‘So thrilled and so proud’: Château Laurier celebrates Michelin Key for ‘Gold Experience’

The Chateau Laurier’s Gold Experience has earned the hotel a coveted Michelin Key, making it the only hotel in the capital with one. CTV’s Kimberley Johnson rep

Ottawa’s storied and stately Fairmont Château Laurier has something new to celebrate – a prestigious designation called a Michelin Key.

Like its famous Micheline Star counterpart, which is given out to highlight high-end dining, the Micheline Key is given out by the Michelin Guide for excellence in hotels and hospitality.

Earlier this month, Michelin released a list of hotels that are receiving the designation and the Château Laurier received one key for its ‘Gold Experience.’

Those like Celia and Karl Meade, who are frequent visitors to the downtown Ottawa icon when they visit from their home in British Columbia, say the designation is well earned.

“I really think they go beyond in their attention to detail and the service,” explains Celia Meade. “I think it’s really special.”

“Keeping the heritage aspects, but also modernizing,” says Karl Meade. “So that we’re actually comfortable.”

Lori Wagner is the marketing director for the Château Laurier. She explains that the Gold Experience is a “hotel within a hotel” which consists of 69 rooms over two floors in the east wing.

“We want you to feel special,” she explains of the rooms. “We want you to feel like you’re going to have the best time and the best experience of your life. You have a private concierge to help you set up any excursions, your restaurant reservations.

“We really want you to come here and have memories that you’re going to remember for the rest of your life.”

She says there’s pride among staff in the announcement.

“When I announced it that morning at our operations meeting, everyone was clapping and cheering. This is a big deal,” she says. “Were so thrilled and so proud to be recognized with this honor.”

Guests are given access to private check in and check out, as well as an exclusive lounge and curated specialized food in the lounge.

It’s these features that are among the reason the rooms were given the award, according to the Michelin Guide.

“The Gold tier delivers what it promises: history, scale, and storybook atmosphere: distilled into something more personal, discreet and entirely worth seeking out in Canada’s capital,” the Michelin Guide states.

According to the Michelin Guide, prices for the Gold Experience start at $459 per night.

In October, Michelin unveiled its first full list of Key-awarded hotels, honouring a total of 2,457 hotels across the globe.

In Canada, 38 hotels received the honours, with 29 of them earning one key, seven earning two keys and two earning three keys.

With files from CTV News Ottawa’s Adam Beauchemin

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