THE FACTS ABOUT HOTEL GODIN

Canada Montreal

Most of Montreal's boutique hotels are in the old city; but in winter, that quaint neighbourhood is pretty quiet. The Hôtel Godin, at the top of happening boulevard Saint Laurent, is a welcome wintertime alternative. It has sweeping views of the city thanks to its location and giant picture windows, and is set to install its own skating rink next winter. The Godin is part-owned by the group behind Buona Notte and Globe, two trendy restaurants on boulevard Saint Laurent; since the hotel opened in November, loyal clients have migrated up the street to the glass-fronted Bar Godin to drink maple Mojitos. The Godin is largely responsible for making hotel bars the new de rigeur stop in the city's hectic nightlife. Designed by avant-gardiste Joseph Arthur Godin in 1914, the building was the first poured-concrete structure in North America. The new owners have kept the original skin and gutted the interior, leaving only a heritage spiral staircase. The aluminium canopy on a five-storey, artificial-stone addition wraps around the original building like a friendly arm. The interiors are a beguiling bricolage of cutting-edge and Canadian-cosy. The lobby features grey-marble wall tapestries, modernist furniture and woodsy stump-like sculptures next to edgy steel art. Exposed-cement ceilings in some of the 136 rooms and 10 suites are offset by stained-oak walls, white-leather sofas and Castiglione lamps. WHEN TO GO Early winter for winter-wonderland scenes through the picture windows ROOM TO BOOK The Godin suite has a romantic Juliet balcony, and a round, white-leather sofa worthy of a James Bond set CONTACT Hôtel Godin, 10 Sherbrooke Ouest, Montreal, Canada (00 1 514 843 6000; fax: 843 6810; www.hotelgodin.com). Doubles from C$235 (about £100); Godin suite from about £220