Which is best, Four Seasons Montreal Vs. Ritz Carlton Vs. Hotel Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth? Four Seasons, Ritz Carlton, and Fairmont hotels are all reliably excellent hotel brands. Four Seasons is a particularly outstanding hotel brand, and we consider Grand Hotel Cap Ferrat a Four Seasons hotel, which takes style accents from its classic and historic French architecture, to be one of the best hotels in the world.
The same goes for the Four Seasons in Montreal. It is the best for overall luxury out of these three hotel options. We delve into the details below so that you can work out which hotel is the best for you.
1. Four Seasons Montreal Vs. Ritz Carlton Vs. Fairmont: Location
The sleekly modern Four Seasons Montreal forms the vibrant new epicenter of the Golden Square Mile, so it finds itself in probably the best location in Montreal. Equally well placed is the Ritz-Carlton Montreal, just a 4-minute walk from the Four Seasons.
Hotel Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth is a 16-minute walk away from the center of the Golden Square Mile, so is not in such a good location. Four Seasons and Ritz-Carlton both win in terms of location.
2. Style
Four Seasons Montreal feels like a sanctuary in this buzzing city. Everything in this hotel is modern and stylish. Ritz-Carlton is more Ritz-Carlton in style, offering classic elegance with fancy light fittings. Again like the Four Seasons, it is immaculate but has a slightly different feel. The Fairmont has a modern, slightly European modern style. While it is undoubtedly an excellent hotel, too, our preference of decor puts Four Seasons best, followed by Ritz-Carlton, followed by Fairmont.
3. Rooms
The biggest differentiator between booking these hotels is the room size. The Four Seasons base rooms start at 38–44 m², (408–473 ft²). These rooms are blessed with floor-to-ceiling windows (some overlooking a building-sized mural of musician/local son Leonard Cohen), bright white bedding and walls, and offer deep-soaking tubs. The feel is very modern with a hint of Oriental (or maybe that’s just me!). I like these rooms the best.
The rooms at the Ritz-Carlton are also great, with more classic decor, and smaller windows than the Four Seasons, and room sizes start at 38 m² (400 ft²). While these rooms are lovely, I prefer the modern look of the rooms at the Four Seasons.
Fairmont room sizes start at 23 m² (250 ft²). They feel small in comparison to the other hotels, and the 1960s-style decor is somewhat marmite. You either love it or hate it.
4. Pool
The pool at the Four Seasons is brilliant. The skylight-topped pool is decked out in white marble and edged with comfy loungers. It’s a small but immaculate and luxurious place to hang out. The Ritz-Carlton has a spa with advanced treatments and a large indoor saltwater pool with a skyline view. The Fairmont pool is large and has a hot tub and saunas. This is also a great pool.
If you need a large Lap pool, I would pick Ritz-Carlton first and Fairmont second. The Four Seasons pool is a lovely space, but it is quite small.
5. Club Lounge
The Fairmont has the best executive club lounge in Montreal. There is no club lounge at the Ritz-Carlton or the Four Seasons.
Guests of the Fairmont Gold floors and lounge can enjoy the redesigned Fairmont Gold lounge located on the 21st floor. The dedicated team ensures that your every need is met in the exclusive Fairmont Gold lounge, arranging dinner reservations, limousines, and any other special privileges. Start your day off perfectly with a healthy and bountiful deluxe continental breakfast while enjoying breathtaking views of downtown Montreal from the lounge. Throughout the day, you can enjoy coffee, tea, soft drinks, a curated honor bar, and complimentary cocktail canapés made with local delicacies in a residential homelike atmosphere that encourages relaxation.
Fairmont Gold Rooms are located on the 18th and 19th floors and are fully renovated, blending a contemporary decor with a vintage 1960s flair reminiscent of the hotel’s and Montreal’s glorious past. Fairmont Gold rooms can accommodate up to four people, depending on bed type.
6. Bar & Restaurant
All the hotels have great bars and restaurants. I love the look and feel of the luxurious Four Seasons bars and restaurants, but the Ritz Carlton has lovely gardens and alfresco decked patios outside, so, in the summer, it is a Ritz-Carlton I would favor.
At Four Seasons, visionary chef Marcus Samuelsson takes the traditional brasserie in exciting new directions, with an expansive third-floor terrace, but it doesn’t feel as “garden” like or relaxing as the options at the Ritz-Carlton. In my opinion, the Fairmont restaurants don’t come close to those at Four Seasons or Ritz-Carlton.
7. Conclusion
All of these hotels are magnificent hotels. We prefer the Four Seasons and Ritz-Carlton over the Fairmont unless you require a club lounge, in which case the Fairmont Gold rooms are also worth considering.
Copyright Luxury Travel Diary 2014 - 2024. Duplication outside of luxurytraveldiary.com is forbidden.
Image © pink candy / Adobe Stock.
Note: Benefits & upgrades subject to availability. Benefits offered correct at the time of writing. Terms & conditions apply. Enquire for more information. Posts may be sponsored by the proprietor or brand being appraised. All opinions remain our own & are in no way influenced.
