Aligning Brand with Business
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Thoughtstream

Fairmont: both a Canadian and an American icon

With all the current discussion around tariffs and borders, we wanted to highlight a cross-border success story that’s especially meaningful to us—one born from the union of two countries and their rich hospitality traditions.

Source: company-histories.com, various 

Since its emergence in the early 20th century, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts has defined luxury hospitality. Today, as a flagship of Accor’s luxury portfolio, the brand encompasses more than 92 extraordinary hotels and resorts around the world—offering guests experiences steeped in heritage, elegance, innovation, and sustainability.

 

A Canadian Vision Takes Flight

Fairmont’s story began in 1886 when railway magnate William Cornelius Van Horne founded Mount Stephen House on the Canadian Pacific Railway. His philosophy—“If we can’t export the scenery, we’ll import the tourists.”—laid the groundwork for mounts like Banff Springs (1888), Château Lake Louise (1890), and Le Château Frontenac (1893). These railway hotels eventually formed the Canadian Pacific Hotels portfolio, Canada’s leading owner-operated chain

 

The Birth and Rise of Fairmont

In 1907 in San Francisco, sisters Tessie and Virginia Fair opened the Fairmont Hotel, which later grew into a prestigious U.S. luxury chain under Benjamin Swig’s leadership. Iconic properties—such as The Plaza in New York and the Fairmont Copley Plaza in Boston—became synonymous with elegance and social prestige.

 

The 1999 Merger: A Confluence of Icons

When Canadian Pacific Hotels acquired Fairmont Hotel Management L.P. in 1999, the combined company became North America's largest luxury hotel manager, with 73 hotels and nearly 30,000 rooms. Over time, the Canadian Pacific Hotels name transitioned to Fairmont, and several smaller Canadian locations were rebranded as Delta Hotels.

 

Strategic Shift: From Owning to Managing

In the early 2000s, Fairmont shifted its strategy toward hotel management, favoring fee-based revenue over ownership profitability. The boutique Fairmont Dubai debuted in 2002, marking a significant expansion into the Middle East

 

2025: Expansion, Sustainability, and New Destinations

By mid‑2025, Fairmont operates over 92 hotels in key global markets. The brand continues to grow:

  • Asia expansion: Fairmont Mumbai opened in April 2025, with Bangkok Sukhumvit launching in November, and a total of five new properties across Asia in the pipeline.

  • New landmark: Fairmont Golden Prague reopened on April 15, 2025, breathing new life into a Brutalist landmark on the Vltava River.

Sustainability is now central to Fairmont’s vision, focusing on reducing carbon emissions, conserving water, minimizing food waste, and eliminating single-use plastics in alignment with Accor’s “eat, stay, explore” pillars..

 

Current Company Snapshot

  • Revenue: Approximately $5 billion annually (2025)

  • Employees: Around 22,000 worldwide 

  • Properties: 92+ hotels globally

  • Stock Symbol: FHR (traded in Toronto and New York)

  • Parent Company: Accor (owner of the FRHI portfolio since 2016)

 

Fairmont’s Ongoing Legacy

Fairmont’s enduring philosophy endures:

“We are in the business of creating extraordinary guest experiences in extraordinary places.”

From its Canadian railway roots to global expansion in Asia and historic renovations like Prague, Fairmont remains committed to delivering timeless luxury grounded in culture, design, and sustainability.

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