Edmonton is home to many hotels, each with a unique story. Among them, the Macdonald Hotel stands out as one of the most mysterious, surrounded by numerous legends. Since its opening, it has been a popular venue for tourists and residents alike, hosting graduations and wedding ceremonies. Macdonald was the first hotel in Edmonton to offer guests modern amenities unavailable elsewhere in the city. Read on to explore the hotel’s construction and intriguing tales. More on edmonton1.one.
Construction of the Luxurious Macdonald Hotel
The Grand Trunk Pacific Railway spearheaded the construction of the Macdonald Hotel. After acquiring the property, the company announced plans to build the hotel in 1911. Construction lasted until 1915, resulting in a 47-meter-tall, 11-story building designed by architect Ross MacFarlane. The project cost $2 million, and the hotel officially opened later that year. Located in downtown Edmonton, it offers breathtaking views of the North Saskatchewan River from its windows.
The Macdonald was the first Edmonton hotel to provide running water and bathrooms on every floor. It also housed a barbershop, billiards room, and telephones in each room. The eighth floor served as the first local office and studio for CBC Radio. The hotel featured 198 rooms, with luxury suites located on the third and eighth floors. Some suites were named after notable guests, including King George VI, Queen Elizabeth, and Winston Churchill.
In 1915, the Macdonald was Edmonton’s tallest building. In the 1930s, it temporarily housed a division of Canadian soldiers who lived in barracks in the hotel’s attic.
The first major restoration occurred in 1980, costing $22 million. During this renovation, a 220-square-meter Queen Elizabeth suite was added on the third floor. This luxurious suite included a dining room, two lounges, adjoining guest rooms, and quarters for service staff. Queen Elizabeth stayed in this suite during her Alberta tour.
Decline and Revival
In 1983, Canadian National Hotels, which managed the property, ceased operations, and the hotel faced closure. Former Edmonton Mayor Terry Cavanagh opposed the closure and worked to designate parts of the building as municipal heritage. Five floors of the Macdonald were officially recognized as a heritage site.
In 1988, the hotel was sold to Canadian Pacific Hotels, and a comprehensive renovation followed in 1991. The updates included modernized rooms, new furniture, and appliances. The refreshed Macdonald reopened to guests and was renamed Fairmont Hotel Macdonald in 2001.
Myths and Legends
Staff at the hotel have shared eerie tales about its sixth floor. Phone calls often come from unoccupied rooms, and one specific room is known to lock itself from the inside. Staff have since learned to ignore these mysterious calls.
Another legend tells of a wounded horse buried beneath the hotel’s foundation during its construction, after it had hauled large stones for the building. To this day, the sound of hoofbeats is occasionally heard from the eighth floor and the basement.
One particularly chilling incident involved a guest who claimed to have seen a ghostly man smoking a cigar in the lounge chair of her suite’s sitting room. Terrified, she packed her bags and left the hotel immediately.