Fairmont Hotel Macdonald Review: Our Babymoon in Edmonton’s Castle on the Hill

We rolled up to Fairmont Hotel Macdonald on a warm summer afternoon, staring up at this stone chateau perched over the North Saskatchewan River, and I had one of those “how is this my life?” moments. Years ago I was a broke university student at the U of A, shuffling around Edmonton in winter boots and thinking this castle on the hill was for “fancy pants folks”. Now we were checking in for a babymoon, with Audrey very pregnant, baby Aurelia doing somersaults, and the two of us fully leaning into one last luxury slice of freedom before becoming parents.

This was our first-ever overnight at a Fairmont. We’d done the “pretend we belong here” thing before—afternoon tea in other Canadian Fairmont chateaux, fancy dinners where you sneak glances around the lobby—but we’d never actually slept in one. So Audrey secretly booked The Mac as a surprise welcome-back-to-Edmonton gift, decades after I’d last lived in the city.

Fairmont Hotel Macdonald (locals just call it “The Mac”) is a 1915 grand railway hotel, built in full Châteauesque glory by the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway and named for Canada’s first Prime Minister, Sir John A. Macdonald. With 198 rooms and 11 floors, it’s “Edmonton’s OG luxury property”, perched at 10065 100 Street NW, just south of Jasper Avenue and overlooking the river valley.

For this stay we went all in on the experience: Fairmont Gold floor, late-summer visit, pool time, Gold Lounge canapés as dinner, and a scenic evening walk down to the river via the funicular that definitely didn’t exist when I lived here. Wowzers, Edmonton has changed a lot since the mid 2000s! If you’re wondering whether The Mac is worth the splurge for your own special occasion, this is our full, experience-driven review—honest, slightly food-obsessed, and written by two people who genuinely slept, swam and ate their way through this place.

Fairmont Hotel Macdonald: Quick Snapshot

Hotel at a glance

*Rates vary a lot by season, events and demand. OTAs typically show entry-category rooms from the mid-CAD 200s in quieter periods, climbing higher for river views, suites and Fairmont Gold.

TL;DR in our own words

• Location: Castle-style hotel right on the bluff above the river valley, a short walk from Churchill Square, the Convention Centre and downtown’s museums and LRT.
• Rooms: Historic shell with renovated interiors; river-view rooms are the real show-stoppers, while some city-view rooms (like ours) can feel darker due to smaller windows.
• Facilities: Indoor saltwater pool, whirlpool, health club, spa services, restaurant, lounge, gardens and terraces with killer views.
• Vibe: Edmonton’s grand dame—classic but not stuffy, with genuinely friendly Canadian hospitality and a mix of couples, business travellers, families and locals dressed up for brunch or weddings.

Location & First Impressions (Late-Summer Edition)

Fairmont Hotel Macdonald sits at the eastern end of downtown Edmonton, on 100 Street NW just south of Jasper Avenue, overlooking the North Saskatchewan River valley park system. From here, you can:

• Walk about 4 minutes to the Edmonton Convention Centre
• Reach the Royal Alberta Museum and Art Gallery of Alberta in about 10–12 minutes
• Get to Rogers Place (for Oilers games and concerts) in roughly 12–15 minutes on foot

The airport run from Edmonton International (YEG) takes roughly 35–45 minutes by car, according to the hotel’s own location guide.

We arrived in late summer, which is a sweet spot for this property: the gardens were in full bloom, the terrace was set for alfresco dining, and the river valley below was still green. The castle silhouette against a warm prairie sky is… a lot more romantic than slush and minus-30. Believe me, I know….lol

Walking through the revolving doors, we got hit with that unmistakable Fairmont signature scent, polished wood, high ceilings and just enough bustle to feel alive without being overly chaotic. Because we’d booked Fairmont Gold, we were whisked up to the 7th floor for private check-in. Instantly, it already felt like a “hotel within a hotel” babymoon cocoon.

History, Story & Design (aka Why The Mac Matters)

If you love your hotels with a proper backstory, The Mac delivers.

• Opened on July 5, 1915 as a Grand Trunk Pacific Railway hotel, designed by Ross and MacFarlane in full Châteauesque style.
• Built to serve rail passengers travelling across Canada in style—part of the same grand-hotel story as Château Frontenac in Québec City and Banff Springs in Alberta.
• Named after Sir John A. Macdonald, Canada’s first Prime Minister; the hotel leans into Scottish touches thanks to his heritage, even adopting the Macdonald tartan and occasionally putting staff in kilts.
• Recognized today as one of Edmonton’s most iconic buildings, with 198 rooms over 11 floors, overlooking the river valley from its bluff.Wikipedia+1

Most recently, the hotel has undergone a major renovation (completed in 2024) and has been honoured with a MICHELIN Key 2025 and a Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Award, which is a good sign this isn’t just a dusty old castle coasting on nostalgia.

