The Coworker is a new weekly series by MTLinTECH that spotlights one Montreal coworking space every Tuesday.

Nestled in what was once someone’s enviable old loft apartment, the IDEAL coworking space in St. Henri is a small, cozy space housing about 25 freelancers and startup workers.

Founded in 2008 by Charles Landriault, IDEAL calls itself one of the original coworking spaces in the city along with the now-defunct Station C and ECTO.

The space is compact yet attractive. Two private offices take up the upper floor that overlooks the entire space, complete with a pair of huge, sunshine-filling windows. Along with the two private offices, there’s dedicated desk and hot desk space that can seat a maximum of about 20 people.

Landriault took over the space from a colleague who used it as his apartment, which, in our opinion, would make for one amazing place to live. Yet it’s still a very nice place to work too, especially with the free coffee and the humorous posters that adorn the lovely kitchen area.

“From what I’ve seen, people seem to prefer going to small, little coworking spaces because it’s more communal and it feels more like an actual office where you know these people,” said Landriault, 33. “That’s your workspace. There’s a little bit of a family thing going on, you don’t necessarily work directly with those people but they kind of become your coworkers.”

“A lot of people are looking for that one place. It’s like an extension of your house,” he added.

One of IDEAL’s selling points is its flexibility in terms of the packages it offers. A freelance web worker or a person running their own startup can book anything from three hours in the conference room to a monthly dedicated desk.

It may also be one of the cheapest desks in Montreal, too: IDEAL’s hot desk option goes for $184 plus tax per month. Its dedicated desk costs $368 plus tax per month and its two offices (both currently taken) for $477 and $504 plus tax. Three days a week at a hot desk costs $160 plus tax per month, two days for $135 and one day a week is $90.

Included in the monthly memberships is unlimited access 24/7 with key and access code, unlimited access to meeting room (max. 3h reservation/day), access to common areas (washroom, kitchen, dining and lounge area) and tea, coffee and natural spring water.

The commitment level is fair for each product: it’s a three-month commitment for a hot desk membership, six months for a dedicated desk and a year for one of the closed offices.

Landriault concluded that many freelancers and small startups are looking for different options. If they desire a larger space with more people, there’s no shortage of options in Montreal. But if they’re looking for a more homey feel with under 25 of the same people on any given day, IDEAL seems like it would be a peaceful option for a work space.

Have you read the rest of The Coworker series?

Le Salon 1861 blends history with social impact - September 13

La Gare positions itself in the heart of the action – September 6

Should I stay or should I go? – August 30

Notman House wants to make more noise (literally) – August 23

Petite Nuwrk has grand visions – August 16

ECTO’s cooperative spin outlasts the competition – August 9

Esplanade creates a familial atmosphere – August 2

Le 402 is small but the price is nice – July 26

A fresh slate for Le Tableau Blanc’s enviable space – July 19

Fabrik8 founder went through a world of experience – July 12

Xenospace competes with the cool neighbourhoods – July 5

LORI Hub the first space for women entrepreneurs – June 28

Could Crew’s Café be the blueprint for expansion? – June 21

Mile Ex’s peaceful 6cent1 is a one of a kind – June 14

Gameplay Space has gaming startups feeling like pros – June 7

Halte 24-7 puts design at the forefront – May 31