Two Fairmonts Join the Century Club in 2012

Both hotels will be hosting a number of activities throughout the year, including memorabilia searches for long lost treasures such as menus, dishes, silver, furniture, photographs, matchbooks, pins and more - with amnesty being offered for items that may have been appropriated over the years.  Discovered items will be displayed during both hotels' celebrations along with accompanying stories and more. Historic tours will also be available. On June 2 and 3, Fairmont Château Laurier will welcome the public for special period costume tours with music and cake while at The Fairmont Copley Plaza, tours will be available throughout their 100 days of celebration, which kicks off on May 10, giving guests a peek inside the legendary history of the hotel.

Guests at Fairmont Château Laurier will also be able to take a journey through time, starting April 1 with an adaptation of the very last dinner served on the Titanic. This will be followed by monthly table d'hôte menus starting in June with a 1912-1930 theme. July will focus on the 1940-1960 period, August will feature the 1970-1990 era and September will be a review of the last 12 years. In October, the hotel's Executive Chef and his kitchen brigade will look into their crystal balls to predict what the culinary scene will do over the next 20 to 30 years. Last but not least, in November the most loved dishes from all the menus will be brought back in the "Best Of" menu.  Additionally, a special Centennial Tea menu starting April 26, on what would have been the hotel's original opening, will be offered until the end of the year.  

100-year Offers

For guests who want to become part of the celebration, The Fairmont Copley Plaza is offering two centennial experiences. Available through December 31, 2012, the Celebration of a Century Package includes an overnight stay in a newly renovated guestroom, a private hotel history tour and a history booklet with rates starting at $100 USD per person.  With a special anniversary offer, the hotel is also inviting back couples who spent their wedding night at the property – at their original room rate.  For example, a couple who spent their honeymoon at The Copley Plaza in 1947 would have paid a rate of approximately $7 per night. The Anniversary Package includes accommodation in a newly renovated guestroom and a hotel history booklet. This package is available for a minimum two night stay, based upon availability.  Couples must present their original folio, and enjoy one night at the original rate paid and the second night at the hotel's best available rate. This offer is available through December 30, 2012.

At Fairmont Château Laurier guests are invited to commemorate this momentous occasion with the Century of Memories package, offering a heritage gift card set to share with friends and family, a $100 CAD Dining Credit,  an overnight stay in Ottawa's famed castle and a special 100th anniversary welcome amenity upon arrival.  This package is available from $335 CAD per night, based on double occupancy. To celebrate a century of offering Afternoon Tea to guests from around the world, the hotel is also offering a tea menu fit for a Queen.  The Centennial Tea Package includes an overnight stay and a special centennial afternoon tea for two served in Zoé's Lounge.  Rates for this package start from $299 CAD per night based on double occupancy.

Renovations & Restorations

Scheduled for completion in spring 2012, The Fairmont Copley Plaza is undergoing a comprehensive restoration that will include the renovation of all guestrooms and suites, Fairmont Gold, and the addition of a new 3,000-square-foot rooftop health club.  The project also includes the Lower Lobby meeting space and enhancements to hotel's grand lobby and ballrooms.  A new restaurant, in the space that formerly housed the legendary Merry-Go-Round Bar and Oak Bar, will also debut.  The reimagining of the restaurant includes a thoughtful renovation to the space which will take into account the architectural details and historic significance.

In 1929 as part of the Fairmont Château Laurier's east wing addition, an art-deco swimming pool and spa were added.  In later years, the spa was closed, however the 60 foot pool grew in popularity. The hotel has just completed a carefully planned restoration of the pool, keeping the art-deco look and feel.  In addition to the pool restoration, a fountain has been added, two massage therapy rooms are now available, and the women's and men's change rooms have been redone.   

For more information on the celebrations at The Fairmont Copley Plaza, visit here, and for more information on Fairmont Château Laurier's celebrations, visit here. Other Fairmonts that have reached the Century mark include The Fairmont Hamilton Princess, Bermuda (1885); The Fairmont Banff Springs (1888); The Savoy, A Fairmont Hotel, London (1889); The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise (1890); Fairmont Le Château Frontenac, Quebec (1893); Fairmont Vier Jahreszeiten, Hamburg (1897); Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu, Quebec (1899); Fairmont The Norfolk, Nairobi (1904); Fairmont Le Montreux Palace, Switzerland (1906); The Fairmont San Francisco (1907); The Plaza, A Fairmont Managed Hotel, New York (1907); and The Fairmont Empress, Victoria (1908).