Cool Hunting

Set at a crossroads between downtown and the hip Plateau neighborhood, in an edifice that straddles old-world charm and modern exuberance, the six-month-young Hotel Godin is the newest boutique hotel to cater to the trendy jet-set crowd in Montreal.

On a corner where Joseph Arthur Godin designed this one-time mansion in 1915, the hotel has an old building, the Edifice Godin, and a new building, the Contemporary, however the only thing old about the “old” side is the beautifully maintained exterior structure and a preserved staircase now encased behind glass.

The lobby, with its clean lines and long runway-like hall, leads to one of the better in-hotel gyms I’ve ever seen. More than twice the size of other hotels, it has state-of-the-art equipment and an assortment of free weights and dumbbells (mind you, I merely appreciated the facility, and never indulged in exercising).

And each room has all the comforts of home – if your place looks like some of the luxe dwellings found on the pages of Metropolitan Home: sprawling king-sized bed with plush down comforter, numerous pillows and Egyptian cotton sheets, 27-inch flat-screen TV, in-room Internet access, cozy spa robes, mahogany desk and chest-of-drawers and views of downtown. But I was most impressed with the design of the bathroom – the open glass shower, white square-top floating sink, lush terry towels, accents by Umbro. Getting ready was a pleasure in this place.

I was treated to a tour of the hotel, which included a stop at the Godin Suite, a corner room in the old section of the hotel with a cozy Juliet balcony; and the Presidential Suite, a two-story apartment complete with a kitchen, electric shades, floor-to-ceiling (did I mention it was two floors?!) windows, office area, elegant modern trimmings and a bathroom almost as big as my regular room. You even get your own balcony with sweeping ‘scapes of Montreal. Hey, if this room was good enough for Gwyneth when she visited Montreal a few months back, it’s good enough for you.

Overall, I was really impressed with not only how gorgeous the hotel was, but also with the staff's attentiveness. Many times, when you check in to an upscale boutique joint, your room rate includes some snobbery and slight attitude dished out by hotel staff. Not here. Nothing but first-class grace.

Room rates range between $200-$500 (Canadian), so European and American travelers can relax in style, save a few bucks and relish knowing they're camping out at one of Montreal's splashiest stomping grounds.