Institut de tourisme et d'hôtellerie du Québec

ΟΙ φήμες είναι πολύ καλές.

A deeply disappointing stay at a hotel that failed its mission of hospitality I’ve stayed at the ITHQ Hotel in Montreal several times over the years, and have enjoyed dining in their restaurant. But this visit was an emotionally distressing and unforgettable disappointment, made worse by the very institution that’s supposed to represent the best in hospitality education. From the moment I arrived, I was met with cold, rigid, and robotic treatment from the junior front desk staff (students in training). When a minor mistake occurred—my partner smoked a single cigarette on our suite’s balcony before we noticed the "no smoking" sign the following morning—I was hit with an automatic $580 penalty. When I tried to explain, I was shut down with dogmatic replies like "it’s the law," with zero empathy, flexibility, or willingness to listen. The so-called "hospitality professionals" in training treated me like an offender, not a guest. For three days, no manager was available to speak with me. I waited patiently, explained my distress in writing, and made it clear that I felt unwelcome and might leave early. No one followed up. Instead, mid-level supervisors deflected, refused to escalate the issue, and blamed their policies—or Expedia—for their refusal to offer any compassion. As a result, I left the hotel a day early, on my birthday, emotionally depleted from the constant stress and total lack of human connection. The staff had made me feel so unwelcome, I couldn’t bring myself to stay another night. And still—they charged me for the unused final night, citing Expedia’s 72-hour cancellation policy. They took no responsibility for their own three-day failure to respond, and hid behind the booking platform’s policy instead of owning their part in pushing a longtime guest away. Only after I escalated my concerns to senior management did I receive a personal and heartfelt call from the hotel’s Director of Accommodation, Senior Director of Business Development and Communications - Directrice de l’Hébergement, Direction principale du développement des affaires et des communications. She listened, apologized profusely, and generously waived the $580 smoking fine. I appreciated her sincerity—but the final insult came when the hotel still refused to refund the last night, even though I left because of their own mishandling of the situation. This hotel brands itself as a teaching institution of hospitality. That makes the experience all the more unacceptable. If this is how their students are being trained to deal with guests in distress—with inflexible policies, cold indifference, and no emotional intelligence—then I worry about the future of hospitality in Quebec. A lovely building and a good restaurant cannot compensate for a complete failure of human kindness. I urge future guests to think twice, especially if booking through third-party platforms. If something goes wrong, you may find yourself at the mercy of a policy—and a team unwilling to rise above it. I’ve stayed here for years. After this experience, I won’t be back.

mauvaise expérience en tant que groupe de personnes âgées à la mi-juillet : le menu était simplet et le repas était tiède et sans goût, la raison donnée au fait que le repas principal était servi tiède était relié à la température extérieure : il faisait très chaud dehors; la roulade de veau servie tiède avec une sauce sur le dessus, était froide à la fin du repas et sa sauce figée. nous avons demandé si les gens qui avaient réservé en groupe de 4-5 personnes recevaient leur repas tiède aussi, on nous a répondu qu'ils recevaient des plats chauds et on ne pouvait pas nous expliquer pourquoi ce traitement différent; une de nos collègues a demandé à réchauffer son plat de veau et il lui est revenu tiède; stupéfiant et inacceptable, on croirait que notre groupe d'aînés n'est plus le bienvenu à l'ITHQ !

Je suis allée souper dans ce restaurant pour la première fois et j’ai été très agréablement surprise par la qualité du service. Dès notre arrivée, nous avons été accueillis avec le sourire par la jeune serveuse, chaleureuse et attentionnée. Notre serveuse était à la fois professionnelle, discrete et très à l’écoute de nos besoins. Elle a pris le temps de nous conseiller sur le menu et les accords mets-vins, sans jamais nous presser. Les plats sont arrivés rapidement, parfaitement présentés, et le service tout au long du repas a été fluide et impeccable. Un vrai plaisir de se sentir aussi bien pris en charge, sans être envahi. Je recommande vivement ce restaurant, non seulement pour sa cuisine savoureuse, mais aussi pour l’excellence de son service. Un grand bravo à toute l’équipe et à notre chère serveuse qui figure sur l’affiche.

Extremely Disappointed Unwelcoming, Unhelpful, and Unaccommodating I had an extremely disappointing experience at the Institut de Tourisme in Quebec. From the moment I arrived, I encountered multiple frustrations that made my stay unpleasant. To begin with, all signage and materials at the front desk were exclusively in French, with no English translations available. Even the documents I was required to sign during check-in were only in French—no English version or explanation was provided. As a non-French speaker, I had no way of understanding what I was agreeing to. This is not only inconsiderate but also deeply troubling, especially in a region known for tourism and at an institution that trains hospitality professionals. To make matters worse, the front desk staff were cold, dismissive, and at times outright rude. Instead of showing empathy or making an effort to assist, they appeared irritated and uncooperative, making me feel like a burden for simply asking for help. This experience was the complete opposite of what hospitality should represent. There was no warmth, no care, and certainly no courtesy. I left with a lasting negative impression—and serious concerns about how such an institution could set a standard for future professionals in the field.

J'y étais pour suivre un cours Vin 101 au 2e étages. Les locaux sont grands, fonctionnels, bien ventilés et très propres. Le professeur formé en sommellerie est très intéressant et compétent. On passe devant la salle à manger de luxe et la réception de l'hotel dans un beau décor. Comme Institut de l'hotellerie, l'on peut en être fier.

February 2025 – Breakfast – If you go there to enjoy good food, you will be disappointed. The overall impression is certainly not the one expected from an Institut du Tourisme et de Hötellerie du Quebec which is supposed to promote Quebec’s assets in terms of tourism , hence in terms of food. And God knows we have good food in the Province of Quebec! Four points are mentioned below- One positive and three … 1- It seems that it is, above all, a school. At least that's what we have to understand. The service is well done by students who are attentive to the needs of the customers. There are few people, which means that these students are not stressed by the service. The place is quiet. This is the reason for the two-star rating. 2- The managers of the place do not seem interested in attracting more customers judging by the mediocre quality (and also the quantity) of what is exhibited at the buffet: potatoes nicely roasted on the outside but not enough cooked on the inside - tasteless smoked salmon displayed in a too small tray which has nevertheless been emptied by the few customers but never refilled during the buffet - mediocre ham - grainy cretons - good sausages - good chocolatines - Good croissants – omelets – hard-boiled eggs – sliced bread and some usual sauces. 3- My glass in which water was served did not smell good as if it had not been washed in the machine but rather by hand. 4- I asked for a juice: they had only a mix of apple and pear – The juice was not served in a glass for fruit juice but instead in a closed small champagne flute -like glass may be suitable for mimosa drinks but totally unsuitable for the only juice they served. The result is that less juice (the glass is small and not full obviously) is poured and the taste is badly altered (the shape of the glass is important) . A blunder? A negligence? Whatever, it is unforgivable. In this trade more than elsewhere, they are supposed to know perfectly what drink to serve in what type of glass.