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October 2023 by Vincent L.
This would be a typical shopping plaza in the lobby of a skyscraper, but there are several things going for it. Most importantly, the atrium appears to be open late, if not 24/7, because it's connected to the underground city here in Montreal. This means people can enjoy fountains and artwork inside all year long, all day long, even outside of normal office hours. Better yet: plenty of seating everywhere to facilitate this, whether cafe-style seating, communal tables, or benches. Combine this with an IGA supermarket in the basement that's open late, and you can self-cater some refreshments any time of day, even if all the restaurants here are closed. A great way to make an office lobby accessible and open to the public.
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July 2023 by Marls C.
This mall is horrible. Homeless creeps and bums, I was sexually assaulted there twice so it's unsafe for women and probably kuds, lousy security, cleaning staff are ceazy, not many stores.Main attraction is a well that shoots water into the air. Avoid it! Many store merchants refuse to speak English. Nothing changed much since I last went there.
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March 2023 by Angela O.
For a shopping mall, it could use a refresh and some store additions. A good number of them were closed. There is a food court. Unless you need a specific shop, I would not consider this worth a tourist visit.
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August 2022 by Robert G.
If I had to start this review with a catch phrase, it would be:"The seventies are underrated!"Complexe Desjardins is the (mixed use) shopping center with which I am most familiar in greater Montreal. I like it. I don't know when it was built, but it looks like it got its inspiration around 1978 or 1979! It basically takes up an entire downtown block, and I usually have seen it and approached it the most from Rene-Levesque and St.-Urbain. This means that, being one block west of Blvd. St.-Laurent which demarcates east and west, it is squarely in Centre-Ville.What they did is erect a massive podium-like structure in which the shopping center is mostly located and then placed 4 similarly styled towers at the edges, at each major corner. I can't name but two of the towers: one is for Caisse Desjardins and the other is the Hyatt Regency. I believe the others are high-end office space.Getting back to the shopping center, it's built around the large interior atrium and on different levels around the perimeter. In this way, it's different from lengthy, linear Centre Eaton in Toronto. However, both have one major similarity inside: a large central fountain that periodically expels a stream of water high up into the air. At Complexe Desjardins, this spectacle is, at times, also augmented by lighting.The shopping can be upmarket, mid-market, or practical in nature. At ground level, there is a pharmacy-market as well as a Budget-Avis location. I'm not big on shopping since I find it tedious. Mostly, I've come here to eat or just sit, regroup, and watch the fountain and Montrealers being Montrealers. Most of the fast food places are on the northern edge of the complex, toward St.-Catherine Ouest, and this includes the constantly busy McDonald's.Overall, it's a practical sort of shopping center. It doesn't have the sorts of stores you might see on Sherbrooke-O., around Place-Bonaventure, or out by the Atwater Metro. However, with its spread of price points, you are likely to find something you want and can afford. Lastly, it's not a stroke of trendiness. Instead, it's a dated but still very dignified brick cladded complex that is aging well and has a good feel about it.
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August 2022 by Denise W.
Entrance to Complexe Desjardins is located at the center of Quartier des Spectacles. It is also the entrance to underground city in Montreal. At the Complexe Desjardins you will find access access to the metro station, offices, hotels and retail shopping stores along with restaurants. It is connected to Places des Arts and Hyatt Regency in the underground city.The mall is airy and nice to walk in during times of bad weather. The ceiling of this complex is quite unique and colorful.
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July 2022 by Robert S.
