Rich in history, the Fairmont ChÂteau Laurier is the ideal place to stay when you visit Canada’s capital.
By Nancy Ripton
History is not often equated with a Canadian vacation. Scenery – yes. Outdoor athleticism – check again. Great cities and urban fare – you bet. However, a step back in time isn’t often something that travellers seek out when visiting the 147-year-old country.
Tradition is, however, exactly what you’ll get when you stay at Ottawa’s Fairmont ChâteauLaurier. The hotel opened on June 1, 1912 and even the opening event is a historic event. The Château was the vision of Charles Melville Hays, an American who came to Canada as the General Manager of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway of Canada. Hays wanted to extend the railway to the West Coast, and build deluxe hotels in all the major cities along the way.
The first stop on his plan was the nation’s capital, and Hays hired the Montreal team of Ross and Macfarlane to design the Chateau. The original design (which has been kept alive today) was a combination of French Renaissance and the neo-Gothic vertical lines of parliament buildings. Materials used included: granite blocks, white Italian marble, Indiana limestone, and copper and brass railings. The result was a château that you would expect to find in Europe, rather than Canada.
Sadly, Hays didn’t live to see the hotel open. Just days before the original scheduled opening on April 26, 1912, the new president of the railway perished aboard the Titanic. He was coming back for the opening.
Your Modern-day Stay
Although the price of a stay has increased – the first guests paid just two dollars a night – much of the experience has not. You still feel as if you step back in time when you stay in one of the 429 rooms on parliament hill. Throughout renovations, the grandeur of the hotel has been maintained through the years.
Upon entering the hotel lobby, guests are greeted by a bust of the hotel’s namesake Sir Wilfrid Laurier. However, it’s a piece of art that did not originally please Canada’s eighth prime minister. The liberal leader was unhappy with the nose and originally threatened not to sign the guest registry for the hotel’s opening. However, the bust was promptly repaired to his liking and he not only signed the book, but also attended the hotel’s opening. The final bust bared such a strong resemblance that an unknowing guest once commented to Laurier (when the then Prime Minister was sitting next to the bust in the lobby) that the bust looked exactly like him.
While the tradition of the hotel has remained, modern amenities have been added pairing old and new in perfect unison. The hotel’s art deco pool may conjure up visions of Pierre Trudeau swimming a lap, while the modern health club and spa offer all you need to stay fit and pampered during your stay. The original health club opened in 1930 and had various, now seemingly unusual, treatments including a Scotch Shower in which guests were sprayed by alternating high powered hot and cold jets of water. The current spa offers everything from massages to manicures, and is the perfect compliment to your stay.
Join the Historic Ranks
When you stay at the Fairmont Château Laurier, you are perfectly situated to take in all the sites Ottawa has to offer. It’s next door to the country’s parliament buildings, and alongside the Rideau Canal – the world’s largest skating rink in the winter and the ideal place for a stroll or bike ride in the warmer months. It’s also close to the countries best museums and has dozens of amazing restaurants and shops within a close walk.
Stay in the Châteauand you’ll also join a long list of royalty and celebrities who have stayed there during their visit to Ottawa. Pierre Elliot Trudeau lived at the hotel from 1965 to 1968, prior to moving to 24 Sussex Drive after being elected the 15th Prime Minister of Canada. Sir Winston Churchill, Queen Elizabeth, Dwight Eisenhower, Nelson Mandela, John Lennon and the Rolling Stones all made the Châteauhome during their visit. If these walls could talk. VM
