Auberge Mr James

We booked this for a stop on our roadtrip from Ontario to the East Coast. We had an issue with taking the ferry (2 hour delay) so we were not able to arrive at our planned time. They were so gracious when we called and accommodated our late (very late!) arrival. When we entered the room we were delighted. Don’t be fooled by it referring to itself as an “auberge/hostel” as it is much more of an Inn or B&B sans breakfast. A comfortable bed, bathroom with toiletries and the most comfortable chairs by the fireplace, perfect for reading. We left the next morning to continue on our journey, but would have loved to stay longer. My husband and I agree that we need to return to this region of Quebec, and stay at Aubergr Mr. James.

No one available except kitchen staff when we arrived. Room was adequate, but extremely warm with no air conditioning or even a fan to cool it down. Opened windows with little to no air! That was in the downstairs apt. Not worthy of the price we paid!

First off, check in is a bit confusing - you have to go to the restaurant immediately next door to check in, the signage isn't clear - and we read/speak French. The parking lot is the gravel one across the street, which is shared with the aforementioned restaurant. We had the Mr. James room and while quite spacious, it has some odd design choices - the headboard of the bed is actually like a fireplace mantle (I'd imagine you could hit your head on it getting up if you aren't careful), there aren't any bedside tables, there is a freestanding tub in the corner of the room (I guess it's next to the fireplace so it would be nice in the winter?) There are plenty of windows, but they are all street level at the front of the house and facing the restaurant side so I kept the blinds drawn for privacy. Breakfast was in a takeout box in the fridge in the kitchen and contained one bottle each of apple/orange juice, two croissants, two muffins, and two coffee pods. The croissants especially were rock hard cold but there is a microwave to warm them up. As the owners said as a response to one of the reviews, it's better than nothing for the price :) In summary it felt like a bed and breakfast (especially since it's a heritage house), light on the breakfast, and without any attention from the owners.

We have mixed feelings about the Auberge. First, the people are really very nice and helpful, the room was clean but a bit shabby. The room and bathroom were clean and comfortable. The bed itself was very comfortable. The breakfast was not very good: cold boxed food and Keurig coffee maker without instructions. This is especially sad, considering the auberge is connected with a brilliant restaurant next door: the Saint-Patrice. Wonderful food, service and drinks including cocktails and wine. The crème brûlée was maybe the best we ever enjoyed. Overall a great place to stay, especially if you have dinner.