The Queen of Montreal – Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth

The first night of my trip visiting four provinces in Eastern Canada was spent in Montreal where we stayed at Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth.

Located in the heart of the business and shopping districts directly above Central Station, the hotel reopened on 10th July 2017 after a $140 million refit. The 950 rooms have been beautifully renovated in a contemporary 1960’s style. After checking in we ate a delicious dinner in Rosely’s, a bistro which blends ‘Parisian elegance with English style’.

After breakfast we went on a site of inspection of the hotel. Celebrating 60 years in 2018, it opened on 15th April 1958 and was designed by the architects of the Canadian National Railway. Originally it has 1,216 rooms and was one of the first hotels in North America to have escalators, centralised air conditioning and direct dial phones in the rooms. The hotel is located directly above Central Station and has access into the underground city and Metro system so it is very easy to get around.

From 26th May to 2nd June 1969, John Lennon and Yoko Ono held their famous ‘Bed-In for Peace’ protest against the Vietnam War in suite 1742. John composed and recorded the song ‘Give Peace a Chance’ in the suite. Renovated as part of the refit, the newly redesigned suite was unveiled on 21st September 2017, International Day of Peace. There are pictures of John and Yoko on the walls as well as words from the famous song. Reproductions of the handwritten Hair Peace and Bed Peace are on the windows behind the bed. In a side room, there is a cabinet containing photos, videos and other items including a vinyl copy of the Give Peace a Chance record. It was fascinating to look through!

We viewed Fairmont Gold – ‘the hotel within a hotel’ which occupies the top three floors of the hotel. The Fairmont Gold rooms and suites have spectacular views of the city as well as access to private Fairmont Gold Lounge. The hotel actively wants it facilities to be used by both guests and locals. The bar - Nacarat, Krema café and Rosely’s, the bistro, all have direct access from the surrounding streets to encourage this, as does Marche Artisans, my favourite part of the refurbishment.
Artisans is a European-inspired speciality food market located in the lobby of the hotel. There are more than 10 different sections for visitors to explore including a bakery, pastry counter, chocolate station, charcuterie and cheese counter. Fish and seafood as well as fresh fruits and vegetables, freshly cooked pizzas and ready-made dishes are also available. Gourmet advisors assist shoppers with knowledge about the products and their origins as well as offering tips on how to cook them.
Unfortunately, we didn’t get time to browse properly as it would have been expensive!

The hotel has a new permanent art collection showcasing renowned contemporary artists from Quebec and Canada. A large part of the collection is displayed in the public areas of the hotel to encourage art fans and tourists as well as guests to visit the hotel to see it.
Montréal en Histoires is a free mobile app tour created to enable Montrealers, visitors and tourists to discover, explore and celebrate Montreal’s history. There are 25 interactive projections and animations located in Old Montréal and Old-Port of Montréal, mainly outside. We saw several of the sites on our tour around the city, some are best viewed when it is dark. The three at Fairmont Queen Elizabeth Hotel are indoors: Cite Memoire Agora has an historical theme; Tableau Le Bed-In is based on John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s war protest and stay at the hotel. They are continuously projected in an area just off the lobby and were fascinating to sit and watch. My favourite was the interactive river located in the underground passageway connecting to Place Ville Marie. The river has waves and then slowly freezes; we had fun walking on the ice and watching it crack.

Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth was one of my favourite hotels of our trip. It has been beautifully refurbished, has great facilities and is in the perfect location with access to all areas of the city. I will be recommending it to anyone who wishes to visit Montreal.