Complexe Desjardins is a mixed-use office, hotel, and shopping mall complex located in Montreal, in the Quartier des spectacles area of Saint Catherine Street. The project was designed to develop the eastern end of downtown Montreal, it is located in the quadrilateral formed by Saint Catherine, Saint-Urbain, Jeanne Mance and René Lévesque Boulevard.Its architectural design consists of several towers housing offices of the Desjardins Group, Quebec Government offices and other companies, as well as a hotel, linked by an atrium shopping centre anchored by IGA. This design produces the effect of an indoor square. It is one of very few buildings in Canada to have its own postal code prefix, H5B.The Complexe Desjardins is connected by the underground city to Place des Arts and the Place-des-Arts Metro station to the north, and the Complexe Guy-Favreau, the Palais des congrès de Montréal, and Place-d'Armes Metro station to the south.The hotel in the complex opened as the Hotel Meridien Montreal in 1976. It was later renamed the Wyndham Montreal, then the Hyatt Regency Montreal in 2003, then the DoubleTree by Hilton Montreal in December 2018.I feel the shopping options are varied and very boutique-like. Not many huge department stores here. But one of the highlights of this complex is the large food court...if you are in the Quartier des Spectacles and you are not wanting to wait the long lines for the food trucks, you can always come to the food court at Desjardins and get many options of grub. I love that it's very centrally located, just a few blocks from Chinatown, Rene Levesque, the red light district, the business district of St Catherine, the festival area and the Village. Great complex.
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July 2022 by William K.
This shopping complex looks large on the outside, but upon entering you will notice it is actually quite compact. It is not as overwhelming as what you might find at the Toronto Eaton Centre or West Edmonton Mall, but it has all the basics you need. The fountain in the centre of the mall is absolutely spectacular and for many, including me, that is the main highlight of coming here. Unfortunately, I never got to see the water rush all the way up to the top, however, I was still awed by the beauty of it.There is an IGA grocery store attached to the complex which is very convenient should you need to get any groceries while in Downtown. They also have your usual stores like Dollarama and Winners, along with the usual food court and a few restaurants and clothing shops here and there. The DoubleTree by Hilton is also attached to this place.Complexe Desjardins is part of the Montreal Underground City, therefore providing easy access to other attractions such as the Place Des Arts which happens to be right next door. Also, the majority of this complex is composed of office towers related to the company Desjardins.Although I was more than satisfied with this mall, 4 stars will do since I did not find this mall as exciting as what you might find elsewhere (such as the malls I listed earlier). However, given the numerous office buildings nearby, it's completely understandable as to why this place is not like what you'd find in a place like Toronto.
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October 2021 by Just C.
More large office towers with 2 levels of retail than a mall, with some useful shops including a large grocery store, a pharmacy, a Dollarama, and a tiny Winners. There is free wifi and I really enjoy the special events in the main space.The IGA carries a small selection of baked goods from Arhoma (so yummy!) and has fresh mini donuts. Also, you can return beverage cans and bottles to the service desk for refund (on my last visit, there was a handy machine that compacted the cans and dispensed a receipt to cash out).I love that there is a recycling room on the South end of the tunnel level that accepts small batteries, light bulbs, fluorescent tubes, and disposable chopsticks, as well as regular recycling and composting.Part of the underground network that connects Place d'Armes to Place des Arts, I appreciate being able to walk through during bad weather, as it always feels safe and clean.
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March 2021 by Jim P.
I had something to downtown so I decided to come here for lunch since one of the restaurants that I liked was located in Complexe Desjardin's food court.During COVID-19 (or the restrictions which were currently in effect at the time that I visited since the COVID-19 restrictions change on a weekly/monthly basis), restaurants are allowed take out orders only and in the shopping malls that I've visited, the restaurants in the food courts would normally be open but the dining area of the food court would be cordoned off.When I went to Complexe Desjardins on March 17, 2021 to grab a bite to eat (after not having been downtown in over a year), I found that they closed their entire food court area. In fact, it was boarded closed. I was so disappointed after having walked ~15 minutes to get there.Before leaving, I went to the information desk and asked if the entire food court was closed (because maybe there was another entrance that I wasn't aware of) and was informed that it was closed due to renovations.I decided to leave and walk towards McGill metro to grab something to eat in that vicinity.
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October 2010 by miniramen
This mall has lots of events throughout the year during Christmas, Festival de Jazz, Valentine's Day etc. Also, it's connected to Guy Favreau apartment building, so it's extremely convenient for anyone living there.
