Milling About visits Hotel Zero 1 in Montreal, Canada. Senior Marketing Manager Michele Cantin tells host Robin Milling it's an ideal location just steps away from Chinatown and the cultural district Quarter des Spectacles, ripe with art, music and food festivals. For sightseers the Old City and the Old Port are a short walk away. This chic boutique-style property was once home to students attending nearby University of Quebec. The walls are concrete so the renovation focused on the 163 rooms which are stylized for comfort with just enough room for the essentials. The minimalist European aspect might not appeal to Americans looking for lots of space but you soon trade that for efficiency and charm. The beds are the centerpiece with 250 thread count sheets and microfiber duvet and pillows. The cupboards contain kitchenettes with hideaway appliances such as a mini refrigerator and coffeemaker.

Cantin is no stranger to the hospitality business having worked at a spa, but jumped at the chance to launch the opening of Hotel Zero 1 just two years ago, named for the address on Boulevard Rene-Levesque. She says being the new player in the city, they are the talk of the town. Their best kept secret is the 5 floor terrace where you can be very French and just take in the views of the city with a bottle of wine. It's a taste of France just six hours drive from New York City.