The twisted, wrought-iron chandeliers with cherry red and ivory shades catch your eye as soon as you stroll into the lobby. It takes a few more seconds to notice the birds perched on the tree-like branches of the light fixtures. Whimsical details are the mark of the Auberge Saint-Antoine in Quebec City.

And the details are everywhere: in the walls, in the gym, in the bar and in each of the hotel's 95 rooms and suites. The city's prominent Price family did not want anything ordinary when they decided to turn a warehouse in the city's Old Port area into a five-star hotel. They have succeeded famously with the hotel, which Travel + Leisure named one of the 500 best hotels in the world for 2009.

Built on one of Quebec province's richest historical sites, the hotel is actually made up of three buildings from the 18th and 19th centuries. Part of the land on which the hotel sits was once a wharf and a gun battery manned by the French against the British in the 18th century. Artifacts from that period were unearthed when the hotel was being restored and have been painstakingly collected and researched.

On display in a glass case in the bar is one of only two 18th century French cannons found in the city; it shares space with an English cannonball embedded in fossilized wood. A backhoe excavating the hotel site dug up the evidence of the long-simmering French-British conflict, and much more.

Encased in glass and displayed as art throughout the hotel are pottery shards, antique bottles, brass keys and assorted hardware. A diorama just off the main entrance lights up to reveal what the site was used for in the centuries before it became a hotel.

In addition, each of the hotel's six floors represents a different period in the site's history and contains artifacts from that era. Outside our room on the second floor was a pottery shard framed in glass; another, similar shard was artfully lighted under glass in the nightstand. Both pieces were traced back to Jean Maillou, one of the king's architects, who owned the property from 1668 to 1753. More than 700 artifacts are displayed throughout the property.

Not many hotels can boast of being an archaeological site and a classy place to stay. The Saint-Antoine is both. Even in the company of the formidable Chateau Frontenac, the Saint-Antoine stands up well.

That's because the Saint-Antoine is also a thoroughly modern hotel that pampers guests with fine linens and luxurious bathrooms. And its location in the busy Old Port area makes it a short stroll from nearly all of the city's must-see attractions, including the Chateau Frontenac, Parliament and Place Royale, the birthplace of the French civilization in North America.

According to hotel manager David Mounteer, the Prices were just continuing a family tradition that melds history with tourism when they bought the property in the late 1980s.

The art deco Price Building, once the headquarters of the family pulp and paper business, was the city's first skyscraper. Built in the 1930s, the Empire State Building look-alike is still one of the city's most recognizable buildings.

The archaeological study of the Saint-Antoine site had already begun before the first section of the hotel opened. The Quebec City administration and the Universite Laval directed 10 separate digs on the property.

While the excavation was going on, the family opened a small, urban inn with 23 rooms. A vacant lot next door was added to the property, and by 2003 the Saint-Antoine had become a luxury hotel with 83 rooms and 12 suites, six of which are themed to represent different periods in the city's history.

"The idea was to combine the history of the site with a hotel that was both contemporary and traditional and combined humor, comfort and taste," Mounteer said. "We also wanted this to be a place where guests could escape the busy streets of Quebec and find peace."

Humor, comfort and taste are evident from the lobby to the guestrooms. Organic colors, a mix of antique and contemporary furnishings with soft lines and those whimsical light fixtures welcome guests into the lobby, where the fireplace is often lighted. Touches of red in the flowers, pillows and furniture fabrics add color and focus to the public areas.

The guest-rooms offer luxurious comfort. Rooms are spacious, with king beds made up with high-thread-count linens.

Bathtubs are long and deep. Bathrobes, Bose sound systems and espresso machines are standard in most rooms. Some rooms also have heated bathroom floors, fireplaces and balconies with views of the St. Lawrence River. (Be aware that your view of the water may be blocked if a cruise ship is in port.)

There's no reason to venture far for a good meal. Panache, the hotel's classic, upscale restaurant, serves French Canadian cuisine with a twist.

Executive chef Francois Blais packs in diners (clients should be sure to reserve a table) with seasonal favorites from the province such as Quebec rabbit and Mingan Island scallops.

The setting is as captivating as the menu. The dining room, which seats 84, was a 19th century maritime warehouse. The Prices kept the stone walls and massive wood beams and added an ultramodern kitchen in 2003.

A state-of-the-art gym opened in 2008 with a yoga studio, private spa treatment rooms and Finnish saunas, in addition to the latest exercise machines. A variety of spa services also are available, including a maple body wrap.

The hotel has five meetings rooms and a 94-seat auditorium that often offers movie nights for guests.

Rooms range from $169 to $299 per night for classic standard with inner court views. Suites with terraces or river views are $229 to $549 a night. The six historical suites have separate living areas and kitchenettes with rates of $299 to $549 a night.

For more information, call (888) 692-2211 or visit www.saint-antoine.com.