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Motel Montcalm & Family Fun in Gatineau, Quebec #Giveaway

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Fall in the Gatineau area is spectacular.  The vibrant colours of the leaves coupled with the many activities and events make Gatineau, Quebec an ideal travel destination.  Don’t get me wrong.  We live on a beautiful island where Fall colours are stunning as well.  However, we had the opportunity to visit Gatineau with our four year old daughter in tow and we were wowed by Fall in the Ottawa-Gatineau region.  We feel it’s extremely important to teach our child about the country we live in.  Through mini trips like this, our little one can learn first hand about our country’s diversity.  At four, she knows about the different languages, cultures, and historical events in various regions. I love that at four years of age, she appreciates the diversity that makes our nation special.

Gatineau Ottawa

My husband is a big history buff and loves museums.  Luckily for him, we were in a great location to whet his appetite!

Heritage Activities in Gatineau

Sadly, our trip was so short, we didn’t get to see everything we wanted to see.  My husband said that we’ll have to come back and stay for at least 3-4 full days instead of 2.  With Ottawa being so close (a few minutes drive and right across the bridge),  Hubby was in his element with all the museums around. Among Hubby’s favourites are Canada Aviation and Space Museum, Canadian War Museum and Canadian Museum of Nature.

Festivals and Arts in Gatineau

As for myself, I’m more of an arts lover.  I am interested in art exhibits, galleries, and shows.  Gatineau has a few exhibits at the moment at l’Espace Pierre-Debain and Galerie Montcalm.  I’m looking forward to our next trip so I can see more.  With this being somewhat of a “working holiday”, time was short and I didn’t have enough time to see everything I wanted.

On my list for next visit? I’d like to check out some the Festivals and Events in Ottawa as well as some of the Sporty, Festive and Cultural events in Gatineau.  The range of activities will be sure to suit every member of the family.  Some of the festivals in Gatineau include: les Grands Feux de Gatineau, sand sculptures, and the Gatineau Hot Air Balloons festitivities (Labour Day long weekend). Being a foodie, Le rendez-vous des saveurs de Gatineau is something I’d like to check out as well.

Speaking of food, there is a wide variety of international cuisine available in the Ottawa-Gatineau area!  Living on an island where we don’t have the same range of variety when it comes to culturally diverse restaurants, I have to admit that I was one very happy lady!  The only problem was deciding which restaurants to dine at!  There were several restaurants to choose from down the street and even across the road from where we were staying!

Motel Montcalm was kind enough to send us to Malone’s Lakeside Grill for dinner.   The atmosphere at Malone’s is relaxed and the view is fabulous.  It’s a  friendly neighborhood restaurant where everyone can feel at home. It is  located at Dow’s Lake at the pavillion.

calamari

 

Our 4 year old daughter ordered off of the kids’ menu, but she also wanted calamari!  It’s one of her favourite appetizers!

Malones Grill

Between the sightseeing, dining out, walking around, and enjoying a gorgeous Fall weekend in the Ottawa-Gatineau area, we were exhausted!

Of course, with all the activities, sight-seeing, and playing tourist, a comfortable place to stay is always needed!  With having a little one, we always need to make sure we have a room big enough to fit our little family comfortably.  Another thing is (and I won’t lie when I say this), the first thing I check when I check out an establishment is the bathroom. If the facilities are not up to par, I will not stay there.  I’m picky that way.  I’ve traveled to the Philippines, Japan, Bali, Singapore, Trinidad & Tobago, Barbados and all over Canada and the U.S., and through my travels, the one request I’ve always had was for a clean washroom.  I think my four year old has acquired that little quirk from me.

 

We were happy to see that the washroom in our King Suite at Motel Montcalm met our standards.  The inside of Motel Montcalm has been renovated and offered a very comfortable stay for us.  With a King-sized bed, large flat-screen TV, fireplace, and jacuzzi, this room was great for our family getaway.

Motel Montcalm

Intimate, warm and comfortable, Motel Montcalm offers a safe place to rest at an affordable price. Located in the heart of the City of Gatineau in the Outaouais Region.
The King Suite has a large spacious interior, tile floor and an open Jacuzzi concept.  Regular amenities include free Wi-Fi, coffee maker, fridge and a 30-inch flat-screen LED  TV.  We were really happy with our room.  Little One made herself at home immediately.  Can you tell from the photo below that she is one happy kid?
Very nice touch – flowers and some other special treats, including dinner at Malone’s. Barnyard Halloween at Canadian Agricultural and Heritage Museum for Little One and Canadian War Museum for Hubby. Thank you, Montcalm!

