Fairmont Le Château Frontenac has unveiled a top-to-bottom revamp.
Rockwell Group and Wilson Associates spearheaded the US$75 million effort, which focused on preserving the rich historical detail in the original 1893 Bruce Price building while streamlining and modernizing the aesthetic and guest experience.
In keeping with the hotel’s original medieval and Renaissance architectural leanings, the renovation utilizes rich textures and muted color schemes to meld restored pieces with more modern touches. The lobby’s ornate ceiling is complemented by large Italian blue onyx wall panels behind the check-in desks.
Preserving a sense of place — both historical and modern — was also key. The hotel’s dining venues draw inspiration from the city’s history. In the 1608 Wine & Cheese Bar (named for the year the city was founded), which showcases a wide variety of Quebec cheeses and wines by the glasses, slender glass lights above the bar mimic the effect of candlelight. Leather sofas and a parquet floor finish off a timeless ambience.
For new addition Bistro Le Sam, named after explorer Samuel de Champlain, the designers used a lighted palette of cream and mid-blue for this lunchtime restaurant. Today’s landscape is reflected in a chandelier in the Rose grand staircase that uses glass pieces that resemble icicles from Canada’s chilly winters.
The renovation also included a new spa with seven treatment rooms, 15 new Fairmont Gold rooms and expanded meeting spaces.
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