Fairmont Le Château Frontenac | Rockwell Group

Originally built in 1893 by the Canadian Pacific Railway to promote luxury tourism, the Fairmont Le Château Frontenac overlooks the St. Lawrence River and Old Quebec – a UNESCO World Heritage Site. For the renovation of the 618-room hotel’s main public spaces, Rockwell Group crafted a design vocabulary based on a modern, approachable luxury that references the hotel’s heritage.

Rockwell Group is updating the Château’s lobby to create an understated, modern space with a touch of glamour. The space will be reorganized to create a more open layout. The check-in desks will be replaced with custom desks with covered in antiqued mirror with a hand painted pattern designed by the Maxwell brothers, the architects responsible for the hotel’s expansion in the 1920s.

Existing chandeliers will be cleaned, rewired and draped with mixed metal chains in nickel, bronze and brass. The original Carte Blanche marble floors, dark quarter sawn oak wall paneling and gilding will be restored to their original splendor. The ceiling will be covered in high gloss blue paint, and blue-to-white ombré curtains will be added to the windows. A backlit onyx wall will provide a soft glow behind the reception desk. The space will also have new custom rugs and furniture.

 As guests walk from the lobby towards the restaurant and bar areas of the hotel, a dramatic staircase will come into view. Rockwell Group is covering the stairs with a custom ombré carpet that shifts from wine red to light blush pink. In addition, we designed a striking 15’ long, 500 pound chandelier comprised of slender pieces of cut glass arranged in a long spiral pattern, inspired by the icicles that form during Quebec’s frigid winters.