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{{Short description|Hotel in Edmonton, Canada}}
⚫ {{coord|53|32|25|N|113|29|21|W|type:landmark|display=title}}
{{Infobox hotel {{Infobox hotel
|hotel_name = The Fairmont Hotel Macdonald |hotel_name = Fairmont Hotel Macdonald
|former_names= Hotel Macdonald (1915–2001)
|image = Hotel-Macdonald-Edmonton-Alberta-1A.jpg |image = Hotel-Macdonald-Edmonton-Alberta-1A.jpg
|image_width = 250
|caption = The Hotel Macdonald in downtown Edmonton |caption = The Hotel Macdonald in downtown Edmonton
|location = ], ], ] |address = 10065 100 Street NW,<br>]
|coordinates = |location_country = Canada
⚫ |coordinates = {{coord|53|32|25|N|113|29|21|W|type:landmark_region:CA-AB|display=inline,title}}
|opening_date = July 5, 1915 |opening_date = {{start date and age|1915|07|05|df=yes}}
|stars = 5
⚫ |architect = ]
|diamonds = 4
|closing_date =
|developer =
⚫ |architect = ]
|operator =] |operator =]
|architectural_style = ]
⚫ |owner =]
|developer = ]
⚫ |number_of_restaurants = 2
⚫ |owner =InnVest Hotels
⚫ |number_of_rooms = 199
⚫ |number_of_restaurants = 1
⚫ |number_of_suites = 18
⚫ |number_of_rooms = 198
⚫ |number_of_suites =
|cost = C$2.25 million<br/>(${{formatprice|{{Inflation|CA|2250000|1915}}}} in {{Inflation-year|CA}} dollars{{inflation-fn|CA}})
|floor_area = |floor_area =
|height = {{cvt|47.7|m|ft}}<ref name=emp>{{cite web| url=https://www.emporis.com/buildings/177719/the-fairmont-hotel-macdonald-edmonton-canada| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304083028/http://www.emporis.com/buildings/177719/the-fairmont-hotel-macdonald-edmonton-canada|url-status=usurped|archive-date=March 4, 2016| title=The Fairmont Hotel Macdonald| year=2020| access-date=6 February 2020| website=]}}</ref>
|floors = 11 |floors = 11<ref name=emp/>
|parking = |parking =
|website = |website = {{official URL}}
|footnotes = |footnotes =
|embedded = {{designation list|embed=yes|designation1=Alberta|designation1_offname = Hotel Macdonald|designation1_date = {{Start-date|27 November 1984}}}}
}} }}
The '''Fairmont Hotel Macdonald''' (generally known as the '''Hotel Macdonald''' or '''The Mac''') is a hotel in ], ]. It was built by the ], and has been successively owned by ], ], and ]. Construction began in 1911, and was completed in 1915, allowing the hotel to open in July of that year.<ref name="Hotel History">{{cite web|title=Hotel MacDonald History|url=http://www.fairmont.com/macdonald-edmonton/hotelhistory/|website=Hotel MacDonald|publisher=Fairmont Hotels|accessdate=3 September 2015}}</ref> The '''Fairmont Hotel Macdonald''', formerly and commonly known as the '''Hotel Macdonald''' (colloquially known as '''The Mac'''), is a large historic luxury ] in ], Alberta, Canada. Located along 100 Street NW, south of ], the hotel is situated in the eastern end of ], and overlooks the ]. The {{convert|47.7|m||adj=mid|-high}} hotel building was designed by ] and contains eleven floors. The hotel is named for the first prime minister of Canada, ].


The ] Company opened the hotel on 5 July 1915. Built as an early-20th century railway hotel, the ]-styled building is considered one of ]. Following Grand Trunk's 1919 bankruptcy, ] assumed management of the hotel. The building has undergone several renovations since its opening, and an expansion wing to the hotel building was added in 1953. In 1983, Canadian National Hotels ceased operations, and demolished the building's expansion wing in the same year. The hotel property was later sold to ] in 1988, and was restored and reopened to the public in May 1991. The hotel is currently managed by ].
The hotel is an Edmonton landmark, and overlooks the ], the largest urban parkway in ]. It is one of Canada's chateau-style hotels built in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.


