A girls’ getaway at Le Manoir Richelieu in Charlevoix

There is something magical in sleeping at Le Manoir Richelieu.

The hotel, a well-known establishment in Quebec, overlooks the magnificent St. Lawrence River and is located in a quite prominent region when you want to be a tourist.

Charlevoix is a popular region for #foodies as well as for #slowtravelers. Just think of the Charlevoix train that can take you to Le Manoir Richelieu while making you discover a part of the region. (I have only heard good things about this train ride, but I still haven’t had the chance to try it. I had checked to see if I could travel to La Malbaie from Quebec City by train, but this ride is only available starting on the 15th of June, and our girls’ trip was in April.

JUST LIKE A PRINCESSES IN HER CASTLE

We left Quebec City by car at dinner time and headed to La Malbaie for a girls’ getaway at Le Manoir Richelieu!

We were really excited about this visit which sounded like the perfect little holiday for the two of us; – it was even more special considering my imminent departure for my round-the-world trip with my family.

We finally arrived at Le Manoir Richelieu at around 8:30 p.m., after stopping for a lunch break in a microbrewery on the road.

As soon as we arrived at Le Manoir Richelieu, the “Fairmont quality service” began. We were given consumption coupons to enjoy the bar in the lobby. We also gave our car keys because this girls’ getaway included a valet service! We were treated like real princesses!

We took the time to drop off the luggage in our room. We were blown away by the beauty of the room, the breathtaking view of the river from our window, as well as by all the delicacies Le Manoir Richelieu offered us.

There was nothing missing, from sparkling maple wine to bite-size sweets, as well as our 2 double beds and tons of comfortable pillows. It was even one of the first things we said to each other Haha! There were pillows for every taste! We also had a large living room and a fireplace in our room.

The room also came with an HD TV, a Nespresso coffee machine, everything to make tea or herbal tea, a minibar and snacks.

CASINO NIGHT

Since the Casino de Charlevoix is just a few steps from Le Manoir Richelieu  ̶ you can even have access to it via the underground corridor  ̶ , it’s extremely easy to get there and to enjoy it a little! So that’s where our evening ended. I have to admit, I like to play at the casino, but in a responsible way  ̶  you put a $20 in the 10-cent slot machine and it lasts an hour and a half. A good hour and a half of euphoria when you win $2 haha! Yep! That’s us!

THE RENOWNED DELICACIES OF THE MANOIR RICHELIEU’S BREAKFAST BUFFET

The next morning, we had breakfast at the buffet. For several years now, a specialty has been offered during this breakfast: pancakes with maple butter. It is a delight which is well-known and recognized by all! A must try! ?

The buffet is more than generous, offering pretty much everything. There is even a chef waiting to cook your eggs as you wish. You can also create your own brunch plate with breakfast potatoes, bacon, sausages, etc. You can also create a bagel yourself with cream cheese and smoked salmon or enjoy the pastry and bread bar. Add colours to your plate with the fruit bar!

RELAXING IN THE HEATED OUTDOOR/INDOOR SWIMMING POOL

Our visit to La Malbaie coincided with the most beautiful spring day we’ve had so far. It was a nice day to enjoy the Manoir’s heated indoor and outdoor swimming pools(especially the outdoor one haha). So we basked in the sun on that beautiful April day, chatting in the pool.

WHAT’S A GIRLS’ GETAWAY WITHOUT A SPA MOMENT?

Then came the time for the ladies’ “shellac foot care pedicures” at Moment Spa! Haha — I’m telling you, a real girls’ getaway! We were therefore expected at 1p.m. at Moment Spa for this 80-minute shellac pedicure.

Sitting in a massage chair, which you control yourself, while having your feet pampered, massaged, cleaned and pedicured, and chatting with your girlfriend; it’s hard enough to tell you anything else but “it was a good time!”

They even offered us a drink during the treatment. We were also given a small gift bag containing beauty products.

SIPPING A DRINK WHILE WATCHING BELUGAS

As the good entrepreneurs and self-employed women that we are, we took a short time to answer our emails and return calls which had come in during the last 24 hours. All this while sipping a cocktail at the Manoir Richelieu La Brise lobby-bar, which specializes in whiskies, porto, and martinis.

That’s when we saw our first belugas in the river, appearing in dozens. How magical it was to witness such beauty!

DINNER AT THE TABLE ET TERROIR DURING SUNSET

We then had dinner at Le Table et Terroir, one of the Manoir Richelieu’s three restaurants. It’s in a magnificent atmosphere that we shared an onion soup, a blood sausage, a salad, a burger, and beef steak, while reinventing the world with a view of the sunset on the river. This dinner brought us the perfect atmosphere to reinvent the world, through our discussions between girls, sitting at the table in front of this feast.

It was then time to stretch our legs. We went back to the casino to bet another $20 (what the story doesn’t say is that we were warned that night because we had too much “spirit” when we won $2 Hahahahaha – my friend and I are slightly expressive). We had a lot of fun. ?

In the meantime, the room service went to prepare our beds so that they would be ready to receive us when the time came, the perfect time for us to become beached whales belugas #ToKeepTheThematic?. They also took care of closing the curtains in our room. Really, the service in Le Manoir Richelieu is impeccable. We were taken care of like real princesses!

Actually, I wanted to talk about that… once again!

FAIRMONT: A UNIQUE QUALITY OF SERVICE

The service there even brought on a discussion between my friend and I.

We often stay in hotels for work or because we travel and work a lot. And really, we felt the difference. You can feel the Fairmont quality and its standard.

Not to get too cliché, but we felt like princesses in a castle. And it wasn’t a “heavy”service, because everything was done in such a natural way. It’s as if all the staff were 2 steps ahead of us to fulfill our desires and needs, in kindness and simplicity. We really felt welcomed.

A SHORT WALK IN THE TRAILS

The next day, the day of our departure, we enjoyed the maple butter pancakes one last time (I mean, it’s a must! :D), as well as the other delicacies of the breakfast buffet. We then went for a walk on the trails surrounding the Manoir Richelieu. After that, it was already time to hit the road.

We really enjoyed our girls’ getaway, which was extremely beneficial for each of us, as well as allowing us to spend quality time together in a place of exceptional quality.

Charlevoix, Le Manoir Richelieu, we look forward to seeing you soon! ?.

THE MANOIR’S 120TH ANNIVERSARY + A PERFECT PACKAGE FOR YOUR NEXT GIRLS’ GETAWAY

The Manoir Richelieu is celebrating its 120^thanniversary this year. For the occasion, several events/promotions are planned, including this exclusive anniversary package with the Charlevoix train, the Casino de Charlevoix, the Route des Saveurs and the Observatoire de Charlevoix. They have come together to offer a crazy package that includes the train, overnight stay, food, activities in the region and much more. This package starts at $800 for 2 people with service included!

The Manoir Richelieu is the place to consider for your next getaway with your bestie!

** This stay was offered to us by Le Manoir Richelieu. However, all opinions are ours and are 100% authentic as a way to inspire each and every one in our day-to-day lives. The Sparks and Bloom sisters swear by this!

This post was translated from French to English by: