June 3, 2019

Montreal, Canada: Fairmont Queen Elizabeth Hotel + Underground City; hotel review + things to do

Fairmont Queen Elizabeth Hotel  

900 Rene Levesque Blvd. W, (866) 540-4483, (514) 861-3511.  950 rooms; 21 stories.  Indoor pool; full-service spa; exercise room.

exterior of Fairmont Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal, Canada
exterior of Fairmont Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal, Canada


Opened in 1958, the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth Hotel was one of the first hotels in North America with escalators, centralized air conditioning, and direct dial telephones in each room.  It is located conveniently adjacent to the train station.  In 1969, the hotel shot to superstardom when Yoko Ono and John Lennon stayed here on their honeymoon in suite 1472.  Here, their second “bed-in for peace” lasted a week, and during this time they composed and recorded “Give Peace a Chance.”  (The first bed-in was held just prior in Amsterdam.)  And now it is possible for guests to book this suite!  The Marche Artisans gift shop purveys items from local makers as well as food treats.  Offering low-key luxury, this hotel remains the largest in the city and offers an entrance that was the first link into the Underground City.

lobby of Fairmont Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal, Canada
lobby of Fairmont Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal, Canada


Marche Artisans gift shop at Fairmont Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal, Canada
Marche Artisans gift shop at Fairmont Queen Elizabeth Hotel
in Montreal, Canada



Underground City  

Montreal's underground pedestrian network extends for about 20 miles and is the world’s largest.  It connects shopping centers, performing arts venues, and other buildings, but also has shops lining its tunnel passages.  The entrances are in different areas of the city, and some sections are connected by subway (so the tunnel is not continuous; it has lapses).  And though the network is not always underground, it is always indoors, and it is especially popular in summer, when it is air-conditioned, and in winter, when it is heated.

Information Map at Underground City in Montreal, Canada
Information Map at Underground City in Montreal, Canada


shop in Underground City in Montreal, Canada
shop in Underground City in Montreal, Canada


entrance/exit in Underground City in Montreal, Canada
entrance/exit in Underground City in Montreal, Canada



More things to do in Montreal.

More things to do in Canada.

More ideas for exploring Canada and Mexico.

images ©2019 Carole Terwilliger Meyers


1 comment:

  1. Seems one of the biggest underground hotel plus mall, As One of the Biggest Bulk Linen Supplier Wholesale Hospitality Linen Distributor I have never visited it but will be visiting it on my next tour to Canada, Thanks for sharing.

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