Hôtel Esplanade

Hôtel Esplanade, a 30-room new-build hotel planned for the corner of avenue Laurier Ouest and avenue de l'Esplanade in Montreal's Mile End, has resurfaced after construction that began in 2019 sat stalled for roughly two years. A new permit issued in October 2024 and reported activity resumed in early 2026 point to renewed momentum, though current ownership and a firm opening date remain unclear.

The place

The new-build hotel occupies the corner of avenue Laurier Ouest and avenue de l'Esplanade in Mile End, one of Montreal's most design-and-food-forward neighborhoods, on a site cleared by the 2017 demolition of a building that had housed a Jewish community organization and, later, a kosher butcher shop.

The concept

Named for the adjoining avenue de l'Esplanade — chosen, per Tourisme Montréal, to evoke gathering and relaxation — Hôtel Esplanade is planned as a 30-room property with a lobby lounge, restaurant, café, bar and a rooftop pool and terrace. A central multipurpose space spanning two storeys is meant to host conferences, multimedia performances, talks, readings and art exhibitions, positioning the hotel as a small cultural venue as much as a place to sleep. Construction began in 2019 but stalled between 2020 and 2022, after which the property was put up for sale; a new construction permit issued in October 2024 and reports of resumed activity in January 2026 suggest the project may finally be moving again, though current ownership and operator have not been clearly confirmed in sources checked.

Dining & wellness

A restaurant, café and bar are planned at ground level, plus a year-round rooftop pool and terrace; no operator or chef has been named for any of them.