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I stayed at the Montreal hotel named the best in the world and it was full of surprises

Tucked away in the heart of the Golden Mile, this award-winning hotel is more than unforgettable food and cutting edge design.

Laura Osborne
Written by
Laura Osborne
Editor, Time Out Canada
Four Seasons Hotel Montreal
Photograph: Laura Osborne | Time OutFour Seasons Hotel Montreal
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The sleek, sophisticated exterior of this hotel revealed an extraordinary interior as soon as I stepped inside.

The white marble lobby accented by gold elevators opened into a third floor reception area flanked by pink and grey velvet walls (that were, honestly, difficult for me not to touch). 

After a distracted check-in at the Four Seasons Hotel Montreal (I was too busy staring at the chevron floors), I was whisked back into the elevator and up to my room on the top floor. 

Four Seasons Hotel Montreal
Photograph: Laura Osborne | Time Out | Four Seasons Hotel Montreal

My sun-drenched room was highlighted by a minimalist four-poster bed swathed in clouds of the softest white linens.

Four Seasons Hotel Montreal
Photograph: Laura Osborne | Time Out | Four Seasons Hotel Montreal

A circular bar étagère practically winked at me to make my own cocktail, while a rose velvet chaise longue whispered: “Kick off those shoes and stay a while.”

Four Seasons Hotel Montreal
Photograph: Laura Osborne | Time Out | Four Seasons Hotel Montreal

The bathroom, all marble, bronze and gigantic dispensers of luxurious Byredo products, was home to the perfect bathtub (views of the city’s skyline included).

Four Seasons Hotel Montreal
Photograph: Laura Osborne | Time Out | Four Seasons Hotel Montreal

Time Out Tip: The floor to ceiling views from room 1225 are possibly the best in Montreal, with the iconic 21-storey Leonard Cohen mural to the left and Mount-Royal ablaze in its autumn glory to the right. At night, the illuminated mural is breathtaking. 

Four Seasons Hotel Montreal
Photograph: Laura Osborne | Time Out | Four Seasons Hotel Montreal

It's no wonder the hotel named the best in the world right now by Condé Nast Traveller's 2024 Readers’ Choice Awards. 

The Four Seasons Hotel Montreal
Photograph: The Four Seasons Hotel Montreal

A design and culinary gem, a stay at the Four Season Hotel Montreal isn’t complete without a visit to MARCUS Restaurant + Terrace and MARCUS Lounge + Bar, by celebrity Chef Marcus Samuelsson.

Four Seasons Hôtel Montréal
Photograph: Four Seasons Hôtel Montréal

Helmed by Executive Chef Jason Morris, the Montrealer who honed his skills in Michelin-starred kitchens around the globe from New York to Scandinavia, I was prepared for inventive, modern dishes served in an extremely stylish brasserie.

Four Seasons Hotel Montreal
Photograph: Laura Osborne | Time Out | Four Seasons Hotel Montreal

What I wasn’t prepared for was the chef’s counter experience.

Four Seasons Hotel Montreal
Photograph: Laura Osborne | Time Out | Four Seasons Hotel Montreal

After a cocktail in the supremely sexy bar (the Forbidden Fruit is an intoxicating mix of Belvedere Vodka, passion fruit, citrus, Tonka beans, black pepper and egg white) Seated at a marble counter overlooking the pass, I had a birds eye view of the kitchen in full swing—with Chef Morris popping by from time to time to talk sous vide and tuna.

Four Seasons Hotel Montreal
Photograph: Laura Osborne | Time Out | Four Seasons Hotel Montreal

The 7 courses, from the caviar latke to the fall dessert of our dreams made with local Hemmingford apples, were explained in detail by our knowledgable server, paired with wine by our adventurous sommelier and animated by the fabulous host, Richard. 

Bonus: the exclusive  chef's counter menu arrived on a scroll with a wax seal.

Four Seasons Hotel Montreal
Photograph: Laura Osborne | Time Out | Four Seasons Hotel Montreal

The dark hallway leading to the bathrooms between the bar and restaurant led to a serious surprise—the mirrors in the women’s bathroom create an infinity effect that felt like I was walking into an immersive experience.

Four Seasons Hotel Montreal
Photograph: Laura Osborne | Time Out | Four Seasons Hotel Montreal

And there were more surprises. 

Guerlain Spa at Four Seasons Montreal
Photograph: Guerlain Spa at Four Seasons Montreal

From the glow-in-the-dark crab exoskeleton in an infinity glass cube in the main foyer, to the exclusive entrance to the shopping mecca Holt Renfrew Ogilvy via the third floor—plus an art installation of ceramic petals cascading down 9 floors in a suspended stream—there was something to tease my staycation senses around every corner.

While I didn’t have time to try the Forbes Five-Star spa, I will be back.

Just the entrance gave me Parisian parfumerie vibes, not to mention the sky-lit pool and relaxation areas.

Four Seasons Hotel Montreal
Photograph: Laura Osborne | Time Out | Four Seasons Hotel Montreal

For more information about the Four Seasons Hotel Montreal, click here.

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