Old Québec (Upper Town)

Le Monastère des Augustines

★★★★★

Le Monastère des Augustines is the most original place to sleep in Québec City: a wellness hotel inside the restored monastery of the Augustinian Sisters, who arrived in 1639 and founded the first hospital north of Mexico on this site. The sisters handed the building to a not-for-profit trust that restored it and now runs it as a hotel, museum and wellness centre, reinvesting all surpluses in its cultural and social mission. Staying here means stepping out of the tourist bustle into calm. There are two kinds of rooms: authentic rooms, which are the sisters’ former cells converted to modern standards while keeping their simplicity and charm, and contemporary rooms built during the restoration in a style that respects the heritage setting. Breakfast, included in every stay, is served in silence at Le Vivoir from 7 to 9:30am, and quiet hours run from 10pm to 7am. Le Vivoir also serves lunch and dinner built on local, seasonal and organic ingredients, with vegetarian, vegan, fish and meat options and an approach inspired by mindful eating. The wellness programme includes massages, holistic health consultations, meditative walks and gentle yoga, and guests can tour the museum’s permanent exhibition, Resonances. From Their Lives to Ours, on the sisters’ legacy, along with guided tours of the chapel. The address is 77 Rue des Remparts, in the quiet northern corner of the Upper Town, a short walk from Rue Saint-Jean and the ramparts.

This is not a conventional hotel, and that is the point. The silence at breakfast surprises first-timers and then becomes the thing they remember: a slow, quiet start to the day in a centuries-old refectory, before heading out into the city. The authentic rooms are small and simple, some with shared bathrooms, while contemporary rooms offer more space and private facilities, so read the room descriptions carefully and choose based on how much you value atmosphere versus comfort. Packages such as the Monastic Stay bundle the room with breakfast, museum access and wellness activities.

Who it suits: solo travellers, couples seeking a restful break, and anyone who wants to balance busy days of sightseeing with real calm. It also makes a thoughtful base in winter, when the thick stone walls and quiet corridors feel especially cosy. Families with young children may find the quiet rules challenging, and night owls should note the quiet hours.

Practical notes: due to construction around the site, the pedestrian entrance is currently reached via Rue Hamel or via Rue Saint-Jean and Rue de l’Hôtel-Dieu, so check directions before arriving with luggage. Rates are moderate for Old Québec, especially for the authentic rooms, and the not-for-profit model means your stay supports the preservation of the monastery. Book Le Vivoir dinners and wellness treatments in advance. Day visitors can also tour the museum and eat at Le Vivoir, so if you are staying elsewhere, a lunch here is a fine way to sample the atmosphere before deciding whether to book a night on your next trip.