When was chateau montebello built

In the guest rooms, deluxe amenities such as flat-screen TVs and rain-dome showerheads upstaged anything found in Yellowstone or Yosemite. Despite the modern perks, rawhide lampshades and other rustic details helped my suite retain its frontier appeal.

When I got up to pull the plaid drapes closed that night, I watched a horse-drawn sleigh pass by, glowing in the moonlight against the dark ribbon of the frozen Ottawa River. I opted out of getting scrubbed with maple sugar at the spa or unsuccessfully flirting with French-Canadian women by the fire, and instead devoted the day to learning the inscrutable rules of curling.

As it turns out, kindly reassurance sounds the same in either language. After my rough-and-tumble day, I dined in the white-tablecloth Aux Chantignoles restaurant. Snow fell just in time for me to ski through the nearby forest on my last day. I spent a long afternoon there, gliding among stands of birch, pine, and spruce in the rolling Laurentian Highlands. Now and again, I paused to admire one of the countless frozen lakes, their smooth surfaces dotted with tracks left by moose and white-tailed deer.

It was just as bad as we remembered. We had parked on the street, and as soon as we rounded the corner the wind seemed to be blowing straight out of the Arctic. We were all shivering by the time we got in the vehicle to drive the short distance back to the Chateau Montebello.

I dropped off my wife and kids, and my oldest son and I went to park. All of the dark wood is warm and comforting, and that massive, massive fireplace that rises some 80 feet and weighs 80 tons!

All around there are families and couples gathered around tables playing…board games. Bring your own, or borrow them from reception. We waited out the blustery weather in the warmth of the massive lobby playing family games, laughing, and feeling cozy.

The Chateau really does evoke that cozy, comfortable feel that some will remember from childhood. No one really wants a blizzard on vacation, but I know of no better place to experience one. Nothing like reading in front of an 80 foot tall fireplace open on six sides! Our day today involved swimming, tennis, squash, weight lifting and working out in the gym, cross country skiing, and then hanging out in the hot tub and sauna.

Other options include snow-shoeing, skating on several rinks, Zumba classes, curling, and more. One day my wife and I went cross-country skiing while the kids played hockey on one of the rinks.

During the week there the children got tennis lessons they have indoor tennis courts and we all had a curling lesson and learned how to throw the rock and sweep away! Also included in this fee is parking and internet access. If you want more exotic activities at additional cost , the resort also offers dog-sledding, horse-drawn sleigh rides, snowmobiling, and even a Land Rover experience driving a Land Rover vehicle off-road over the 65, acres of property owned by the Chateau.

Summer activities switch to all kinds of water sports, tennis, golf, and more. I hear the golf is very good…. Though the snow was thick on the ground when we visited, you never had to step out into the cold. The tunnel begins at the end of the one of the four wings that fan out from the center of the main building and takes you underground to the pool building with cool skylights along the way that reminded me that it was still winter outside!

When you step into the massive pool room, though, you have a moment where your breath is just taken away. On one end there are truly magnificent and massive! It is exquisite! Swimming laps in there was an utterly unique experience. If you want to just relax, there are all kinds of pool chairs around to just relax and enjoy…and yes, there is Wi-Fi in the building! Massive windows along the sides of the building let in wonderful natural light.

A big, modern gym space is on one side, followed by the squash court, and beyond that a tunnel into the giant inflatable dome that houses in the indoor tennis courts along with some basketball hoops. You can check out all tennis rackets, squash gear, and even swimming goggles from the activity desk. The claim to fame there is that no treatment is less than an hour! What was great is that while our vacation was short we were there for three nights , we felt like we packed so much into it.

We were able to go from one activity to another without dealing with traveling to another location. It is a massive, natural area where the animals roam in completely natural settings. It is primarily a drive-through experience, with animals often coming up to your vehicle, but there are also a lot of walking trails, too.

The service is also impeccable. Bar Le Foyer, located in the entrance hall, is one of a kind! If we come back to other activities, athletes will be able to take advantage of a whole range of indoor and outdoor activities, from horse riding to golf, including tennis and swimming in summer or in the 4-season pool or, in winter, cross-country skiing, ice fishing, snowmobiling and curling. We could not forget the Land Rover Experience , which we will talk more in the Autumn magazine.

In short, there is everything to not get bored. You will also find a bar service there, perfect for your evenings.

The bed and some delicious sweets Credit: Normand Boulanger Gentologie. As for the rooms, there are of them, quite small when compared to the Manoir Richelieu, which has nearly double that. These have been renovated for the 90th anniversary of the hotel which takes place in this year We must not forget that we are in a chalet and the decoration is entirely in keeping with the theme of the place.

Different, but this change does so much good and is a must to relax. One of the renovated bathrooms Credit: Fairmont.

Designed by Stanley Thompson in , the fairways of this magnificent course wind through attractive forests and its spectacular elevations enchant golfers around the world. Several high starts offer a superb view of the hilly regions of the Laurentians. The Spa and its fireplace Credit: Fairmont. Nestled on the hillside, in a wing facing the main pavilion, and overlooking the marina, the river and the surrounding forest, the spa combines modernism and tradition, and incorporates the natural beauty of Montebello with the wood still present, but with modern architectural elements such as beautiful light fixtures will bring you to relaxation.