Kelly ’ s high
Famous hotel loved by stars and royalty is a dream base for exploring Quebec, says Janet Hughes
As the golden elevator doors slid open to reveal a gilt sign announcing the 14th floor, the phrase “I’ve made it” sprang to mind.
Not “I’ve made it to the 14th floor”. Not even “I’ve made it to the famous Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac”. No. It was “I’ve made it, made it”. The big time.
For in my hand was a golden key to access
the private lounge and rooms on the upper floors of one of the most photographed hotels on Earth.
Grace Kelly held an old-fashioned version of this electronic key. I know this because my room is next door to the Princess of Monaco suite where she stayed in 1969 and danced in the ballroom with Prince Rainier.
Alfred Hitchcock filmed I Confess here, Celine Dion sang here and Roosevelt and Churchill met in the Chateau’s Salon Rose to talk about the Normandy landings. The Queen has stayed here. Twice. Perched high on a cliff overlooking the St Lawrence river, this five-star hotel towers over the fortified historic city of Quebec and is a prominent tourist attraction in its own right.
Even though it was built in 1893 by the Canadian Pacific Railway to attract the rich and famous of the day, a restoration project in 2014 ensures there is nothing faded about its glamour in 2022.
Outside, picturesque towers and turrets mimic the castles of the Loire Valley. Inside it has the wow factor from the minute you glide through the revolving doors into the entrance hall.
Gilt mirrors shine. Chandeliers glitter. Acres of brass are polished to gleaming perfection.
Huge stone fireplaces, original wood panelling and more than seven miles of plush carpeted corridors ensure it doesn’t descend into a blingfest.
And thanks to a new route by Canadian airline Air Transat, this hotel and the UNESCO world heritage site that is Old Quebec are just a sevenhour direct flight away from Gatwick.