Pensione Popolo

I loved this little old-school pensione in a fantastic Montreal neighbourhood, and the price was right. You’re surrounded by shops, restaurants, galleries, coffee shops, and bakeries, and there’s a bar and vegetarian restaurant downstairs with a food discount during your stay. Tammy, the manager, was super friendly and enthusiastic. Thanks for the hospitality! There are shared bathrooms and some noise from the street and concert venues, even though the rooms are soundproofed. The bedrooms, shared spaces, and bathrooms were all funky and super clean. It feels like a secret spot I want to tell everyone about!

This tiny, distinctive hotel has a lot going for it: good prices, a great location, lovely rooms, excellent cleanliness, and amazing management and staff. It’s one of the city’s rare finds, and I’d stay again every time. People with mobility issues should watch out for the narrow stairs up to the rooms, which are common in old buildings. From the subway, get off at Laurier station, walk down St. Joseph to the corner of St. Laurent, and you’re close.

As another review put it, “Weird. Which is ok if you are one.” It was meant as an insult, but I take it as a compliment. This place is distinctive, with cool decorations and furniture inside and great restaurants and shops right outside. We were so glad we stayed. There’s a bar and live music venue below, the bathrooms are shared, and parking isn’t included. That’s exactly what they advertise. If you need a quiet, cookie-cutter room, maybe try a holiday inn instead.

We slept really well after pushing the two beds together into what felt like a luxurious Alaskan king, and there was even a down pillow. The room was clean, although the floor under the bed could have used more attention. It has a cute vintage feel, and it was nice bumping into other travellers. We booked a room with its own bathroom since we're past the shared-hostel-toilet stage. For the price and location, it's a good choice if you just need somewhere warm and comfortable to sleep. Parking wasn't really available nearby, but we found an underground lot about a 10-minute walk away. I'd stay again.