As a kid, I loved changing up Barbie’s outfits, but my real passion was for interior design (I rearranged my room at least once a month), so my most treasured toy was Barbie’s Dream House. I pored over glossy catalogue photos of the house for hours, coveting all the extra frills: the detachable spiral staircase! the silky handkerchief-sized bedspread! When I finally got the Dream House one Christmas, I proudly displayed it in my room. Every night, I tucked Barbie into her little dream world.
When the invite arrived to visit the official Barbie Dream Suite at Montreal’s Fairmont Queen Elizabeth Hotel, I was more than a little excited.
The suite, which was first unveiled at the end of August, is part of a yearlong partnership with Mattel that celebrates Barbie’s upcoming 65th birthday and the hotel’s 66th anniversary. As I stepped through the hot pink doors into the space on the 17th floor, I felt like I was leaving Montreal and entering Malibu — or, if you’ve seen the movie, leaving the real world and entering Barbie Land.
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The 1,200-square-foot suite (from $1,499; accommodates up to four people) is decked out in Barbie pink, with thoughtful themed decor touches, including vintage dolls, Barbie-themed coffee books and a record player spinning the “Barbie” movie soundtrack.
In the kitchenette, I discovered a timeline of Barbie’s major milestones (which includes the release of my favourite doll: the Totally Hair Barbie from 1992). The dining and living room area feature stunning views of the Mary Queen of the World Cathedral, one of the few reminders that I was still in the real world.
But it’s not just the suite that has gone full Barbie — the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth is thinking pink from its downstairs gourmet market to its rooftop bar.
In the hotel’s Marché Artisans, I sampled treats from the Barbie Sweets Shoppe dessert bar: the raspberry puff pastry with whipped ganache and wild berry crémeux was particularly exquisite. Later, I headed to the Moment Spa for a bright pink shellac manicure that would make Ruth Handler, the inventor of Barbie, proud.
The following afternoon, still floating on a fluffy pink cloud, I visited the hotel’s Rosélys Restaurant for Barbie Afternoon Tea. The table was adorned with magenta flowers and pale rose-coloured tea pots, and servers presented pink towers stacked with nibbles, including salmon tartar. That evening, I hung out under the heat lamps at Nacarat, the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth’s terrace bar, where skilled bartenders whipped up two signature Barbie cocktails: the Montreal Sunset (including white rum, bergamot liqueur and yuzu caviar) and my favourite, the Pink Dreams (vodka, raspberry syrup, coconut and egg whites with a “B” emblazoned on top). Since I don’t drink alcohol, I appreciated that the bar offered delightful mocktail versions, too.
At the end of my visit, I picked up some Barbie souvenirs from Marché Artisans. As I looked through the hot pink sunglasses, dolls and playsets, I spotted the new Barbie Dream House on display. My heart leapt. Alas, I didn’t have enough room in my luggage — but my inner child was thrilled.
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Travel and accommodations for Lora Grady were provided by the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth. The Fairmont Queen Elizabeth did not review or approve this article.
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