Fairmont Le Chateau Montebello

We visited as the final stop of a two week tour, leaving a small hop to Montreal airport. What we hoped would be a highlight was mostly disappointing. An expensive room, with very expensive food and drink, was not justified at a hotel with so many deficiencies. To be fair, the grounds are gorgeous and well kept, the river views stunning. The log cabin style hotel is impressive, but tired. Rooms were small, dated and just the wrong side of quirky. Our elevator was out of service, the alternative ones scraped and dingy. Breakfast buffet was expensive at CA$38 plus tax, with some interesting selections but no muesli or granola, no nuts. Milk was on request. Turkey sausages were dry. After serving ourselves the waiting staff member was keen to remind us "in Canada no service is included". At dinner (expensive), the wine list was long, but started at $75 plus tax (and service of course) The outdoor pool was still open as the September weather remained warm. But no outside dining or bar were available. Upon returning to the hotel at 1:30pm in search of a drink for outdoors, I was told that the remaining indoor bar was closed until 3pm. Room service was offered as the only alternative. We hired biked to tour the lovely grounds and trails, but were told that without maintenance, the range of bikes on offer, and their condition, was limited. This hotel has a marvelous, glamorous past. Without serious management attention and investment, I fear for its' future.

My wife and I were eagerly looking forward to our two night stay at the Fairmont Chateau Montebello last week (September 2025). The hotel, advertised as the largest “Log Cabin” in the world has enjoyed a popular following for many years and the Fairmont name has always projected quality and impeccable service. To be fair, the resort is situated on a scenic river side lot and the public rooms; the lobby and dining areas, are spectacular, with a central 4 story fireplace suited to a grand English castle. The guest rooms however, offer all the charm of a Northern Saskatchewan road side motel. Our room came complete with a stained carpet, peeling paint, cob webs on the ceiling light fixture, a cracked bathroom sink, and dirty windows with a broken window frame. The table lamp had a non-functioning light bulb, and the tub/ shower emitted a loud groaning noise when used and may have in fact been haunted. The HVAC unit was likely last popular on the Titanic. The room lack a proper desk, a pen or any literature explaining hotel facilities, or room service information and the furniture was old and heavily worn. All this luxury for the modest sum of $425 a night plus a mandatory “Resort Fee” of $40/day /person which gave you access to a beautiful outdoor pool and water sports facilities that despite very warm weather were both closed. There was of coarse a very nice indoor pool. To add to our disappointment the $40 per person breakfast buffet was entirely pedestrian featuring that pre-cooked “Memories of Bacon”, (devoid of any bacon flavour) and an uninspired omelet station with few options. The evening dinner offerings lacked taste and imagination, but not price. I have stayed at almost all the Fairmont Hotels in Canada and this one was a large disappointment. Save your money, buy a coffee at the lobby bar, walk around, take a picture of the fireplace and find yourself nice motel.

This iconic hotel is - sadly - so tired and run down, it would take a major multi-million dollar investment to bring it up to today's luxury hotel standards. It still has charm (especially in the public areas) and a gorgeous setting and exceptional food, but overall it feels like it needs a LOT of work. The recreational and pool equipment/furniture are dented, scratched and soiled. The overall condition, everywhere you look, is just worn out. Could be such a gem but will take a special touch and very big financial commitment to realize its potential.

What a cool place to stay! It is a huge log cabin with a very grand lobby - there was often singers performing and there was a lobby bar so you could grab a drink and relax in a comfortable chair. This is an old resort, built in the 30s so there are some amenities that are outdated, but you tend to forgive this because of its charm. The grounds are just beautiful. It was so peaceful sitting on the banks or the Ottawa River. We ate at the outdoor BBQ and although expensive, it was a great experience and tasty food. There is a lobby dog named Victor who visits during the week and he was lovely. Every hotel should have a lobby dog. Also something I was nervous about was being treated rudely for not speaking French, but every employee was outstanding with their customer service and they were all bilingual. They greet you with "bonjour/hello" and as soon as you say hello they switch to English no problem. The town is very easily accessible through the lovely path through the woods, not a ton to see there but some good restaurants (especially the bistro) and the chocolate store had delicious chocolate - highly recommend! Be sure to check out Parc Omega while there too - well worth it! I was on a mission to find a great authentic Quebec Poutine, and I found it through room service! It was delicious! Breakfast was included in our package and was high above typical hotel breakfast buffet offerings! Overall a wonderful stay. I have only two things I would suggest improving - the elevator needs some TLC as it's very aged and scuffed up and it's one of the first things you see on your way to your room. Also the shower was very small and the tub beside it seemed like a waste of space - bathrooms could be updated. But overall a great time!

What a wonderful experience!! The hotel itself is showing its age; but it's part of the charm. So many activities to do in the summer for kids - and all the activities are included. A perfect getaway for a family with active kids.