By DAVE KOSONIC

It was a jet-setting hotel that provided upscale accommodations and hospitality for high-flyers on the Airport Strip for four decades, but now all that is left of the former Constellation Hotel site is fond memories and a deserted parking lot.

Located at the north-east corner of Carlingview Drive and Dixon Road, the Constellation was often referred to simply as the Connie. It opened in 1962 and after about 40 dynamic years it forever shut its doors in 2004.

In its glory days, the popular hotel hosted a slew of prominent guests, including two former Canadian Prime Ministers: Lester B. Pearson, Pierre Elliott Trudeau and many celebrities.

Part of the Constellation’s success occurred because nearby Malton Airport was being expanded into Pearson International Airport to cash in on the introduction of jet travel. Many travellers wanted accommodations close to downtown and area as provided by the Constellation. The only competitor was the smaller Skyline Hotel, on Dixon Road, that exists today under a new name.

The Constellation has many interesting stories. For quite some time an out-of-service Lockheed Super Constellation propeller-driven airliner was displayed in front of the hotel. This aircraft had previously been owned and operated by Trans-Canada Airlines, which is now Air Canada.

The late Captain Bill Elliott fondly recalled piloting the aircraft on display for Trans-Canada. He said it was quite challenging to fly because it had no auto pilot system or computerized cockpit instruments. Tours through this aircraft including a look into the flight deck were conducted by a guide attired like a stewardess as female flight attendants were called then.

The Constellation was more than ‘just a hotel.’ It offered many extra features. There was a large lobby that provided shopping from souvenirs to stylish womens’ clothing. The Constellation School of Hospitality was based there. Students gained hands-on experience on-site while doing their ‘internships’ ranging from basic housekeeping to working at the hotel’s front desk. There was also a very large indoor pool provided for guests with a unique circular design.

The Banyan Tree Bar and eatery was located in the main lobby. A well-dressed gentleman known as Charles greeted guests as they entered this place for decades and his kind and polite presence was legendary at the Constellation.

The enclosed rooftop Magic Carpet Lounge was rumored to be a haven for couples, who shall we say were engaged in ‘affairs.’ There was a small and discreet private elevator tucked away in a corner that exclusively serviced the Magic Carpet far away from the main lobby where people could come and go quietly, basically unnoticed.

There was an on-site bank, car rental business, gift shop and also barbering and hair styling facilities for women and men, all new in a hotel at the time. There were also extensive facilities for conventions and trade shows that helped fill the rooms.

The hotel was re-named the Regal Constellation Hotel but its demise and demolition followed over the next few years. Business declined sharply partly due to the many more hotels that sprang up along the Airport Strip and the SARS epidemic that wreaked havoc.

A Hong Kong based hotel investment group purchased the Regal Constellation but the business rejuvenation and restoration plans fell through. Then some high-profile hotel investors from Arizona purchased the hotel but gave up when their business plan failed.

Starting in 2007 the hotel’s 15-floor towers and a six-story atrium were being demolished. The building was fully torn down by January 2012 and is a parking lot.

It is now owned by another company as it awaits sale.