Lennon’s room redesigned

The iconic signs “hair peace” and “bed peace” still appear in the window of the Montreal hotel room where John Lennon and Yoko Ono held their famous bed-in 1969 -- only now they’re window decals instead of handdrawn posters.

Pick up the green rotary dial telephone, and Lennon’s voice can be heard on the other end of the line, explaining his commitment to peace.

On Thursday, Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth Hotel presented their redesign of the suite 1742, where the ex-Beatle and Ono spent eight days during their now-famous “bed-in for peace.”

The rooms, which were redesigned as part of a major hotel renovation, now feature virtual reality exhibits, archival TV and radio footage, and furnishings and artwork inspired by the landmark moment in time.

Instead of re-creating the room exactly as it was, the hotel opted to mix historical replicas with pieces inspired by Lennon and Ono’s travels, art and lives, said one of the architects who worked on the project.

“We want to celebrate peace and make John’s and Yoko’s message current, in a non-museum fashion,” Martin Leblanc told reporters at a news conference and tour to mark the suite’s reopening.

The refrain of the antiwar anthem “Give Peace a Chance” is inscribed in the white panelling of the walls, while portraits of Lennon and Ono hang behind a long dining table.

Virtual reality headsets invite the suite’s visitors to take Lennon’s place on the white bed and see the frenzied scene that took place between May 26 and June 2, when the pyjama-clad artists hosted hundreds of journalists, activists and fans.