Hotel Macdonald, Edmonton

The Fairmont Hotel Macdonald, commonly known as "The Mac," is a storied luxury hotel. Situated at the eastern end of downtown Edmonton, the hotel boasts a prime location overlooking the North Saskatchewan River. Standing 47.7 meters (156 feet) tall, this eleven-story hotel was designed by the Canadian architectural firm Ross and MacFarlane. It is named after Sir John A. Macdonald, Canada's first prime minister, and opened its doors on July 5, 1915.

Constructed by the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway Company as part of Canada's grand railway hotels network, the Hotel Macdonald is an exemplary model of Châteauesque architecture, a style inspired by French Renaissance chateaux. The building's design features pitched sloped dormered roofs adorned with chimneys, finials, and turrets, with entryways placed diagonally and flanked by perpendicular wings and turret towers. The L-shaped hotel is crowned with a copper roof, contributing to its distinctive historical charm.

The exterior facade of the Hotel Macdonald is clad in Indiana limestone and is richly detailed with architectural elements such as balustrades, balconettes, brackets, cornices, hood mouldings, and overhangs. The main portico features five arches supported by four pillars and two pilasters, which are intricately decorated with gargoyles and the provincial crests of the four western Canadian provinces. These features, along with the building's limestone facade and copper roofing, were designated as a "municipal historic resource" on November 27, 1984, under the provincial Historic Resources Act.

Following the bankruptcy of the Grand Trunk in 1919, the hotel's management was taken over by Canadian National Hotels. Over the years, the building underwent several renovations and expansions, including a new wing added in 1953. However, the expansion wing was demolished in 1983 when Canadian National Hotels ceased operations. The property was sold to Canadian Pacific Hotels in 1988, which restored and reopened the hotel in May 1991.