We pride ourselves on the elegant nature of the hotel, but for one day we are going to throw elegance out the window and have some sexy, flirty fun! Valentines Day offers the perfect opportunity to do this…and still get away with it.

We know that things can get a little….uh, boring after a while (luckily for us women, Valentine’s Day doesn’t fall on Football Sunday this year). We’ve tried the traditional way of doing things and found them to be quit successful but by making it a bit more exciting we hope to really amp up the romance for some lucky couples.

I speak from experience when I say, even though you may be stuck in town for V-Day, it’s still great to get away for the night, and enjoy having your every need catered to. Our “Be My Valentine” package is an added bonus! Who can say no to chocolate covered strawberries, exotic bath and message oils, and breakfast in bed? I know I can’t.

(Baby-sitter not included)

Ottawa has become a real ‘foodie’ city…with fantastic chef’s and cuisine that rivals many major cities of North America. Ottawa’s Celebrity Chef Event at the NAC is proof that we have some of the best chef’s in our town and we are loving it!

The Lord Elgin is so excited to announce the arrival of our new chef, Brian Vallipuram on January 24th. Brian is coming to us all the way from Panorama BC where he has been Executive Chef at Panorama Resort for two years. Prior to that, he has worked at the Ritz Carleton in Jamaica as well as Axcess & 1055 Restaurant and Catering. Most notably, Brian spent over 10 years as Executive Chef at the highly reputed restaurant, North 44 in Toronto, where he lead a large team that serviced both the restaurant, but also the catering business and played a vital role in the opening event of the Air Canada Centre for the Premier and 1000 of his guests.

Brian’s resume contains a very extensive list of certificates and awards he has received over his career, among them, the Canadian Red Seal Certificate. He has travelled extensively throughout Europe and Asia adding that global influence to his culinary talents.

We are honoured to have him with us and hope you can come by to sample his creations in the coming months.

Cranky kids, traffic, delayed flights, security lines and LONG hours are all things many people experience while travelling. While these things are all unavoidable and absolutely no fun, nothing is worse than finally getting to your hotel room, excited for a good night’s sleep and getting into a bed that you cannot get comfortable in. You toss and turn and wake up cranky.

We recognize how important a good sleep is, in fact, it is the most important factor guests say in their determination of hotel choice. For this reason, we have just purchased brand new fabulous beds for each and every room in the hotel. We sampled over 10 different beds before selecting what we found to be the very best in comfort and quality – a Simmons® Beautyrest Signature II Plush. What I would do to take a nap on one right now….

With Winterlude fast approaching we will have a very busy hotel in February. To ensure everyone has the very best experience this year, we are bringing in over 500 new beds in time for the kick-off for Winterlude. Taking out and replacing over 500 beds, while at the same time organizing available rooms for a busy hotel during this process is not an easy task. Our housekeeper however is quite amazing and has it all under control.

So we hope you enjoy sleeping on a cloud, because with these new beds there is no such thing as waking up on the wrong side. ENJOY!

VIDEO-Lord Elgin Bed Jump

The true success of a hotel is largely attributed to it’s people, the staff that come in at 6:30 and work on their feet all day greeting guest after guest, smiling, asking how their stay was, or the day was, giving suggestions, showing they care and genuinely want them to enjoy their time with us. Some that start at 6:30 are still here at 11pm.
This is not an easy job and so when you have those gems, those people that just live to put a smile on someone’s face, they are golden!!! They are the ones that create a memoriable experience and make guests want to come back.
Our tourism office has a program to recognize these gems – called ‘Stars of the City’. Visitors and guests to our city nominate these individuals and companies that make our city ‘shine’ and they are awarded at a lovely gala evening in October put on by the students at Algonquin’s College Hospitality Program.

We are so very fortunate not only to have a slew of ‘stars’ but some Shining Stars – Tammy Ng who is nominated again this year among three nominees for the dozens of nominations she receives each year and Christopher Ward at our front desk, who has been nominated in the past and who genuinely loves to help people and they always mention him in their feedback to us. They inspire others and make us all so proud to work here. For this we are nominated as one of three for Star Property – an honour!
Working in this industry, while not easy, has a personal element that makes it so very special. I hope our kids recognize that service is so important – to go out of your way to make someone’s day. I would like to thank all of you who take the time to recognize our Stars!!

