I have written about Don Blakslee before in this blog.  He is the reason I started here over 45 years ago.  He was the General Manager then and I was a student attending University and I came to meet Don through my older brother Chris Fournier, who was a good friend of Don’s.  Don is why I came back to the hotel business years after I completed university and started a family.  He made working at a hotel, more than just that…it was family!  And I am still here for that reason.  It is my home away from home..my second family. My dear brother Chris wrote this memori ..read more

Finally, after 18 long months of being closed, the Lord Elgin Hotel in Ottawa is finally open again!!!  We could not be more thrilled to open our doors and welcome our loyal guests back again! As an iconic landmark in Ottawa, this corner on Elgin was dark and quiet for too long.  Our neighbours were SO happy to see the lights on and the energy back!!  The cars are lined up again at our entrance each Friday afternoon since opening on October 1st, waiting to check-in for a weekend away.  We are so very grateful to each and every guest for coming back to us! We are also so en ..read more

  Ottawa is a relatively small town and if you are what they call ‘old Ottawa’ , you know what I mean.  With my ancestors going back to Bytown days (1830’s and 40’s), the names are all very familiar.  It is no wonder I love working for a family-owned business, as I grew up in one.  We are a tough lot.  Resilient and hard working! So it is fitting that we all celebrate when one of the family businesses does good!  While the Lord Elgin and our sister hotel, the Metcalfe Hotel remain closed during this time of COVID, we are thrilled that the Carleton Suite Hotel &a ..read more

Today, June 29th, would typically mark the beginning of an extremely busy week in our hotel.  With Canada Day just two days away, we would be in super busy prep mode getting everything ready for the big day.  The check-list is reviewed over, staffing is beefed up, supplies are counted and recounted to be sure we have enough.  Staff are outfitted in red t-shirts and caps.  We are all revved up and ready! Starting days prior to Canada Day, tourists coming from near and far are checking in with all the necessities for the big celebration. The entrance to the hotel is buzzing w ..read more

I have worked in the hotel and tourism industry for most of my adult life and never have we witnessed such a terrible blow to our industry as we have since the onset of COVID-19. The Lord Elgin Hotel was built in 1941 during the WWI to address the needs of those coming and going during the war effort.  Prime Minister Mackenzie King recognized a need for a hotel at that time and it became his project.  So much of who we are today from our location, design and construction were directly influenced by our Prime Minister King.  A book written in 2016 to mark our 75th lays all this o ..read more

We are a locally owned hotel with 355 rooms located in beautiful downtown Ottawa. Typically buzzing with life and warmth as we sit on Elgin Street, Ottawa’s ceremonial boulevard which also has a ton of restaurants and bars. You would not recognize downtown Ottawa now. I come in each day along Ottawa’s Queensway, which is typically jammed with cars. My commute from Barrhaven has gone from 45 minutes to just 15 minutes. While I could work from home, I still prefer coming in to the hotel. I have never been a person who enjoyed working from home. Coming in to my empty hotel gives me that sens ..read more

Three weeks ago, our life here at the hotel was typical for early March. We were gearing up for march break, with packages and offers for families and gearing up for spring with the onslaught of travellers that come for the Tulips Festival, Race Weekend and all that fun stuff. Exciting times!!! Now our hotel, the Lord Elgin and our sister hotels, the Metcalfe Hotel and The Carleton Suite Hotel, are closed until further notice. It’s that ‘further notice’ that is driving us all mad! How do you plan, project, budget or manage a hotel with no definite ‘start date’. We are all so anxious to get ba ..read more

At this time, when people are anxious about travelling due to the fear surrounding COVID-19, the new Coronavirus, it makes sense to stay closer to home this March Break 2020 and come to the Lord Elgin Hotel in downtown Ottawa for your family getaway. March Break 2020, Ottawa is the perfect spot to escape to with your family.  We have more museums and attractions than any city in Canada.  And when you are weary from walking and visiting all these fabulous spots, you can return to this cozy hotel in the centre of Ottawa and go for a leisurely swim or play some boardgames in the lobby o ..read more

Humans of Lord Elgin Do you ever wonder what stories are behind the people who you see every day? The purpose for this version of #HumansOf… is to show the ‘behind the scenes members’ that you interact with when staying at the Lord Elgin Hotel. This downtown Ottawa hotel features so many different people that you would notice walking by or checking in. This is a way to introduce you to the very characters that basically have made the Lord Elgin Hotel their home. The place where employees say they have laid down roots, and have grown with their own family. Being family owned, the hotel is very ..read more

LIZ – Corporate Sales Manager with Style – 1 Decade and 7 beautiful months. liz practicing yoga in front of one of our annual ice benches “While working for the competition on the other side of the Mackenzie Bridge, I secretly dreamed of working, and representing the Historic Lord Elgin Hotel.  I always felt that this would be a labour of passion and not a job. One day, I called Ann Meelker, Director of Sales, and asked for a position in Sales.  Here I am today, proud to be part of the history of the Lord Elgin Hotel.” “Where do I begin.  Almost every day is a memorable moment ..read more