Preservation of plaster a major part of Chateau Frontenac reno

QUEBEC CITY, QC—Work on outside masonry to preserve the hotel’s historic exterior was a major part of The Fairmont Chateau Frontenac’s $18.5 million multi-year renovation in preparation for the province’s 400th anniversary. The 115-year-old building was covered in scaffolding for a good portion of last year, so that all the exterior work would be completed in time for the anniversary celebrations. Cost of the exterior renovations was $6 million.

“We wanted to get everything shipshape — this was a major project for us,” said Robert Mercure, general manager of the 618-room historic property, who came to the Chateau in August, 2007 after a stint in Monaco.

Renovations started in 2005 with changes to the lobby, and the main fine dining restaurant, Le Champlain.  By the end of 2006, renovation of 502 rooms had begun, and 2007 saw creation of Fairmont Gold, a 47-room boutique hotel within the Chateau, which has an even higher level of décor and services than the high-end Chateau.  Renovations were completed in May 2008.

One of the most recent renovations was to Café de la Terrace, the all-day solarium-style restaurant with a view of the Chateau’s terrace.  Mercure describes the change as “an evolution rather than an update.”  All the furniture and carpets, paint and decor were changed, and trendy bistro items added to the menu. New to the restaurant is a historical sports theme.  “There used to be a lot of sports here 100 years ago – skating, curling, snowshoes and even downhill skiing. We have old posters, photos and stories or vignettes, along with a variety of memorabilia from back in the old days.”

One of the challenges in renovating a property like the Chateau Frontenac is to balance the old and the new.  When renovating the rooms, the goal was to achieve an updated, luxurious chateau look, with modern amenities like flatscreen televisions and Internet and green features such as compact fluorescent light bulbs.

Future plans call for the addition of more banquet space, specifically the conversion of a couple of storage areas into banquet rooms, plus updates to the rest of the guest rooms.

“The hotel overall is in wonderful shape and people are pleased with the results,” Mercure added.
 
“We’re having a very strong year, one of the biggest group years ever. Individual tourism for the 400th is also very busy despite the problems with the American market and the high price of gas.”