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LUXURY RESIDENCES AND FINE DESIGN

JULY ⁄ AUGUST 2014

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CITY STYLE

Montreal Canada’s second-largest city enjoys worldwide recognition for its inclusionary design ethos.

x To describe Montreal as a North American city with a British back-

T H I S PA G E , T O P : S T É P H A N P O U L I N / T O U R I S M E M O N T R E A L ; I N S E T: C L A U D E - S I M O N L A N G L O I S ; O P P O S I T E PA G E , B O T T O M : A L E X A N D R E PA R E N T

ground and a French varnish is to oversimplify its complex nature. On this island city where the Ottawa and St. Lawrence Rivers meet, the downtown core is bordered roughly by Old Montreal, with its limestone edifices and cobblestone streets, and Mount Royal, whose elevation determines the height of all new construction (buildings are limited to about 51 stories), with people of more than 120 ethnicities residing in the avenues of the surrounding districts. Residents cling tenaciously to their Frenchness, using the language to protect their Quebecois culture, at the same time as they embrace new urban-design trends—both cutting-edge and quirky—such as digital lighting in public spaces and striking graffiti murals. Montreal was named a UNESCO City of Design in 2006 for prioritizing architecture and design that benefit all of its citizens, in manifestations as basic as its bike-sharing system and as overarching as the way it converted the Expo 67 World’s Fair grounds into a multifunctional recreational and residential area that is still well used nearly 50 years later. This collective joie de vivre translates to satisfying discoveries for visitors who happen upon Montreal’s many surprises. [ K AREN CAKEBREAD ]

Hotel Le St-James This European-style hotel in Old Montreal was originally the Merchants Bank building in the 19th century, and the basement vault now houses a spa. A local family purchased the building in 1997 and spent years shopping for furniture and art in Europe before opening the 60-room property (predominantly suites) in 2002. The penthouse suite, accessed by a private elevator whose bronze doors came from the first Waldorf Astoria, is a study in opulence, cloaked in Italian hardwood and green Chinese marble and commanding views from a spacious terrace. At XO Le Restaurant, which is bedecked with mezzanines and alcoves, diners savor local fare with a French Canadian twist, such as Tartare and Rockefeller (seared beef and oysters) or maple-glazed piglet.

514.841.3111, www.hotellestjames.com

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BOTA BOTA Moored in the Old Port, a former ferryboat serves as the funky framework for this fullservice spa. Sid Lee Architecture overhauled the five-level structure but retained some maritime elements: portholes (some large enough to sit in), calming relaxation spaces in shades of black that contribute to a sense of submersion, and upper decks that open up to the sounds of the port and views of the St. Lawrence and the city skyline. Among the many treatment options are a massage with live harp accompaniment, and a Nordic bath circuit that takes the recipient from a heated sauna to a cold pool. 514.284.0333, www.botabota.ca

THE RITZ-CARLTON MONTRÉAL The first Ritz-Carlton opened here in 1912 to welcome the carriage trade, and the grande dame’s glitterati have ranged from Queen Elizabeth II to Elizabeth Taylor, who married Richard Burton in the hotel’s Royal Suite. In 2012, after closing for a four-year, $200 million renovation, the property reopened to reveal a new residential wing and a restaurant from chef Daniel Boulud. The architecture firm Provencher Roy retained the building’s classic facade and Palm Court while modernizing the 96 rooms and 33 suites and adding a rooftop saltwater pool. 514.985.0464, www.ritzmontreal.com

The Gault A few blocks from Hotel Le St-James is a different spin on a 19th-century mercantile building turned hotel. The carved-limestone exterior is typical of Old Montreal, but the interior is modern. In the 30 rooms and suites, polished concrete floors are heated in the bathrooms; elsewhere they are warmed visually by the light from massive windows and by the light oak walls of built-in cabinets.

Furniture is in the styles of Eames, Bertoia, and Paulin, task lighting is by Artemide, and bath fixtures are by Duravit and Arne Jacobsen. 514.904.1616, www.hotelgault.com

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