Dalvay-by-the-Sea, Historic hotel building in North Shore, Prince Edward Island, Canada
Dalvay-by-the-Sea is a Queen Anne Revival house completed in 1896 for Alexander Macdonald, with its lower half built of Island sandstone in its natural form and massive sandstone fireplaces inside. It stands by Dalvay Lake at the eastern end of Prince Edward Island National Park and has operated as a hotel since the government bought it in 1938, with 26 guest rooms furnished in period antiques.
Scots-born American industrialist Alexander Macdonald bought 120 acres here in 1895 and completed a house in 1896, naming it after his boyhood home in Scotland. The lower half was built of Island sandstone, and windmills supplied water and power. After his death in 1910 the estate passed through several owners, and in 1938 George DeBlois sold it to the Government of Canada, which has leased it as a hotel ever since.
The building served as a filming location for the television series Road to Avonlea and was used in Anne of Green Gables productions. This connection to screen adaptations has made it a familiar place for fans of these stories.
The hotel operates from May through mid-October and offers accommodation with access to the surrounding lake landscape and natural area. Visitors should note that this is a Parks Canada managed site, which means certain operating hours and visitor guidelines apply.
During his 2011 Canadian visit, Prince William conducted an emergency water landing procedure with a Sea King helicopter on Dalvay Lake. This rare event briefly placed the location at the center of international attention.
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