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 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 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 facade 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 crest 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 Wedgewood room, were recognized as a "municipal historic resource" since 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 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.