Getting There

Once you've arrived at the Montreal airport, getting to the Hotel Bonaventure is relatively easy by bus or hired car.

Hired Car (Uber or similar)

The time from boarding the hired car to walking through the door at the Hotel Bonaventure is about 30-40 minutes and will cost about CAD $35-45 (estimate as of October 4, 2023, and will depend on day and time).

See detail in the thread below on how to get to the Uber pick-up area after arriving at YUL (Montréal airport).

Bus

The time from walking on to the bus to walking through the main door at the Hotel Bonaventure is about 45 minutes and will cost about CAD $17.

See detail below on how to get your bus pass, find the bus and then start on your way to the Bonaventure Hotel!

Directions to Bus and to Uber Pick-Up

Once you disembark from your flight you will need to pass through customs. The line might look long, but it should take no more than about 7-15 minutes to get through once you have descended the stairs to the main customs area.

Then follow the signs to the 747 bus line (light blue square). You will need to buy a bus pass (OPUS Card).

Keep following the signs until you see the "ticket" kiosks (where you will buy your OPUS card).

Here's the ticket kiosk. It seems to be the only one in the area.

Here is another view of the ticket kiosk. This is where you will buy your OPUS transit card.

You'll have to pay CAD$6 for the card itself and then CAD$11 for a 24 hr pass. It is valid for the 747 bus.

A full listing of fares and durations can be found here.

This is what your OPUS Transit card will look like (below).

The card can be used for buses AND underground transport (aka subway, tube, etc).

Makes it easy and quick to get to tasty restaurants and bagel shops!

You can also buy your ticket abord the bus with exact change (no paper bills, please! - seriously). Check here for the current rate.

After you have your Opus card you will want to drift right to the first exit you see.

That exit labelled 28 will do.

Then follow the walkway to the right.

Here is the Uber pick-up area.

And then a little bit further ...

And here you are!

The buses come every 10-15 minutes.

You will need to wait in this line, but listen closely to the person managing the boarding of the bus. If they say 'sans baggage!' (without baggage!) and you only have a backpack, then you get to go to the front of the line and board the bus, but you must be quick!

Here comes the bus now!

All aboard!

Place your OPUS card on the scanner below to validate your travel.

Or pay the driver the current price of a ticket in exact change (no paper bills!). It was CAD$11 on June 1, 2024.

Check current rates here.

After about 35-40 minutes of travel you will get off at the René-Lévesque / Mansfield bus stop.

Once you see the Mary, Queen of the World Cathedral (shown below) it's time to get off!

Here is the bus stop you will get off at.

From there, just take a right and walk down Mansfield Street one full block.

The hotel will be directly across the street to the left on 900 Rue de la Gauchetière Ouest.

See it there!

The building you are looking at, which houses the hotel, was built during a Brutalist streak in Montréal, which was a very popular architectural trend between 1950 and 1970. Brutalism is easily recognizable by its prominent geometric shapes and its emphasis on raw and rough building materials, such as concrete.

This massive building was constructed in 1967. Once completed, the complex reached an impressive 3.1 million square feet, making it the largest building in the world at the time!

Cross the street to make your way to the hotel.

Follow the walkway immediately to the left of the driveway in view.

You are now at the front entrance to the building and hotel.

Remember, the hotel is on the 10th floor so you will have to take one of the elevators to get to the reception desk.

Now we're just off the elevators and on our way to the hotel reception desk to check-in.

It's hard to see, but there's a heated pool outside to the right!

This is a slightly better view of the pool. Notice all the greenery as well. And pleasant areas for repose.

And here's an even better view of the pool. But pools are for kids. We're here for a conference! ;)

Ok, so now you're at the hotel and checked in.

Now, how to get to the Conference Center?

Simple.

Walk straight past the registration desk and down the hallway.

You will pass Le Kube restaurant on the right.

And then get a peek through the glass of the escalators that will take you to the Conference (Congress) level.

Turn the corner at the Executive Lounge and then down the escalator we go!

Here's a sign to help guide the way.

This is the escalator that you will descend upon (as seen from the conference level).

And this is the registration desk you will see on arrival at the conference level.

Here's a view from the registration desk.

You may have noticed, flanking the registration desk are myriad pleasant seating options.

And this is the view down the hallway that runs in front of the Montreal Ballroom (Salle de Bal de Montréal)

And here is an empty breakout room from the Montréal Ballroom (Section 5)

And here is a photo of Sections 1-4 of the Montréal Ballroom in use.

If you have been to MSACL before then you are familiar with the MSACL hospitality lounge.

We are planning to hold the event in the room below ... Salon Ville-Marie.

It has a nice outdoor patio.

Going Home : Getting Back to the Airport and Finding Your Proper Terminal

Follow this link for directions that will help you make your way back to the airport and the proper airport terminal (US is Terminal C, all others are Terminal A).