Quebec City hotel deals and decadent delights

Story by Doug Wallace

QUEBEC CITY — With close to four million tourists descending on Quebec City every year, there is definitely a hotel to suit your needs, your aesthetic and your wallet. Here’s a look at the best places to stay if you’re seeking anything from an ultra-luxurious getaway to a reasonably priced beauty.

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The award-winning Relais & Châteaux gem Auberge Saint-Antoine (8 rue Saint-Antoine, www.saint-antoine.com, 888-692-2221) is by far the nicest place in town―warm, charming, comfortable, beautiful, storied. Partially built over the old rampart, the auberge has worked archaeological treasures discovered on the site into its décor. Unearthed crockery, glass, hardware and household items, some dating to the 1600s, punctuate cozy nooks, room entrances and lobby walls. Add in the coolest little bar, amazing bathrooms and the stellar Panache restaurant, and you may not actually leave the hotel. From $170.

• Down the road in what was one of the city’s first skyscrapers, Hôtel Le Germain-Dominion (126 rue Saint-Pierre, www.germaindominion.com, 888-833-5253) sports the fluffiest down bedding in dark, elegant rooms that manage to seem both old and new. A clean moody design features black ceilings and cabinetry, steam rads and black wooden blinds. Serious bathrooms; there’s just something extra decadent about a Frette bath mat. No restaurant here, but Bistro Le Brigantin and Le 48 Cuisine Monde are a few seconds away. From $200.

IT’S A CLASSIC
Also in Old Town, the neo-classic, 60-room Hôtel 71 (71 rue Saint-Pierre, www.hotel71.ca, 888 692-1171) was originally the National Bank’s first headquarters. Make it yours. From $200.

• Hôtel Clarendon (57 rue Sainte-Anne, www.hotelclarendon.com, 888-222-3304) is the oldest hotel in the city (1870). Drink in the history: this was where Roosevelt and Churchill met to discuss liberating France during WWII. From $120.

ULTRA HIP
Hôtel Pur, 395 rue de la Couronne (www.hotelpur.com, 418-647-2611) maintains an extremely cool vibe, very minimalist. Comfortable and very modern rooms have unique design features and great views. This property is right next to rue Saint Joseph Est, with it’s busy shops and great eateries. Table restaurant on the main floor is full of long, communal tables serving mostly small plates. From $130.

QUAINT & QUIET
There is no shortage of mid-price, three-star inns in and outside the walls. In fact, the town is full of them. These ones near Governor’s Garden and The Citadelle are just far enough out of the way to be quiet, but close enough to run back to if your shopping bags get heavy before lunch.

• Cap Díamant (39 avenue Ste-Geneviève, www.hotelcapdiamant.com, 888-694-0303) has 12 rooms, all with antique interiors. From $115.

• Hôtel Château Bellevue (16 rue de la Porte, www.vieuxquebec.com/en/bellevue, 800-463-2617) offers some nice views of the river and the park. From $100.

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• The epitome of quaint, Manoir Sur-le-Cap (9 avenue Ste-Geneviève, www.manoir-sur-le-cap.com, 418-694-1987) is a grand old stone house dating to the 1830s. From $85.

IN THE SHADOW OF CHAMPLAIN
Thousands upon thousands have stayed at the Fairmont Le Château Frontenac (1 rue des Carrières, www.fairmont.com/frontenac, 866-540-4460) so now it’s your turn. It boasts an impressive 610 rooms and it is always, always busy. Definitely stop into the bar for a martini even if you’re not staying there. From $250.

• A stone’s throw from the Frontenac sits the modern, mid-price Hôtel Sainte-Anne (32 rue Sainte-Anne, www.hotelste-anne.com, 877-222-9422). With red-brick walls and charming old windows that open onto the busker-busy, restaurant-lined street below, this spot is excellent value. “And you can’t beat the location,” according to repeat patrons from Montreal. From $100. Those in the know flock to Le Pain Béni, almost next door, to soak up the sexy red leather interior ― and the duck fat.

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