Just about everyone is aware that our neighbor to the north has no shortage of natural beauty, including mountains and frozen tundra, as well as secluded lakes and forests. But, Canada’s allure is not limited to the great outdoors as its cosmopolitan cities are clean, safe, friendly and multicultural. This point was driven home to me a number of years ago during an enjoyable business trip to Montreal. I started this journey at the Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI). However, since I was unable to find a direct flight on any airline out of BWI, I elected to make my connections aboard Air Canada, the nation’s flag carrier and largest airline. My mid-morning departure for Toronto was aboard an Air Canada Express Mitsubishi CRJ 900 operated by Jazz Aviation. There were 12 seats in the forward Business Class cabin encompassing four rows, each in a 1x2 configuration. My seat was 2A on the port side of the aircraft and it measured 21” in width with a 37” pitch. Experiencing no delays, we arrived at the Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) just ahead of schedule at close to noon. Since Toronto was my first port of entry, I had to clear Canadian Customs and Immigration on arrival but the formalities were quick and efficient.
With nearly two hours before my next flight, I headed for the Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge. There were no less than four lounges here in the carrier’s primary global hub and the sprawling lounge in Terminal 1, located on the fourth floor near Gate D 20, served the airline’s domestic Business Class passengers. This Maple Leaf Lounge occupied a premium location with commanding views over the tarmac and airport grounds. It was spacious and featured an abundance of natural light, but was very busy, welcoming thousands of passengers a day, which was why its open design reflected a focus on space efficiency over that of privacy. The décor was functional but hardly modern, and the space could’ve benefitted from a refurbishment. Three self-service bars and several buffet and dining areas were spaced throughout. The food spread included snacks, salads, hot comfort fare such as pasta, as well as cookies and fresh fruit. On the beverage front, there were soft drinks, a couple of red and white wines, several beers on tap, and a variety of spirits as well. A business center and some shower suites were also available to guests. I had enough time to have a leisurely lunch and get some work done before it was time to depart.
My connecting flight to Montreal’s Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport (YUL) was aboard an Airbus A321-200 aircraft with 20 seats in the front cabin, I had again selected seat 2A on the port side and these seats had identical measurements to those found in the forward cabin of the carrier’s CRJ 900 aircraft which brought me to Toronto. As this was a relatively short one hour and 20-minute flight, I was surprised that a snack was served after takeoff, consisting of a lovely smoked salmon plate with cucumbers, onions, tomatoes, and olives. Kudos to Air Canada. At 316 miles, this was shorter than a Los Angeles to San Francisco flight, where you’d only be treated to a beverage in First Class on any American carrier. The time passed quickly, between the snack service and the fact that I spent a good portion of the flight exploring the personal touch-screen TV on the seat back in front of me, which provided gate-to-gate access to hundreds of hours of on-demand audio and video entertainment. Again, we arrived early and I was in a cab en route to the hotel by mid-afternoon.
The Marriott Chateau Champlain was my hotel of choice. The check-in process was very smooth and the front desk staff appeared happy to welcome me. I was upgraded on arrival to a City View King Room with M Club Concierge Lounge access as a Lifetime Platinum Elite Member and was informed that the ground floor lounge would be open for morning breakfast as well as evening hors d’oeuvres and cocktails (for a fee). I was assigned to room 3310 and this 312 square-foot room with floor-to-ceiling soundproof windows featured a mix of wood and stone, along with some light touches of white, grey and gold. The king bed was flanked by two ‘floating” wooden side tables built into the back wall with plenty of outlets and USB ports. A modular chaise lounge was placed next to the window and the room also featured an in-room safe as well as an ample-sized work desk. Built in 1967 and renovated from top to bottom in 2021, the Marriott's 614 rooms and suites made it the third largest hotel in the city and its excellent downtown location couldn’t be beat.
That prime location was especially appreciated when my business was finished and I had an opportunity to take a short walk to visit Old Montreal. It’s a part of downtown that’s been preserved in much of its original state, with the oldest buildings dating back to the Seventeenth Century. I found the historic neighborhood to be a safe and vibrant community and the charm of this area could be attributed to its beautiful architecture and the diversity of its restaurants, lounges, museums and boutiques that line the historic streets in nearly all directions. The hotel concierge recommended I visit the Old Port Clock Tower and, after climbing its 192 steps, I was treated to a glorious view of the entire harbor in addition to an impressive look at the city skyline and the Saint Lawrence River. This wonderful replica of London’s Big Ben also serves as a memorial to the Merchant Marine seamen who perished in service to the country in the First World War.
Also in Old Montreal was the Pointe-å-Calliére, considered to be the largest and most frequently visited history museum in the city and the largest archeology museum in Canada. This museum was was built directly above several historic sites of national significance upon which the city was founded in 1642. A must-see destination for me, the hour-long guided tour, held daily in both French and English, covered the archeological ruins and was included in the C$27 price of admission. As a history buff, I particularly enjoyed the “Where Montreal was Born” exhibition, which began by taking us through underground tunnels winding our way along the path of centuries-old foundations of buildings which originally stood on the site. From comprehensive archeological digs starting in 1989, the museum collected various artifacts and recreated imagery from one of the older known sites associated with the city. It also went back even further in time to showcase Canada’s indigenous communities established in the area before the colonial period. The museum’s well-planned displays showed how the city evolved over time to become the bustling metropolis it is today.
Montreal’s famous Saint-Catherine Street was also easily accessed from the Marriott. This is the largest commercial artery in all of Canada with more than 1,200 merchants on this one street alone! From east to west, the street stretches for nine miles across the city, so there was certainly no way I had the time or stamina to cover all of it on foot. But, what I did see was impressive, including several shopping centers, an array of small boutiques, a number of restaurants, theaters and clubs. It was easy to see why Saint-Catherine Street first became the pride of Montreal more than a hundred years ago.
Unfortunately, my time in this world-class city was limited. I could easily have spent a few extra days there and hope to get back to Montreal once again in the not-too-distant future.
Until next time…safe travels.