We are so excited and cannot wait to open the doors to our new restaurant – Grill 41!! Opening next week, on September 23rd, this restaurant has an entire new look and feel from the Elgin Cafe. With a lovely bar and fabulous private dining room, it will be a perfect spot for a meal, an after work bevie or a private party for up to 30.
Chef Aurelio Petraglia brings his red seal credentials and wealth of culinary experience from some of the finest five star restaurants in Canada and around the world to Grill 41. Petraglia started his career as an intern in Burgundy, France, at Bernard Loiseau’s three Michelin Star restaurant and has since gone on to work in Toronto, Dubai and most recently as the Executive Chef for the Relais & Châteaux Pavilions in Phuket, Thailand.

The menu has been developed in consultation with Chef Michael Smith. Chef Smith has provided the table d’hôte menu with a sampling of his favourite flavours. The selection includes the Chef’s famed Chowder, with PEI mussels, lobster, scallops and whitefish, Grilled Rib Eye with rosemary mushroom gravy and Just-baked Molten Dark Chocolate Cake. A portion of the proceeds from these dishes will be donated to the Ottawa Food Bank.

So please join us after September 23rd to sample the fabulous fare and sample our signature dish Tarte Flambe. You will love it!

We are so excited to see the finishing touches go on our new restaurant… Grill 41 – opening September 23rd.

We closed the Elgin Cafe in early July and gutted the room completely before creating the new layout and desing, which is finally coming to completion. They are progressing so quickly this week – the bar is in, the painting done and tomorrow the carpets will be installed. By next Thursday (23rd Sept), we will open our doors to Grill 41 and I can’t wait.
Aurelio Petraglia is our new Chef and he comes with a very impressive resume. Born in Uruguay, he brings his red seal credentials and wealth of culinary experience from some of the finest five star restaurants in Canada and around the world to Grill 41. Aureleo started his career as an intern in Burgundy, France, at Bernard Loiseau’s three Michelin Star restaurant and has since gone on to work in Toronto, Dubai and most recently as the Executive Chef for the Relais & Châteaux Pavilions in Phuket, Thailand.
Our menu was developed by Petraglia with consultation with Chef Michael Smith. Chef Michael Smith has provided the table d’hôte menu with a sampling of his favourite flavours. The selection includes the Chef’s famed Chowder, with PEI mussels, lobster, scallops and whitefish, Grilled Rib Eye with rosemary mushroom gravy and Just-baked Molten Dark Chocolate Cake. A portion of the proceeds from these dishes will be donated to the Ottawa Food Bank.

So come one, come all and sample our signature dish – Tarte Flamb

Ottawa’s Winterlude festival just keeps getting better. I e-mailed my colleague at the National Capital Commission on Monday to tell him just how impressed I was with just everything… the ice carvings across Elgin in Confederaton Park are some of the most beautiful I have ever seen and the ice was in the best condition I have ever experienced, even with the thousands of people skating and walking the length of it. Congrats for pulling off an amazing event!! You cannot beat the experience of skating the canal on a sunny day. Makes you feel so alive. We had the ideal combo of Winterlude, Valentines and Family Day – three great excuses to be out and about.
One of the best parts of working in a hotel that is so front and center, is that you feel the energy, the buzz and excitement of festivals such as this. The guests are in and out with their skates and dropping by for a hot chocolate or coffee at Starbucks. We have 3 TV’s in our lobby with Olympic coverage going on as well. It’s like having your house full of guests. It feels so alive and vibrant – just as a hotel should be.
We are gearing up for our final weekend of Winterlude and reservations are coming in fast. If you haven’t been, don’t miss it!!

As I have mentioned before, our owner, who recently passed away, was very involved in this community and his roots not just go far back in Ottawa, but in our national history.

Recently I was honored to attend a ceremony where our owner’s family (Gillin) donated a Ship’s Bell that came from one of Canada’s first warships. It just so happened that Lord and Lady Elgin were visiting at the time and could take part. The connection I speak of is outlined in this letter from our owner to the Navy, written in August 2007. It makes one realize that Canada is such a young country and some of our very early history goes back only a few generations.

