It seems appropriate to create a blog post just covering the amazing Le Mont Stephen hotel where we are staying. The history is interesting. Briefly, this Victorian manor is tied to that of Baron George Stephen, who built the George Stephen House in 1880. Mr. Stephen a businessman and the cofounder and first president of the Canadian Pacific Railway. He was one of the most influential people of the 19th century, particularly due to his part in the creation of Canada’s first transcontinental railway. He was one of the richest men in North America and the opulence demonstrates it.

In the 1920’s it became a Gentlemen’s Club and in the 1970’s women were allowed. It was sold in 2007 and in 2017 reemerged as the Le Mont Stephen Hotel. You come in the old mansion entrance and then turn right to check-in at a modern lobby. An incredible piano is in the lobby, another item George Stephen had commissioned for this mansion. Everything in this hotel is 5-star.

The rooms are spacious and filled with technology – open and close your blinds and drapes, control the lights in the room for the day, evening and turn it all off with a push of a button. The bathrooms are hi-tech, too. The toilet is a Toto and has everything that a toilet and bidet does with the heated seat and a controller to operate mounted on the wall.

The shower is its own room. A rainforest shower and a full soaking tub in the same glassed in area. Oh, and you can set the lighting to different colors to suit your mood or let the lighting change colors while you enjoy.

I’ve stayed in some nice hotels but this is the best of any I have experienced since the Four Seasons in Singapore.

Last night we enjoyed some snacks and beverages in the Bar George. This room used to be the Gentlemen’s after dinner room. The wood carved paneling is amazing everywhere. The craftsmanship is something not seen very often. Much of the wood in this mansion is from various countries in South America. The bar’s wood is Cuban Mahagony.

This morning after breakfast, Rebecca and I wandered upstairs to see the former bedrooms/dressing rooms of the Stephen’s. Now it is an area used for events. Going up the stairs, there are stained glass windows and in the ceiling. The entry way and the bar also have stained glass windows.

The dining room is paneled half way up the walls, a section of the wall has wall paper and many pictures. Also, the ceiling is wood paneled. Incredible detail. The stained glass windows are beautiful.

After breakfast, we are meeting to take a Hop-on-Hop-off City tour. Next post on our adventures in the very warm weather. Nice to know we will end up back at our luxury hotel to cool off!