Places to Stay in Quebec City
Hotel Suggestions for the 400th Anniversary
Chateau Frontenac
It was 400 years ago, in 1608, that Samuel de Champlain founded Quebec City. His settlement, originally a lucrative fur trading post, established a French speaking presence in North America which thrives to this day. There’s a statue to him in the Upper Town near the city’s best known hotel Chateau Frontenac, 1 Rue des Carrieres (418 691 2157). This is the hotel of choice for visiting celebrities, royalty and heads of state – plush and extremely comfortable with several restaurants and rooms with swagged curtains and thick carpets. Many of the rooms have great views over the St Lawrence River and although some of them are on the small side, they’re all comfy. The lobby’s always busy, staff are friendly and efficient - and they do a great afternoon tea.
Chateau Frontenac was built back in the 19th-century in the style of French chateau and has grown over the years into the city’s most striking landmark. You can even see its distinctive green copper roof and romantic rounded towers from the Plains of Abraham - the battlefield, now a public park, where British forces beat the French forces and won Quebec for the Crown. But yes, Quebec is still French speaking – a tradition it holds onto proudly
Auberge Saint Antoine
Quebec City has two parts, the Upper Town and the Lower Town – which was the original trading settlement down by the Old Port. Auberge Saint Antoine, 8 Rue Saint Antoine (418 692 2211) is a lovely boutique hotel, which was once a warehouse and sits across from the St Lawrence. It’s contemporary in style: rooms are comfy but uncluttered with crisp white bedlinen, internet access and Bose sound systems. You might even get one with a little terrace over looking the river (welcome, as the city gets pretty hot during the summer). But Quebec’s history is not forgotten. Archaeological finds, that were uncovered during the conversion, have been cleverly displayed throughout. Glass topped bedside tables cover small artefacts such as fragments of pottery, while large ‘finds’ are set into the walls. There’s even a French cannon, behind a glass panel in the lobby bar. It’s right next door to one of Quebec’s main attractions – the Musee de la Civilisation.
Hotel Musee Premiers Nations
When the first French settlers arrived, they established relations with the indigenous Wendat people (naming them Hurons, due to their distinctive bristly hair styles). Wendake, the Huron-Wendat reservation, is a pleasant suburb of Quebec City and has a brand new hotel which offers an interesting alternative to those in the city centre. The Hotel-Musee Premieres Nations, 5 Place de la Rencontre, Wendake (418 847 2222) has been built in wood to resemble a traditional Huron longhouse. Rooms are large and airy - but make sure you don’t mind real fur (pelts hang across the seats in the lobby, and also appear in the bedrooms). If you haven’t time to stay over, it’s still worth coming to visit the hotel’s museum and taking a guided tour of the reservation.
Quebec has a unique culinary history, combining French and Canadian influences. Try this recipe for Beef Fillet with Maple Syrup and Mustard, from Chateau Frontenac's chef Jean Soulard.
