Quebec Travel Forum

Hello, I will be traveling with my husband and two brothers (both 20) from May 22-25. I have done some research on hotels, but I still don't know which area is best to stay in QC, is it lower town or upper town. I know the Chateau Frontenac is in the upper town, so I have a feeling this is the area in which to stay, but I don't really know. Can you help me out? We are considering the Hotel Clarendon. What do people think about this hotel?

Also, we will be driving up from Boston and would like to stay about 1/2 way overnight. Any suggestions of an inexpensive, clean place to crash for the night?

Thanks.

Quebec is a fairly compact city (certainly within the Old Town/Downtown confines) and so anywhere central is as good a base as any. The Old Town hotels will be a bit more characterful than those of the new and so that's up to you which you would prefer, bearing in mind that the modern Downtown also has its own charms. I don't know the Clarendon but doing a quick Google it certainly seems "characterful".

A natural midway point to stop off would be Sherbrooke, QC, which has a couple of cheapish motels - drop into Tripadvisor to check these out. However it's not that far from Boston to Quebec City and so if you do want to break your journey why not do so at Montreal?

Hope this helps, have a good trip!

I basically agree with what John said. The Old City is pretty compact (and best explored on foot), so it doesn't really matter if you pick a hotel in the upper town area or in the lower tower because chances are you'll be visiting both. The Clarendon is a nice historic hotel, some of the rooms are a bit on the small side because that's the way they used to make them, but as John said it's got a lot of character and an excellent restaurant. The location is great.

If you pick a place to stay in the lower town area I would recommend looking for something in the Quartier Petit Champlain or Vieux-Port area. There are also a few hotels in the St-Roch area, but for a first visit to Quebec City I don't think that's the best place to stay as the area is not as nice.

I also agree with John that the drive between Boston and Quebec City is not very long and can easily be done in just one day, but if you feel like stopping somewhere along the way, Sherbrooke might be your best bet for clean, inexpensive places to stay. You could also check for something in the Magog area, it might be a bit more expensive but it's a lovely small town so it'd be worth it. Have a great trip!

In Québec city : stay in the upper town (la haute-ville)
See on Saint Ursule St or near there are some nice BandB and small hôtels.
Clarendon is also a good choice.

In Québec city dont miss a ride (cheap, interesting and relaxing) on the ferry between Qc and Lévis.