Montreal Marriott Chateau Champlain, hotel in Montreal, Canada
The Montreal Marriott Chateau Champlain is a high-rise hotel in the heart of downtown Montréal, located next to Windsor Station. The building features rows of arched, half-moon windows along its facade, giving it a shape that stands out from the surrounding towers, and the upper floors offer wide views over the city.
The Chateau Champlain was built in the 1960s, during a period when Montréal was reshaping its downtown core ahead of Expo 67. It was one of the first large hotels to open as the city expanded its underground network and modern infrastructure.
The hotel takes its name from Samuel de Champlain, the French explorer closely tied to the founding of French Canada. This reference gives the building a symbolic place within the French-speaking identity that defines much of downtown Montréal.
The hotel connects directly to Montréal's underground city, so guests can reach shops, restaurants, and transit without going outside, which is especially useful in winter. The location near Windsor Station and a metro stop makes it easy to move around the city from the moment you arrive.
The building's half-moon windows were so unusual when the hotel opened that it quickly earned the nickname "the cheese grater" among Montrealers because of the pattern the arched rows create along the facade. This detail, easy to spot from street level, still draws the attention of people passing by today.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
