Montcalm East Autograph Collection

We keep coming back to Montcalm Hotel Restaurant & Bar for coffee, and it’s always great. My friends and I have eaten there a few times too; everything was fresh and really enjoyable. It’s a calm, comfortable spot with a lovely atmosphere, and you can tell the team takes pride in their work. The staff are genuinely welcoming and the service is consistently excellent. Kowshic deserves a mention in particular: he’s approachable, attentive and makes things feel personal. I’d definitely recommend it for friendly service, good food and coffee.

The spa was clean enough and has potential, but it’s small. If it’s quiet you can probably enjoy it, while a busy visit won’t feel relaxing. Other guests didn’t follow spa etiquette, which isn’t the staff’s fault, but it’s useful for potential customers to know. The music was pop, and I’d have preferred something more suited to a spa. This review is only about the spa; we didn’t book a hotel stay or eat in the restaurant. The person who stood out was Anini, the South Asian spa receptionist who greeted us. I believe that was her name. She was professional, kind and welcoming, and really was the highlight of our spa day. Booking a package online was easy. A receptionist I spoke with by phone came across as rude, though she was helpful and professional over email. There were some avoidable changes to our bookings. We booked a massage time, then found out at the last minute that it had changed. Nobody told us in advance; we happened to know the right time because I’d booked use of the spa facilities before the treatment. Without that, I might have been late, and they wouldn’t have been able to fit my partner and me in. We were also meant to have a couples room as part of the package, but were moved at the last minute into separate rooms at slightly different times, again without advance notice. Separate rooms would have been fine if the treatments were at the same time, but guests should be told about changes, since sharing a room matters to some people. My therapist was warm, kind and lovely in her manner, with excellent customer service. Unfortunately, the massage itself wasn’t good. I’m a sports therapist with 5+ years of experience, so I know what should happen in a massage. The therapist didn’t seem to have enough training or experience. In a 50min massage, all body areas except the head should be worked unless agreed otherwise beforehand; my legs and arms were barely touched. There were very light strokes and no other manual techniques to release muscle tension. My lower back and feet were neglected, and my neck was avoided completely. My upper back got more time, but the work went abruptly from super light to super deep instead of building gradually. The point pressure wasn’t firm and controlled, which can injure a client and do more harm than good. When I asked for more pressure generally, she suggested upgrading to deep tissue. Deep tissue isn’t simply a higher pressure version of Swedish massage. The technique is different, though a Swedish massage can still use higher pressure without deep tissue or sports techniques such as trigger pointing, pressure pointing, CTM, cross fibre, joint mobilization and passive stretching. The package included a de-stress massage, which some places use to mean a Swedish massage, a basic relaxing massage at medium pressure with different hand manipulations of the tissues, or a hybrid of deep tissue and Swedish techniques adapted to the client’s needs. During the treatment she checked her phone and typed twice, and several times checked a paper. I’m not sure what it was, but nothing besides the massage should be happening during one. I also wouldn’t recommend therapists touching guests’ belongings, to avoid possible accusations of stealing or handling someone’s property. The therapist may have been taught to do that in beauty or massage school, but it isn’t advisable. This isn’t meant as a negative critique. The spa has a lot of potential and just needs to improve a few things.

The location was perfect, and we appreciated the Elite status recognition. Our rooms were good, the spa was relaxing, and the concierge and reception team, including Sean, were lovely. The spa receptionist was really nice too. A tip: go when it opens if you want to enjoy the facilities to yourselves. Would recommend.

Cristina was calm and proactive while sorting out several logistical problems, making sure the executives were properly looked after and everything was handled. Martin also deserves a shoutout for genuine care and guest relations during my stay. The rooms are new, clean and very comfortable, and the hotel was quiet and well maintained. Once we’d settled in, things felt smooth and relaxing. The location is excellent, with food, cafes and groceries easy to reach. Getting to the hotel can be a bit complicated, especially on the first arrival, and the check-in area gets congested at peak times. Even with those logistical challenges, the experience was very solid. Strong staff support made the difference. Comfortable stay, great location. I’d stay here again.