== History == ==Location==
]]]
Prior to the construction of the Hotel Macdonald, the site was home to a ]. The squatters often lived in tents or in small caves dug into the side of the river valley wall, which remain to this day. Local residents nicknamed the site the "Galician Hotel" due to the fact that many of the squatters were ] from the Austro-Hungarian province of ].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Theobald|first1=Claire|title=100 years of Hotel Macdonald: High tea, please|url=http://www.edmontonsun.com/2015/07/03/100-years-of-hotel-mcdonald-high-tea-please|accessdate=3 September 2015|publisher=Edmonton Sun|date=4 July 2015}}</ref>
Hotel Macdonald is at 10065 100 Street NW at the eastern end of ]. The hotel property is bounded by 100 Street NW to the north and west, with ] west of the hotel. Grierson Hill NW bounds the hotel property to the east and south, with the roadway sitting adjacent to the ] ]. The building overlooks the ] of the North Saskatchewan River.


Located at the eastern end of downtown Edmonton, south of ], the hotel is situated near Edmonton's ], and several other neighbourhoods; including ] to the east, and ] to the south.
], the same architectural firm that designed many of Canada's landmark hotels, designed the hotel in the ] that characterized Canada's ]. Construction was completed on July 5, 1915, and the structure was named after Canada's first prime minister, Sir ].<ref name="Hotel History" />


==Design==
The original seven-story Grand Trunk Pacific hotel was built in a distinctive chateau style adapted from 16th century French castles. The building is faced with ] and roofed with copper. Construction and furnishings cost about $2,250,000 (more than $53 million in 2015).<ref name="Hotel History" />
===Architecture===
After acquiring the property, the hotelier division of ] announced its plans to develop a hotel on the property. The building was designed by a Canadian architectural firm, ], the same architectural firm that designed many of Canada's landmark hotels. Construction of the building took place from 1911 to 1915.<ref name=histplace/><ref name=edsun1>{{cite news| url=https://edmontonsun.com/2015/07/10/the-macdonald-hotel-mirrors-edmontons-economic-history/wcm/2ccfd098-a850-487d-9225-9c947bc210e3| title=The Macdonald Hotel mirrors Edmonton's economic history| date=10 July 2015| newspaper=]| last=Hicks| first=Graham}}</ref>


The design of the building was inspired by designs found on ]-era chateaus. The pitched sloped dormered roofs includes chimneys, ]s, and ]s. The building's entryways are placed diagonally on the building, flanked by perpendicular ] and turret towers. The form and ] of the hotel is defined by an L-shape. Copper was the primary metal material used to build the hotel's roof.<ref name=histplace/>
Along with the ] in ], it was one of the first two establishments to be reissued a ] by the ] when the province repealed ] in 1924.
]
In 1953, the owners constructed a 300-bedroom, 16-story addition to keep up with the rising demand for hotel accommodations in the city. Together, the hotel and the addition were dubbed "The Mac and the box it came in."<ref name="Hotel History" />


The façade of the building is clad with ], and is detailed with ]s, ]tes, ], ], ]ing, and ]. The building main ] features five arches and four pillars, and two ] that are detailed with gargoyles, and the provincial shields of the four provinces of ].<ref name=histplace/>
The Hotel MacDonald fell into disrepair and closed in 1983, and there was talk of demolition.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Theobald|first1=Claire|title=100 Edmonton's iconic Hotel Macdonald celebrates centenary|url=http://eedition.edmontonsun.com/epaper/viewer.aspx|accessdate=3 September 2015|publisher=Edmonton Sun|date=5 July 2015}}</ref> The City of Edmonton designated the building as a Municipal Heritage Resource.<ref>{{cite web|title=MacDonald Hotel|url=http://www.edmonton.ca/city_government/documents/InfraPlan/MacdonaldHotel.pdf|website=Inventory & Register of Historic Resources|publisher=City of Edmonton|accessdate=3 September 2015}}</ref> Five areas were included in the designation: the building exterior, the Confederation Lounge, the lobby, the Wedgewood Room, and the Empire Ballroom. The 1953 addition was demolished in 1986.<ref name="Hotel History" />


