Mon Petit Nid Urbain

The rooms were comfortable and very clean, and the stay felt safe. The B&B is in the beautiful Sherbrooke area, with good access to the metro. The old manor has a gorgeous historic look and exceeded my expectations. Some of its older features take getting used to. The staircase to the upper floor is narrow and winding, the steps felt a little uneven, and carrying large bags up could be difficult. Breakfast didn’t wow us, as we thought it lacked flavor. We initially found the hosts pleasant, but their jokes and comments became uncomfortable. The humor didn’t feel appropriate, and some guests seemed uneasy, so we skipped breakfast for the rest of our stay.

Breakfast was the highlight for all of us. The food and conversation were so good that we stayed at the table long after eating. Ephraim and Yves were warm, welcoming hosts and easy to spend time with. Gingerbread Manor is full of charm, the location suited us perfectly, and parking was easy and convenient. They were accommodating throughout. We had a wonderful stay and will visit again.

We spent three nights at Gingerbread Manor and would happily book it again on another Montreal visit. It’s a historic, charming home and a welcome change from an ordinary hotel. The hosts were friendly and went out of their way to make us feel at home. Breakfast was excellent every morning, with something different each day. They also shared restaurant suggestions and looked up ideas for us during breakfast. We found a lovely French bistro within walking distance for dinner. The neighborhood is great for walking, with parks and lots of restaurants nearby. Old Montreal, Mount Royal, and Montreal Botanical Garden are walkable or easy to reach by taxi or public transit.

We chose this B and B for its central location, but the experience left us wishing we’d known more beforehand. We expected some gingerbread or cookie theme from the name, but there didn’t seem to be any connection. It felt more like an Air BnB, and the hosts didn’t introduce themselves until our third day, although they were involved at breakfast. The meals were disappointing. The first morning we got eggs with red sauce and what seemed like an African dish, but the eggs were runny and we hoped for more. The next day’s French toast on raisin bread was burnt and flavorless. We ate at a cafe on the last morning instead and enjoyed that. There were other breakfast options, but none made us want to eat in. Cooking fumes aren’t vented and reached the upstairs floor and bedroom. The smell got into our belongings, so we had to wash everything we’d brought. The hosts’ manner also made us uncomfortable. They made dirty sex and political jokes, inserted themselves into conversations, and more than once asked if our ice crampons were sex muzzle. Their conversations criticized places we had visited, they didn’t offer suggestions, and they were critical of people using things in the house. Items were labeled and had price tags. We would have appreciated instructions for the lights, since the house seemed to have Google voice but we didn’t know how to use it. We heard the hosts complain about other guests touching the switches. The house won a B and B award in 2010, but the upkeep felt neglected. Furniture was worn, the bathroom ceiling leaked, and we found mystery hairs in the bathroom and bed. There were nails and screws on the front porch steps, the floors weren’t vacuumed while we were there, and the place generally seemed unclean. We tried the toilet test and it hadn’t been cleaned. For what we paid, the central location was the main draw. This doesn’t feel like a welcoming place for someone looking for a romantic getaway. We try to raise concerns as they come up, but after watching the hosts, we didn’t think feedback would be taken seriously. They seemed to think only their own words mattered. Leaving nails and screws around is part of the neglected state of the manor, and shouldn’t be the guests’ responsibility.