Both Montréal and Québec City have familiar international hotel chains as well as small B&Bs hosted by locals. In between are the boutique hotels, which combine high-end service with plush room accommodations and decor that ranges from Asian minimalist to country luxury. A good room in one of these smaller hotels could provide the best memories of your trip.
Most Québec hotels offer online specials and package deals that bundle rooms with meals or sightseeing activities. In many cases, this can result in rates significantly below what's quoted in this guide.
Tip: Always check hotel websites before calling to make a reservation.
Carefully consider the options for hotel meal plans, which are offered at many properties in the Laurentians and Charlevoix. The European Plan (EP) is for the room alone, with no meals. The Continental Plan (CP) includes breakfast. The Modified American Plan (MAP) includes breakfast and one dinner. The American Plan (AP) is a room plus all three meals each day.
Because the region is so intensely cold so many months of the year, tourism here is cyclical. That means that prices drop -- often steeply -- for much of the October-through-April period. Rooms get less expensive, though some of the essential vibrancy and joie de vivre goes into hibernation.
House Swapping -- House swapping is becoming a more popular and viable means of travel; you stay in their place, they stay in yours, and you both get an authentic and personal view of the area -- the opposite experience of the escapist retreat that many hotels offer. Try HomeLink International (www.homelink.org), the largest and oldest home-swapping organization, with more than 13,000 listings worldwide; it costs $75 for a yearly membership. InterVac.com ($69 for more than 20,000 listings) is also reliable. Many travelers find great housing swaps on Craigslist (www.craigslist.org) too, though the offerings are not vetted or vouched for, so swap there at your own risk.
