Under One Roof, Over One Weekend – Montreal’s Fairmont Hotel Reine Elizabeth

You’ll find everything you need under one roof at Quebec’s largest hotel, the Fairmont Reine Elizabeth, in Montreal.

Located on René Lévesque Street, a major Montreal thoroughfare, this modern railway hotel (it sits over the railway line) maintains many grand old traditions, with a ‘modern twist’ as our afternoon High Tea waitress explained.

The High Tea is held Saturdays at 2 p.m., at Rosélys Restaurant,  a name meant to reflect Montreal’s historical English/French heritage, read Rose and Lys). Their high tea is a modern take on the old British tradition — a perfect metaphor for Montreal. 

You’ll first be asked if you want champagne or prosecco, although the wine selection is phenomenal, the restaurant having received a distinction from Wine Spectator magazine for its wine selection.

Then you’ll be given a vast choice of teas to choose from, each with a written explanation. You must choose carefully, as you’ll be drinking from your own pot of tea for the rest of the afternoon. 

Tourists and locals from all backgrounds enjoyed this service, as they made their way through the savoury and then sweet bites of joy. In between were the scones, which, truth be told, were my favourites. I especially enjoyed the pistachio and cranberry tiny club sandwich, a sponge creation and the tartlet, with seasonal fruits and lemongrass jelly.

The place was packed. I noticed a group of Caribbean ladies dressed to the nines enjoying part of their colonial heritage! The high tea is said to have been founded by Anna, the 7th Duchess of Bedford, a lady-in-waiting to Queen Victoria.

Interested in experiencing Montreal’s nightlife? If you choose to stay at the hotel, the Reine Elizabeth has a solution for that too.

Located in their Nacarat Bar, mixology courses are available with bartender Marky, a veteran of the Montreal barkeeping scene.

Marky chose to show us how to concoct two Scotch cocktails, carefully teaching how to measure the right amounts of ‘Monkey Shoulder’ Scotch, with just the right amount of bitters, vermouth, syrups and different juices.

It was all hands on, except for the lemon and orange juices, which had already been prepared for us.

As we filtered and shook our cocktails, Marky reminisced about his days as a bar busboy, whose job was to press endless gallons of fresh juices!

We were seated at the bar, but at appropriate moments we were served clever mini-appetizers like beet salad and beef tartare. The octopus appetizer was a showstopper. 

After the lesson in the bar, we had a lovely supper of shared, small-plate tapas with another guest, who’d joined the mixology class although he was a non-drinker!

Sunday brunch at Rosélys’ was packed, and again, certain groups came dressed in their Sunday best.

Good thing I don’t have a sweet tooth, as the dessert display was truly seductive, with beautiful creations you just wanted to try!

We didn’t, but enjoyed ample samplings of truly fresh sushi, seared beef sashimi, smoked salmon, salmon gravlax infused with Labrador Tea, giant shrimps, and salads of scallops and shrimps.

In spite of the huge crowd (everyone arrived promptly at 11 a.m. for the opening), service was excellent.

Next to Rosélys, inside the lobby is the Marché Artisans. Calling it a food court does it no justice. I would see it more as a Gourmet Food station, with high-end groceries, not unlike Montreal’s Time-Out. You can order a light meal and partake in pastry and pizza-making classes.

Don’t pass up the homemade ice creams and sorbet by French chef Jean-Marc Guillot, Maître Glacier.

The Reine Elizabeth remembers its origins. Banana bread, a staple at the Old Beaver Club in the original hotel, is available at the Kréma Cafe, but plan on arriving early, as it sells out.

Why would you spend your entire weekend in Montreal in one hotel? Well, don’t forget, John Lennon and Yoko Ono did just that for one full week, back in 1969! You can rent out their room in the hotel, now a spacious suite for $3200. 

The suite is crammed with mementos and furnishings from that era, including an old TV set, rotary phone and an old reel-to-reel tape recording machine. The latter is very appropriate. Lennon and Ono during their Bed-In,  composed the classic ‘Give Peace a Chance’ hit in the very room.

Should you want to venture out of the hotel, you are steps from Ste. Catherine Street for shopping, people-watching, and the Eaton Centre 9th-floor art deco restaurant.  

The Bell Centre, central for Canadiens hockey and all manner of attractions and shows, is within sight. We walked easily to Old Montreal, twenty minutes away.

ALL PHOTOS: CAROLE JOBIN