We stayed for 3 nights and loved our entire experience in Montreal, which really started with the great folks running this beautiful hotel. Very friendly staff and service. In fact, it was seamless service from the smart/quick & silent maneuvering Doormen upon our arrival, great food at XO Restaurant (dinner at bar, breakfat main room), highly knowledgable Concierge, and great Front Desk -- each deserves a special shout out because each made the entire wknd that much more enjoyable. Our ability to speak French was basic/filled-with-effort/amusing and the staff was gracious to let us practice (but we sucked and they still were very friendly. Not sure why that was so surprising to us, but it was). Room was well appointed and warm. Location in Old Montreal is excellent; a very pleasant stroll down to Rue St-Paul which offers a wide range of great restaurants. We explored a majority of the city to see if we "missed out" on staying somewhere else, and while Montreal offers plenty of great places, we plan to stay at Hotel Le St-James when we visit in the summer.

Flawless service, beautiful building, junior suites are well sized, technology wise in the 21st century, clean and beautiful. The only downside was the view (or lack thereof) as some rooms face inwards (inner courtyard, buildings fairly close by - I guess it's inevitable for some rooms), but we didn't mind. Had a snack at the restaurant and all food was delicious, even olives were prime quality. Breakfast was ordinary (and included if you book via Amex PTS).

If you drive, do not plan on parking "nearby", as this is Old Montreal and it's unlikely that you'll find the parking spot, hence hand the keys over and let the hotel valet park it - not the cheapest parking, but then again, if you're looking at the price alone, you should not be staying at this hotel.

As per breakfast note above, I recommend booking via Amex PTS as you also get late checkout (4PM) and USD100 credit, which covers drinks and snacks for a couple easily...

Hotel Le St-James in Old Montreal is a beautiful boutique hotel. Somewhat similar to the St. Regis in NYC: smaller in scale and with spectacular service.

Upon arrival I was warmly greeted by both the gentlemen out front and the ladies behind the check-in desk. All staff throughout my stay were warm, professional, very helpful, and tremendously polished in appearance.

An unexpected and delightful upgrade to a "superior junior suite" (from the original booking of a junior suite) put me in Room 1004. This suite does not have a separate bedroom; in fact, it appears to be an average-sized hotel room; nothing overly special, but lovely just the same. There is only one window to the room, but it lets in a tremendous amount of light. Bonus: it opens (yay - fresh air). Downside: no screen, so do try to make sure the critters don't mosey on in. No insects were flying about in November, but there were plenty of birds - and those pesky raccoons and rodents can find their way into any place - luckily, not my hotel room. Note to Staff: a screen on the window would be a great idea.

The room itself is decorated in an odd mix of Muskoka, French, and Asian influences, with red carpet and cream walls. The beautiful King bed (very comfortable) sits in a wood-surround frame - lovely to look at, but I am certain I'm not the only one who had bruised legs from bashing into it. Ouch!

The bathroom has a separate tub and shower (always a plus), but the toilet does not have a separate room (not a plus). The tub is a good "soaker" size, but narrow - not necessarily built for two, although perfect for one. Excellent water pressure from the shower and tub; poor from the sink. Princess comment: the toilet seat is the hideous horse-shoe style found in the washrooms of a public school. Ugh. Regardless of the fact that this suite was $400+ per night, I want a normal, not-so-ugly toilet seat!

Wonderful bath products from Molton Brown London. You may purchase a small selection of this line through Housekeeping at the hotel, or through Holt Renfrew in Canada (Holts carries a large selection).

There is a terrific selection of amazing magazines in the room; iPod dock beside the bed; cd player with radio on the desk; television is on the other side of the room from the bed - a rather odd location, but not an issue.

The room key is nifty, but very heavy - you may wish to leave it at the front desk because it adds unnecessary weight to your handbag, and would truly drag down your pocket.

On the main floor of the hotel, to your immediate right upon entering is a fantastic library. This is the size of a private, large dining room; very high ceilings; gorgeous fireplace; spectacular selection of books and magazines.

The bar and restaurant are GORGEOUS! I did not have dinner there, but will the next time. Drinks were served promptly by lovely staff. This spot is so yummy to be in, that if I lived in Montreal I would absolutely make a point of meeting friends there often. Even if you're staying in another hotel, please consider popping in to enjoy the atmosphere, drinks, and food.

Set in the basement, the Spa and Gym are something out of a Hollywood set: incredibly sexy, seductive, and rich. Very small in size, but this is essentially the one and only time where size doesn't matter, as the beauty and delicious vibe overwhelm the senses. A few friends have told me that the couples' massage is the most decadent thing to indulge in: it is foreplay to the extreme.

My "happy place" (Starbucks) is a 5-7 minute walk away, at the bottom of a hill. If it is icy or you're not comfortable walking back uphill for two minutes, you may wish to head over to the one on Notre Dame, 8-10 minutes away, with no hills.

A small, funky corner store is one block away. They have an "Internet Cafe", deli, and regular corner store items (including beer!), but are lacking in magazines.

The staff at all establishments speak perfect English.

Will I return? Yes. Will I check out other hotels in Old Montreal and Montreal? Absolutely. For the money, I would prefer my room to be a more updated in decor and with a separate toilet stall. Other than that, it was a truly wonderful experience.

Stayed here for two(2) nights with my wife and found the experience enjoyable except for some funky plumbing issues(old building, old plumbing). The hotel was gracious enough to move us to another room. Otherwise all the rooms were clean, the staff helpful. The decor is cozy with a mix of modern and more traditional elements. It has a luxury feel which is nice. The location is very good as you are a short walk uphill to the business district and never more than a short cab/subway ride from any shopping or sites. You could also stroll through Old Montreal and take in some of the old city which is recommended. It's not my favorite choice in the city but I would still recommend