What's a vastly discounted, one-time rate at a historic Ottawa hotel worth? As much as an eight-hour wait in line, but only $19.12 out of your pocket.
Melanie Champagne was the first in line at 6 a.m. for one of 100 Chateau Laurier anniversary rooms, sold with a price that reflects both the year it opened and its connections to the Titanic's sinking.
"It passed pretty fast because you can talk to everybody," she said. "Plus I have a lot of admiration for this place."
The waiting room quickly filled up and by 10 a.m. hotel staff were turning people away. The rooms officially went on sale at 2 p.m.
The man who dreamed up the Chateau Laurier, Charles Melville Hays, died on the Titanic just days before the hotel was scheduled to open.
The discounted rooms and five-course meal are for the night of April 14, the 100th anniversary of when the Titanic went down in the Atlantic Ocean.
Remi Couvillon came dressed for the occasion to book his room.
"I have a boarding pass to the Titanic, pictures, a first class ticket," he said.
Carman Turner said he wanted a chance to re-live a special night with his bride of 60 years, for a more affordable price than the usual $200-per-room rate.
"We held our 25th anniversary here as well, but the line-up is pretty long so we missed it," he said.
For some people, waiting around after 100 people already had places paid off.
"People had to go to work and had to leave, so we stuck around and . . ." said a smiling Lorraine Satchell, who ended up with a room.
With a report from CTV Ottawa's Joanne Schnurr
