Hotel Le Dauphin?

[KTandTommy 31]

I'm just getting ready to book a hotel for me and my fiance for the interview... just wondering if anyone's ever stayed at Le Dauphin and what your experience was like? It seems like out of all the ones right around the embassy, this one is pretty close and relatively inexpensive. (I looked up La Tour Centre Ville, which seems to be the most recommended here on VJ, but it's undergoing full renovations and there are no rooms available).

Also, what time would you suggest lining up outside the embassy for our 8am interview?

[Kimbear 53]

a few of us stayed there. I did. and it was really nice. I adored the shower. was very quiet. only thing i did not like was the underground parking. it was very tight and its very limited. but it was literally like 2 minutes away from the consulate. they also had a safe in the room big enough for my laptop. you could use w/e code you wanted for it.

i dont know how it is now but it used to be first come first up in the elevator so we showed up at 6:30 regardless of the 9am time on our letter.

Edited November 9, 2012 by Kimbear

[KTandTommy 31]

Good to know about the parking - we'll be driving in from Toronto. I read on tripadvisor that there is parking somewhere a block away too? I guess that's something they'll tell me when I get there. I love that it's super close to the consulate though - that's the first concern (second is: how far of a walk to good poutine?! LOL)

I think we're planning on only staying one night, so I'll leave most electronics at home, except for my phone - so the safe is a great option. Do you know if they allow for a late check-out, just in case the interview runs long?

Thanks for the info!

[Flames9_RN 358]

Doing a search on VJ, gets you more info

[Kimbear 53]

i honstly can't remember but yes if you search you should come up with a huge thread about hotels in montreal..there should be 3-4 reviews of the place there.

[KTandTommy 31]

I already did that

The most recent reviews that I found were from 2010. Was wondering if anyone had stayed there more recently.

I think my mind is made up though and we will book this hotel - it seems like it'll be a good fit for us!

[Rob & Monika 87]

We stayed there earlier this week, it was nice. We took the train though so we didn't have to deal with parking. Breakfast is included but it is a help yourself breakfast. I had read they had eggs and got excited, but they were just hard boiled and sitting out with the rest of the food, but still a good breakfast overall. The only issue we had was getting the clock radio to work right, it just didn't want to go into radio mode, sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't.

The walk to the consulate is quick, it took us a bit to find door for the consulate. We walked up the stairs and all the way around to the southwest side of the building until we found the line. We got there around 7:20 and there was 4 interviews ahead of us (2 couples and 2 single). I don't know what time they opened the doors, since I couldn't bring my phone, but there was a total of 8 interviews in line when they opened. We were C-5 and out of there by 9:30. I think checkout was noon, so you could pull it off in one night. Just make sure the do not disturb sign is out when you are gone or room service will stop by early (~8am for us). We stayed two nights, walked around the city all day.

As far as poutine, Complexe Desjardins just down the road from the consulate, the bottom floor is loaded with restaurants. The Hyatt Hotel is part of the complex. The stores closed at 6 but the restaurants stayed open. The icecream place closed at 6 too, I was disappointed..lol.

[KTandTommy 31]

Awesome info - thanks! And Congratulations on your approval!!

[Kimbear 53]

iirc and you ask they will let you do a late check out OR you prepare you stuff ahead of time (if you think you'll be back later than checkout time) and they will hold it for ya downstairs somewhere. so its not like they kick you out lol.

[moemac59 193]

I already did that

The most recent reviews that I found were from 2010. Was wondering if anyone had stayed there more recently.

I think my mind is made up though and we will book this hotel - it seems like it'll be a good fit for us!

I stayed at Le Phillips Square back in April and the room was huge!!! It had 2 bedrooms and I could see the consulate from my window. It sat next to a parking lot that had an alley which led you directly to the side door of the consulate.

I think that this hotel used to be an apartment building at one point.

http://www.roomstays.com/hotel/524366

[moemac59 193]

Good to know about the parking - we'll be driving in from Toronto. I read on tripadvisor that there is parking somewhere a block away too? I guess that's something they'll tell me when I get there. I love that it's super close to the consulate though - that's the first concern (second is: how far of a walk to good poutine?! LOL)

I think we're planning on only staying one night, so I'll leave most electronics at home, except for my phone - so the safe is a great option. Do you know if they allow for a late check-out, just in case the interview runs long?

Thanks for the info!

KT, just a word of advice but do not bring your cell phone with you to the interview. There are signs posted everywhere at the consulate that say no electronic devices or cell phones. I had to run back to the hotel and leave mine at the front desk.

[moemac59 193]

Also on another note, I have posted a link from Saylin's profile. She has pictures of the entrance of the consulate and a very detailed explanation of where to go when you get into the elevator (Stand at the back left hand corner as this is where the door will open when you get out).

I found that her information was really, really useful especially the pictures of the front door of the consulate. Be there early and doors open at 7:30 AM.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/359761-montreal-consulate-picturesmaps/

Don't be nervous and good luck.

[moemac59 193]

We stayed there earlier this week, it was nice. We took the train though so we didn't have to deal with parking. Breakfast is included but it is a help yourself breakfast. I had read they had eggs and got excited, but they were just hard boiled and sitting out with the rest of the food, but still a good breakfast overall. The only issue we had was getting the clock radio to work right, it just didn't want to go into radio mode, sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't.

The walk to the consulate is quick, it took us a bit to find door for the consulate. We walked up the stairs and all the way around to the southwest side of the building until we found the line. We got there around 7:20 and there was 4 interviews ahead of us (2 couples and 2 single). I don't know what time they opened the doors, since I couldn't bring my phone, but there was a total of 8 interviews in line when they opened. We were C-5 and out of there by 9:30. I think checkout was noon, so you could pull it off in one night. Just make sure the do not disturb sign is out when you are gone or room service will stop by early (~8am for us). We stayed two nights, walked around the city all day.

As far as poutine, Complexe Desjardins just down the road from the consulate, the bottom floor is loaded with restaurants. The Hyatt Hotel is part of the complex. The stores closed at 6 but the restaurants stayed open. The icecream place closed at 6 too, I was disappointed..lol.

Hey Rob,

I just noticed in your timeline that you met your fiancee thru eHarmony. That is how I met my husband. That site really does work!

[Rob & Monika 87]

I think the map of the upstairs is very different than it was when I was there. I don't think the mens and womens washrooms were next to each other, but in different isles. Maybe I will draw up a map from what I remember when I get home. The important thing is to take a left around the corner from the elevator like in the map Saylin made and proceeded to window 14A/14B. The floor is marked with yellow arrows for you to follow. I can't remember how many people got off that elevator and had no idea where to go. They all wanted to walk towards windows 1-4 since that is where people were standing.

[Rob & Monika 87]

Hey Rob,

I just noticed in your timeline that you met your fiancee thru eHarmony. That is how I met my husband. That site really does work!

It certainly helped but it can't filter out people that just plain aren't compatible with anyone. There was one lady that I got into an argument with right off the bat, and when it was over, we were both thinking "yea, this isn't going to work". Monika was in the first batch of matches, and the first person I started having a conversation with on there. I tried several other free sites but the matching there is horrible. I would say that eharmony did a pretty good job at filtering out people I would never have considered in the first place, I finally decided to cough up the money and do it.