The Fairmont Hotel Macdonald Review

Double queen room is a decent size. Crab cakes and chicken wings in the lounge were delicious - food and drink selections to satisfy most, with premium options. A little pricey for parking but the location is beautiful.

Very nice historical hotel with modern amenities. Oversized rooms are nice and the beds are semi-firm, right in the Goldilocks zone. Parking is a bit of a pain though so expect to use the valet which is pricy. No free WiFi is a turnoff in this day and age.

I went to the Fairmont for the Mother's Day Brunch. It was amazing! We lucked out with the weather as well which helped make the photos beautiful. We were seated in the Ballroom where the setting was gorgeous, and the service so great! There was an amazing selection of food, with a station for every type of meal! I really enjoyed my time and want to come back with others to share the experience!

Great hotel, I love the history behind it with simple things like the original door handles and cabinets/drawers. Complimentary bottled water us always a great plus. Stayed here for one night and got an amazing view. Hope to visit Edmonton again in the future.

We were there for a professional conference. The building is beautiful. Breakfast was sparse but the lunch was of high quality. Parking was exorbitantly expensive (the nearest lot was $33 until 5pm).

Beautiful property to enjoy a real gem for Edmontonians and visitors to enjoy

Lovely property, but the food is truly to be avoided. I ate at both the confederation lounge and the harvest room. The breakfast buffet is served cold. Cold eggs benedict, an uncooked soup of scrambled eggs. Uncooked sausages and old, crusty and dried cheese.
Does not live up to the expectations of the Fairmont brand.

I was here for a work luncheon. The facilities were impeccable. Such a beautiful hotel. Great service too.

Rooms were amazing. Friendly staff. Great food. Easy to find location right down town.

We had our wedding here, everything was fabulous and that staff went above and beyond to make everything perfect!

Beautiful hotel for our wedding night. Courteous staff andluxutious rooms. Beautiful old timey feel. Can see the worksmanship throughout the architecture and details. Nicest hotel. No wifi in rooms though, only lost marks.

Recently attended the ECA (Edmonton construction association) YBG (young builder's group) Ed talks event. The hotel is beautiful., the staff at the front, concierge, were very nice. The room where the even was held was nice with access to a patio overlooking the river valley. There were snacks and coffee and hor d'oeuvres after and everything was great!

There's no denying that is is a beautiful hotel!!! Prices are definitely out there!! Exec. King Suite with an upgrade for $500/night and it was literally a normal hotel room (maybe even smaller). Nothing fancy by any means. View was meh. Besides the comfy beds, it was just ok for me. Couldn't justify spending that kind of money for it again sadly. Staff was ok. Didn't receive the dozen roses that were included in the package. Staff didn't seem too concerned about it tho...

My wife and I celebrated our first wedding anniversary here. The waitstaff at the breakfast room were awesome, though the ones at the front desk are not so friendly or approachable.

Love the coziness of the lounge area and the view of the river.

We just stayed here for a staycation. Everything was perfect from the dinning to the service of the staff we were very impressed. Would recommend the gold rooms on the 7th floor.

We appreciated a lot the politeness and the smiles of the whole staff (simple and efficient at all stages).
But the room was definitely noisy (large windows on a busy street should be better sound-proofed at this level of hotel).
Wifi is only free if you register for the "President's Club". We did it 3 weeks before in Ottawa, but the registration did not went through. Staff was obliging, Wifi was free in the end, but this should be computerized and working overnight.

The atmosphere was beautiful. We were there to have some lunch. Which was quite good. The server was knowledgeable and helpful but it seemed as though the restaurant was a little under staffed. Would definitely recommend if you have a little time and are looking to relax.

I've had such a wonderful visit to this hotel. The staff has been very friendly and helpful, Smudge the hotel dog is adorable and makes every morning better as I get in a quick visit when passing through the lobby, the breakfast is a quick and tasty start to the day with a nice selection of options. I'm thrilled I picked this hotel, and I know I'll be back

I have only been here for events, but the staff and venue are very cool!! Great views of the River Valley.

Had high tea. service was amazing food was delicious and very nicely presented . Definitely recommend you trying this out . The experience was wonderful.

We received excellent service both dining and ovenight stay at the Hotel MacDonald. It is a lovely facility and the staff were excellent.

Could not of asked for better, our stay was awesome

Great friendly staff.. Internet in room was a bit sensitive..

Had dinner with our extended family at the Confederation Lounge as a substitute for Thanksgiving. Food was really good as expected, but also quite pricey. The service was top notch and the location always delivers.

If you are familiar with other Fairmont properties, I wouldn't stay at this one. I am a huge fan of other properties such as the Palliser in Calgary and Banff Springs, however the Hotel MacDonald doesn't provide the same charm and atmosphere. The staff seemed disorganized, and the stay felt like an overpriced express hotel.

If you want a nice, upscale experience downtown edmonton, there are other hotels with a better value.

We went to sit at the patio around 7, unfortunately for what we wanted at that time the sun is no longer on the patio. Beautiful though.

Very nice hotel. Historic and beautiful I downtown Edmonton

Love this hotel. Been here many times, lovely staff and great hotel.

Me and the wife came here for their Sunday brunch. The location is amazing, a historic hotel, great views of the valley, elegant decor. The majority of the patrons were dressed very nicely which just added to the experience. The food spread was great; top quality dishes with a nice presentation. The desserts were my favourite. Good healthy options available as well. It is a little pricey over $100 for two individuals and no fancy drinks. However, the food and environment is worth the cost. We made reservations on open table and have already made another reservation in the near future. This place is great for any event.

Fantastic staff, fantastic food, fantastic service. What more can you ask for!

We had a work function at the hotel. The staff was very helpful and friendly. The hotel was clean and well kept. The breakfast they served for our event was good.

We had the brunch and it was amazing, so many options and very high quality food. We were there celebrating a birthday and they brought us cake and complimentary mimosas. A+

We had the best experience planning and having our wedding at the Fairmont Hotel Macdonald. Julie, the wedding and catering coordinator, and the staff went above and beyond our expectations to make sure we had everything planned the day of. The building itself, the service, and the food were phenomenal. All our guests couldn't stop raving about the food. When we came to our room the night before the wedding they had put a fancy cheese, cracker, and honey (which they make on site or the bees do) platter out for us and after our ceremony there was champagne and strawberries. We were so busy with everything else we forgot our wedding cake at the hotel but we called up the front desk, they sliced it, and it waiting for us when we stopped by.

We had a smaller wedding (~35 to 40 people) and we could afford to have the wedding we dreamed of. My advice if you are interested in having a wedding here is to outline a budget before you go look.
Photo Credit: ENV Photography

My wife and I were celebrating our wedding anniversary and booked through Groupon for a dinner for 2. The service was outstanding and the food was delicious. When my wife booked she was asked if their was a special occasion and she let them know it was our anniversary. We didn't think anything of it but we were blessed with a complimentary dessert and wine. Overall it was an amazing experience.

They are very short of waitress. And it takes a while to get your food

This hotel is amazing and I enjoyed staying here. The staff is truly awesome and caring. I would definitely come back to this hotel.

Honestly, I was not impressed with the price I had to pay for a very small room. Sure it had a king sized bed (which took up most of the room), but you are paying a premium for being in there. The grounds were absolutely breath taking don't get me wrong! It would just be more cost effective to stay in town and visit during your stay. I wasn't thrilled about all the stairs we had to walk up from the German restaurant. Especially when I was told after the fact they have a shuttle bus.

We were here for Valentine's dinner at the harvest room last night. It was superb. All the six courses were delicious. The lobster and scallop was one of the best I have ever eaten. One of the best Valentine dinners my wife and I have ever had. Thanks to the chef and our waiter, we had a great night.

Rooms were very nice and all the staff were awesome

The high tea is okay. The deserts are good but not so impressive that can make me come back again and again. The service is good.

It took us a long time to find a table and be served

Service is always great. Excellent food and beverages. Rooms need an update which I believe they have started already.

Amazing food, great service and one of the best views of the river valley in Edmonton. This is our favourite restaurant in Edmonton for a fine dining experience. Generous portions with locally sourced ingredients.

AWESOMENESS! Order the Old Fashion - it's a little $$$ but what a show

Went for dinner. Great atmosphere and friendly staff

I expected more with regards to food. But the scenery is awesome.

the service that the staff provided was amazing! If you have the chance to stay here it is worth every penny thank you

Went there for afternoon tea. More tea selection would be great!

Gorgeous hotel, definitely worth a visit to walk about, have a drink and immerse yourself in the history of Edmonton.

Cool hotel in downtown Edmonton. Very nice sitting area out back!

Absolutely beautiful hotel! Was here for a wedding and the food was delicious!!! Perfect venue for a small wedding!

I was there for our award ceremony, I enjoyed the food. The overall arrangements were awesome

Beautiful hotel, wifi and parking are not included in the price of the room. Pool and gym area is a great resource also they had cold eucalyptus towels that were perfect after the hot tub. A little underwhelming to me over all.

The confederation lounge is great. Wonderful view and decor. Nice atmosphere and not too loud.

Attended a christmas party. Great food, attentive staff, and a wicked giant gingerbread house :p

Food was great for our meeting and it met lots of dietary restictions

A fairy tale hotel. Definitely put this on your bucket list.

Amazing lounge and scenery on the patio. Very very high end.

Bijzonder mooi terras met uitzicht. Ook mogelijk kleine gerechten in de lounge te bestellen en voor een schappelijke prijs genieten van de ambiance

Disappointed
Within the first 2hours of my arrival i was at the front desk having issues with the room, first there was a damp smell in one of the rooms as if something was left there, housekeeping said couldn t find anything, said me the window or weather outside?? Then the door stopper was broken, had to be fixed , then the safe in both room wasn t working, I asked if anything can be done and front desk offered me a smaller room which I declined and stayed in the damp room.
Then we went to the pool area and in the hot tub there were many insects swimming with me .the bedding was torn and taped together, not what I would call luxury.PS, I have stayed in other fairmont hotels and they were a very pleasant experience.
We were very disappointed for an experience that we were looking forward too
Hi, in reply to the Managment response, thanks for looking into the matter , also note that the dates of my stay have been few months ago and I posted later on to share my experience, and at the time the pool was open and I am glad to hear that it is being renovated because it needed that. Thanks

Always a great time at the Mac. Excellent service, food, everyone very attentive. Throughly enjoyed ourselves.

Fantastic venue. Participated in company social party and the food was great and so were the staff.

I had a wonderful breakfast in one of the counties best extablished hotel chains. It's one of those little luxuries I do for myself on occasion. Great staff excellent food in a relaxed grand atmosphere.

Stayed over for a wedding, the accomatations were great! The lobby is deceptively small but the rooms are great, clean.

Great for the occasion the wedding was beautiful and everything was attended to, great and friendly staff.

I recently went to the weekday high tea in the Harvest Room at the Hotel Macadonald. I had a fabulous experience. The decor and ambiance really adds to the whole experience. The food was delicious, our server was very attentive, and the tea was so incredibly flavourful!

My wife wanted to stay in this hotel for years and finally surprised her on our 18th anniversary yesterday. What a great room and night.

Honey Moon Suite including breakfast and Valet parking. Breakfast can pick anything on the menu.

Wedding planner Julie is amazing! And such a beautiful venue!!

Guest service is bar none the best. And I have traveled alot :)