Hi everyone. It’s me, Olivia. (and Mommy) We visited Québec City this year, and all we can say is WOW! It was one of the most beautiful places we’ve ever seen. I (Missy) happened to see a picture of the Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac last year on Facebook. From that moment on, it was a dream to stay in the “castle hotel” in Canada. Since winter has been eluding us here at home, Québec City provided the perfect winter getaway, and staying at Chateau de Frontenac was a dream come true.
We drove through the night and hit a lot of snow in the Adirondacks, making for a long, sometimes stressful drive. We stopped at around 1:30 in the morning and slept for a couple hours at a hotel not far from the border. We were back on the road by 4:00AM so we could make it to our 9:00AM spa appointment at Village Vacances Valcartier.
Since neither of us have ever been to an aroma spa, we had no idea what to expect. But the Thermal Experience Aroma Therapy Spa at Valcartier was beyond anything we could have imagined. I (Olivia) loved the outdoor hot tub and the steam room and sauna. The steam room was the steamiest steam room I ever saw. Me and Mommy both loved swimming outside too! There was snow on the ground and there we were, swimming around like it was summer. It was the best! After driving fourteen hours, there could not have been a better way to kick off our mini vacation.
After our spa, we took a tour of the Hotel de Glace (Ice Hotel). It is the only ice hotel in North America, and it is beyond beautiful. There are ice sculptures, an ice bar that serves cocktails in ice glasses, themed suites, a chapel, an ice slide, and intricate wall art. This was definitely one of the highlights of our trip and a must-see if you ever get to Québec in the winter months.
On our way to the castle hotel, we of course had to stop at Tim Hortons for chocolate croissants. They were just as delicious as they were at Niagara Falls. When we arrived at Le Chateau Frontenac, it absolutely took our breath away. It was even more spectacular than the pictures we had seen. The elegance of the lobby made us feel as though we stepped into a fairytale. Every space in the castle was luxurious, and every single staff person we encountered was warm and welcoming. Breakfast at Place Dufferin was magnificent with a beautiful view of the St. Lawrence River. The toboggan ride at the hotel was a ton of fun too. Historic Old Québec City was absolutely lovely. We both wish we would have had time to explore more of the city as well as the entirety of the castle. Next time…
On our last full day in Québec, we went dog sledding with Aventure Inukshuk. It was snowing during our trip which made it even more magical. It was so peaceful being on the trail, and it was amazing how fast the dogs could pull us. The only thing we didn’t really love was seeing all the dogs who wanted a chance to go out but had to stay back. That was sad, because when they cried, they sounded like babies. At the end of the ride, we had hot chocolate and got to pet the baby puppies. They were so precious!
Of all the places we’ve been so far, Québec City was by far the most magnificent. The people could not have been more friendly and welcoming. Even when we had some difficulties with our French, they were helpful and so very kind. The spa was sublime. Le Chateau Frontenac was luxurious and utterly enchanting. Dog sledding was truly a unique experience. Québec was an amazing adventure in a magical winter wonderland with beautiful memories made. We are grateful beyond words.
#Québec #QuébecCity #FairmontLeChateauFrontenac #Toboggan #VillageVacancesValcartier #AventureInukshuk #DogSledding #adventurePages