MotelMontcalm

Location, location, location

Motel Montcalm is located in the heart of the city of Gatineau.  We were excited that we could see lots of places to dine at and go shopping at!  Little One spotted Toys ‘R Us down the road and dragged her Daddy there in the morning!  Hubby and Little One had brunch at Chez Cora and enjoyed touring around Gatineau and Ottawa while I worked all day.  Thank goodness for the great Wi-fi connection we had in our room!
Having said that the location is fabulous, one minor drawback is the level of traffic.  The first night spent in our room, the noise from the vehicles on the main street made it a bit of a challenge for Hubby to get to sleep. Little One and I passed out as soon as our heads hit our pillows though!  By the second night, Hubby slept soundly and barely heard any noise at all from the traffic passing by.
One other very minor thing was that there was no garbage bin in the bathroom.  There was one located in the room itself, but it would have been good to have one in the bathroom as well.  As Hubby said, “If no garbage bin in the bathroom is your only issue, then you’re doing well!”
The motel has medium sized café space with full kitchen and fridge for food storage. This is great for guests if they are looking to save money on fast food or ordering in. This way, guests are able to save money and also have the opportunity to eat healthy and have exactly what they want. If you’re traveling to the Ottawa-Gatineau area, packing in tons of sights and activities, and are looking for a spot to rest your weary heads, Motel Montcalm is a clean and comfortable place to stay (Our friends at Canadian Blog House think so as well).

I’m not sure what the other rooms are like, but the King Suite that we were in was just right for us.  My four year old noted that the bed and pillows were “comfy and fluffy” and that it was like she was “sleeping on a cloud”.  She also stated that “it’s a motel on the outside, but like a hotel on the inside”.  Isn’t that funny coming from a 4 year old?  Friendly service from the staff at Montcalm – Everyone (from the front desk person to the housekeeping staff) was helpful and friendly.
Being bilingual in French and English, it was easy for me to communicate.  My husband, however, does not speak French at all.  He managed to get by, but said that at restaurants and stores, he had to do a lot of charades because of the language barrier for him.  His comment was, “Wow. There’s a lot of French here!”  I had to remind him that we were in Quebec, after all! Of course there was a lot of French spoken in Gatineau!  He enjoyed himself and wants to go back for longer next time. He did say that next time he hopes I’m not working so that he can have his “interpreter/translator” with him at all times.

{ GIVEAWAY }

Would you like to experience what the Ottawa-Gatineau region has to offer?  I’ve partnered with Motel Montcalm to offer one Life on Manitoulin reader a mini family getaway.  The prize is valued at $500.  Winner must redeem prize by March 1st, 2014.  Winterlude takes place in February, so perfect timing for a family getaway!  The only exception: Prize cannot be redeemed December 24-26th.

The prize includes:

  • 2 nights stay in the King Suite at Motel Montcalm
  • Dinners for the stay
  • 3-day museum pass for every family member

To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter form below.  Good luck, everyone!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Disclosure – This is a sponsored post. As always, all views and opinions expressed on this blog are honest and my own.

Comments

  4. I would love to win this getaway because it has been a while since my husband and I have had the chance to get away and with a 1 year old it would be great to do so.

    Reply

  7. i haven’t been to Quebec since i was a kid. My husband has never been so it would be a great trip for us to go on and explore.

    Reply

  9. I would love to win this, so we can spend a family weekend, enjoying the sites, museums and winterlude! 😀 We live an hour an a half from the Gatineau area, so we have only been able to enjoy a few hours a year at Winterlude – I can just imagine how excited the kids would be if we could go for 2 days! 😀

    Reply

  12. We have never been to Quebec ..this would be a nice family getaway for my family ESP because we rarely travel due to money or lack there of…
    Would love to visit

    Reply

  13. This Mom needs a getaway and a break, and this is close enough for a mini vacay and will still feel like a getaway! Pick me Pick me LOL

    Reply

  14. So much is offered in that area! We would love to catch an NAC show, or spend the weekend enjoying Canada’s greatest winter carnival, Winterlude! Or just stay in and soak in the amazing tub in the King Suite.

    Reply

  17. We visit Ottawa, but have never thought of staying in Gatineau which is cheaper. Would love to visit Winterlude.

    Reply

  21. We have close family friends that live in Gatineau and I’d love to be able to visit with them. There is so much to see and do in the region. I just love driving through the park with no set plan. Thanks for a great giveaway.