For us, the part that really sold the “history” story was upstairs on the mezzanine. After breakfast, I parked myself “lounging like a lizard” on one of the couches and spent far too long studying the black-and-white photos:

• The hotel under construction, just a skeleton on the bluff.
• Early Edmonton skyline shots where The Mac is basically the only serious building poking up above the riverbank.
• Views from the North Saskatchewan River showing a lone chateau and not much else.

You really get this sense that Edmonton’s downtown grew up around The Mac. It’s literally the OG anchor of the city’s skyline—and for a history nerd who went to university here, that felt pretty special.

Our Room: Fairmont Gold King (City View) – Great Bathroom, Modest Window

Let’s talk rooms.

From the official line-up, categories run from standard Fairmont rooms through Deluxe, “View” rooms, Fairmont Gold rooms and a cluster of named suites. But we’re going to zoom in on what we actually booked: a Fairmont Gold King with city view.

First impressions

The Fairmont Gold floor feels exclusive right away: private reception desk, dedicated staff, and the lounge just a few steps away. Our room itself had that classic Fairmont look—neutral palette, comfy king bed, upholstered chair, small desk, quality linens, and subtle nods to the hotel’s heritage rather than over-the-top theme decor.

But we noticed two things immediately:

1. The window was small and narrow.
   There was just one modest window, and while it technically offered a city view, the effect was more “sliver of skyline” than “wow, look at that panorama”. It made the room feel darker than we’d expected given the sunny day outside.
2. We absolutely should have booked river view.
   Having now seen the river-valley vistas from other areas of the hotel, we both agreed that if you’re splurging at The Mac—especially for a special occasion—paying extra for a river-facing room is 100% worth it. It’s not just our opinion. Guest reviews on TripAdvisor and OTAs back this up; the rooms that people rave about most consistently are the ones with those classic valley views.

The bathroom: where this room really shines

If the window was a mild letdown, the bathroom completely redeemed things:

• Bright, fully renovated, and surprisingly spacious.
• Modern glass shower with good water pressure.
• Plenty of counter space and mirrors (extra important when your wife is third-trimester pregnant and everything takes a bit longer).
• Upscale bath amenities and big fluffy towels that passed our “could I happily live here?” test.

It felt more like a brand-new luxury property than a 1915 hotel, which is exactly what you want from a heritage renovation.

Sleep quality

We both slept really well:

• The bed was properly supportive without being hard.
• Even though we were facing the city rather than the river, we didn’t have noticeable street noise.
• Air-con was steady, not the kind of unit that cycles loudly on and off all night.

Reviews from other guests tend to highlight the comfort of the beds and general cleanliness, with occasional mentions of noise on lower floors or near event spaces, so if you’re a light sleeper, it’s worth requesting a quieter location at booking.

Robes, Pool Time & the “Pot of Soup” Hot Tub

Once we’d done the obligatory room tour for YouTube, we did exactly what you should do on a babymoon: we got into the robes.

Audrey in a Fairmont robe with a full-on baby bump is a life highlight I didn’t know I needed. I joked this was the first time in our relationship that Audrey has had a bigger belly than me. She did not disagree.

We made our way down to the fitness and pool area and decided to ignore the gym and head straight for the water:

• The hotel has a 40 ft indoor saltwater pool, one of the reasons Audrey picked this place in the first place.
• The lighting is low and glowy, music is mellow, and the whole space feels more like a spa than a generic hotel pool.
• For someone in her third trimester, the idea of simply floating was basically the perfect activity.

Audrey loved it. Floating around in the saline water, with the mood lighting and music, she kept saying it was exactly what her body needed—zero impact, maximum relaxation.

I, trying to be clever, decided to test out the hot pool. Ooohh, my happy place! However, bad idea for a pregnant person, obviously, so Audrey dipped a toe in, winced, and declared it felt like “a pot of soup”. Honestly, as someone who has spent time in some very hot Japanese onsens and Jjimjilbang in Korea, I agreed—it was that “slightly being boiled alive” sensation, but in a nice way. I loved it.

If you’re into wellness, this is one of Edmonton’s nicer hotel pool setups; if you’re on a babymoon, pack the swimsuit and thank us later.

Fairmont Gold Lounge: The Baby (and Sam) Came Hungry

If you’re considering whether Fairmont Gold is worth the upgrade, here’s the honest, food-obsessed answer: we used the lounge so much that it made complete sense for this stay.

Gold is on the 7th floor and includes:

• Private reception desk & concierge service
• Access to the Gold Lounge with:
  • Deluxe continental breakfast in the morning
  • All-day coffee, tea and soft drinks
  • Evening canapés from around 5 pm
  • Buffet breakfast starting at around 7 am
  • An honour bar where you can pour your own drinks and have them charged to your room

Evening canapés (aka our de facto dinner)

We arrived at the lounge pretty much as soon as the evening spread opened, “just to take a look”. Famous last words.

