Château Frontenac-Quebec City, QC
Château Frontenac is said to be the most photographed hotel in the world. This is absolutely believable, because it is impossibly photogenic, and definitely one of the most stunning hotels I have ever seen- a dreamy castle in the sky, perched over one of the most beautiful cities in North America.
Located on a promontory overlooking the St. Lawrence River, the site of the hotel was once the official residence of the French Governor of New France, Chateau St Louis. Built in 1694, and heavily damaged during the 1759 Siege of Quebec, CSL was destroyed by fire in 1834. Rather than rebuild, the structure was replaced by a series of terraces. Years later, the lofty location was selected by William Van Horne, President of the Canadian Pacific Railroad, as the site of their latest luxury hotel.
Completed in 1893, the Bruce Price designed Frontenac was part of a series of Chateauesque properties built for the CPR, intended to promote tourist train travel (other Price designed properties include the original Banff Springs hotel, and the long closed Place Viger in Montreal). Interesting aside, Price was the father of Emily Post, the American author and socialite best known for her etiquette advice.
Influenced by the grand Chateaux of France’s Loire Valley, the Frontenac includes a steeply pitched roof, circular towers, turrets, ornate gables and tall chimneys. Inside, the grand hotel features mahogany paneling, marble staircases, and carved stone. Truly a world class destination, the Frontenac was frequented not only by well heeled tourists, but visiting royalty as well, including King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, Queen Elizabeth II, and Princess Grace of Monaco.
During World War II, the hotel was the location of several important conferences attended by U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. In 1952, the Frontenac’s sumptuous interiors also caught the eye of Hollywood, with Alfred Hitchcock filming several scenes of his movie I Confess at the hotel. While not one of the director’s favorite films, it does a wonderful job of capturing mid century Quebec City.
While few people choose to travel by train these days (an absolute shame), the hotel remains popular, and continues to impress. Although renovated several times over the years, it still retains many of its classic features, including fireplaces in many guest rooms. Higher level rooms are more unique, come with access to the club lounge, and offer better views of both the river and lower Quebec.
Service was a bit lacking during our visit, but the hotel’s location and history more than made up for any shortcomings. The onsite restaurants were outstanding, and the smoked cocktails at 1608 are not to be missed.
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