My 2012 Winter Road Trip - Day 1

I arrived in Quebec City at my hotel at approximately 8pm.  The drive from Toronto took 8.5 hours.  This includes me stopping off at Walmart to buy an iPhone charger, buying a sub at Subway for lunch, stopping for gas and making two pit stops.  The drive was easy.  No real traffic issues - oh yea, I went off course in Montreal because the signs were not very clear.  Good thing I have an iPhone, I was able to use my google map app to track myself back on course.  Looks like I didn't need your GPS units (A and T)!  I left them at home.  And, yes, T, you can thank me for fucking up your GPS because now I'm going to get you a better one to make up for messing up the firmware.  Damn it, I should have just bought one for myself.  Oh well, lesson learned.

This hotel is amazing.  It's not your standard hotel.  It's chic, without being pretentious.  The staff are these young, good looking men and women who are so friendly - and when I say friendly, I don't mean fake.  These kids are quite genuine; so much so, they almost seem Amish.  It's weird because in Toronto, if you work in an establishment like this, it's almost accepted the staff will give you the "up and down" while they generously dish out unwanted attitude.  Not so here.  Friendly as a warm plate of apple pie with haagen dazs vanilla ice cream.

I wrote a long review about the hotel on Trip Advisor, but I can't access it until they approve the damn thing.  I don't feel like rewriting everything again so I'll post it up once they approve.  For now, check out my pics of the room.  It has a loft feel to it because of the high ceilings.  Small but quaint and really cozy.  I don't want to leave my room!

Here's my reivew from Tripadvisor.ca:

I am at this hotel right now as I type this from my room over looking the river. As recommended by the reviewers on here, I requested the river view and the hotel was able to oblige. That was a nice start to the first day of my vacation here. 

First Impressions:1) Location Wow, wow, wow. The location of this hotel is truly beautiful. Situated just inland of the St.Lawrence River, it is on Rue Saint-Pierre, a beautiful street that reminds me of the European roads I walked along in London, England and Paris, France - it has that intimate feel due to the narrow roads and its beautifully maintained buildings. You can have a beautiful hotel, or you can have a beautiful hotel and make it more beautiful by having it close to water - in this case, the St. Lawrence. The location of this hotel is just perfect.

2) StaffAs soon I arrived, I was met at the door by a handsome, tall young man who assisted me with my luggage. He was well groomed and had a very sincere, friendly face. I am quite sensitive to nuances and vibes received from people in the service industry. This young man was genuinely nice. I felt like tipping him even though he didn't do anything - that's how nice he came across. I was led to the front desk where I checked in. The young, pretty girl there was all smiles and so friendly I was starting to feel awkward. Yes, awkward. I'm a hardened Torontonian who is use to the coldness of the big city where people - even those in the service industry - don't treat you this way. Generally, I'd have to go to a small township in Ontario to receive such smiles and attention. She catered to me in English without attitude and this made me feel less guarded. I really want to speak to her in French (attempted French) next time as I think French is a beautiful language, but I am so embarrassed at my poor English accent...I'll try tomorrow. Anyway, the staff interaction so far has been fantastic! This is only day one so let's see how things go tomorrow.

3) RoomThe physical size of the room is quite small compared to other hotels I've been, but not small enough that you are disappointed. When you walk in, the room (Superior) is basically a square - this is where you have the platform bed + side tables; a single, red, velvet couch chair in the corner; a desk + flat screen television on top; and a small, low-rise table for your luggage. The beauty of this room does not lie in its dimensions. If that were the case, it would fail miserably since other hotels have larger suites. The "wow" factor of this room lies with it's decor. It is so well done that you are captivated and find yourself walking around like a kid touching everything; all with a big silly grin. The room is cool, chic, and fun - all rolled up in one! I hope I am making it absolutely clear that, although it's not the biggest standard room I've stayed in, this is definitely one of the most charming rooms I've ever stayed in. That's quite the compliment coming from me, a person who's been to New York, London, Paris, Tokyo, Seoul, Mexico City, Havana, and Boston. I guess what really appeals to me is that when you walk in, you don't feel like you're in a hotel. Hotel 71 has created a room that doesn't have the standard generic hotel bed, and hotel furniture. It's feels more like staying at a rich friend's house who's parents are interior designers/decorators. Comfy, fun, and yes, I am smiling as I type this - oh, now I am looking out my window over night scene along the river and all the lights along it. Sigh...all I am missing is my single malt scotch and two beautiful young Quebecois women massaging me - one at my shoulders and the other at my feet. Ha! Ok, the long drive here from Toronto is making me delusional. Time to wash up and sleep. 

Summary:A classy, elegant hotel that is welcoming, unpretentious while still being chic. The thought occured to me as I was roaming around the hall ways and checking out the amenities: this hotel is not just a place for accommodations, but a tourist attraction in its own right. Yes, it's that nice. Check it out for yourself.

I have also uploaded the video of me taking you on a guided tour up to my room on youtube.  The link is private so if you want to see that video, just email me and I'll send you to the link.

I can't wait to start my day tomorrow!  This will be a good trip.