The canapés honestly felt like a mini buffet:

• Mini sandwiches
• Deli meats and cheeses
• Fresh veggies and dips
• Shrimp
• Little tortilla-chip bites topped with tuna and shrimp
• Hot items like chicken wings and coleslaw rotating through

I like to say I brought my appetite, but the baby brought a bigger one. Audrey (and Aurelia) were very much on board with turning canapés into a full dinner, and we both went back for seconds. Or thirds. Who’s counting?

Recent guest reviews echo our experience—Gold guests often mention the quality and variety of the lounge food as a major plus, especially on days when you’re too tired to go searching for dinner.

Gold breakfast: more brunch than breakfast

We’re breakfast people, especially when there’s sightseeing ahead, so we were downstairs as soon as the lounge opened a bit after 7 am.

Spread highlights:

• Granola and cereals
• Breads and pastries we frankly didn’t have room to tackle
• Fresh fruit (pineapple, strawberries, cantaloupe—Audrey’s happy place)
• Smoked salmon station that we circled back to more than once
• Hot items: scrambled eggs, bacon, sausages, potatoes and French toast

The French toast with bacon and maple syrup was so good we unapologetically went up for seconds. We paired everything with cappuccinos and left feeling like we’d had brunch, not just a quick breakfast.

For a special-occasion stay where you want to take it slow in the mornings and avoid restaurant decision fatigue at night, the Gold Lounge is a huge value-add, especially in late summer when you might want to spend more time out on the terrace and riverside and less time hunting for meals.

Atmosphere, Service & That “Castle in Summer” Feel

The overall vibe at The Mac is classic but relaxed. That’s exactly what we wanted.

Who you’ll see around:

• Couples on romantic getaways, anniversaries and babymoons
• Business travellers with laptops and suit jackets, drifting between meetings
• Families, especially around the pool and at breakfast
• Locals dressed up for brunches, weddings and special events in the ballrooms

We can confirm from our own stay and from reading far too many reviews afterwards that a few themes keep coming up:

• Staff & service: Consistently praised for warmth and professionalism. We had the same experience—Gold staff remembered our names, helped with little requests, and made the whole stay feel easy.
• Cleanliness & upkeep: Newly renovated rooms and refreshed public spaces are often mentioned; our own room and the Gold Lounge felt spotless and well maintained.
• Noise: Some reviews mention noise from DJ nights or events and traffic on lower floors. We didn’t experience that on the Gold floor (7th). But it’s something to bear in mind if you’re a very light sleeper.

In late summer, the atmosphere really shines because:

• The terrace and gardens are alive with flowers and outdoor dining.
• It’s warm enough to stroll the river trails in the evening in just a light layer.
• Sunsets over the river valley are spectacular from the back lawn.

This is not a “party hotel” in the sense of rowdy hallways and thumping bass. It’s more of a “have a cocktail, enjoy the view, be in bed by 11 and feel great about it” place—which, to be honest, is perfect babymoon energy.

Food & Drink Beyond the Lounge

Because we were so smitten with the Gold Lounge, we didn’t dive deeply into the hotel’s restaurant scene on this stay—but it’s worth knowing what’s there.

You’ll find the following dining options:

• Harvest Room: The main restaurant overlooking the river valley, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner with a focus on regional ingredients and Canadian classics.
• Confederation Lounge: A classic lounge known for cocktails, bar snacks and those “this is my castle now” views over the terrace. Regulars rave about items like the crispy lemon salt & pepper wings paired with a glass of wine.
• Seasonal patio & events in the Empire Ballroom: On weekends and holidays, the hotel is a popular local choice for brunches, special-occasion meals and weddings.

On another trip, we’d absolutely carve out time for a long, lazy brunch in the Empire Ballroom or a sunset drink in the lounge. On a babymoon, the combination of Gold canapés + early nights won.

What Makes The Mac Stand Out (In a City Full of Chain Hotels)

Here’s why we’d pick Fairmont Hotel Macdonald over a random downtown high-rise:

If you’re the kind of traveller who values character, history and setting as much as square footage, The Mac starts to feel less like “just a hotel” and more like a destination in its own right.

Who This Hotel Is (and Isn’t) For

Here’s a no-nonsense look at who will get the most out of Fairmont Hotel Macdonald.

Rates, Seasons & Value (We Came in Late Summer)

Ballpark prices

We’re not going to toss out hard promises because hotel pricing is dynamic and changes constantly. However, recent listings give a general sense:

• Standard and entry-level rooms: Often show up from around CAD 250–350 on quieter dates.
• River-view, Deluxe and Fairmont Gold rooms: Typically higher, especially on weekends, event dates and peak summer.
• Suites and named suites: Firmly in “special-occasion splurge” territory.

