The stage is set for an array of styles and fantasies, from spine-tingling horror realms to otherworldly sci-fi landscapes, and even a Barbie-inspired nostalgia trip. Every door leads you to a different era, theme, and story. It's a delightful maze of creativity, each room bearing the mark of inventive design and love for immersive storytelling.
Sofia takes a selfie in a pastel pink cake room with birthday cake candles and icing on the walls and fuscia logs in a faux fireplace.David Rawalia | MTL Blog
Near the entrance, the pink cake room is a delightful slice of the selfie wonderland. You might feel a sugary rush just stepping in, but try not to lick the walls. The room is covered in faux-icing and seemingly edible props, including a person-sized cake in one corner, all crafted with caulking and plaster.
"Each room is filled with unique pieces you won't find anywhere else," studio team member Miss Bourguignon told MTL Blog.
The rooms of Le Saint Motel are an ever-evolving canvas, she said, though one room remains a perennial favourite. The Forever Christmas nook stands frozen in holiday cheer, and you can always count on the frosted tree adorned with kitsch ornaments, walls wrapped in holiday cheer, and nutcrackers standing sentry.
Yet, the experience can swiftly shift from the cozy winter chill to a whole different kind of chilling. Another room will immerse you in an eerie schlock horror tableau. The static hum of vintage TVs fills the room with scenes from B-movie chillers. A gallery of horror classics like Halloween and The Evil Dead deck the walls, leading your gaze to the pièce de résistance — a life-like Creature from the Black Lagoon emerging from one screen.
David stands in the B-movie horror room wearing an "Evil Dead" shirt.Sofia Misenheimer | MTL Blog
Each room is illuminated with photography in mind, although the studio provides free ring lights for those seeking an added touch of professional luminosity.
All the corners of a room are also your canvas. As Bourguignon points out, "You can use every angle, including the floor," to create your own masterpiece. Whether there's a graffiti tag or colourful carpet, the attention to detail in each space invites creative interaction.
You're free to bring your own props, or if you prefer, the studio is ready to serve up a banquet of choice items from vintage microphones, vinyl records and magazines, to seasonal deco that will change as fluidly as the themes.
If you fancy a more vintage feel, the studio also offers Instax cameras to capture a nostalgic Polaroid look ($28 for 10 shots). Or you can bring your preferred photographer along to make the most of the dreamy lighting in each room.
Will flings rose-coloured balls in the studio's iconic neon-lit ball pit.David Rawalia | MTL Blog
A popular set from the original Le Saint Motel location — a custom ball pit — is now also available in Laval. You can plunge into a sea of pink, where thousands of orbs dance around you in joyful chaos. The bottom is foam-padded, making it comfortable to sit, stand, or kneel while posing for photos. Up to three people can comfortably submerge themselves in the neon-lit pool.
Underneath the flamboyance, the studio demonstrates a keen respect for sustainability. Reusing items from the other location, and even the former tanning salon, like original encasements and seats repurposed into shelves, is part of the studio’s ethos.
"It took a lot of research," shared studio co-founder Olivier Dufort. The result is a landscape dotted with vintage accents, from a fully-functional record player and multiple arcade machines to an infinity mirror. "Most of the sets are modular so we can move them around and eventually rent them outside the studio," he said.
Sofia points at a word in a giant book, next to oversized mushrooms and plants.David Rawalia | MTL Blog
Le Saint Motel’s new location can accommodate 30 guests at a time, ensuring privacy while preserving the illusion of a bustling motel. Designed for all ages, the studio offers a kid-friendly environment and private hours for events like bachelorette parties.
Guests can enjoy a four-hour private rental from Saturday to Wednesday, after 6 p.m., making the studio their very own for $1500. Otherwise, general admission during daily operations costs $37 per person and $25 for those aged 13 and under.
Sofia takes a photo of David in a room with fluffy pink walls and a neon light of a dripping smiley face.Will Prince | MTL Blog
Right now, the most popular rooms in the studio are the rainbow set, with pastel-coloured arches that lead into a cloudy motif, and the red burlesque room with a lit stage, crimson piano, vintage seating and collage of Montreal performance posters.
On the other end of the colour spectrum is the sultry allure of the red burlesque room. The seductive scarlet-clad corner is complete with a lit stage primed for your grand entrance, a crimson piano, vintage seating, and a collage of posters celebrating Montreal's performance culture.
Will wearing a flamingo and hibiscus collared shirt sits in a wicker throne behind gold-tinted tropical plants.David Rawalia | MTL Blog
To take full advantage of the studio's diverse offerings, consider bringing multiple outfits and check out the studio's social media to familiarize yourself with their backdrops.
In a world saturated with cookie-cutter aesthetics, Le Saint Motel serves as a refreshing escape. It offers an invitation to step outside of reality, so don't be shy and embrace your inner playfulness. This is the place to bring your fantasies alive — one snapshot at a time.
Le Saint Motel Pop-Up
Where: 2376, A. Chomedey, Laval
Cost: $37 for three hours
More at lesaintmotellaval.com
Cabaret CelesteCourtesy of Éric Carrière
To people look at a phone after snapping a shot under a neon light that reads "never trust the living" on the gothic side of a split black and pink bedroom.
Le Saint Motel co-creators Olivier Dufort, Maria Parisella, and Astrid Apissoghomian hold a vintage Expo '67 map in one retro-themed room.
A visitor leans on a pillar painted to look like a pink palm tree, while taking a photo of a friend in one room.
