Publisher's Synopsis
Much of the unwritten history of Canada happened within the imposing walls of the familiar national landmark known as the Chateau Laurier Hotel. Since 1912, Ottawa's grande dame has always been an integral part of the power and the mystique that permeates the heady atmosphere on Parliament Hill. To parliamentarians and journalists the Chateau has been known as The Other Place. It has often been said that the amount of government business carried on inside the hotel has on occasion outshadowed decisions reached in The House of Commons. The Chateau has special meaning to countless visitors and Ottawans alike, serving as a residence, an international meeting place, a centre for social events or simply a place to meet your friends. From the initial vision of Charles Melville Hays of an elegant railway hotel, through the turbulent events of the 20th century to the majestic renovations of today, the legacy of this grande old dame has been warmly documented by Joan E. Rankin.
