In the evening, I had the opportunity to experience the Renaissance Montreal’s bar ritual — one of four weekly “activations” that occur spontaneously in the hotel’s common areas and are designed to entice guests out of their rooms to mingle and sample something uniquely Montreal.

While sipping on Asian-inspired sangria and snacking on sashimi and tempura prepared by East, the hotel’s in-house pan-Asian restaurant, I chatted with Alexandre Tessier, director of sales and marketing for the Renaissance Montreal.

Today’s traveler, says Tessier, isn’t satisfied with their trip until they experience a moment of discovery – something intriguing, independent and thoroughly local. The goal of Renaissance — a Marriott brand – is to facilitate these discovery moments even for business travelers who may not have time to fully experience the city.

Travelers with a little more free time for exploring can consult a “navigator” – friendly roaming staff ready to point you in the direction of great local attractions or make you a dinner reservation.

My own discovery moment came at the end of the night when, after drinking in the city lights on the hotel’s rooftop terrace, I headed around the corner to hip Rue Ste.-Catherine for a hefty plate of moules frites at the Dominion Square Tavern, a Montreal institution.

With my appetite satisfied, I was content to return to my little slice of Montreal on the seventh floor of the hotel — already looking forward to my morning espresso.