Macdonald
Grand old railway hotel energy with fresh interiors. Formal without being stuffy. Heritage architecture, updated rooms, locally-focused food program. The kind of place that hosts both wedding parties and oil executives — and does both well.
Book a Fairmont View room on an upper floor for river valley sightlines — the view from the top floors is genuinely dramatic
Why It Matters
Edmonton's only MICHELIN Key hotel and the last survivor of the grand Canadian Pacific/Grand Trunk Railway hotel tradition in its original form. Built in 1915, named after Canada's first Prime Minister, and host to King George VI and Queen Elizabeth in 1939. Five designated heritage areas include the Confederation Lounge, the Lobby, the Empire Ballroom, and the exterior. Renovated in 2024. Winner of Condé Nast Traveler 2025 Readers' Choice Award.
Open since 1915, the Macdonald is Canada's grand railway hotel tradition at its most intact. The seven-storey Chateau-style building — Indiana limestone exterior, copper roof, perched above the North Saskatchewan River Valley — looks like it belongs on a Loire Valley postcard, not a downtown Edmonton block. It's a genuine landmark: designated a Municipal Heritage Resource in 1985 (the first building in Edmonton to earn that protection), and the city's only MICHELIN Key hotel. A full renovation wrapped in 2024, so the bones are historic but the rooms are current.
Where You'll Stay
23 room types available
Charles Melville Hays King
Named after the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway president, this room sits on the highest floor of the hotel. Features classic chateau ceilings — the original roofline is visible — plus a comfortable seating area with double sofabed. Private Gold check-in, breakfast, and evening canapés.
1 King
Deluxe 1 King
Open-concept space with a sitting area and multi-use table. Designed for a couple or small family. More square footage than the base Fairmont category.
1 KingDeluxe 2 Queens
Open-concept space with sitting area and multi-use table. Good family option in the Deluxe tier.
2 QueensDeluxe View 1 King
Open-concept space with inviting sitting area, multi-use table, and river valley views. A solid sweet spot between comfort and price.
1 KingDeluxe View 2 Doubles
Open-concept space with sitting area, multi-use table, and views. Can accommodate a cot. Good option for families needing more space.
2 DoublesDeluxe View 2 Queens
Open-concept space with sitting area and multi-use table, plus river valley views. Perfect for families.
2 QueensFairmont 1 King
Renovated guest room with small sitting area and multi-use table. Lavish 3-piece bathroom with illuminated mirrors. The entry-level Fairmont category — modernized but compact.
1 KingFairmont 1 Queen
Renovated guest room with small sitting area and multi-use table. Lavish 3-piece bathroom with illuminated mirrors.
1 QueenFairmont 1 Queen Accessible
Fully mobility-accessible room with roll-in shower, grab bars, and wheelchair-friendly bedroom and bathroom layout. Overlooks the river valley. Connects to a Fairmont View King room.
1 QueenFairmont 2 Doubles
Renovated guest room with small sitting area and multi-use table. Bright 3-piece bathroom. Best for families.
2 DoublesFairmont Gold 1 King
Private check-in and dedicated concierge on the 7th floor. Complimentary continental breakfast and evening canapés in the Fairmont Gold Lounge. Bathrooms feature a walk-in rain shower. The hotel-within-a-hotel tier.
1 KingFairmont Gold 1 King View
Full Fairmont Gold benefits — private check-in, breakfast, evening canapés, walk-in rain shower — plus river valley views. Best of both tiers.
1 KingFairmont Gold 2 Queens
Private check-in on the 7th floor, complimentary breakfast and evening canapés in the Gold Lounge. Walk-in rain shower. All the Gold benefits in a twin-queen layout.
2 QueensFairmont Gold Executive Suite 1 King
All Fairmont Gold benefits plus a separate living area with multi-use table and sofabed. Walk-in rain shower. Private Gold check-in.
1 KingFairmont View 1 King
Base Fairmont room with river valley views. Small sitting area and bright 3-piece bathroom. The views are the main upgrade over the standard Fairmont category.
1 KingFairmont View 2 Doubles
River valley views with the space of a double-bed room. Small sitting area and multi-use table. Ideal for families wanting a view.
2 DoublesGrand Deluxe View 2 Queens
The largest standard guest room layout — still a room rather than a suite, but the most generous floor plan in the non-suite category. Inviting sitting area and multi-use table.
2 QueensKing Edward VIII Suite
Two-storey suite on the top floor: bedroom upstairs, living area with sofabed and dining table on the main level. Private Gold check-in, complimentary breakfast, and evening canapés.
1 QueenKing George VI Suite
Ascend the interior staircase to an intimate living area with dining table, then step down to a sunken bedroom. A genuinely unusual layout that feels more like a private apartment than a hotel room. Private Gold check-in, breakfast, and canapés.
1 KingLois Hole Suite
Top floor, open-concept suite named after the former Lieutenant Governor of Alberta. French doors separate the bedroom from the living area with sofabed. Lots of natural light. Private Gold check-in, breakfast, and canapés.
1 KingOne Bedroom Suite View 1 King
Renovated suite with a separate bedroom and a spacious living area with sofabed, plus river valley views. Good for extended stays or families wanting defined separation.
1 KingQueen Elizabeth II Suite
The flagship bi-level suite. Large foyer, service pantry, dining and living area on the main floor — ideal for hosting private dinners. Bedroom and master bathroom with soaker tub upstairs. Private Gold check-in, breakfast, and canapés. The hotel's most prestigious accommodation.
1 KingSir Winston Churchill Suite
Spacious bi-level suite on the top floor. Bedroom on the second level, living area with sofabed on the main floor, plus 1.5 baths. Private Gold check-in, breakfast, and canapés.
1 KingThe Property
Eat & Drink
5 venues on property
Restaurant
Spa & Wellness
Treatment Menu
On Property
How you'll actually spend your days.
Weekend afternoon tea with loose-leaf teas, signature sandwiches, and pastries. Held in The Harvest Room every Saturday and Sunday, noon to 2pm.
Twice-daily happy hour Sunday through Friday (2–4pm and 10pm to close). Cocktails, local beer, select wines, and shareable bites. The patio is the place to be in summer.
Held in the heritage Empire Ballroom. Chef-attended live cooking stations with a sustainability-focused menu. Specialty crepes, carving stations, seafood displays — all made with locally sourced ingredients.
State-of-the-art fitness equipment in the two-storey health club. Open 24 hours for hotel guests.
40-foot indoor saltwater pool, open daily 5:30am–10:30pm.
Rejuvenating whirlpool and sauna/steam room within the health club facility.
The hotel itself is a designated Municipal Heritage Resource with five protected areas: the building exterior, the Confederation Lounge, the Lobby, the Wedgwood Room, and the Empire Ballroom. Dating to 1915 Chateau-style construction with Indiana limestone and copper roof. Worth exploring the public areas.
Full squash court in the two-storey health club facility.
Amenities & Practical Info
The details that matter for planning.
Accessible guest room with roll-in shower, grab bars, and wheelchair-friendly layout overlooking the river valley.
12,000 sq ft of meeting space including 5 meeting rooms. Capacity from 10 to 350 delegates. Newly renovated with natural light and high ceilings.
Indoor parking available. Both valet and self-parking options with seamless in-and-out privileges.
Pets are welcome. The hotel has an official Canine Ambassador named Hendricks. Pet charges may apply.
Saltwater pool open daily 5:30am–10:30pm.
BUILD YOUR FAIRMONT HOTEL MACDONALD PLAN
Rooms, dining, spa, and resort experiences — organized into one trip plan.
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