Fairmont Chateau Laurier
by the TopOfHotel team
Fairmont Chateau Laurier is a 110-plus-year-old castle that looks straight out at Parliament Hill and the Rideau Canal — it wins on the landmark location and an Art Deco pool you won't find anywhere else in Canada, more than the modern polish Andaz leans on.
Fairmont Chateau Laurier is a 110-plus-year-old castle that looks straight out at Parliament Hill and the Rideau Canal — it wins on the landmark location and an Art Deco pool you won't find anywhere else in Canada, more than the modern polish Andaz leans on.
In-Depth Review
Rooms and decor
The Fairmont Chateau Laurier opened in 1912 at 1 Rideau Street, right on the Rideau Canal, in an 8-storey Chateau-style building designed by Ross and MacFarlane — a hotel the Canadian Pacific Railway built for diplomats and dignitaries in the golden age of rail. It's the castle that defines Ottawa's skyline, the one everyone spots from the canal, clad in Manitoba Tyndall limestone under a copper roof that's gone green from 110-plus years of oxidation. There are 426 rooms, refreshed in a CA$25 million renovation in 2018. They start at the Fairmont Room at 25 sq m — small by modern 5-star standards — and run all the way up to the 130 sq m Royal Suite, where Queen Elizabeth once stayed. The look is Edwardian heritage in brown and gold, with 9-foot ceilings, heavy drapes, Sealy beds, fast Wi-Fi, 49-inch Smart TVs and marble bathrooms with rain showers and Le Labo products. Real reviews on Trip.com (9.1/10) and Agoda (8.9) agree on the landmark location and the Fairmont-level staff, but flag that some rooms feel dated and run small.
Food and amenities
The heart of the Chateau is its Art Deco indoor pool from 1929, often called the most beautiful in Canada — marble columns, mosaic tiles and a natural skylight, open 06:00-22:00 with a free sauna and steam room. Zoe's Lounge is a city institution, with afternoon tea at CA$55 a head served in a high-ceilinged Edwardian room, the best known in Ottawa. Wilfrid's Restaurant is the main dining room, serving contemporary Canadian food built on Quebec and Ontario produce, with a CA$78 Sunday Brunch and full Rideau Canal views. The Fairmont Gold lounge on the 7th floor runs food and drink across 5 services a day for an extra CA$100 a night. The 24-hour gym is well kitted out with Peloton bikes, and Spa Aroma uses Aveda products with treatments from CA$160-340. In winter the concierge rents skates so you're on the Rideau Canal in a minute. Overall score 9.1/10.
Location and getting there
The Chateau sits at 1 Rideau Street in about the best spot in Ottawa. Parliament Hill is a 5-minute walk, ByWard Market 5 minutes, and the Rideau Canal runs right past the building — boats through the Ottawa Locks in summer, a 7.8 km skating rink in winter. The National Gallery of Canada, with the giant Maman spider, is a 2-minute walk, the Rideau Centre 3 minutes, and the Canadian War Museum an 8-minute taxi. Gatineau Park is a 15-minute drive, best for fall foliage in September and October. YOW, the Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier Airport, is 15 km out — a 20-minute taxi at CA$35-45, or bus 97 from Hurdman station in 25 minutes for CA$3.75.
Things to know before booking
Straight talk to help you decide. First, it's pricey and some rooms feel dated in a building over 110 years old, with entry rooms at 25 sq m that come in smaller than a modern 5-star. Ask for a Deluxe Room in the Rideau Canal wing when you book and you'll get a renovated room with a view of the skating rink or boats through the locks; it adds CA$60-100 a night and is the best money you'll spend here. Second, valet parking is CA$67 a night, which is a lot — if you're driving, the nearby ByWard Market parking runs CA$15-25 a night, or take a taxi from the airport instead. Third, Wi-Fi is free but slow in some wings — use the Fairmont Gold lounge for the faster connection. Fourth, summer gets busy around Canada Day on July 1, when Parliament Hill fills up, so book 3-4 months ahead.
Our take
Fairmont Chateau Laurier is Ottawa's number one with no real rival — a 1912 Chateau-style castle on the Rideau Canal, the most beautiful Art Deco pool in Canada, the iconic Zoe's Lounge afternoon tea, and a 5-minute walk to Parliament Hill. If the trip in your head is a honeymoon in the capital, a bucket-list run through Canada, or skating the Rideau Canal in winter straight from your window, this is the most complete answer there is. If you're after a modern hotel or a rooftop bar instead, look at Andaz ByWard Market. Overall we give it 9.1/10, best for honeymooning couples, bucket-list travelers and anyone who loves heritage architecture.
Score Breakdown
Assessed by our editorial team from data and real guest reviews
The Honest Verdict — pros & what to know
- A landmark location you can't replicate — rooms look out at Parliament Hill and the Ottawa River, and the Rideau Canal runs right past the building.
- Fairmont-level staff who look after guests the way a proper luxury hotel should, a point real reviews keep raising.
- An Art Deco indoor pool from 1929, called the most beautiful in Canada, with marble columns, mosaic tiles and a natural skylight, plus a 24-hour gym with Peloton bikes.
- Breakfast and the iconic afternoon tea at Zoe's Lounge, served at CA$55 a head in a high-ceilinged Edwardian room that's the best known in Ottawa.
- Wilfrid's Restaurant serves contemporary Canadian food built on Quebec and Ontario produce, with full Rideau Canal views and a CA$78 Sunday Brunch.
- It's expensive and some rooms still feel dated — the building is over 110 years old, and entry rooms start at 25 sq m, smaller than a modern 5-star standard. Ask for a Deluxe Room in the Rideau Canal wing for a renovated room with a skating-rink or lock view; it adds CA$60-100 a night but is worth it.
- Valet parking is a steep CA$67 a night. If you're driving, the nearby ByWard Market parking runs CA$15-25 a night, or just take a taxi from the airport.
- Wi-Fi is free but slow in some wings — the Fairmont Gold lounge has the faster connection if you need to work.
Who It’s For
Match Score by travel style
Amenities
Location & Nearby Spots
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Insider Tips
- Ask for a room in the Rideau Canal wing — in winter you look straight down on the skating rink, and in summer you watch boats pass through the locks.
- Zoe's Lounge afternoon tea is CA$55 a person and one of the city's signatures — book it about a week ahead.
- Adding the Fairmont Gold lounge runs CA$100 a night and gets you breakfast and canapes through the day; it's worth it.