The building's limestone facade, copper roofing, and the interiors of five rooms, including Confederation Lounge, the Empire Ballroom, and the Wedgwood room, were recognized as a municipal historic resource on 27 November 1984, under the provincial ''Historic Resources Act''.<ref name=histplace>{{cite web| url=https://www.historicplaces.ca/en/rep-reg/place-lieu.aspx?id=8791&pid=0| title=Macdonald Hotel| access-date=5 February 2020| website=]| date=13 February 2008}}</ref><ref name=edjour>{{cite news| url=https://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/proposed-redesign-of-confederation-lounge-in-hotel-macdonald-sparks-public-uproar-online| title=Proposed redesign of Confederation Lounge in Hotel Macdonald sparks public uproar online| date=14 March 2019| access-date=5 February 2020| newspaper=]| last=Cook| first=Dustin}}</ref><ref name=edsun2>{{cite news| url=https://edmontonsun.com/2015/07/03/100-years-of-hotel-mcdonald-high-tea-please/wcm/613f994d-28f8-42de-98c7-4c33d256bfab| title=100 years of Hotel Macdonald: High tea, please| newspaper=Edmonton Sun| last=Theobald| first=Claire| date=3 July 2015| access-date=3 September 2015}}</ref><ref name=edjour3>{{cite news| url=https://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/landmarks-fairmont-hotel-macdonald-welcomes-guests-with-historic-grandeur| title=Fairmont Hotel Macdonald welcomes guests with historic grandeur| date=15 February 2019| access-date=6 February 2020| newspaper=Edmonton Journal| last=Brownoff| first=Leanne}}</ref> The resulting designation protects these features from demolition or major alterations.<ref name=edjour/><ref name=edsun2/>
Canadian Pacific (CP) Hotels purchased the hotel in 1988, and began a restoration campaign. The hotel reopened in 1991 after work totaling $28 million. The renovation added several suites in what had been storage space, some of which are named for prominent guests of the hotel, including: ] Suite, ] Suite, ] Suite, ] Suite, Edward Prince of Wales Suite, the ], ], and ] suites, and the ] Suite (also known as the Royal Suite), which covers {{convert|2400|sqft|m2}} over two floors, with two bedrooms and a dining room for eight.<ref>{{cite web|title=Hotel MacDonald Accommodations|url=http://www.fairmont.com/macdonald-edmonton/accommodations/suites/|website=Hotel MacDonald|publisher=Fairmont Hotels|accessdate=3 September 2015}}</ref>
With the addition of the 18 suites, the hotel now has 199 rooms on 11 floors, and stands a total of {{convert|51|m|ft}} high.<ref>{{cite web|title=MacDonald Hotel|url=http://www.emporis.com/buildings/177719/the-fairmont-hotel-macdonald-edmonton-canada|website=Emporis|publisher=Emporis GMBH|accessdate=3 September 2015}}</ref>


===Facilities===
In 1999, CP Hotels merged with Fairmont Hotels, and began operating the hotel (and all its other hotels) under the Fairmont banner. The chain was later sold, and ] is now owned by ] (present / 1 quarter / shared with the government of Qatar and the American company ]) (Canada).
Hotel Macdonald includes 198 guest rooms and suites spread throughout the building.<ref name=edsun1/> The hotel's suites are situated on its third, and the eighth floor, with several suites
named after former guests of the hotel, including the King ] suite, the Queen Elizabeth suite, and the ] suite.<ref name=edsun2/><ref name=edsun3>{{cite news| url=https://edmontonsun.com/2015/07/03/100-years-of-edmontons-hotel-macdonald-where-the-superstars-sleep/wcm/94a5aead-4029-49fa-91e0-8c911a55a96a| newspaper=Edmonton Sun| title=100 years of Edmonton's Hotel Macdonald: Where the superstars sleep| date=3 July 2015| last=Theobold| first=Claire| access-date=5 February 2020}}</ref> The {{convert|2400|sqft|m2|order=flip|adj=on}} third-floor Queen Elizabeth suite was built during the hotels late-1980s renovation,<ref name=edjour3/> and was later renovated for Queen ]'s tour of Alberta in 2005.<ref name=edsun2/><ref name=edsun3/> The Queen Elizabeth suite includes a full dining room, two sitting areas, and two adjoining guest rooms connected to a private lobby for service and security personnel.<ref name=edsun2/> Access to the Queen Elizabeth suite, in addition to seven other suites on the third floor is accessible only by private elevator.<ref name=edsun3/>
]
The hotel building also features several event spaces, including the Wedgwood room, named after the ] detailing on its ceiling; and the Empire Ballroom, an event space with {{convert|21|ft|m|order=flip|adj=on}} ceiling adorned with ] carvings.<ref name=edsun2/> The carvings were covered under a false ceiling and were uncovered during the hotels' renovations in the late-1980s.<ref name=edjour2>{{cite news| url=https://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/edmonton-hotel-macdonald-enters-new-era-in-1991| title=Edmonton's landmark Hotel Macdonald enters a new era| last=Hamilton| first=Ian| date=13 February 2019| access-date=5 February 2020| newspaper=Edmonton Journal}}</ref> Confederation Lounge serves as the hotel's lounge, and is named after a replica painting of ''Conference at Québec in 1864, to settle the basics of a union of the British North American Provinces'' by ], that hangs above the lounge's fireplace.<ref name=edsun2/>


