We were met by the owner’s wife, who (alarm bells should have rung) asked us to make a credit card payment up front. We’d booked for a room with “ensuite, cable and a balcony”, but when I subsequently went to the room, there was no ensuite; I’d have been nervous about stepping on the rickety balcony (at the rear); and the only furnishings were a bed and giant TV! Back I went down the stairs and told the woman that was not the room we’d booked. Then followed a marvellous discussion where she claimed that was the room, I insisted it wasn’t and asked repeatedly if they even had such a room as we’d booked! Next she said “very sorry, I don’t speak much English, I don’t understand”. My response (in moderately comprehensible French) “Madame, j’ai fait ce réservation depuis plusiers des mois. Avez vous ce chambre?” led to her suddenly rediscovering English and saying there was another room, but we’d have to pay more. After I refused to do that, she said she would call her husband to see what could be done.
Eventually we were offered the cellar, which had a large bedroom (somewhat like a stone prison cell and with low plumbing - photos 2,3) but also a bathroom to ourselves. The unexpected “bonus” was that the cellar stayed cool during the warm weather. This was supposedly a “Bed and Breakfast”, but the latter consisted only of “make it yourself” toast and jam, plus equally DIY instant coffee, while the room was not serviced at all during our 3 night stay. With hindsight it’s amusing, but I’d suggest you avoid like the plague! Interestingly, when we recounted the tale to a very helpful lady at a tourist information counter, she said problems such as this are fairly common in Montréal!
Plenty: read the above!
