Fairmont Palliser Hotel

Fairmont Palliser Hotel is a historic luxury hotel in downtown Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Originally opened as the Palliser Hotel in 1914, it was developed by the Canadian Pacific Railway to serve Calgary's growing importance as a western transportation, commercial, and tourism centre. The property occupies a prominent site at 133 9 Avenue SW, near Calgary Tower and Palliser Square, and remains one of the city's best-known historic hotels. The hotel was conceived during a period when the Canadian Pacific Railway was expanding a network of grand railway hotels across Canada. Calgary had developed from a relatively small North-West Mounted Police and trading settlement into an important railway city, while visitors travelling toward destinations such as Banff created demand for high-quality accommodation along the route. Calgary City Council encouraged the railway's investment through a property-tax exemption, while requiring additional contributions toward police and fire protection and improvements to part of 9th Avenue. Construction began with a groundbreaking on May 12, 1911. P. Lyall and Sons Construction Company built the hotel using stone, steel, reinforced concrete, and brick. The building was designed by Lawrence Gotch of the Montreal architectural firm E. and W. S. Maxwell in an Edwardian style influenced by the Chicago school. It opened on June 1, 1914, without a formal ceremony. Charles Walsh Rowley, a Winnipeg banker who had previously lived in Calgary, was recorded as the first registered guest. The property was named for Captain John Palliser, the explorer associated with a nineteenth-century expedition in the region. Its original eight-storey structure included a sun parlour. Four additional floors were added in 1929 as Calgary expanded, making the Palliser the city's tallest building until 1958. Staffing also grew substantially, from approximately 190 employees at opening to 375 in 1929. The Palliser has played a role in Calgary's social and civic history. It received one of Alberta's first liquor licences after the province ended Prohibition in 1924, alongside Edmonton's Hotel Macdonald. Its tavern was also Calgary's last male-only barroom, admitting women from 1970. Former Canadian prime minister R. B. Bennett lived at the hotel for a period, adding to its association with Canada's political and business life. The hotel remained within the Canadian Pacific hotel system for most of the twentieth century. Canadian Pacific Hotels and Resorts, commonly known as CP Hotels, owned and operated the property until Canadian Pacific acquired the Fairmont hotel chain and adopted the Fairmont Hotels and Resorts name in 1999. The Palliser subsequently operated as a Fairmont property. A major renovation reported at approximately $28 million was completed in 2000, followed by further work involving Fairmont Gold and guest rooms. Today, Fairmont Palliser combines historic architecture with the operating model of a full-service luxury hotel. Its typical activities include guest accommodation, food and beverage service, meetings, weddings, and other events. Its central location and railway-hotel heritage give it a positioning distinct from newer, purpose-built business hotels: it functions both as a hospitality business and as a recognizable piece of Calgary's built heritage.

Fairmont Palliser Hotel developed from the Canadian Pacific Railway's broader strategy of building grand hotels along its western routes. In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, Calgary was becoming an important railway and commercial centre, and it also served travellers heading toward the Canadian Rockies and the CPR's Banff Springs Hotel. A major hotel in Calgary would therefore provide both a local civic amenity and a useful link in the railway's tourism network. Calgary City Council helped make the project attractive by offering the CPR an exemption from property taxation on the hotel site. In return, the railway faced additional obligations relating to police and fire protection and to paving part of 9th Avenue. The site was owned by the CPR, and construction began on May 12, 1911. P. Lyall and Sons Construction Company used stone, steel, reinforced concrete, and brick to create the building. Lawrence Gotch, working with the Montreal firm E. and W. S. Maxwell, designed an Edwardian hotel with Chicago-school influences. The Palliser opened on June 1, 1914, without a public opening ceremony. Its first registered guest was Charles Walsh Rowley, a Winnipeg banker who had formerly lived in Calgary. The hotel was named after Captain John Palliser, an explorer connected with the region during the 1850s. At opening, the building stood eight storeys high and included a sun parlour. The hotel expanded as Calgary grew: four more floors were added in 1929, taking the building to twelve storeys and making it Calgary's tallest structure. It held that distinction until the Elveden Centre surpassed it in 1958. Employment rose from about 190 staff at opening to approximately 375 by 1929. The hotel became part of Alberta's early regulated liquor history when it received one of the first two liquor licences issued after Prohibition was repealed in 1924. The other initial licence went to Edmonton's Hotel Macdonald. The Palliser's tavern retained a male-only policy longer than other Calgary bars and became the city's last such room; women were finally admitted in 1970. The property also had political significance, as former Canadian prime minister R. B. Bennett lived there for several years. For most of its history, the Palliser was associated with the Canadian Pacific hotel system and later with Canadian Pacific Hotels and Resorts, or CP Hotels. In 1999, Canadian Pacific acquired the Fairmont hotel chain and changed the operating company's name to Fairmont Hotels and Resorts. The Calgary property consequently became known as Fairmont Palliser Hotel, while retaining its historic Palliser identity. The building has undergone repeated renovation and expansion. A major renovation valued at approximately $28 million was completed in 2000. Later improvements included updates to Fairmont Gold and additional guest-room renovations. These projects reflect the continuing challenge of operating a historic railway hotel: the property must preserve its architectural and civic identity while meeting contemporary expectations for luxury accommodation, events, dining, and guest services. Its location beside Calgary Tower and Palliser Square, together with its long connection to the city's development, continues to make it both a functioning hotel and a prominent urban landmark.

