Guest reviews Fairmont Le Château Montebello

by ontheroadmaryg London, Canada

Always wanted to stay here....did not disappoint

Chateau Montebello has been on my list of must stay for decades. Given the pandemic keeping me close to home, we spent 5 days in September at this spectacular resort. Authentic, genine, unassuming and yet extraordinary. Certainly our experience was muted due to some services and areas not open but we loved every moment. The hotel is historic beautiful, the grounds are enchanting and the staff went out of their way to be of service and friencly. The icing on the cake is dogs are allowed. We took full advantage of their Natue Reserve Kenauk Nature. We felt perfectly safe as the staff were stringent about the protocols.

by PaperTiger2013 Ottawa, Canada

Excellent stay

I had an excellent getaway with my family this weekend. This is more like a resort than your normal Fairmont hotels. The hotel is very stylish and classy. It was built in the 1930's ... I believe ... but the hotel was very well maintained. The staff was very friendly and helpful. Because there's no snow in the area yet, we missed the outdoor activities. But my family still had a great time swimming in the big indoor pool, playing squash and tennis. The restaurant Aux Chantinoles was beautiful. I would rate the hotel 4.5*. It would have been a 5* if the restaurant is less pricey for dinner, double bed room is bigger. The hotel rate was quite steep, so I was expecting a bigger room. If you want to watch your budget, you can save a lot by having breakfast and dinner at the restaurants nearby the hotel which is only a 5 minute drive. Lunch price is more reasonable in my opinion.

by Chris_vonR Montreal, Canada

A true cottage-estate resort

Gorgeous facility with very notable architecture and many amenities included with the "resort fee". You can easily spend a day or more without ever leaving the grounds, and the landscape (of forests and Ottawa river) is lovely. Enjoy the quality comforts and service of Fairmont and multiple sporting and leisure activities. Whether a family vacation or a romantic get-away, this was an exceptional place to visit at a reasonable distance from either Ottawa or Montreal.

by ottwatrvllr Ottawa, Canada

A great getaway in this era of social distancing

Looking for a place nearby for somewhat of a staycation, the Fairmont Le Chateau Montebello is a great option for people living near Ottawa or Montreal - ideally located pretty much in between the two. With COVID, the place is a little bit different than what it usually is, especially on the food side as the grandiose breakfast buffet and weekend brunch have been replaced by a not so cheap a la carte breakfast. The menu was also simplified for dinner at the main restaurant and the summer BBQ moved to a "table service" all you can eat option. Food quality remains top notch and we found the dinner at the restaurant to offer the right balance of quality and value... for a premium experience. The BBQ featured awesome service but I was a little bit less impressed by the selection. The outdoor pool area was great, and not overcrowded as it tends to get in peak summer. You could see staff disinfecting chairs and common areas on a very regular basis. As for the room, I was upgraded to a nice corner room which was available for early check-in and ready as per my pre-arrival requests. Room size was more than adequate. The room was recently renovated and had the right balance of "new" with that classic Fairmont old-fashioned touch. The only odd thing was poor finishing of one of the wall panel where you could see insulation on the edge of the wall, and a few minor finishing issues in the bathroom. Bed was very comfortable. WIFI very reliable. On the activity side, most things were available and great care was taken to disinfect equipment in between use. We went to Kanauk one morning to enjoy complementary water activities (kayak) and had a great time. The last point I'll mention is great customer service recovery post-stay. Before arrival, I had noticed an issue with the rate to be charged by the hotel, and what I was quoted on the phone. After some investigating by the Customer Service Desk at Fairmont, and the hotel, a very suitable outcome was achieved, in line with what you would expect of the Fairmont brand In this environment where people are looking for a "safe" and nearby getaway, this is a great option to consider

by philippecH5790TW Toulouse, France

Superb location

Hotel location and architecture are superb, staff is very professional and courteous. We had booked a Luxury king Room with river view: view was indeed superb but room was in need of a major overhaul which a real disappointment, specially given the price. Restaurant food was below expectations for this level of resort.