Other facilities on the hotel property include squash courts, aerobic facilities, minibars, and an electronic security system.<ref name=edjour2/> The hotel also operates one restaurant, known as The Harvest Room.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/hotel-mac-lounge-renos-2020-1.5247639| title=Planned lounge renovations at Hotel Macdonald on hold until March 2020| first=Tricia| last=Kindleman| date=15 August 2019| access-date=6 February 2020| work=]}}</ref>
==Ecological Efforts==
The Hotel MacDonald participates in the '''Wild for Bees''' campaign along with ], Sustainable.TO Architecture + Building, and Pollinator Partnership, Canada. The four brands have designed and built 20 bee hotels across Canada.<ref name="Wild for Bees">{{cite web|title=Hotel MacDonald Wild for Bees|url=http://www.fairmont.com/macdonald-edmonton/dining/wildforbees/|website=Hotel MacDonald|publisher=Fairmont Hotels|accessdate=3 September 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Wild for Bees|url=http://www.burtsbees.com/Wild-For-Bees/wild-landing,default,pg.html|website=Burt's Bees|publisher=Burt's Bees|accessdate=3 September 2015}}</ref>


== History ==
Every winter, bees are left without nesting space due to habitat loss and fragmentation. In addition, bees are victims of ] and dangers caused by pesticides and other human encroachments. The purpose of the bee hotels is to provide nesting areas to hundreds of thousands of lost and solitary bees.<ref name="Wild for Bees" />
Prior to the establishment of the hotel on the property, the area housed a squatters camp, colloquially known as "Galician Hotel," after a number of Ukrainian-speaking migrants from the Austro-Hungarian province of ] settled there.<ref name=edsun2/>
] hotels in ''The Official Hotel Red Book and Directory'' for 1917. Hotel Macdonald is depicted in the centre.]]
]
Grand Trunk Pacific Railway purchased the property and began construction for a hotel building in 1911, with designs from ]. The building was completed at a cost of {{CAD|2.25}} million,<ref name=edsun2/> and was opened to the public on 5 July 1915. The hotel was named after ], the first ].<ref name=edjour3/> The building was operated by Grand Trunk Pacific until the company declared bankruptcy in 1919, after which the hotel was operated as a part of ], a division of ].<ref name=edsun1/>


The hotel was one of the first two establishments to be reissued a ] by the ], after the province repealed ] laws against alcohol in 1924.<ref name=edjour3/> King George VI and ] used the hotel during their ].<ref name=edjour2/>
One bee hotel is located at the Hotel MacDonald, while six more are located at other ] properties, including ] and ].<ref name="Wild for Bees" />


In an effort to meet post-war population boom of the city, Canadian National proposed an expansion in 1949 with an estimated construction cost of $4,000,000.<ref>{{cite news| title='Mac' Hotel Extension Gets Okay| url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110627190/the-edmonton-bulletin/| first=Dick| last=Jackson| newspaper=]| date=9 March 1949| page=1| access-date=3 October 2022}}</ref> The 16-storey wing which added 292-rooms was colloquially referred to as ''The Box'' because of its modern design and occupied the space just north of the original building.<ref name=edsun1/><ref>{{cite web| title=The MacDonald Hotel, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada (Postcard)| url=https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1695/25969702916_0d40eaae61_b.jpg| first=Alex J.| last=Pelett| website=Reddit| access-date=3 October 2022}}</ref> Critics labeled the design of the structure as ''startling'' when it was unveiled, but railway officials stood by their choice stating that the new facility would become the hotel and the old structure would become the annex.<ref>{{cite news| title=New Macdonald Hotel| url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110627574/edmonton-journal/| newspaper=Edmonton Journal| date=4 May 1949| page=4| access-date=3 October 2022}}</ref>
==Canine Ambassador==
The Hotel MacDonald is one of ten Fairmont Hotels that have canine ambassadors on staff. Travelers who miss their own dogs while away from home can take the hotel's dog along for walks and companionship.<ref>{{cite web|title=Fairmont's Canine Ambassadors|url=http://www.fairmont.com/promotions/canineambassadors/|website=Fairmont Hotels|publisher=Fairmont Hotels|accessdate=3 September 2015}}</ref>