• 2000

  Major renovation

  [1]Fairmont Palliser Hotelen.wikipedia.org

  The property underwent a renovation reported at approximately $28 million, supporting the continued operation of the historic building as a contemporary luxury hotel.

• 1999

  Joins the Fairmont Hotels and Resorts identity

  [1]Fairmont Palliser Hotelen.wikipedia.org

  Canadian Pacific acquired the Fairmont hotel chain and renamed its hotel business Fairmont Hotels and Resorts, bringing the Palliser into the Fairmont brand system.

• 1970

  Tavern admits women

  [1]Fairmont Palliser Hotelen.wikipedia.org

  The hotel's tavern, described as Calgary's last male-only barroom, began allowing women to enter.

• 1958

  Loses Calgary's tallest-building title

  [1]Fairmont Palliser Hotelen.wikipedia.org

  The Palliser ceased to be Calgary's tallest building when the Elveden Centre surpassed it.

• 1929

  Four-storey expansion

  [1]Fairmont Palliser Hotelen.wikipedia.org

  Four additional floors were added as Calgary expanded, making the Palliser the city's tallest building at the time and increasing the hotel's staffing to about 375 employees.

• 1924

  Receives an early Alberta liquor licence

  [1]Fairmont Palliser Hotelen.wikipedia.org

  Following Alberta's repeal of Prohibition, the Palliser received one of the province's first two liquor licences, together with Edmonton's Hotel Macdonald.

• 1914

  Palliser Hotel opens

  [1]Fairmont Palliser Hotelen.wikipedia.org

  The hotel opened on June 1, 1914. Charles Walsh Rowley, a Winnipeg banker and former Calgary resident, was recorded as its first registered guest.

• 1911

  Construction begins

  [1]Fairmont Palliser Hotelen.wikipedia.org

  Groundbreaking for the CPR-owned hotel site took place on May 12, 1911, following municipal incentives intended to encourage the railway to build a major hotel in Calgary.

Historic luxury hotel combining Canadian railway heritage, full-service hospitality, and a central Calgary location.

• Hotel accommodation · 1914

  Guest rooms and suites

  The hotel's core offering is full-service accommodation in a historic downtown Calgary building. Its rooms and suites combine the identity of a grand railway hotel with contemporary guest-room standards. Renovation work over time has been used to update the accommodation while retaining the property's established architectural character.

• Premium hotel accommodation

  Fairmont Gold

  Fairmont Gold is the property's premium accommodation tier within the wider Fairmont service model. The Gold area and associated guest rooms have received later updates as part of the hotel's modernization. It is positioned for guests seeking enhanced service and a more exclusive stay within the historic property.

• Food and beverage · 1914

  Dining and beverage services

  Dining and beverage operations form a central part of the hotel's full-service proposition. The property has historically included a tavern and has provided hospitality spaces for hotel guests, local patrons, and visitors. Specific current restaurant names and menus are not established in the supplied reference material.

• Hospitality events · 1914

  Meetings and events

  The hotel provides event-oriented hospitality associated with a large city-centre property, including meeting, conference, wedding, and social-event functions. Its historic setting and central location are important parts of the offering, although detailed current capacities and room names are not established in the supplied sources.

• 2000

  Undertake a major renovationOther

  Background

  A historic hotel required modernization to remain competitive while preserving its established character.

  Action taken

  The property completed a major renovation reported at approximately $28 million, followed by further enhancements to Fairmont Gold and guest rooms.

  Aftermath

  The work supported the hotel's continued positioning as a luxury property operating in a historic building.

  Renovation expenditure. $28 million (2000)

  Source

• 1999

  Adopt the Fairmont Hotels and Resorts identityStrategy

  Background

  The property had long been part of the Canadian Pacific hotel system, while Canadian Pacific was consolidating its hospitality interests.

  Action taken

  After Canadian Pacific acquired the Fairmont hotel chain, the hotel business was renamed Fairmont Hotels and Resorts and the Palliser adopted the Fairmont identity.

  Aftermath

  The property became known as Fairmont Palliser Hotel while continuing to trade on its historic Palliser name and railway-hotel heritage.

  Source

• 1929

  Expand the hotel verticallyGeneration change

  Background

  Calgary's growth increased demand for accommodation and made the original eight-storey hotel less sufficient for the city's expanding role.

  Action taken

  Four additional floors were added to the Palliser, creating a twelve-storey building and making it Calgary's tallest structure.

  Aftermath

  The expansion increased the hotel's capacity and reinforced its status as a major Calgary landmark until another building surpassed it in 1958.

  Source

1. 1Fairmont Palliser Hotelen.wikipedia.org