I stayed at the Grey Nuns Residence in Montreal for five nights during the Montreal Grand Prix. I chose this residence because it was the only accommodation I could afford during the Montreal Grand Prix. It had an excellent location with tons of restaurants, shopping and transit options. I am very grateful I found the Grey Nuns Residence, otherwise my trip to the Montreal Formula 1 race may not have happened.
To be honest, I was a little uneasy about getting such affordable accommodations during the Montreal Grand Prix. Here are my honest opinions about my stay.
Why I Booked Grey Nuns Residence
When I decided to go to the Montreal F1 race, I was very excited. I hopped onto StubHub and found great Montreal Grand Prix tickets for the entire weekend. Next, I looked at flights and somehow found a reasonably priced option. Then I checked Montreal hotels, and my heart sank.
The prices of hotels during the Montreal Grand Prix are shocking. It’s to be expected of course, given the magnitude of the Formula 1 event, but still it hurts just looking at them. Even the most terrible motels in town were charging $600 – $800 per night, and the good hotels were significantly more than that! There was just no way I wanted to spend that much. I feared my Montreal Grand Prix trip was over before it started.
Then I found the Grey Nuns Residence, which is typically used as student housing for Concordia University. During the school year, Concordia students live here, but in the summer, the residence opens to travellers looking for simple, budget-friendly accommodation.
The Grey Nuns Residence nearly doubles its usual price during the Montreal Grand Prix, but even then it was still a small fraction of the price of even the worst motels out there!
I wanted to go to the Montreal Grand Prix so badly, I figured I could live with anything for 5 nights, so I booked my room at the Grey Nuns Residence. And guess what? Considering how cheap it was, I actually had a great stay!
Grey Nuns Residence Location in Downtown Montreal
Walking to the Bell Centre and Ste-Catherine Street
The Grey Nuns Residence is in downtown Montreal on the campus of Concordia University. It has an excellent location, just blocks from Bell Centre Bell, home of the Montreal Canadiens hockey team, and close to St. Catherine’s Street.
Given it is near the university, there are nearly endless choices for restaurants, especially inexpensive international food, like shawarma, donairs, etc. I love this kind of food, so I was in heaven!
Getting to Grey Nuns Residence from Montreal Airport
The Grey Nuns Residence is conveniently just a few blocks away from a bus stop for the 747 bus, which is an express bus from the Montreal Airport to downtown Montreal.
Getting to the Montreal Grand Prix from Grey Nuns
It was also easy to get to the Montreal Grand Prix. The residence is about 3 km from the BIXI bike parking lot, where I caught the shuttle to Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve. You can take a BIXI bike there, but I actually enjoyed walking to and from the shuttle lot each day
The shuttle has a second stop nearby where you can call a taxi or Uber, but I always got on and off at the BIXI lot. As it’s only 3 km from the Grey Nuns Residence, I just walked. It only took 30 – 40 minutes each way and was a very enjoyable walk through Griffintown.
Read More
If this is your first Formula 1 race, don’t miss my Montreal Grand Prix Tips for First Timers.
My Room at the Grey Nuns Residence
My dorm room at the Grey Nuns Residence was modest, but larger than I expected. It had a single bed, a desk, some shelves, a closet, a small fridge and a sink.
The biggest amenities it lacked were a private bathroom and air conditioning. It also didn’t have a TV, but there is a TV in the common room. I never watch TV when I travel, so I didn’t miss it.
For this price, I didn’t mind using the shared bathroom and shower facilities. They were kept clean and I never had to wait to use any of the facilities.
I was worried about the lack of air conditioning, but with the Montreal Grand Prix now held in May, the nights were cool enough for me. All I needed to do was open my window after getting home from the F1 races each day and the room would be nice and cool by the time I went to sleep. The large windows opened fully and had screens to keep the bugs out.
Shared Bathrooms and Cleanliness
Given the Grey Nuns Residence is usually a university dorm, I didn’t have high expectations for cleanliness. I’m happy to say the Grey Nuns exceeded my expectations.
My only complaint was that the shower curtains were kind of gross. The showers themselves were clean, but the shower curtains could use a deeper clean or replacement.
Amenities at Grey Nuns Residence
As the price would suggest, there are very few amenities at the Grey Nuns Residence. There’s no free buffet breakfast or swimming pool. It’s pretty simple accommodations, but that’s the whole point.
There is a simple shared kitchen with a microwave, kettle and toaster, plus a common room with couches and a TV.
If you are coming to the Montreal Grand Prix, you should be spending as little time in your hotel room as possible. This is not a weekend where you want to spend a lot of time at your hotel. For a Grand Prix trip, all you really need here is a place to sleep.
If you’d like ideas on what to do during your trip, check out my 5 day itinerary for the Montreal Grand Prix. It’s full of ideas to do before, during and after the Formula 1 races.
What I Liked About Grey Nuns Residence
I loved the price of the Grey Nuns Residence. It honestly saved my Montreal Grand Prix trip. I would not have gone if I hadn’t found this place.
I also thought my bed was comfortable and it was nice and quiet. I didn’t hear any of the other guests at all, which was a surprise.
I also thought the location of the Grey Nuns Residence was perfect for a Montreal Grand Prix trip. It was easy to get to and from the CGV shuttle, and there were tons of restaurants nearby
What Could Be Better
Literally, my only complaint about my entire stay was the gross shower curtains. Other than that, I was quite happy with everything at the Grey Nuns Residence.
Was It Good Value for the Money?
During the Montreal Grand Prix, the Grey Nuns Residence was incredible value for the money. I am truly grateful I found this place. I would stay here again in a heartbeat for a future Montreal Grand Prix trip.