislands #exploreontario #ontariotravel
I grew up an hour from the Bay of Fundy. And every few years, my school would pile us onto a bus and take us to Hopewell Rocks or Fundy National Park. And every single time, as a kid, I thought : ‘okay, cool. Rocks. Trees. Can we go home now?’
I had absolutely no idea what I was standing next to.
It took me leaving New Brunswick, travelling across the country before I came back to the Bay of Fundy as an adult and genuinely had my breath taken away. I grew up next to one of the most extraordinary places on the planet and completely took it for granted. And I think a lot of Maritimers probably feel the same way.
This carousel is my attempt to fix that, for myself, and for anyone who’s never made the trip. Scroll through and I’ll show you exactly how I’d plan a road trip along the New Brunswick side, from the tidal flats to the coastal cliffs to the little fishing towns that feel completely frozen in time.
And if you have extra days to spare, Saint John is absolutely worth a stop, underrated city, great food scene, and it sits right on the bay.
I’m also heading back this summer to try a stay I’ve had my eye on for a while, I genuinely cannot wait to tell you all about it. 👀
Save this for your New Brunswick road trip. 🙌
👇 Have you ever been to the Bay of Fundy? Were you as underwhelmed as I was at 10 years old? 😄
🇫🇷 La version française est dans les commentaires.
#BayOfFundy #NewBrunswick #ExploreCanada #CanadaTravel #FundyNationalPark
I’ll be honest, when I pulled up to @whispering_springs I didn’t know what to expect. I’d seen the photos, I’d read the website, but nothing really prepares you for the moment you walk into your safari tent and realize this might actually be nicer than your apartment.
We’re talking a king bed, more space than I expected, and an actual bathtub, in a tent. I took a bath. In the woods. And I would do it again without hesitation.
Oh and the s’mores bar? Someone thought really hard about what would make people unreasonably happy at the end of a summer night and they nailed it.
Save this for your summer planning because at 90 minutes from Toronto there is really no reason to wait.
Now tell me have you ever gone glamping? If not, what are you waiting for!
🇫🇷 La version française est dans les commentaires.
#OntarioGetaway #GlampingOntario #OntarioTravel #WeekendGetawayOntario
ExploreOntario
Follow me on Instagram!
I almost made a very different version of this reel.
Last time I posted about Smiths Falls, the comments surprised me and a lot of them seemed to come from people who actually live there. There’s nothing to do here. It’s boring. My first instinct was to make a whole clap-back video, screenshots and all.
But honestly? I get it. Nobody is a tourist in their own town. The canal is just the thing you cross on your way to work. The museum is where you went once on a school trip in grade four. When you see a place every single day, it goes invisible.
I grew up near the Bay of Fundy - home of the highest tides on the planet - and as a kid I thought it was the most boring place on earth. It took moving away to realize people cross oceans to see what was in my backyard.
So this reel is me being a tourist in your town for you. The 1912 bridge you’d paddle under if you hadn’t stopped noticing it. The museum where you can climb into the trains, and even sleep in one. The thrift trail. The mural. All of it.
To everyone who’s never been: this is your sign for an easy day trip from Ottawa or Kingston.
And to Smiths Falls locals: I dare you to do one thing from this list this weekend. Report back. 😌
What’s the thing in YOUR town that you’ve stopped noticing? I want to hear it.
🇫🇷 La version française est dans les commentaires.
#SmithsFalls #RideauCanal #OntarioDayTrip #ExploreOntario #smalltownontario
I have a confession: half my road trips are reverse-engineered.
I don’t pick a destination and find a coffee shop nearby. I pick the coffee shop, then build a whole day around justifying the drive. A hike here, a beach there, some antiquing, all very respectable cover stories for the fact that I drove two hours for an iced latte.
Because here’s what I’ve figured out after years of crisscrossing Ontario: the best coffee shops are never just coffee shops. They’re the unofficial welcome centre of every small town. The barista knows which trail is muddy this week. The regulars will tell you where to park for free. The bulletin board has better local intel than any travel blog, mine included.
So this list isn’t really about coffee. It’s about the 12 places I use as an excuse to keep exploring this province. Swipe through, every single one comes with what to pair it with so you can build your own cover story.
From Thunder Bay to the County, consider this your permission slip to drive unreasonably far for caffeine.
Which one’s closest to you? And more importantly, what’s YOUR coffee shop worth driving for? I’m always taking notes. ☕
🇫🇷 La version française est dans les commentaires.
#OntarioCoffeeShops #OntarioRoadTrip #DiscoverOntario #OntarioTravel #SmallTownOntario
For over a hundred years, the men who lived in this house woke up, looked at the lake, and went to work captaining the Wolfe Island ferry. Three generations of them. Same water, same crossing, every day.
I thought about that a lot during my stay at @themullinhouse_ (mainly from the bathtub, because the tub faces the lake and once you’re in it there’s no reason to be anywhere else.)
The Mullin House just opened as a stay, and those who brought it back to life did it in the best way that possible. Keeping the soul of the place.Places with an actual story make my job as a photographer easy. I just have to pay attention.
And if you want to stay here too: It’s a free 20-minute ferry from Kingston, 5 bedrooms, sleeps 10. So this is your sign to plan the group trip you keep talking about.
Save this for when you book it, and be honest, would you make it out of that bathtub by checkout?
Thank you to @themullinhouse_ for having me!
🇫🇷 La version française est dans les commentaires.
#wolfeisland #kingstonontario #thousandislands #exploreontario #ontariotravel
I grew up an hour from the Bay of Fundy. And every few years, my school would pile us onto a bus and take us to Hopewell Rocks or Fundy National Park. And every single time, as a kid, I thought : ‘okay, cool. Rocks. Trees. Can we go home now?’
I had absolutely no idea what I was standing next to.
It took me leaving New Brunswick, travelling across the country before I came back to the Bay of Fundy as an adult and genuinely had my breath taken away. I grew up next to one of the most extraordinary places on the planet and completely took it for granted. And I think a lot of Maritimers probably feel the same way.
This carousel is my attempt to fix that, for myself, and for anyone who’s never made the trip. Scroll through and I’ll show you exactly how I’d plan a road trip along the New Brunswick side, from the tidal flats to the coastal cliffs to the little fishing towns that feel completely frozen in time.
And if you have extra days to spare, Saint John is absolutely worth a stop, underrated city, great food scene, and it sits right on the bay.
I’m also heading back this summer to try a stay I’ve had my eye on for a while, I genuinely cannot wait to tell you all about it. 👀
Save this for your New Brunswick road trip. 🙌
👇 Have you ever been to the Bay of Fundy? Were you as underwhelmed as I was at 10 years old? 😄
🇫🇷 La version française est dans les commentaires.
#BayOfFundy #NewBrunswick #ExploreCanada #CanadaTravel #FundyNationalPark
I’ll be honest, when I pulled up to @whispering_springs I didn’t know what to expect. I’d seen the photos, I’d read the website, but nothing really prepares you for the moment you walk into your safari tent and realize this might actually be nicer than your apartment.
We’re talking a king bed, more space than I expected, and an actual bathtub, in a tent. I took a bath. In the woods. And I would do it again without hesitation.
Oh and the s’mores bar? Someone thought really hard about what would make people unreasonably happy at the end of a summer night and they nailed it.
Save this for your summer planning because at 90 minutes from Toronto there is really no reason to wait.
Now tell me have you ever gone glamping? If not, what are you waiting for!
🇫🇷 La version française est dans les commentaires.
#OntarioGetaway #GlampingOntario #OntarioTravel #WeekendGetawayOntario
ExploreOntario