In 1983, Canadian National Railway closed the hotel and announced major renovations to the property which included the demolition of ''The Box'' and restoration of the 1915 building. Plans were in place to build a complementary addition to the hotel, as well as two office towers, although these expansion plans never came to fruition.<ref name=edsun1/> In an effort to prevent the building from potential demolition, the City of Edmonton designated the hotel a "municipal heritage resource" in 1984.<ref name=edjour3/> The 1953 annex was finally demolished in 1986.<ref>{{cite news| title=Welcome Back to the Hotel Macdonald| url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110628227/edmonton-journal/| newspaper=Edmonton Journal| page=B15| date=15 May 1991| access-date=3 October 2022}}</ref>
The canine ambassador at Hotel MacDonald is a ] named Smudge. She was originally trained by ], but was unable to overcome anxiety and distraction while working, and was unable to complete the program.


The hotel, along with eight other properties of Canadian National Hotels were sold to ] in 1988,<ref name=edjour2/> with the company undertaking a three-year, {{CAD|28 million}} renovation of the property, which included upgrading systems and restoring the original facade.<ref name=edsun1/><ref name=edjour3/> Canadian Pacific Hotels reopened the property on 15 May 1991.<ref name=edjour2/>
Smudge spends her days greeting guests in the lobby, and even has her own Facebook page with thousands of fans.<ref>{{cite web|title=Smudge Facebook Page|url=https://www.facebook.com/SmudgeTheDog|website=Facebook|publisher=Hotel MacDonald|accessdate=3 September 2015}}</ref> When her workday is done, she goes home with the hotel's general manager to ensure she remains in a stable, loving environment.

In 2001, Canadian Pacific Hotels reorganized into ], adopting the ''Fairmont'' name from an American company it had purchased in 1999. As a result of the rebranding, Hotel Macdonald was renamed ''Fairmont Hotel Macdonald''.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/cp-spinoff-destined-to-put-fairmont-on-the-map/article762849/| title=CP spinoff destined to put Fairmont on the map| date=22 August 2001| access-date=20 September 2018| newspaper=]| location=]| last=Jang| first=Brent}}</ref>


== References == == References ==
⚫ {{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}} {{commons category}}
* {{official|http://www.fairmont.com/macdonald/}}
⚫ {{reflist|33em}}


{{Canada's railway hotels}} {{Canada's railway hotels}}
{{Edmonton}}
{{Edmonton landmarks}} {{Edmonton landmarks}}


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Latest revision as of 14:46, 13 November 2024

Hotel in Edmonton, Canada
Fairmont Hotel Macdonald
The Hotel Macdonald in downtown Edmonton
Former namesHotel Macdonald (1915–2001)
General information
Architectural styleChâteauesque
Address10065 100 Street NW,
Edmonton, Alberta
CountryCanada
Coordinates53°32′25″N 113°29′21″W / 53.54028°N 113.48917°W / 53.54028; -113.48917
Opening5 July 1915; 109 years ago (1915-07-05)
CostC$2.25 million
($57.9 million in 2023 dollars)
OwnerInnVest Hotels
ManagementFairmont Hotels and Resorts
Height47.7 m (156 ft)
Technical details
Floor count11
Design and construction
Architect(s)Ross and MacFarlene
DeveloperGrand Trunk Pacific Railway
Other information
Number of rooms198
Number of restaurants1
Website
www.fairmont.com/macdonald-edmonton/ Edit this at Wikidata
Alberta Historic Resources Act
Official nameHotel Macdonald
Designated27 November 1984 (1984-11-27)

The Fairmont Hotel Macdonald, formerly and commonly known as the Hotel Macdonald (colloquially known as The Mac), is a large historic luxury hotel in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Located along 100 Street NW, south of Jasper Avenue, the hotel is situated in the eastern end of downtown Edmonton, and overlooks the North Saskatchewan River. The 47.7-metre-high (156 ft) hotel building was designed by Ross and MacFarlene and contains eleven floors. The hotel is named for the first prime minister of Canada, Sir John A. Macdonald.

