As one of the second largest cities in Canada, Montreal is a bustling metropolis full of dining, shopping, attractions, and attractions that entice about 7.7 million visitors each year. It's no wonder there are so many Montreal meeting planning professionals. In addition to the most restaurants per capita in Canada, the city area boasts over 200 hotels and nearly 40,000 hotel rooms and loads of Montreal event venues. Though the city is no stranger to popular chains and budget options, several of its hotels are grand structures that occupy a prominent place in the city's landscape. The Queen Elizabeth Hotel, the city's largest convention hotel, features 50,000 square feet of meeting space and boasts past clientele such as Nelson Mandela, Mikhail Gorbachev, Jimmy Carter, Indira Gandhi, Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh. The Château Versailles, once a European-style pension, invites guests to its 65 rooms among antiques, dramatic staircases, cozy fireplaces and ornate crown moldings.
Montreal prides itself on its variety of facilities for conventions and meetings. The Montreal Convention Centre, Mount Royal Centre and Bell Centre are all conveniently located, easily accessible and boast top quality service, dining and technology. The largest space, the Montreal Convention Centre, or Palais des congres de Montreal, welcomes guests with its colorful display of a multicolored glass panel façade. Inside, the Convention Level has room for up to 10,000 people while the Panoramic Level can accommodate up to 1,900 guests.
There is no lack of traditional options when it comes to Montreal meeting planning. Planners can find additional facilities at the Mount Royal Centre, which offers 50,000 feet of exhibit space as well as exceptional audio-visual and catering services. Also on the grounds, the Bell Centre, home of the 24-time Stanley Cup champions the Montreal Canadiens, seats 14,000 to 21,500 people at complete capacity and can be arranged into small seating configurations if needed.
Host to events and festivals both large and small, Montreal offers ample alternatives to traditional meeting facilities from its cultural attractions to its gourmet dining. The Sculpture Garden at the Montreal Museum of Contemporary Art is an elegant outdoor space for up to 400 guests. If you are working with an even larger group in your Montreal event planning, you can invite up to 500 attendees to join in a night of song and dance at the Cabaret located in the fun-loving Montreal Casino. Enjoy dishes such as Angus striploin steak, braised lamb shank and tuna tartare from the group menus offered at Restaurant Globe, which can accommodate groups of up to 150 people. Or, gather a more intimate party of up to 20 diners to sample the signature flavors of Québec at popular restaurant Toque!
Even with so much going on, Montreal meeting planning pros, and visitors alike, need not worry about travel to and from Montreal's wealth of attractions and accommodations. Arrival is easy and convenient by plane at Montreal International Airport or by train through either Amtrak or VIA Rail. To navigate the streets, hop on the Montreal Metro, the 2nd largest subway network in Canada servicing 68 stops. Or better yet, walk to popular destinations, even when the temperatures drop, in the Underground City, the world's largest underground pedestrian network covering over 20 miles of downtown.
A strong commerce center, Montreal is home of the headquarters of Air Canada, Bell Canada, Cirque du Soleil, National Bank of Canada and Rio Tinto Alcan. Six universities and 12 junior colleges are located in the area, including McGill University, one of the oldest schools in Canada, and Universite du Quebec a Montreal, the largest French-language University in the world.
