Fairmont Le Chateau Montebello

Our experience at Chateau Montebello far exceeded our expectations. The property itself has a rustic charming feel to it and at the same time felt well maintained. Our deluxe king room was spacious and the bathroom renovated and modern although only had a spacious stand up shower and no bath tub (which we didn’t mind at all). The indoor and outdoor pools were both spacious and the most important thing is that they did not feel overcrowded, especially in comparison to the JW Marriott in Muskoka which feels overwhelmingly crowded, run down, and likely twice as expensive as Chateau Montebello. The main lobby area is impressive and the log structure feels warm and inviting. The hotel dog is also super cute. The food was generally good, and the service was friendly, attentive and excellent. In particular, Patricia from housekeeping services our room daily and went above and beyond what was expected as we arrived back to our room with shoes and toiletries meticulously organized and neat. Her housekeeping services are the best we have experienced in any hotel we have stayed in around the world. Although a bit harder to get to from Toronto compared to Muskoka, we would gladly drive the extra two hours to come here. We would definitely return here in a heartbeat!

This is my second stay at Fairmont Chateau Montebello. They do some things well and other things need to be improved upon. The very positive things: The setting and structure is amazing. The grounds are well-maintained and there is plenty of seating along the Ottawa river which makes for a perfect evening view. The food at the morning breakfast buffet is outstanding. The service is cheerful, polite and courteous. The Fairmont spa was incredible. The entire experience from check-in to post-treatment quiet lounge was amazing. The outdoor pool is nice and warm, the indoor pool is slightly cooler. I highly recommend the BBQ in the evening. It is a novel experience. The menu is set and they bring to your table all the items. If you want more, all you have to do is ask. It is outside under cover in case it rains and the view is of the River. It's rare to be in a place where everyone seems to genuinely enjoy what they do. Areas of growth: Daily housekeeping was hit and miss. Sometimes the room was done spotlessly, other times there was no soap left, no refill on tea or coffee and a few times I had to call for extra towels. Evening turndown occurred twice over six nights. Housekeeping was requested for 11:00 am and 6:00 pm turndown. This only happened once. Unfortunately, the food at Riverain did not match the quality of the buffet breakfast nor of the BBQ. The selection was poor and two people in the party ordered something with chicken which was overcooked and inedible. One further aspect I noticed on this visit that I did not notice the first time--things are not kept up well. There are marks on the wall, the carpets need replacement, and the furniture in the room has seen better days. The owners need to invest significant TLC into the the chateau. A final area of growth is to have dedicated space for adults. There are a lot of families that stay here and the pools can be loud as there is a lot of screaming, frantic and chaotic activity. Perhaps an adult infinity pool would be the next investment. Overall, a very good holiday location that has the potential to be excellent with attention to the client details.

This is a very unusual hotel. It was built out of logs in the 1930s but is well-appointed and with all modern facilities. The rooms are comfortable and the service is excellent. The staff were very helpful. There is music in the hotel on some evenings which is very entertaining. There was a pianist and, on one occasion, a folk band. The grounds are amazing - they have wonderful gardens and woodland, as well as the lakefront vista. There are also historic buildings within the grounds. The hotel offers a range of activities at no charge. Bikes can be hired for riding through the woods, kayaks can be used on the lake, curling is available in the winter and there is an excellent sports centre with facilities for football, tennis, badminton, squash, hockey and a well-equipped gym. There is also a spa where several of our party had massages, manicures, facials and the like. There is a play area for children adjacent to the hotel and a mini-golf course. There are two swimming pools - an indoor pool and an outdoor pool with a bar for food and drink. Breakfast is excellent with a wide range of choices - the butter crepes are to die for! We also ate lunch in an outside restaurant and ordered from the room service menu in the evening to eat within the lounge area. The town of Montebello is within easy walking distance. It is a small town but it has restaurants, a few shops and a supermarket. Parc Omega - a safari park just a couple of miles from the hotel - is a must-visit attraction for adults and children alike! You can feed the deer from your car but be sure to take plenty of carrots! Whilst we were there, one of our number celebrated a special birthday and the hotel made us a vegan cake for the occasion. This is a wonderful place for both adults and children and, I would expect, magical in the winter when it is a base for skiing.

The beloved memories from my youth were dashed when we witnessed the neglect of hotel upkeep and maintenance. Customer service and attention were all but gone. What a disappointment, little wonder with the Chinese failed Real Estate developer Evergrande Group as the current owner. Don't waste your money!

Words can barely describe the ambiance of this hotel. We were here in the shoulder season, so it was still cold enough for the fabulous fireplace to be able to showcase this magnificent hotel foyer. In winter this place would be indescribable. Sure the rooms are older and unusually shaped etc but this only adds to the overall charm of this hotel. The hotel grounds are stunning along with the indoor pool. I could go on and on but you just need to visit yourself to enjoy this iconic Canadian hotel.