The Grand Trunk Pacific Railway Company opened the hotel on 5 July 1915. Built as an early-20th century railway hotel, the Châteauesque-styled building is considered one of Canada's grand railway hotels. Following Grand Trunk's 1919 bankruptcy, Canadian National Hotels assumed management of the hotel. The building has undergone several renovations since its opening, and an expansion wing to the hotel building was added in 1953. In 1983, Canadian National Hotels ceased operations, and demolished the building's expansion wing in the same year. The hotel property was later sold to Canadian Pacific Hotels in 1988, and was restored and reopened to the public in May 1991. The hotel is currently managed by Fairmont Hotels and Resorts.

Location

Hotel Macdonald atop the escarpment of the North Saskatchewan River

Hotel Macdonald is at 10065 100 Street NW at the eastern end of downtown Edmonton. The hotel property is bounded by 100 Street NW to the north and west, with ATB Place west of the hotel. Grierson Hill NW bounds the hotel property to the east and south, with the roadway sitting adjacent to the North Saskatchewan River valley park system. The building overlooks the escarpment of the North Saskatchewan River.

Located at the eastern end of downtown Edmonton, south of Jasper Avenue, the hotel is situated near Edmonton's central business district, and several other neighbourhoods; including Riverdale to the east, and Rossdale to the south.

Design

Architecture

After acquiring the property, the hotelier division of Grand Trunk Pacific Railway announced its plans to develop a hotel on the property. The building was designed by a Canadian architectural firm, Ross and MacFarlane, the same architectural firm that designed many of Canada's landmark hotels. Construction of the building took place from 1911 to 1915.

The design of the building was inspired by designs found on French Renaissance architectural-era chateaus. The pitched sloped dormered roofs includes chimneys, finials, and turrets. The building's entryways are placed diagonally on the building, flanked by perpendicular wings and turret towers. The form and massing of the hotel is defined by an L-shape. Copper was the primary metal material used to build the hotel's roof.

The façade of the building is clad with Indiana limestone, and is detailed with balustrades, balconettes, brackets, cornice, hood moulding, and overhangs. The building main portico features five arches and four pillars, and two pilasters that are detailed with gargoyles, and the provincial shields of the four provinces of Western Canada.

The building's limestone facade, copper roofing, and the interiors of five rooms, including Confederation Lounge, the Empire Ballroom, and the Wedgwood room, were recognized as a municipal historic resource on 27 November 1984, under the provincial Historic Resources Act. The resulting designation protects these features from demolition or major alterations.

Facilities

Hotel Macdonald includes 198 guest rooms and suites spread throughout the building. The hotel's suites are situated on its third, and the eighth floor, with several suites named after former guests of the hotel, including the King George VI suite, the Queen Elizabeth suite, and the Winston Churchill suite. The 220-square-metre (2,400 sq ft) third-floor Queen Elizabeth suite was built during the hotels late-1980s renovation, and was later renovated for Queen Elizabeth II's tour of Alberta in 2005. The Queen Elizabeth suite includes a full dining room, two sitting areas, and two adjoining guest rooms connected to a private lobby for service and security personnel. Access to the Queen Elizabeth suite, in addition to seven other suites on the third floor is accessible only by private elevator.

The Empire Ballroom is an event space at the hotel that features 6.4-metre (21 ft) ceilings

The hotel building also features several event spaces, including the Wedgwood room, named after the Wedgwood detailing on its ceiling; and the Empire Ballroom, an event space with 6.4-metre (21 ft) ceiling adorned with bas relief carvings. The carvings were covered under a false ceiling and were uncovered during the hotels' renovations in the late-1980s. Confederation Lounge serves as the hotel's lounge, and is named after a replica painting of Conference at Québec in 1864, to settle the basics of a union of the British North American Provinces by Robert Harris, that hangs above the lounge's fireplace.

Other facilities on the hotel property include squash courts, aerobic facilities, minibars, and an electronic security system. The hotel also operates one restaurant, known as The Harvest Room.

History

Prior to the establishment of the hotel on the property, the area housed a squatters camp, colloquially known as "Galician Hotel," after a number of Ukrainian-speaking migrants from the Austro-Hungarian province of Galicia settled there.

Grand Trunk Pacific Railway hotels in The Official Hotel Red Book and Directory for 1917. Hotel Macdonald is depicted in the centre.
refer to caption
Exterior view of the MacDonald Hotel, Edmonton, Alberta in 1948.

