Story by Barbara and Manos Angelakis
Photos by Manos Angelakis
Hotel Le Mount Stephen
1440 Drummond Street
Montréal, Quebec H3G 1V9
Phone: 514-313-1000
Toll Free: 844-838-8655
https://www.lemountstephen.com/
Montreal’s newest luxury boutique hotel Le Mount Stephen, combines a neoclassical 1880’s mansion with a contemporary glass tower to create a 5-star environment, right in the heart of Montréal’s Golden Square Mile, and a short walk from the Museum of Fine Arts, McGill University and the hustle and bustle of Rue Sainte-Catherine, the commercial artery of Downtown Montréal. The Golden Square Mile area was once home to Montreal’s wealthiest residents. Le Mount Stephen was the home of George Stephen, a Scottish immigrant who, at age 21, left home seeking fame and fortune. He arrived in Montréal in 1850 and set about making his fortune; first in textiles, then in banking, and finally as co-founder and first President of the Canadian Pacific Railway system. His business acumen made him one of the richest and most influential men in North America and he was ennobled with the title of Lord Mount Stephen in 1891.
In its current iteration, George Stephen’s home has remained mostly intact, along with its exterior and interior heritage features, but now also features an 11-floor modern tower behind the original structure. The cost of the sumptuous neo-Renaissance building in 1880 was $600,000; to convert it into a deluxe 5-star hotel in 2017 took $20 million.
The modern tower has 69 rooms and 21 suites along with 4 sky-loft suites and a 5000 square foot Royal Suite offering everything one needs for an unparallel stay in Montréal. The rooms are very well appointed and the bathrooms are an ode to state-of-the-art furnishings including a Toto multifunctional toilet, Cura Aquademy rain forest shower head with Chroma lighting therapy and heated non-slip floor tiles. In the bedroom, there is a touch panel for automated climate, lighting and curtain control. Multiple outlets and USB charger points are liberally located throughout the room.
While the modern structure has cutting edge technology and modern comforts, the mansion has old-world charm and opulence; each compliments the other and both are perfect for serving an upscale business and leisure clientele.
Only the finest materials were used when building the mansion for such a prominent family and many of the original objets d’art and furnishings still grace the public spaces of the property including a restaurant and very large bar on the first floor, the Bar George that is, even now, frequented by Montréal’s movers and shakers. The first floor walls and staircases are Mahogany imported from Cuba, intricately carved by craftsmen of extraordinary talent. The upper floors with their ultra-high ceilings still have the original wall coverings and most are adorned with massive marble fireplaces. His wife’s dressing room led out to a balcony large enough for tea parties and there are stained glass windows throughout, in keeping with the style of the late 19th century. On premise MBIOSPA Prestige Spa is a full service luxury facility offering treatments for mind, body, and soul.
What distinguishes this boutique hotel is the perfect geographic location; the quality personalized service; the historical character of the older building; and the contemporary functionality of the newer structure.
© February 2018 LuxuryWeb Magazine. All rights reserved.
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