Staying in a B&B is like spending the weekend at friends

I am a fan of B&Bs. So whenever I am not on a business trip, I always choose B&Bs over hotels as they make me feel at home. I like the individual style; that you get to know the owners, who usually have some helpful advice, and that you often meet new people at the breakfast table.

Last weekend I had a stop over in Montreal on my way back from our team meeting in Fredericton, and I stayed in a particular cute one with the lovely name “Couette et Chocolat”.

It was my first trip to this side of Canada, so when choosing the B&B I based my decision purely on Tripadvisor and Bookings.com reviews. I usually compare at least two sites, that way I can make sure the reviews are accurate. This strategy has never let me down. I also never choose the top rated ones – as often these owners are just very clever marketers and have their ways to get on top of the rankings. I try to choose one out of the top 50 and always make sure that there are some recent reviews by real people with real sounding names.

For my eventual choice, Couette et Chocolat, the reviews didn’t promise too much. It was in the best location one could find for a first time visit in a city, in walkable distance to all the tourist highlights: The historic City Centre “Old Montreal“, the Old Port, the shopping street Sainte Catherine Ouest, Boulevard Saint Laurent, Rue Saint Denis and even Mont Royal. And I walked it all. Twice.

I got to Montreal without having done any research apart from getting the advice of my lovely colleagues. They suggested a precise walking route that proved to be the best way to get to know all tastes of the city: English, French, Multi-Ethnic! It was perfect.