August 20, 2007

Ms. Marilyn Gurney
Director & Chief Historian
Maritime Command Museum
2725 Gottingen Street
Po Box 99000, Station Forces
Halifax, Nova Scotia
B3K 5X5

Dear Ms. Gurney

I have recently read an article in The Ottawa Citizen regarding the discovery of TR-4, a Canadian minesweeper in the First World War, and the ship’s bell which is now in the possession of your museum.

I have inherited a ship’s bell “HMS Patrician”, which I believe was given to my grandfather George J. Desbarats in the 1920’s (photo enclosed).

The following is an excerpt from “Naval Services of Canada”.

The “Patrician” was originally commissioned on July 27, 1916 for service in the destroyer flotillas of the Grand Fleet. By the end of the war, she had not seen action, but had been employed on patrol and anti – submarine duties in the North Sea.

On May 26, 1919, the destroyers Patrician & Patriot were selected for Canada and were gratefully accepted by the Canadian Government as the first destroyers in the Canadian Navy.

The H.M.C.S. Patrician was commissioned on November 1, 1920 at Devonport, England, and then sailed to Halifax. She was stationed at Esquimalt from 1922-28. By 1927, the Patrician and the Patriot were worn out and the Government decided to build two destroyers to replace them. The “Patrician” was “paid off” in 1928.

H.M.(C).S. Patrician – of the first oil burning (instead of coal) destroyers built by Britain. Displacement 1004 tons, h.p 27,500 speed 35k; size 271’ x 27 ½ x 11’. Complement of 80. Guns – 3 – 4”, 6 smaller; 4 -21 torpedo tubes.

The Deputy Minister at that time was George J. Desbarats my grandfather, born in Quebec, P.Q. in 1861, he became a Civil Engineer. He obtained a wide experience in engineering work connected with canals & railways. In 1901 Desbarats became director of the government shipyard at Sorel, and in 1908 he was appointed Deputy Minister of Marines & Fisheries. He was D.M. & Comptroller of the Naval Service from May 5, 1910 until the consolidation of 1922, and in 1924 he became Deputy Minister of National Defence. He retired in 1932 and died in 1944. Desbarats’ authority & influence considerably exceeded those of most Deputy – Ministers, as he had no Minister for the first two decades of its existence, he probably had more to do with the moulding of the service than any other man.

As I am now 82 years old, I would like to know if the Maritime Command Museum or other Museum’s might be interested in a gift of this bell upon my death.

I would appreciate hearing from you in this regard.

Yours truly,

M. Patrick Gillin

For those who live in Ottawa, many know that this beautiful historic hotel is locally owned. In 1987, the Lord Elgin was purchased by Patrick Gillin and he has since been the proud owner of this historic landmark of Ottawa. (that is his vintage truck in the photo).

Mr. Gillin sadly passed away last month (July 18th) at the age of 84. He had never retired, but continued to work and attend to business right to the end. He was tireless in his efforts in business and in his desire to make Ottawa a better place to live. The Lord Elgin was a better place because of him.

This hotel, which I have worked in on and off for over 34 years, has always operated as a very tight ship, yet with such a personal touch. There has always been a family feel to it that you don’t get at other places. It has only had two General Manager’s over this time and both have a real passion for this business – both so very good to their employees and of course, to our guests. You cannot fake that kind of dedication.  It requires enormous time and committment – and a sincere desire to make people happy!

As well, where else would you be able to communicate with your namesake. We have the great honor of being in touch with Lord Elgin who resides in Scotland and does visit us from time to time (He will be visiting us in September). He has provided us with copies of correspondence between his father and MacKenzie King in 1941 as the hotel was opening. What a great story!

It’s been a long Spring.. in a town that typically goes from Winter straight into summer. So today enroute to our Starbuck’s I had to step outside to feel the heat and enjoy the sunshine… feels sooo good! Makes me want to play hookie!
Signs of summer… they are gearing up across the street for the big opening of the Jazz Festival. This week and next they have an amazing line up – Al Green, Pat Metheny and on Tuesday, Chris Botti. Check it out at http://www.ottawajazzfestival.com