A little outdoors, a little indoors — isn’t it just perfect when you don’t have to choose? Whether for a cocktail hour in a fresh spring breeze or a cozy meal in a warm haven amid the last of the year’s snowfalls, here are 10 Montréal venues that offer the best of both worlds. From huge glass rooms to sprawling terrasses, there’s one for every type — and size — of corporate event.
Mount Royal Chalet
This grand 1931 Chalet packed with original historical paintings was signed by Québec architect Aristide Beaugrand-Champagne in the French Beaux-Arts and Arts and Crafts architectural styles. It sits near the top of Mount Royal, Montréal’s pride and joy, and its vast windows give onto the Kondiaronk Belvedere: a sprawling stone terrasse with a stunning lookout. Give your guests a privileged view of downtown Montréal, the St. Lawrence River and the Monteregian Hills in the distance.
Beaver Lake Pavilion
Also in Mount Royal Park, this two-storey, highly fenestrated Pavilion sits right on the banks of the picturesque Beaver Lake – actually a manmade pond that is turned into a skating rink in winter. Enjoy the warmth of the indoor event venue amid the trees in the cooler months, or, weather permitting, spread your event out onto the terrasse as well. In summer it’s a space that’s enjoyed for live dance classes. The building’s five indoor murals were created by renowned Québec artists.
Toundra Hall
Located in verdant Parc Jean-Drapeau, where the iconic Expo 67 was hosted, Toundra Hall is a multipurpose space perfectly suited for meetings, office parties or product launches. The former Pavillon du Canada is drenched in natural light and full of mid-century architectural detailing. In summertime, the floor-to-ceiling windows give the sense of being outdoors while in the chillier months, it’s like being inside a larger-than-life snow globe.
Marcus
This restaurant in the heart of downtown is a jewel in the crown of the Four Seasons Hotel Montréal, featuring the culinary stylings of international star chef Marcus Samuelsson. The space is as arresting as the food is delicious: designed by Atelier Zébulon Perron, it’s dynamic and warm with tones of brass, white marble and warm honey-coloured wood. Offer your guests a cocktail hour to remember with plenty of seating at the restaurant’s bar, but also access to the terrasse that looks out over the sparkling lights of the downtown core.
William Gray Terrasse
The panoramic views from this Old Montréal hotel rooftop terrasse will leave your guests gobsmacked any season of the year, but in winter it’s extra special to dine under one of their clear domes that provide up to eight people each all the sights and none of the cold of winter. You can gaze onto Place Jacques-Cartier and Marché Bonsecours from the open-air glassed-in terrasse while enjoying food from the lauded kitchen, morning, noon or night, all year.
Bivouac
This restaurant at the DoubleTree by Hilton also enchants in the winter with indoor/outdoor eating experiences in domes, complete with twinkling lights and faux fur furnishings. All year round the Bivouac terrasse is a coveted spot with a viewpoint at the centre of Place des Festivals, where the city’s biggest fests take place — from the Jazz Fest to Just for Laughs to Montréal en Lumière. Treat your VIPs to the taste of Quebec terroir by chef Xavier Dahan right in the heart of the action.
Grand Quai
A cutting-edge space in the Old Port, the Grand Quai is a splendid venue for events thanks to floor-to-ceiling windows that give onto the storied St. Lawrence River, providing a calming nautical view on one side and the action of Old Montréal on the other. You can host vast happenings either indoors or outdoors here, weather permitting — the huge wooden terrasse can hold an outdoor kitchen, a BBQ and a tent, while the Promenade d’Iberville makes for a perfect space for your guests to sit and stroll.
Montréal Science Centre
The Belvedere room within the Old Port’s Montréal Science Centre mixes inside and outside to perfection: it offers a covered terrace and a roof-top terrace for small to midsize receptions, banquets or outdoor meetings. The floor-to-ceiling windows provide an incredible view on the St. Lawrence River, Old Montréal and the Jacques-Cartier Bridge, which lights up in the evenings with seasonally-inspired, in-the-moment animations informed by real-time traffic, weather and social media data.
Espace C2
Perched atop the Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth hotel, Espace C2 is a cutting-edge meeting space signed by the designers of the annual C2 conference to engender creativity and inspiration. Part of that is the view — the Queen E is located in the very core of downtown Montréal, and this rooftop space provides a bird’s-eye view of the action all around. You can rent the space year-round, for either indoor work sessions or receptions that spread into the open air on the outdoor terrasse.
Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve Paddocks
Make your attendees’ day with an experience located in Montréal’s world-famous Formula One World Championship route. Located in sprawling Parc Jean-Drapeau, the Paddocks offer space for thousands of guests in its outsized and three breezy, open-air terrasse spaces. For sit-down banquets indoors flooded in natural light, or for an indoor/outdoor cocktail party when the weather is warmer, this is a space that will leave an impression no matter the occasion.
Read this next: Breathtaking outdoor spaces for summertime events
