Anyone visiting Ottawa is quickly impressed by the beauty of this dynamic and constantly evolving city. In the heart of downtown is the Fairmont Château Laurier, built as a renaissance style château, it’s hard to not fall in love with this hotel’s stately presence.
The castle, as it’s known to many, has been a home-away-from-home to famous guests including Nelson Mandela, Julie Andrews, Aretha Franklin, Bryan Adams, Sir Paul McCartney and many more. In fact, notorious photographer, Yousuf Karsh, lived in the hotel for 18 years, as well as operated his studio from the sixth floor between 1972 and 1993.
Although the Fairmont Château Laurier was constructed in 1912, the inside reads as a charmingly renovated castle, maintaining several historic elements such as the rich oak paneling, luxurious chandeliers, stunning Tiffany stained glass windows and gleaming marble floors. But make no mistake, Fairmont Château Laurier offers guests the perfect blend of old-world charm, with a hint of modern day luxury, sought after by so many discerning travelers today.
As part of the hotel’s recent renovations, Fairmont Gold features 69 redefined rooms and suites, perfect for those looking to have a boutique style hotel-within-a-hotel experience, These rooms were designed with our castle cachet in mind, maintaining the historical integrity of the hotel, while offering modern details, clean and classic lines, as well as fresh colors and rich fabrics; giving it a beautiful residential feel. It’s important to note that Fairmont Gold features private check-in, deluxe continental breakfast, complimentary shoe shine, business amenities, and much more. Regular guests often comment that staying on Fairmont Gold is like coming home!
Also recently refurbished is Zoe’s, the hotel’s captivating new bar experience which serves up cocktails, casual fare, afternoon tea and a nice side of history. Named after Canada’s seventh Prime Minister’s wife; Zoe’s was transformed from a concert hall and reintroduced as a bar in the late 1980’s. It quickly became one of Ottawa’s most popular gathering places. Today, the room is contemporary chic and remains equally impressive with its big bold chandeliers, unique details and featured artwork including six original Karsh photographs, which hang in the Reading Lounge, leading to the bar.
TOP FIVE THINGS TO SEE AND DO INSIDE OTTAWA’S CASTLE
Learn about our storied past while taking a specially designed iPad tour of the castle. Find out more about our link to the Titanic, see historical photos, discover the trials and tribulations of construction and so much more.
Swim in our art-deco pool. When it was installed in 1929 as part of the hotel’s East Wing addition, it was the largest hotel pool in Canada. Pay attention to the details, including the original brass heat lamps that line the pool deck. It’s like taking a step back in time.
Take time to visit our Heritage Gallery. There are a myriad of unique photos that tell the story of this impressive railway hotel.
In the summer, dine on La Terrasse where you can watch the sunset over the Parliament Buildings and the Ottawa River. The view is glorious; the food is amazing and the cocktails classically perfected.
Visit Zoe’s where you can enjoy a signature “Statesman” cocktail. Have your camera on standby when the smoker box opens. It’s the perfect Instagram moment.
For more information or to make a reservation, please visit http://www.fairmont.com/Laurier-Ottawa.
OR take advantage of the Fairmont Navigate Boomer Offer
Visit https://www.fairmont.com/americas/boomer and receive 10% off, a $50 Food & Beverage Credit per stay, on a 2 night minimum stay at any of the participating Fairmont properties.