5* Fairmont Queen Elizabeth

If you like your accommodation sociable, M Montreal puts you in a particularly handy spot just off Sainte-Catherine Street and close to the Gay Village. Berri-UQAM Metro is also nearby, making it easy to reach Old Montreal, downtown and neighbourhoods farther across the city. This is much more than a basic backpacker hostel. You can choose between well-designed dorms, private rooms and apartments, while the rooftop jacuzzis are a genuine highlight after a day exploring Montreal. There’s also a lively bar with live music and regular social events, shared spaces that make meeting other travellers easy, and free high-speed WiFi throughout. The atmosphere is young and energetic, but the range of private accommodation means you don't have to be travelling dorm-style to enjoy it. GayMapper tip: A particularly good choice for solo travellers who want to meet people while keeping Montreal’s LGBTQ nightlife within easy walking distance.

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.

In the heart of Montreal’s Golden Square Mile, Vogue Hotel Montreal Downtown, Curio Collection by Hilton is a polished base for shopping, restaurants and museums, with Sainte-Catherine Street just steps away. Peel Metro is close by, so evenings in the Gay Village are only a straightforward ride across downtown. Rooms are spacious and elegant, with plush beds and particularly impressive marble bathrooms featuring both showers and jetted tubs. Downstairs, YAMA brings an East-meets-West approach to dining and cocktails, while the Vogue Café works well for coffee and something lighter during the day. There’s also a fitness centre and dedicated wellness area. What gives Vogue its character is the attention to design, from the dramatic lobby to its quirky Cabinet of Curiosities, making it feel more individual than the average international luxury hotel. GayMapper tip: A great choice for couples who want a stylish downtown stay with shopping and dining outside the door and easy Metro access to the Village.

You couldn't ask for a much more convenient base for Montreal's LGBTQ scene. Bed & Breakfast du Village – BBV sits right in the Gay Village, with the bars, terraces and clubs of Sainte-Catherine Street East just around the corner and Beaudry Metro only a short walk away. This small, friendly guesthouse feels much more personal than a conventional hotel. Rooms are air-conditioned and comfortably furnished, breakfast is served in a communal dining area, and there are two outdoor terraces where you can relax between exploring the city and heading back out for the evening. Secure indoor parking is also available. The atmosphere is relaxed and sociable, with hosts who know the neighbourhood particularly well, making it especially appealing if Montreal's gay scene is a big part of your trip. GayMapper tip: One of the easiest choices in Montreal if you want to wake up, step outside and already be in the Village.

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.

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.