ACZoom

If you are sure of the days you are going to stay in Montréal and are ok with non-refundable advance payments and are booking a week or more in advance (so as to get in multiple offers), try Priceline -- amazing deals are possible -- pay 40-60% of the prices normally charged at the hotel web sites, in some cases. Good discussion boards for Priceline include BiddingForTravel.com (search for Montréal) and BetterBidding (search for Canada). If Priceline does not work out, Hotwire hotels section is also worth a check. Note that both Hotwire and Priceline do not display hotel name until after you pay for it, and only a single double-bed is guaranteed though you can request options and sometimes the hotel will honor them.

For those visiting for a week or more, a great option is to rent a room or an apartment. This is a great way to live like the locals and explore neighborhoods. This is fraught with some risk in that the people renting may not be totally dependable - you may find that the person is not around at the agreed upon time, or if your plans change, then a new time cannot be agreed upon, or that the place may not be as promised. But the advantages are many, and this also is invariably less expensive than a hotel. There are large number of choices that can be browsed online - the one good site is kijiji.ca short term rentals and if you really feel adventurous and can put up with miscategorized postings and can spot scams, another site is craigslist sublets. (But in some cities, this applies: Craigslist full of rental scams.) The number of choices is large if you are traveling without a car, but if car parking is necessary, look for places outside the downtown area where street parking is easier. Alternatively, you can leave your car in a parking lot but that can cost $25 or more during peak holiday times in the downtown areas.