Montréal, QC
We visited Montreal at Christmastime, but it is a completely different city in the summer! Last time, we explored Old Town, but this time we stuck to the northern end of the city. It was also Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day long weekend and so there was an extra buzz in the air this time!
Omni Hotel As my main reason for travelling to Montreal was to attend a conference at Centre Mount Royal, we stayed in the nearby Omni Hotel for our first night. Rita cost me a one-off charge of $125, but as I opted for complimentary membership of their “Select Guest” programme, I won’t have to pay it again for any future stays! There were no special doggy touches, but Rita was quite content in the spacious room.
Doggieville On the morning of the first day of my conference, I dropped Rita off at Doggieville MTL’s Sam’s Lodge for a few days. This was a very upmarket setup, complete with “Lola’s Corner” boutique and Ruby’s Café for human visitors, each facility named after Doggieville family pups! There were many extras to add onto a stay, and Rita enjoyed a Yoda’s Splash Swim Session and a goodnight treat. There was even an option to have a Facetime with me during her stay! Although on the pricey end, I was very content knowing Rita was in the care of experienced handlers, with pet first aid training and an on-site behaviour-specialised groomer.
Hotel10 After my conference, we switched to Hotel10, which must be the most pet-friendly hotel in the city! We added the “pet spa package” to our stay, so Rita received her very own branded robe and additional goodies! She was given an immense welcome and I felt comfortable taking her everywhere in the hotel. I was able to sit and work in the lobby while she slept in a doggy bed and the manager fed her treats, and on Friday evening we had the colourful terrace to ourselves to relax, so I was able to let her wander around off-leash. On the walls of each floor was a display of unique artwork, best appreciated from highlighted positions on the carpet. The room was at a noisy junction and small but stylish, with a king-sized bed. Located in the Quartier des Spectacles, it was the ideal base for exploring this side of the city.
Saint Houblon The pedestrianised Saint Denis St in Quartier Latin and the adjacent Quartier des Spectacles is a lively spot for a dog walk (unless your dog doesn’t cope well with music and ruckus)! A photographer even stopped Rita for a photo! There are a bunch of restaurants with outdoor seating, and we decided upon Saint Houblon Microbrasserie. We had to wait a bit for a table but it was certainly worth it! I had a “burnt squash” dish with the most amazing combination of flavours. Rita was given a bowl of water by the friendly staff and we took home a 4-pack of their beer for James.
Aire Commune If you’re working like me, or simply looking for a spot to catch up on emails, the Îlots d'été network of open-air remote working spaces is perfect for you! Our closest one was on Saint Laurent Boulevard. They are fitted out with Wi-Fi and power sockets and the company behind them, Aire Commune, hosts events throughout the summer to bring the individuals within the community together. Most importantly, bring your dog to work day can be every day!
Parc La Fontaine This is a medium sized park with lots of grassy spaces and trees to shelter under. Rita and I wandered through and watched the tennis, bowls, football and beach volleyball against the backdrop of Chalet du Parc La Fontaine. We most enjoyed walking along the lakeside, and marvelling at the fuzzy baby ducks. Rita also took a dip. There’s even a large dog park, although the dogs weren’t playing much due to the heat. We walked back to the hotel via Saint-Laurent Boulevard, where there are lots of fascinating murals.
Duc de Lorraine For Saturday brunch, we met my friend Leanne and headed to this Parisian-style patisserie. It was overpriced (over $50 each), but the crepes we both got were very good and portions were large. Rita was also given some water and treats by the waiter!
Mount Royal Park We had visited Mount Royal at Christmas, but it was covered in snow! This time, we spent 2 hours walking all the trails, some being gravel paths, and others wooded trails. It was raining but we were still able to enjoy the fresh air and greenery. We started with a circuit of Beaver Lake, visited George-Étienne Cartier Monument (in honour of one of the fathers of the Confederation of Canada) and took the “grand staircase” up to the Belvedere Kondiaronk for views of the city. On our descent, we discovered a family of 4 racoons playing in a tree! Super cute.
Barley On our way out of the city, we made two important stops. First was brunch at Barley! This repeatedly appeared on dog-friendly lists I came upon during my planning, and for good reason! Rita was welcomed on the patio with a bowl of water. I had the infamous matcha pancakes, which tasted as awesome as they looked! Perhaps a more appropriate choice, given Barley deems itself a cereal bar, is “The Original”, a choice of up to four cereals with milk. Or you may simply enjoy a side of cereal with your latte, in lieu of biscotti. #YesMomIHadBreakfast is their very fitting tagline.
Parc-nature du Cap-Saint-Jacques Surrounded on 3 sides by water, this was a lovely walk for a hot summer’s day, albeit with a haze from the ongoing wildfires in the province. Dogs are not allowed in the beach area, so ensure you enter via the hiking trail gate. We began with the 5km red hare trail, with views of the water (and a couple of opportunities for a dip). This was a mix of tarmac, gravel and dirt tracks and took us past plenty of picnic areas, the eco-farm and the sugar shack. QR codes dotted along the trails made it easy to access a map. We also took on the yellow beaver trail, an inner loop which ventured through forest and meadows. Rita was satisfactorily tired out ahead of our long drive home!
