More about hotels in Quebec
Say "Quebec" to most Aussies and snow's the first thing that comes to mind, and fair enough. But this eastern Canadian province is really two very different cities with a whole lot of wilderness stretched between them: Montreal's laneways and food markets, Quebec City's cobblestone old town, and mountains, lakes and sugar farms filling in the rest of the map.
It's also the one part of North America where French comes first, on menus, street signs and radio, which makes even a short stopover feel further from home than the flight time suggests. Whether you're after a romantic city break, a ski week or a slow drive along the coast, there's a stay here to match it.
Where to stay in Quebec
- Old Quebec (Quebec City): cobblestones, horse-drawn calèches and a skyline stolen by one giant castle hotel. Best for first-timers who want the postcard version of the province.
- Old Montreal: 17th-century stone warehouses turned into rooftop bars and design hotels along the old port, a short walk from Notre-Dame Basilica's gold-leaf, blue-vaulted interior. Best for a food-and-nightlife weekend.
- Mont-Tremblant: a pedestrian ski village at the base of the Laurentians, with colourful chalets and a gondola right outside your door. Best for a ski trip or a lakeside summer escape.
- Laurentides (the Laurentians): lakes, hiking trails and small towns north of Montreal. Best if you want mountain air without the resort price tag.
- Gaspésie: a rugged coastal peninsula with cliffside drives and fishing villages. Best for road-trippers chasing scenery over crowds.
How much is Quebec accommodation?
Expect to pay around AU$200-250 a night on average across the province, with Old Quebec and Old Montreal both running higher than smaller towns like the Laurentians or Gaspésie.
- Budget/Hostels: from AU$90 per night. A bunk or a basic private room, usually a short bus ride from downtown.
- Budget hotels/Guesthouses: from AU$150 per night. Clean, simple rooms, often inside a converted rowhouse.
- Mid-range/Apartments: from AU$210 per night. Walkable to the old towns, with room to spread out if you're travelling as a family.
- Boutique: from AU$320 per night. Heritage stone buildings with a handful of individually decorated rooms.
- Luxury/Resorts: from AU$430 per night. Full-service spas, ski-in access, or a room inside an actual 19th-century château.
Rates climb hardest in February around Winter Carnival and through the ski season, and again in autumn once the maple leaves turn. Book a few months out if you want either without paying peak rates.
Top-rated hotels in Quebec
- Fairmont Le Château Frontenac: the turreted, copper-roofed hotel that gives Quebec City its skyline, complete with rooftop beehives producing the honey served at breakfast.
- Auberge du Vieux-Port: exposed stone walls inside a converted 19th-century warehouse, with a rooftop terrace looking straight across the St Lawrence River.
- Hotel Place d'Armes: a spa, two restaurants and a rooftop pool a few steps from Old Montreal's main square.
- Four Seasons Hotel Montreal: downtown high-rise polish, handy if you're splitting your trip between the old town and the shopping strip on Sainte-Catherine Street.
- Fairmont Tremblant: ski in, ski out, at the base of the Mont-Tremblant gondola, with two outdoor pools open even through the snow.
Tips for finding the perfect accommodation in Quebec
- Book Old Quebec or Old Montreal if you want to walk everywhere. Both old towns are compact and packed with the cobblestone charm most people picture when they think of the province.
- Travelling in February? Grab a room within walking distance of the old town before Winter Carnival dates lock in. Ice canoe races, snow sculptures and night parades take over the streets for 17 days and rooms fill fast.
- Heading to Mont-Tremblant for skiing? Book ski-in, ski-out if the budget allows. It saves the daily shuttle hassle and puts you right in the pedestrian village at night.
- Visiting between late February and April? Build a half-day around a cabane à sucre, a maple sugar shack, outside the city. It's a working maple farm, a big country breakfast and a stick of taffy rolled in the snow, all in one, and most are an easy day trip from either Montreal or Quebec City.
- If your French is rusty, stick to hotels in the main tourist strips. Staff there work in English as a matter of course, while smaller family-run guesthouses further out sometimes don't.
Fly into Montreal-Trudeau or Quebec City Jean Lesage and the province is compact enough to see both signature cities on one trip. Check Traveloka's Canada hotels page for more of the country beyond Quebec, from Toronto to the Rockies.
