The World’s Most Photographed Hotel: Fairmont Le Château Frontenac (Quebec City)

I’m writing this article on the balcony of my apartment in Cabo, Mexico. The sun has just set. I made myself a coffee and decided to write about this magnificent travel experience.

I really enjoy taking my time to do things, and I believe in acting when your energy drives you to do something (in the creative field).

A couple of weeks ago, my girlfriend and I arrived at the beautiful destination of Quebec.

Our journey to get there was a direct flight from Cabo, Mexico to Toronto, and then a 15-hour train ride to Quebec City.

Due to weather conditions, our train had to be delayed for a few hours, which made us spend all day on the train and train stations, which did not bother us at all, the beauty of travel is that things always happen that do not are on your agenda :).

I highly recommend travelling by train in this area of Canada, the organisation, cleanliness and comfort were excellent at all times. I remember that our train was delayed due to a weather phenomenon called “Blizzard” that was happening at the time. The kind people from the train station gave us vouchers for food in restaurants and a kindly upgrade to Business class :).

I want to tell you that the cold is severe in that area; if you plan to visit this area in shallow temperatures, you should consider thermal clothing and stay very warm.

The journey from the station to the hotel was beautiful. It was at night, and the city was completely covered in snow, and the man in the taxi spoke French and English. Without a doubt, we deduced that the city had a lot to offer us during the complete stay.

Our reception at the Fairmont Le Château Frontenac hotel was very friendly, all the staff at the hotel was very attentive.

The hotel’s architecture is impressive; Fairmont Le Château Frontenac is considered the most photographed hotel in the world for a reason.

A bottle of sparkling wine, macaroons, and Quebec Destination souvenirs greeted us in our room with a spectacular view of the city.

The Fairmont Frontenac and Destination Quebec team made us feel very comfortable during our stay at all times.

I love the little details, and during this stay, these were not lacking at any time. I remember receiving personalised bath bottles with my name “Monsieur Carlos Zatch” (Yes, I practised my French pronunciation throughout the trip, which, although not perfect, many appreciated my effort).

Taking this last parenthesis as a reference, French and English are spoken in Quebec. We chose to speak English, which we felt most comfortable with; however, listening to many people talk to French seemed most interesting since we were in a North American country and French culture is very present in the area.

The gastronomy was exciting for us. The adaptation of the French culture in the city made us feel very comfortable. The food at the Fairmont Frontenac was exquisite, and the service was very attentive at all times. The room service was the warmest and most attentive (those who have followed me for a long time know that room service is one of my favourite activities when I travel; however, we also enjoy local cafes and restaurants).

If you are looking to visit Quebec, I highly recommend you look at the requirements you will need for your trip. My favourite website to plan the journey and have the necessary documentation was https://travel.gc.ca/

During our visit, we had the pleasure of receiving a guided tour of the Fairmont Frontenac hotel, provided by Ms Groleau, who was very kind to show us the hotel’s main attractions.

The Rose Room at Fairmont Frontenac

Formerly a Tea Room, the Rose Room served for several meetings during the Second World War’s Québec Conferences in 1943 and 1944. William Lyon Mackenzie King, Prime Minister of Canada, played host to these historic meetings, welcoming British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill and US President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

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The Ballroom

Inspired by French classicism, the Ballroom of Fairmont Le Château Frontenac was part of the 1920-24 hotel expansion project designed by the Maxwell brothers. An atmosphere of luxury is complemented by the glow of then grand crystal chandeliers, plush, elegant carpet, and a theatre stage draped with ivory velvet curtains. The ten chandeliers, made of Bohemian crystal, were installed in 1967. The Ballroom has hosted many important balls and receptions – in February 1969, Princess Grace of Monaco and the Prince Rainier III of Monaco were guests of honour for the Queen’s Ball during Winter Carnival.

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Thank you, Ms Groleau, for the exciting tour around the beautiful Château!

The Spa

When travelling, I try to swim in the morning to start my day fresh! We reserved a one-hour experience at the spa, where we enjoyed the beautiful view of the city (and it was snowing). The beautiful pool area was beautiful, and we used the time there to relax and plan our day.

The Area

Everything was BEAUTIFUL. The weather was freezing; I think the hardest was something like -28ºC during the afternoon, but if you dress correctly, everything will be fine.

The hotel is located in the heart of Old Québec. There are several museums, boutiques, antique shops, art galleries, cosy cafes, bistros, and gourmet restaurants near the hotel.

Here is a list of my favourite places to visit in Quebec:

Sightseeing

> Au 1884. An exhilarating and historical toboggan slide is located on the Dufferin Terrace (EXTRAORDINARY).

> Take the funicular to pass through the upper and lower town and have a magnificent view of the city.

> Enjoy the magical atmosphere of the streets of Quebec City.

> Admire the beautiful view on St. Lawrence River and Fairmont Le Château Frontenac

at Terrasse Pierre-Dugua-De Mons.

> Discover the lower part of the city “Saint-Roch district” (rue Saint-Joseph) – To check out trendy shops, eat in the most talked-about restaurants, knock back a few in a pub or watch the latest hit show, Saint-Roch is where you go!

Museums

> Discover various exhibitions at the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec and

admire the beauty of its architecture (Pavillon Pierre-Lassonde | 179, Grande Allée

Ouest, Quebec, G1R 2H1) | Social media: FB: @mnbaq IG: @mnbaq

> Discover interesting exhibitions at the Musée de la civilization (85, rue Dalhousie,

Quebec, G1K 8R2) | Social media: FB: @mcqorg IG: @mcqorg TW: @mcqorg

Gastronomy

Quebec cuisine is very diverse, homemade is always one of my favourite things, and having the opportunity to expand my palate was very exciting since the gastronomy options were very varied during the trip. Here are my favourite places to eat yummy in Quebec:

> With six locations in the area, Café La Maison Smith was one of my favourite coffee shops in the area; I remember they served delicious coffee, and one of my favourites was the one with Maple syrup. Sandwiches were a great highlight of the place, without a doubt one of my favourites to start my day in this beautiful city.

> Boulangerie Paillard (1097, rue St-Jean) was another of my favourite coffee shops there! The attention was amicable, and the homemade bread was a great puzzle for the place.

> Places to enjoy take-out local food : Les Trouvailles de Jules – J.A. Moisan – Epicerie du Vieux-Quebec

> Fairmont Frontenac provides exquisite and high-quality food.> Enjoy the best gastronomy in Quebec City.

We had five fantastic days in this beautiful city full of exciting history, architecture, delicious food, beautiful activities and lovely people. I’m pleased to write about this attractive destination on my blog and share all the beautiful content created during the stay.