Gay Montreal

Montreal's W feels suitably playful without abandoning the character of the city around it. W Montreal occupies the historic former Banque du Canada building on Square Victoria, putting Old Montreal, the convention district and downtown within a few minutes' walk. Inside, the look is bold and contemporary, with stylish rooms and suites, a fitness centre and several places to eat and drink. The Living Room switches from daytime coworking space to evening bar, while regular DJs and music events give the hotel more social energy than the typical upscale business stay. Some of the larger suites add terraces with city views. The Gay Village isn't immediately outside, but Square-Victoria-OACI Metro makes getting across downtown straightforward, so you can enjoy the Village at night and return to a very different atmosphere. GayMapper tip: Choose the W if design, cocktails and a lively hotel bar matter as much as proximity to the gay scene.

Right on the edge of the Gay Village, Hyatt Place Montreal - Downtown is a useful option if you want the location of a Village hotel with the facilities of a larger full-service property. Sainte-Catherine Street is just outside and Berri-UQAM Metro is around the corner, putting both the gay scene and the rest of Montreal within very easy reach. Rooms are unusually spacious for a downtown hotel, with seating areas, big TVs and mini-fridges. There's also an indoor swimming pool, a 24-hour fitness centre, bar and breakfast service – handy additions if you're staying for more than a quick weekend. With more than 350 rooms, the atmosphere is lively and urban rather than intimate, and the location works particularly well for combining nightlife with Old Montreal and the Quartier des Spectacles. GayMapper tip: Probably the best addition to the current list if you want a pool and proper hotel facilities while remaining genuinely close to the Village.

For a simple central base with excellent transport connections, Hôtel St-Denis gets the important things right. It's in the Latin Quarter, just around the corner from Berri-UQAM Metro and within an easy walk of the Gay Village, so you can head out along Sainte-Catherine Street without needing taxis or complicated late-night journeys. The hotel has a traditional, independent feel, with spacious air-conditioned rooms rather than the increasingly tiny rooms found in many newer city hotels. There's a 24-hour reception, and the surrounding streets are packed with casual restaurants, cafés, theatres and festival venues. The location also makes sightseeing straightforward: the Quartier des Spectacles is nearby, while Old Montreal and the waterfront are easily reached on foot or Metro. GayMapper tip: Particularly useful when Montreal hotel prices jump during Pride or festival weekends and you want to stay close to the Village without blowing the budget.

Sitting between the Latin Quarter and the Gay Village, Fairfield by Marriott Montreal Downtown is a particularly practical base if you want nightlife nearby without making it the entire focus of your stay. Berri-UQAM Metro is close by, with Sainte-Catherine Street East, the Village and the Quartier des Spectacles all easily reached on foot. Rooms are modern and unfussy, with larger one-bedroom suites adding separate living space, a refrigerator and microwave. A complimentary hot breakfast is included, there's a 24-hour fitness centre and an on-site restaurant, which gives it a useful amount of substance for a three-star hotel. It's also well placed for exploring beyond the Village, with Chinatown and Old Montreal within easy reach and excellent Metro connections across the city. GayMapper tip: A strong all-round choice if location and value matter more than boutique style – free breakfast is a useful bonus in an otherwise fairly expensive city.

Few Montreal hotels come with quite as much history as Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth. Sitting directly above Central Station in the heart of downtown, it also connects into Montreal's underground city – particularly welcome when winter weather makes wandering the streets considerably less appealing. This is a large full-service hotel with 950 rooms and suites, an indoor pool, hot tub and saunas, Moment Spa, several places to eat and drink and the cocktail-focused Nacarat bar. Its most famous room is Suite 1742, where John Lennon and Yoko Ono staged their 1969 Bed-In for Peace and recorded Give Peace a Chance. The Village is east of downtown rather than on the doorstep, but Metro connections make nights out there straightforward. GayMapper tip: A great fit if you like landmark hotels with a story – and Suite 1742 is one of Montreal's more unusual hotel splurges.

There's some genuine Montreal history behind the polished interiors at Hotel Birks Montreal. The hotel occupies the landmark Birks jewellery building on Phillips Square, giving you a central downtown base close to shopping, museums and the Quartier des Spectacles, with the Gay Village easily reached by Metro. The restored building combines grand architectural details with contemporary rooms and suites, some of which have private terraces overlooking the city. Henri Brasserie Française brings a little Parisian flavour downstairs, while in-room spa treatments are available when sightseeing and late nights finally catch up with you. Despite the ornate surroundings, the hotel feels intimate rather than like a huge convention property, which makes it particularly appealing for couples and special-occasion stays. GayMapper tip: A lovely choice if you want traditional five-star elegance and an independent feel, while keeping Montreal's gay nightlife only a short Metro ride away.