Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac

I didn't stay at the Chateau Frontenac but I certainly explored around it a bit and I thought it was only right to put it in. It's too big of a city landmark to leave out, it's a five star hotel and in any Quebec City skyline photo the hotel stands out above all else!

The view from hotel of the St. Lawrence River is amazing, its right where you want to be for shopping, activities, etcetera.

I strolled around a bit and with a friend from the hostel we went up to the front desk and asked some questions. It's around $200 for a basic room and $2000 for the Presidential Suite.

Out of my range, hehehe.

Unique Quality: Here is the building history I just snagged for you :-)

In the late 19th century, William Van Horne, General Manager of Canadian Pacific (CP) Railway, began building the hotel as the ideal stopover for CP travelers. Van Horne retained the services of New York architect Bruce Price (father of Emily Post), who had already designed Montreal's Windsor Station. Drawing on the architectural styles of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, Price immortalized the history of the two great powers that had occupied Quebec City's highest promontory.

The years leading up to 1993 saw many expansion projects to fashion the hotel into what it is today, including the Citadelle construction in 1899, Mont-Carmel construction in 1908, and the Saint-Louis and Tour Centrale in 1920 and 1924. A new expansion phase was completed in June 1993 with the inauguration of the Claude-Pratte Wing, which offers guests a superb indoor pool, a physical fitness center and a magnificent outdoor terrace.

Fairmont Le Château Frontenac owes its name to a flamboyant French governor called Louis de Buade, Count of Frontenac, who guided the destiny of New France from 1672 to 1698. Frontenac's coat-of-arms can be seen on the outside wall of the entry arch and many other areas within the hotel. History casts a long architectural line: a 300-year-old stone bearing the Cross of Malta emblem is among the interior stones of the hotel's vaulted lobby.

Countless personalities have graced Fairmont Le Château Frontenac with their presence, including King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, Princess Grace of Monaco, Ronald Reagan, François Mitterrand, Prince Andrew, Lady Sarah Ferguson, and Charles Lindberg. In 1944, Fairmont Le Château Frontenac became the action center of the Quebec Conferences of World War II, which involved U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Canadian Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King. (Source: Hotel Web Site)

We booked our stay a few months prior to our trip and boy did we make the right descission. Although this is a large hotel, I can not imagine staing anywhere else in Quebec City. The service was top notch.

Unique Quality: INDOOR POOL, MANY FINE BARS (WITH CUBAN CIGARS), A GREAT PEICE OF ARCHITECTURE!

Directions: Center of everything

For a true experience of Quebec City, a stay at Chateau Frontenac is unique. Since 1893, the hotel has been a landmark of Quebec City.

The view on the river is outstanding (if you get the proper room among the 600+ rooms).

The castle has great restaurants and it's location is unique.

Unique Quality: I highly recommend booking one of the seasonal packages which include restaurants, tours and stay.

Check the hotel packages on the hotel web site.

The hotel also has a very nice health spa with pool, whirpool, steam room, exercise room, etc.

This place blows you away. It's huge for starters, and majestic as a storybook castle on the outside. Inside it's got a warm and comfortable feel. Every wall is paneled in wood. The floors are either richly carpeted or highly polished marble.

The staff is polite, efficient and attitude-free. Full marks.

The rooms are small, but comfortable and richly appointed. The beds are very comfortable and the bathrooms are marble from floor to ceiling. I was a little disappointed in the lack of water pressure coming from the shower, but I like my shower like a fire hose so it's not really a gripe a normal person would have with the hotel.

This hotel has a limited room service menu available 24 hours a day. To me, this is the hallmark of a great hotel. But I wanted a milkshake, and that wasn't on the menu. When I called room service and asked for one, they told me "I'm sorry, but the section of the kitchen with the milkshake machine is closed." OK, no big deal. The ham and cheese sandwich on a baguette was awesome, anyway. (The bread is good just about everywhere in Quebec. I get the feeling that French people take their bread quite seriously.) My thing with the milkshake was that four-hundred-dollar-a-night ass-kissing service shouldn't really start with "I'm sorry", you know what I mean?

What does all this mean? Well, it means that I can't get a milkshake at 2:00 in the morning and that other hotel guests may look at you funny if you try running the fire hose from the hallway into your shower, but aside from that you shouldn't travel to Quebec City and not spend at least ONE night at the Chateau Frontenac.

Unique Quality: If this place didn't exist, no one would come to Quebec City.

Less spacious than newer hotels, but the room is elegantly furnished and well kept.

Unique Quality: There are 586 rooms and 32 suites. The more expansive rooms have river views.

The massive castle-like building was built on the site of Chateau St. Louis (1608), the residence of the governor of New France. Chateau Frontenac was considered very luxurious at the time it was built in 1893, with fireplaces, individual bathrooms and marble fixtures. A 20-storey central tower was added in 1925. Famous guests included Queen Elizabeth, Ronald Reagan, Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill.

Guided tours are available for a fee.

Directions: In Upper Town next to the boardwalk

I've never stayed at the Chateau Frontenac but I've always made a point of visiting the elegant lobby areas.

The Chateau Frontenac is exquisite! We stayed in a Gold room, which is the most expensive, but definitely worth it! Especially since it was our honeymoon! The room was beautiful and also included is a private conceriege and lounge (for Gold rooms only). Very romantic. Every night when we returned to our room there was a gift waiting for us....champagne one night, banana nut bread the next, etc. Excellent staff and service. I cannot recommend this hotel enough. The hotel is located in historic Old Quebec, and there are excellent restaurants and shops within walking distance. The scenery and architecture is fabulous.

Unique Quality: Great Views!!!
Beautiful Architecture

My friends and I are not able to afford the Chateau Frontenac at normal rates, but we jumped at the chance to take advantage of a discount weekend there.

The hotel has an amazing Sunday buffet, with an enormous room full of gastronomic delights. . .we actually returned to the hotel room to rest after eating. There is also a small gym, which you can use to assuage any guilt you're feeling after indulging in the buffet.

Unique Quality: Don't forget to visit the St. Laurent Bar & Lounge ~ the view over the river is phenomenal and it's a super place to savour aged whiskey, girly martinis and Cuban cigars. :-) There was even live jazz the evenings we popped in for drinks.

Construction of the Chateau Frontenac began in the late 1800's, as part of the series of Canadian Pacific Railway hotels. Known as a CP hotel for most of its history, the managing company recently took "Fairmont" as its brand, to increase recognition outside of Canada.

This fairy-tale castle has hosted movie stars, politicians and royalty. . .and still manages to provide excellent customer service to discount guests (like myself) who don't pay the price listed below.

Unique Quality: There are over 600 rooms and suites ~ the decor is very tasteful and the style is very European.

Directions: The Chateau Frontenac stands is visible from most of Old Quebec. It's perched high on the hill and you'll have a hard time missing it.

We don't have a whole lot of castles in North American, but the Frontenac is pretty close. I actually got to stay there the last time I was in Quebec. It's impossible to miss in Vieux-Quebec; just look up. It's hosted Queen Elizabeth and Price Philip, Winston Churchill, and FDR. If you can stay there, go for it. If you can't, you can still crawl around the building. There are tours given by staff in period costumes (yeah, a little cheesey, but interesting).

Unique Quality: Amazing terrace.

Directions: Vieux-Quebec