Le Floriel is a quaint micro-hotel conveniently located between Montreal and Quebec City, making it the perfect halfway point for those road tripping Canada’s eastern border. The hotel aims to provide guests with a unique experience inspired by nature and the region’s cultural riches, and after a dreamy few nights there, I’d say it’s a job well done.
Hotel
Luxury comes in all shapes and sizes, but here at Le Floriel it’s unassuming and humble. The decoration is largely understated and intended to leave guests feeling at home. In addition to the homely décor, Le Floriel has several open spaces, both inside and outside, meaning visitors aren’t limited to their rooms. It’s here where guests can unwind or choose to do some remote work.
Lounging spaces aside, there’s also a communal kitchen which gives guests the opportunity to prepare packed lunches before exploring the local area. Less like a hostel, and more in keeping with the relaxed and outdoors nature of this remote pocket of Quebec.
As Le Floriel is both small, offering just seven rooms, and generous in terms of space, many guests choose to hire the whole venue, either for weddings or celebrations.
One of the most noteworthy things about the hotel is that its two owners, Audrey Boisvert and Gabriel Wasilko, greet guests on arrival and leave them to enjoy the rest of their stay. There’s no front desk, so to speak, instead a 24/7 WhatsApp line. Again, this is all about making guests feel at home.
Room
Le Floriel offers seven rooms, each with a different interior but all ‘inspired by nature and the rhythm of its seasons’. We stayed in a modern, bright and beautifully designed suite, called Heart in Bloom. It had a small but relaxing living room with a TV, desk and chaise longue.
On the other side of the lounge was a spacious bedroom with king-size bed. Colour radiated from the elegant curtains, stunning artwork and vibrant furniture, all in a chic pastel colour palette. A grand sliding double door in duck egg blue rolled open to reveal the bathroom, light pouring in from large windows flanked with traditional shutters. The bathtub was enormous and oozed relaxation, and the complimentary oils, salts and soaks only enhanced this.
Food and drink
Everything about this hotel aims to be local, which is why many of the wines that are offered in their mini cellar are from the area, and if not the geographical area, they’ve been recommended by nearby wineries. The same goes for the snack selection, too.
The breakfast offering is modest and in keeping with the low key nature of the hotel’s surroundings. At Le Floriel, there is no sit-down breakfast, but instead individually made packages of fruit, yoghurt and homemade muffins. This leaves guests with the option to dine at base or out on the nearby trails.
It’s a similar situation with the coffee machine, which is turned on at 7am and left for guests to help themselves. This is a hands-off hotel in all the right ways.
To do
Situated on the outskirts of La Mauricie National Park, Le Floriel is a gateway to Canada’s most underrated nature spot. It’s here that a highway runs through 73km of unspoilt lakes, forest and trails.
You can easily spend the whole day driving along immaculately maintained roads, which wind through tall Canadian woodland, along which there are numerous places to stop. Canada is known for its unspoilt nature and vast green landscapes, La Mauricie ensures tourists don’t have to head to the west coast to experience them.
As is often the case with remote, rural towns, the selection of eateries that are open varies from day to day, and on the nights we stayed at Le Floriel, we found there was nowhere within walking distance. Thankfully, there were many wonderful restaurants just a short drive away.
For those looking to stay local, Audrey and Gabriel assure us that Le Floriel’s neighbouring restaurants are delicious and open every weekend.
In a nutshell
This sweet micro-hotel offers guests a unique experience, a taste of home in the most beautiful of surroundings. Typically, most tourists will head to the major cities of Quebec province; either Montreal or Quebec City, but Le Floriel gives visitors even more of a reason to stop off and explore the rural beauty in between.
Factbox
Address: 3311 Chem. de Sainte-Flore, Shawinigan, QC G9T 1A5, Canada
Phone: +1 819-529-5331
Website: hotelfloriel.com
Hotel photography courtesy of Le Floriel.
