Weekend Getaway with W Montreal
The most common question I get asked is: Why I love Montreal? Well, the answer is simple. The answer lies in the intersection between magnificent gastronomic creations, cozy café corners and urban art lurking in unforeseen places. Every little nook in the city has something to offer. The juxtaposition of old and new gives the city so much character… something that I look for when visiting a new city. (I guess you could say I’m a bit of a history buff.)
DAY ONE
When the W Montreal offered me a weekend getaway to this beautiful city, I didn’t think twice! I messaged a few of my closest friends, organized the trip, packed my bags and before I knew it, I was saying Bonjour to Montreal. My excitement to step foot into the W was real. It was my first time stepping into the W Montreal and let me tell you, the interior was breathtaking.
Michael, Alexa and I arrived at the hotel early Saturday morning and dropped off our bags at concierge as we waited for Melissa to arrive into the city! Caroline, the W Insider, greeted us with a warm welcome in the hotel lobby. She ensured that we felt right at home. Caroline gave us a couple of suggestions in the city for places to eat, drink and shop! The best part of it all… She gave us her contact information so if we were unsure on where to go or what to see in the city, we could just send her a text! (It’s like having your own personal Siri but in real life and we loved it!)
As we waited for Melissa to arrive, we indulged in one of the best brunches I’ve had in the longest time. Our hungry bellies took us to Lili. Co. located in Le Plateau Mont-Royal. This was no ordinary brunch. (I’ll share details in another post because it was just that good!) If there is one thing I appreciate about Montreal, it has to be their eclectic coffee culture. After brunch, we stumbled upon Café Replika; a cozy café with rustic wooden tables, vintage couches and high ceilings. The baristas certainly knew their coffee well. We warmed up on a chilly afternoon with my go-to drink, a cortado.
Before we knew it, my phone buzzed and Melissa had arrived from New York City! There were nothing but warm tight hugs passed around as we tried to contain our excitement from seeing each other after a long few months! At this moment, the crew officially re-united and it felt so good.
Every little detail was taken care of as we all checked into our rooms. The staff at the hotel ensured that our check-in process was seamless! As we entered our rooms, we were in complete awe to see the beautiful décor and to top it off, the hotel left us little gift bags with a personalized hand written note that said:
“Welcome to beautiful Montreal! Please don’t hesitate to let us know how we can make your stay more fabulous! Whatever… Whenever…"
It’s safe to say that we spent an equal amount of time in our rooms as we did exploring the city. When the rooms are this comfortable, it’s hard not to kick back and relax!
Like they say... When in Montreal, eat like the locals and so we did! Over the past little while, I received several recommendations to check out Le Vin Papillon in Le Soud-Ouest. The line up is usually out the door as they don't take reservations but we were lucky to go there early and not have to wait long before we got seated. Our server, Alex customized a personalized menu for us saving the hassle of picking and choosing from the menu written en francis on a blackboard posted on the wall. The meal took us through a journey of the french cuisine featuring fresh local produce and meats. We were not disappointed. If you're a little adventurous with your taste buds, I would highly recommend this spot!
A gastronomic journey though our mini-chef's table experience led to a food baby for all. As the itis kicked in, we were ready to head back to our hotel rooms and relax. But first, a hot shower was in order. Nothing beats the feeling of a hot shower after a long day and sliding on a comfortable robe as you cozy up in bed and get organized for the next day... and so I did.
DAY TWO
My Sunday Motto: "Sleep until you're hungry, then eat till you're sleepy." I slept like a baby, literally. The beds at W Montreal are so comfortable, it's like you're sleeping on a cloud! Sundays are meant to be lazy and I sure had a lazy start to the day, followed by a little pampering of course! I always say, when on vacation TREAT YO SELF. My morning began with a relaxing bubble bath alongside some of my favourite tunes. I felt like a little kid again. The only thing missing were the floatable toys! (quack quack!)
One of my favourite things to do on a Sunday is getting together with friends and brunchin' but sometimes it's nice to not have to step out and order in for once! With the touch of a button, we were able to order this mouthwatering GRAND brunch spread that took no time to devour! It was nothing short of delicious. We experienced culinary bliss without wandering far.
When you're travelling with Melissa (aka our Coffee + Room Service Queen!), a cafe crawl is in order! We worked our way through some of the city's best cafes including:
Our last night at the W consisted of getting together in the girls' room and looking back at all the photos we took during the trip alongside a bottle of red wine and of course... late night pizza! (my weakness) It was a short, sweet and memorable trip and everything could have not been possible without the wonderful staff at the W Montreal and most importantly my favourites: Alexa, Michael and Melissa!
Montreal, you've been good to us. This mini-getaway with the crew was a friendly reminder that I'm surrounded by talented, inspiring individuals that continue to motivate me daily. I'm only counting down the days till our next adventure.
From left to right: Melissa Male (@melissamale), Michael Biro (@globalgarcon), Alexa Fernando (@ajfernando) & Me!