Discounts and offers

For our babymoon, we stacked value where we could:

• We used an Alberta resident offer that knocked about 15% off our rate—the hotel and Accor often run resident, CAA/AAA and seasonal promotions.
• Members of Accor’s ALL loyalty program can earn and redeem points and sometimes access extra perks or promo rates.

It’s always worth checking:

• Fairmont’s own “Offers” page
• A trusted OTA for price comparison on your dates
• Any membership discounts you might have (CAA/AAA, etc.)

Best time to stay (and what late summer felt like)

We stayed in late summer, and for this particular hotel, it’s hard to beat:

• Gardens and terrace in full bloom, with the patio open for alfresco dining.
• Long evenings for river-valley walks after canapés.
• Great conditions for seeing Edmonton’s outdoor spaces and festivals.

If you’re considering other seasons:

• Fall: Likely gorgeous foliage in the valley and slightly softer rates.
• Winter: We haven’t personally experienced The Mac in winter, but reviews mention how magical the castle looks in the snow and how cosy the lounges feel—just remember the river paths get icy.
• Spring: Shoulder season with mixed weather but potential deals and fewer crowds.

For a babymoon, anniversary or special trip where you want inside-and-outside moments—pool, terrace, river strolls—late summer into early fall is a fantastic window.

Practical Tips for Staying at Fairmont Hotel Macdonald

A few things we’d tell a friend before they book:

• Book a river view if you can. We had a city view with a small window and would absolutely pay extra next time for a river-facing room. It changes the whole feel of the stay.
• Consider Fairmont Gold for short, special stays. If you’re staying 1–3 nights and you actually eat breakfast and evening canapés in the lounge, the maths starts looking good.
• Ask about events. If there’s a wedding or loud DJ event planned, request a room away from ballrooms and terraces to minimize noise.
• Budget for parking. Expect a significant nightly charge for valet or self-parking; check your rate and consider if any packages include it.
• Bring swim gear. The saltwater pool and hot tub are legitimately good—don’t be like the people who stare longingly at the water because they didn’t pack a swimsuit.
• Use the funicular. The hill between the hotel and the river valley is no joke. The modern funicular makes going down (and back up!) far easier, especially if you’re pregnant, pushing a stroller, or just not in the mood to climb.
• Ask about accessible rooms. If needed, specifically request a room with a roll-in shower and confirm elevator access and layout in advance.

Nearby Things to Do (Using The Mac as Your Base)

One of the biggest perks of staying at The Mac is that you’re both downtown and on the edge of nature.

From the front doors or funicular:

• North Saskatchewan River Valley: Extensive trails for walking, running or cycling, right below the hotel. Great in late summer for golden-hour strolls.
• Edmonton Convention Centre: Convenient if you’re in town for a conference—no transit faff required.
• Royal Alberta Museum & Art Gallery of Alberta: Easy cultural hits within walking distance.
• Rogers Place: A short walk or LRT hop away for hockey games and concerts.
• Muttart Conservatory: Iconic glass pyramids in the valley, a short drive or longer scenic walk from the hotel.

We used The Mac as a comfortable launch pad for exploring Edmonton and to start filming our travel and food guides—fuel up at the Gold breakfast, wander the city and river all day, then retreat to the castle for pool time and canapés.

Check out our two other videos below for things to do in Edmonton and where and what to eat whilst pounding the pavement in E-town.

Our Final Thoughts (And a New Travel Goal)

Looking back, this stay at Fairmont Hotel Macdonald was exactly what we needed:

• A soft landing into the next chapter of our lives as parents.
• A chance for me to reconnect with Edmonton, not as a broke student, but as someone who could finally walk into the chateau on the bluff and hand over a room key instead of just taking photos from below.
• Time for Audrey to float in a saltwater pool, eat an unreasonable amount of French toast, and waddle around in a bathrobe with zero guilt.

Was it a splurge? Yes. But between the Alberta resident rate, the Fairmont Gold inclusions, the late-summer terrace and the emotional hit of staying in Edmonton’s castle, it felt like money spent on a memory rather than just a bed.

We left feeling relaxed, recharged, and maybe a little bit hooked. Now we have a new, very Canadian travel goal: slowly collecting Fairmont chateaux across the country—Quebec City, Toronto, Calgary, Lake Louise, Vancouver, Victoria—checking them off one by one as life and travels allow.

If you’re planning a special trip to Edmonton and wondering whether The Mac is worth it, our honest answer is: for an ordinary Tuesday, maybe not; for a babymoon, anniversary, reunion with your old university city or a “we deserve something nice” moment, absolutely.