Room Key: Fairmont Chateau Laurier
Address: 1 Rideau St., Ottawa, Ontario Canada K1N 8S7
Phone: (613) 241-1414
Fax: (613) 562-7030
Web:www.fairmont.com
General Manager: Deneen Perrin
Rooms: 429
Facilities: Health club with gym, sauna/steamroom, spa services and 60-foot pool; three restaurants; 12 meetings rooms; four ballrooms.
Rates: From $265 to $625.
Review: It's not surprising the Fairmont Chateau Laurier is often referred to as the third chamber of Canada's Parliament: Its immediate neighbors are the House of Commons and Senate. Some of the biggest and most elegant rooms are a hike from the bank of elevators, so choose carefully between elbow room and knee pain when checking in.
Although a cup of take-away designer
coffee can cost as much as $4 these days at your neighborhood
Starbucks, no mug of fancy java on the go can match the luxury of
being served a fresh pot of Egyptian chamomile or Earl Grey tea in
the elegant, relaxed setting of a fine white-linen restaurant.
So it is that
Zoe's Lounge at the Fairmont Chateau Laurier hotel is the place to
be in Ottawa for enjoying a spot of tea, a scone with a dollop of
Devonshire cream or perhaps an open-faced sandwich bedecked with
Ontario goat cheese and figs.
Zoe's offers
three tea menus: traditional Afternoon Tea, at a cost of $24;
Canadian High Tea, $32; and Champagne Tea, $49.
Guests can choose
from 14 loose teas and then watch the brewing process as
professionally trained servers explain the who's, what's and why's
of teas during the process.
The Afternoon
Tea, or low tea, starts with a seasonal fresh fruit cup, followed
by fruit tartelettes, tea cake, scones with Devonshire cream and
strawberry jam, three finger sandwiches and, of course, a pot of
tea.
The Canadian High
Tea includes fresh peaches marinated in port wine, scones, three
open-face sandwiches, a Canadian cheese board comprising Sir
Laurier d'Arthabasca, 5-year-old Balderson white cheddar and Quebec
"Borgonzola" cheese.
The Champagne Tea
is impressive, what with Moet & Chandon Blue Label Nectar
Imperial, fresh strawberries with chocolate fondue and hors
d'oeuvres such as blini with Quebec sturgeon caviar, foie gras and
truffle mousse.
Tea at Zoe's is
just one of the virtues of the Fairmont Chateau Laurier. The
property has defined class and luxury for visitors to this city
since it opened in the spring of 1912. The hotel's dining venues
also include Wilfred's, the main dining room, and La Terrasse, a
seasonal outdoor venue.
"Of course, the
term 'luxury' means different things to different people," said
Deneen Perrin, the property's general manger. "But there is no
doubt that the special touches that come along with staying in
Ottawa's grand chateau ... are key to any luxury stay, as is
unparalleled service."
Perrin also
pointed to a Fairmont Hotels and Resorts program called Fairmont
Gold, which she called a "hotel within a hotel."
Guests who book
Fairmont Gold enjoy deluxe continental breakfast in a private
lounge, free high-speed Internet access, a private concierge, 55
specially designated guest rooms, light secretarial services and
more.
For more
information, log on to www.fairmont.com/laurier.
To contact reporter Joe Rosen, send e-mail to [email protected].