    Besos, Sarah
    Blogger at Journeys of The Zoo

    Reply

  24. Our family would love some memory-making family time. We haven’t stayed in Quebec before and museums are one of our favourites.

    Reply

  30. it’s been a crazy year and we could really use a get away. I would love to show my son Ottawa and the festival and have someone other then me make the bed lol.

    Reply

  31. We were recently in Ottawa and found ourselves in Gatineau a bit too frequently! Would love to stay at Motel Mont Calm and explore the food and craft beer in the area. We also LOVED the children’s museum and the museum of civilization!

    Reply

  32. Wow… I haven’t been to Quebec in at least a decade – and now I have the itch thanks to this post. Not sure whether to thank you or curse you! Seriously, though, sounds like it was an amazing getaway. Love that it’s close enough to DRIVE!

    Reply

  33. Sounds like fun! And your king suite looked pretty, well… sweet! It would be fun to take a quick trip with the kids and learn a bit about Gatineau and visit the museums. Thanks for the great giveaway!

    Reply

  35. I would love to offer this to my parents… They have a lot of things on their schedule and this would be perfect for them to relax

    Reply

  36. Oooh, I LOVE your review! We haven’t yet visited Gatineau in la belle province, and I’m now wondering why not?? It’s been a while since TheHubs and I have been able to have any sort of vacation; I’m getting desperate, LOL! A short stay at Motel Montcalm sounds amazing! BTW, the pic of LO with the tub is absolutely adorable!!

    Reply

  37. I would love to Win a get away..a nice holiday for my lovely young family would be great just about now…am on leave and having three young kids makes you wanna loose your head. My hubby works all the time and am sure he would live sometime away. we have been lately talking about a trip to Quebec so this would just be great!!!

    Reply

  39. My family desperately needs a weekend getaway. Our vacations are only ever camping trips which I do love but is A LOT of work for me. A weekend in a hotel would be paradise. I’d love to go for Winterlude. Thanks for the giveaway. Got my fingers crossed!

    Reply

  40. Loved your review, Christine! What a great overview of the hotel AND the Gatineau area. I live in the region and you’ve mentioned a few things I’ve never even heard of! Will have to check them out (like the Aylmer Old Village Walking Tour). I’m so glad you and your family enjoyed your stay at Motel Montcalm as much as we did. Your pics are terrific! Love the one of LO over the jacuzzi. Looks like you had a couple of nice weather days while here. Too bad you had to work so much though – you’ll just have to come back for another stay at Motel Montcalm…and a visit with me 🙂

    Reply

  41. As a busy mom of two young boys, I can use a getaway. It’s also getting more expensive to travel now that our family is expanding. This would be a perfect getaway for us. Close to home, but out of the city / province. Sounds perfect 🙂

    Reply

  42. I love how detailed your review is! This is exactly why I like reading blogger reviews! I never expect a place to be perfect … but I like to know what to expect and then make my choices accordingly. Sounds like this motel is perfect for checking out the area on a budget, while still managing to get a comfy place to rest your head (AND that has a clean bathroom!! that is a “thing” I have too!) I live right near Gatineau and we go there for the fall colours, then head back in winter for the cross-country skiing. Amazing area!

    Reply

    • Thanks so much, Julie!

      Me too! I always give my honest opinion and if I do have anything I didn’t like, I’m tactful about the way I phrase things. This place was definitely great for checking out the area on a budget and still having a comfy place to sleep!

      I had no idea you lived close to Gatineau! We should meet up for a coffee next time 🙂

      Reply

  45. The last time I visited the Gatineau area was in 1998 with my Grade 8 class for our week long school trip. We had a blast exploring the Ottawa-Gatineau area.

    I think revisiting would make for a nice babymoon for the hubs and I. Or if they kids were in tow – it would make for a fun family trip!

    It looks like your family had a blast!

    Reply

  46. What a wonderful contest! While we don’t live that far away we very seldom take the time to visit areas close to us…looks like you had a great time!

    Reply

  49. This would be such a good trip for my 6 yr old (currently attending French immersion) and my hubby. Both have not been to Quebec and are born in Canada. I know right?!

    Reply

  50. My sister who use to live in Thunder bay is temporarily living there! I haven’t seen her much and would love to spend the weekend with her!! Fingers, toes, knees, etc crossed!

    Reply

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