Grand Trunk Pacific Railway purchased the property and began construction for a hotel building in 1911, with designs from Ross and Macdonald. The building was completed at a cost of CA$2.25 million, and was opened to the public on 5 July 1915. The hotel was named after John A. Macdonald, the first prime minister of Canada. The building was operated by Grand Trunk Pacific until the company declared bankruptcy in 1919, after which the hotel was operated as a part of Canadian National Hotels, a division of Canadian National Railway.

The hotel was one of the first two establishments to be reissued a liquor license by the Alberta Liquor Control Board, after the province repealed prohibition laws against alcohol in 1924. King George VI and Queen Elizabeth used the hotel during their 1939 royal tour of Canada.

In an effort to meet post-war population boom of the city, Canadian National proposed an expansion in 1949 with an estimated construction cost of $4,000,000. The 16-storey wing which added 292-rooms was colloquially referred to as The Box because of its modern design and occupied the space just north of the original building. Critics labeled the design of the structure as startling when it was unveiled, but railway officials stood by their choice stating that the new facility would become the hotel and the old structure would become the annex.

In 1983, Canadian National Railway closed the hotel and announced major renovations to the property which included the demolition of The Box and restoration of the 1915 building. Plans were in place to build a complementary addition to the hotel, as well as two office towers, although these expansion plans never came to fruition. In an effort to prevent the building from potential demolition, the City of Edmonton designated the hotel a "municipal heritage resource" in 1984. The 1953 annex was finally demolished in 1986.

The hotel, along with eight other properties of Canadian National Hotels were sold to Canadian Pacific Hotels in 1988, with the company undertaking a three-year, CA$28 million renovation of the property, which included upgrading systems and restoring the original facade. Canadian Pacific Hotels reopened the property on 15 May 1991.

In 2001, Canadian Pacific Hotels reorganized into Fairmont Hotels and Resorts, adopting the Fairmont name from an American company it had purchased in 1999. As a result of the rebranding, Hotel Macdonald was renamed Fairmont Hotel Macdonald.

References

  1. 1688 to 1923: Geloso, Vincent, A Price Index for Canada, 1688 to 1850 (December 6, 2016). Afterwards, Canadian inflation numbers based on Statistics Canada tables 18-10-0005-01 (formerly CANSIM 326-0021) "Consumer Price Index, annual average, not seasonally adjusted". Statistics Canada. Retrieved April 17, 2021. and table 18-10-0004-13 "Consumer Price Index by product group, monthly, percentage change, not seasonally adjusted, Canada, provinces, Whitehorse, Yellowknife and Iqaluit". Statistics Canada. Retrieved 2024-05-08.
  2. ^ "The Fairmont Hotel Macdonald". Emporis. 2020. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
  3. ^ "Macdonald Hotel". Canadian Register of Historic Places. 13 February 2008. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
  4. ^ Hicks, Graham (10 July 2015). "The Macdonald Hotel mirrors Edmonton's economic history". Edmonton Sun.
  5. ^ Cook, Dustin (14 March 2019). "Proposed redesign of Confederation Lounge in Hotel Macdonald sparks public uproar online". Edmonton Journal. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
  6. ^ Theobald, Claire (3 July 2015). "100 years of Hotel Macdonald: High tea, please". Edmonton Sun. Retrieved 3 September 2015.
  7. ^ Brownoff, Leanne (15 February 2019). "Fairmont Hotel Macdonald welcomes guests with historic grandeur". Edmonton Journal. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
  8. ^ Theobold, Claire (3 July 2015). "100 years of Edmonton's Hotel Macdonald: Where the superstars sleep". Edmonton Sun. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
  9. ^ Hamilton, Ian (13 February 2019). "Edmonton's landmark Hotel Macdonald enters a new era". Edmonton Journal. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
  10. Kindleman, Tricia (15 August 2019). "Planned lounge renovations at Hotel Macdonald on hold until March 2020". CBC News. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
  11. Jackson, Dick (9 March 1949). "'Mac' Hotel Extension Gets Okay". Edmonton Bulletin. p. 1. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
  12. Pelett, Alex J. "The MacDonald Hotel, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada (Postcard)". Reddit. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
  13. "New Macdonald Hotel". Edmonton Journal. 4 May 1949. p. 4. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
  14. "Welcome Back to the Hotel Macdonald". Edmonton Journal. 15 May 1991. p. B15. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
  15. Jang, Brent (22 August 2001). "CP spinoff destined to put Fairmont on the map". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. Retrieved 20 September 2018.

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