Chateau Versailles Montreal - Hotel Review

Historic Montreal Meets Modern Comfort

The exterior of Château Versailles

Château Versailles boasts a history as rich as the city it inhabits. It sits on grounds that first housed a religious order and then in the 18th century a fort and château, designed by Abbé Vachon de Belmont to pay tribute to the original Château Versailles. A new incarnation brought townhouses to the site (inhabited by the owner of Montréal's first automobile and a Lieutenant Governor General, among others). One of these townhouses was turned into the small Versailles Lodge in 1958; later, with the addition of three more townhouses, the Château Versailles was born.

When the property (and its sister, Le Meridien Versailles-Montréal, across the street) received a facelift to the tune of $8.5 million, hotelier Vikram Chatwal of New York City's The Time fame managed to infuse a breath of fresh air while respecting the building's past, hanging onto original details such as moldings, fireplaces and Art Deco lamps. He enlisted architect Edward Hercum for the renovations and designer Patricia McClintock for the interiors. Bornand raised in Southeast Asia, McClintock has a flair for the exotic, and her signature touches grace the 65 bedrooms and suites—shades of saffron and tangerine, Arabesque fabrics and Matisse-inspired paintings. Adding local color are contemporary artworks from Quebec artists.

The hotel has all the modern amenities, including a restaurant, in-room data ports and Nintendo, a business center, and a gym and sauna.