Score big with unique Habs experiences
Montréal’s love of hockey runs so deep that there’s an almost tangible excitement that radiates out across the city from the Bell Centre when the Montréal Canadiens (a.k.a. the Habs) are in town for a home game. Now imagine what it feels like inside the home of the Habs. Well you can — along with a group of your friends, family or whomever else you choose to get your game on with — courtesy of several unique and exclusive Habs experiences that promise to dial up the fun on your trip or for your special celebration.
Make game night even suite-er
The Bell Centre is the highest-capacity arena in the National Hockey League (NHL), with seating for 21,273 hockey crazy fans. And crazy it can be, leading to a happy and enthusiastic atmosphere that is unmatched anywhere else in the NHL. It lends itself to a great fan experience, as do the always awesome Bell Centre suites — private hosting rooms with great views of the action that cater to groups — that are part of the Nightly Suites package. It includes 12 to 40 tickets to that night’s Montréal Canadiens game, two parking passes, an open bar with dedicated suite attendant, and a private entrance with concierge service.
Sky-high hockey-watching good times
It’s a one-of-a-kind room with an unparalleled view: the Renaissance Montréal Loft, a cool partnership between the Bell Centre and downtown luxury lifestyle hotel Renaissance Montréal. Suspended up in the rafters of the Bell Centre with the Habs’ Stanley Cup championship banners, this exclusive, stylishly designed loft space offers an incomparable VIP good time. And like any good loft, it even comes with a swing. The Renaissance Montréal Loft package includes 20 tickets, hors d’oeuvres and an open bar, a dedicated suite attendant, a private entrance with concierge service, and sightlines that make it impossible to miss any of the on-ice action.
How’s this for an apex experience…
For any diehard Habs fan — or hockey lover period — the aptly named Ultimate Experience is a dream come true, a bucket list checkmark and a little slice of heaven all rolled up in one unforgettable package. Designed for two or four people, the Ultimate Experience consists of a pair of Platinum level tickets, a parking spot in the players’ private garage, dinner for two at La Mise au Jeu restaurant, two Habs jerseys autographed by the player of your choice, access to a private lounge, a visit to the media lounge and press gallery, and access to the Canadiens’ dressing room and press conference post-game. Ultimate, indeed.
This’ll get you two minutes for having too much fun
You and your gang can catch all the Habs action up close and personal with the Penalty Box Experience, a package that consists of the perfect combination of Bell Centre game-time atmosphere and first-class service. This package offers 4 to 11 first-row seats in the Platinum level near the penalty box, one parking space and private entrance, access to the private Hartland Molson Lounge at ice level, cold buffet and open bar, and concierge service.
Join the club!
Hard-hitting hockey and refined high-end dining need not be mutually exclusive. Fans of both stand to enjoy many benefits by becoming a member of the Bell Centre restaurants’ private club, including reserving your table in advance at either La Mise au Jeu or Restaurant 9-4-10, taking a culinary journey with Executive Chef Yves Lowe’s table d’hôte (which features fresh, locally produced ingredients), arriving early to hang out in the Lounge, returning to your table during intermissions for crêpes or gourmet cheeses, and so much more.
The mega modern tavern that pays tribute to history
As sports-watching destinations go, you’d be very hard-pressed to find better — and you simply won’t find bigger — than the 1909 Taverne moderne - MTL, named for the year the Montréal Canadiens were founded. Situated right beside the Bell Centre, this 1,400-seat sports bar and restaurant is the largest of its kind in Canada. And the viewing experience is big as well, with state-of-the-art laser projections, a 4K-quality 46' X 20' main screen (another first in the country) and over 65 HD TVs. Add to that a carefully curated menu featuring locally sourced cuisine, 40 beer taps, an extensive wine list and an innovative cocktail menu, and you’ll never want to watch the game at home again.
A tour you can put in the win column
See the Bell Centre like you’ve never seen it before with new behind-the-scenes guided tours. Offered daily, these one-hour tours get you into hallowed territory like the newly renovated Montréal Canadiens dressing room, the nostalgia-filled Montreal Canadiens Alumni Lounge (which on game nights plays host to some of the greatest legends in team history), the Habs press conference room, the Jacques Beauchamp Lounge (where the team’s operations staff and NHL media congregate for their pregame meals), the press gallery 90 feet above the ice and loads more. For more guided tour information, please go here.
Also, new this season, on game nights, the Canadiens have added a VIP Tour option that allows you to experience the inner workings of a Canadiens home game before it starts!
Jamie O'Meara
Jamie O'Meara was the Editor-in-Chief at C2 Montréal and the former Editor-in-Chief of alt-weekly newspaper HOUR Magazine.