Fairmont Chateau Laurier, Ottawa

Fairmont Chateau Laurier - Ottawa - August 1st long weekend 2009 Location Location Location for sure it's bloody great and the hotel itself is grand and has some sweet regal charm and all the pomp you'd expect and enjoy from a Fairmont. The rooms are big and clean. The staff however unfortunately are (well, they get what they pay for shall we say - a little underwhelming. Sleepy and disintrested - not extremely accomodating). How so? We arrive expecting to have our rooms prepped properly for a family of 5. We have two young boys with 2 King size rooms we were told had sofa beds. They didn't. They accomodated us with a comparable room switch alright, but with some attitude and it took FOREVER to get us moved. I had to call the front desk, then I had to call again - and again. We were there for a very short stint - no time to spend a precious hour waiting for them to get their act together. Then we hit the terrace for some drinks and food. All told pretty good food and the price not bad really. The view was nice, the air was cool as was well. What was sad here again was a sleepy young waitress with too many tables and an expression that said 'ask me if I care chump, ask me if I care!'. I'm guessing she doesn't get paid to care. Upon checkout (since they wasted so much of our time the night before) we wanted to leave a little later. We asked for late checkout for one of our rooms. They hummed and hawwed and finally gave in to one measly hour as if we were asking for the world. We checked out at the end of a holiday weekend - AS IF another soul was coming that night - they didn't need the room anyway. An extra couple hours would have made our world, they didn't care evidently. Petty. Three star response. Maybe a two star response. I spent a good fortune at the hotel and would likely again - OR NOT if they can't spare some weary travelers some extra sleep and sun time before heading home. Another annoying incident occured as I attempted to take our own dolly upstairs to check our own baggages (since it took FOREVER) for someone to come up. An elderly conceirge guy chastised me for taking the dolly and mentioned how they've already sent someone up. Said someone may well have had a powernap on the way up because it took a friggen ENTERNITY for him to arrive. I tipped him well anyway. Why? Because dude isn't paid to care and I blame his boss Mr. Grouchy conceirge guy. Imagine getting chasitsed by the staff at a hotel? Are they for real? We are a totally liberal super congenial couple and almost NEVER have any kind of issue with anyone. We're patient and thankful and courteous with the staff (perhaps annoyingly so) and bottle up our anger nice and healtily for a review such as this (versus complain to the underpaid staff who really don't care anyhow. It isn't their fault really, it's the management that clearly don't know how to run a classy hotel). Would I go again? Perhaps, assuming they step up the service a chunk. Was I overwhelmed, hell no. EVERYTHING ELSE WAS GREAT don't get me wrong. So sad to fail at such a small few points. Their staff should be their strongest asset. Aparently they think the fancy spot and history are enough. It isn't. Step up your staff Fairmont and regain the lost star. :( Sadly yours, Jon

I'm writing from Burlington,ON.I have been to this hotel On September 5 2007.The lobby looked so beautiful.But when we entered our room before lunch,the bathroom looked like it was going to cause a fight for a quarter of our stay.We Will never go to anymore Fairmont hotels again

I'm not sure why this hasn't been brought up here yet but the walls are made of ricepaper, if you can hear people in the next room having a fight (which lasted all night) and the next couple in there were trying to set a record in moaning and groaning then it's pretty safe to say that for the price you pay for a night in that place at least they could spend some of that money on making the walls sound proof. The service also leaves a bit to be desired, mistakes made with parking. 'Forget' to do the proper bill up, which was every 3rd night free and was conviently forgotten about.

Service was overall ok, but there were issues that I would like to point out from a quality perspective. Stayed from April 22 to April 27, 2007. First with my reservation: when I arrived, there was two reservations under my name - one for one night with 2 double beds? and one for five nights (which was the good one). The service desk attendant said she didn't know what happened. The second day : I found an opened can of Diet Coke in my mini-bar - which was not opened by me and I hadn't had any company in my room during my stay. The third day : The shampoo and the rinse was not replenished in my room. The third day: I asked to access the internet at the business center. I wasn't working. I had to come upstairs twice and then was still charge the $5.70 for 2 minutes. The fourth day : I asked for a wake-up call for 4 o'clock and instead, the call came in at 4:30. These are only small issues - but nothing like this happened last year when I stayed at the Chateau and to be honest, I was rather dissapointed. Thank you, Bernice Landry

Beautiful hotel, with an excellent staff. They're always attentive to your needs, and they make your stay absolutely perfect. I've been to the Chateau Laurier numerous times, and it's always wonderful. Breakfast at Wilfrid's is a must, as is tea in Zoe's Lounge!

I liked the location, and the staff was ewxcellent. My room was clean and so was the entire hotle i wold love to go back.

like the bar... sevice was good..... nice location to do sight seiing.... was like being in a palace... i need some words so, umm it was a great place where cuples could hook up.... kids going to prom could easly easily make this there party location and recempion area because it has everything! cya, chris

This was my best stay at a hotel. After going fishing and eating ccheese all day, it really felt like i was at home. Thank you Chateau Laurier for having great door knobs!! =]

We stayed at the Chateau Laurier in Ottawa in December of 2002, after we got married so it was a Magical place to spend our Honey moon! We absolutely loved it there! We loved everything about it, it's service ...very nice courteous people! and such a beautiful place to stay! We're going to come back for sure!!

it is very beutifal and had great service. the workers sure didn't slack off. room service was great. the food delicous and what a view!!!!