Last month we tagged a mini-vacation onto the end of a conference my husband was attending at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, nestled in Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada.
Surrounded by spectacular views of the mountains and the expansive lake, it’s no wonder it’s referred to as the “diamond in the wilderness.” This was my first stay at a Fairmont, and I was pleasantly surprised at the down-to-earth and friendly vibe of such a high class establishment.
I was intrigued to learn the history of the Fairmont Lake Louise, as it was first established as a resting place along the Canadian Pacific Railway for luxury passengers encouraged to travel out West. Secondly, as this area is renowned as the birthplace of Canadian mountaineering, it attracted Swiss mountaineers in the early 1900s and as a result influenced the Chateau’s charming architecture, cuisine (including fondue) and mountain activities still on offer today.
Highlights of our stay:
Activities abound at this outdoor retreat, and even if you’re not into skiing, there’s plenty to do right at your feet. We enjoyed exploring all the ice sculptures, walking out across the frozen lake and splashing in the swimming pool. There’s also ice skating on the lake, snowshoeing, cross country skiing, sleigh rides, dog sledding or snow mobile tours. I wasn’t very interested in shopping, but for those in need of retail therapy, there are around 20 small shops on site, including a cute bookshop.
We did ski Lake Louise and had a great time exploring the Rocky Mountain peaks. Our daughter enjoyed the friendly daycare and it was fairly priced: $52 CAD per day/$30.50 CAD per half day. We also put her on skis for the first time. Being under 3 years old, she was too young for ski school, so we just worked with her ourselves, going up and down the magic carpet. Although the temp was 18 degrees Fahrenheit, the sun shone and she had lots of fun lasting over two hours on the bunny slope! See our related article on teaching kids to ski.
The breakfast buffet in the Poppy Brasserie certainly set us up for the day. We didn’t hold back sampling everything from cereal, fruit, ham, sausages, eggs, waffles, pancakes, custom omelets, all enjoyed next to the gorgeous backdrop of the lake.
It was “Family Weekend” in Canada, and the hotel made a special effort with a full program of family events and a carefully planned kids’ dinner buffet, laid out on a table about two feet high. Our daughter was thrilled that she could help herself to the mac and cheese, pizza and deserts!
Among the fine dining restaurants, the Tom Wilson Steakhouse was recommended by the concierge. Not only did they cater to our toddler’s every need, they served up a spectacular dinner. Beginning with a selection of preset small plates, served with naan bread, the only real decision we had to make was the cut of meat!
I can thoroughly recommend Lake Louise as an ideal retreat to just get away from it all!
Check out their special family friendly Easter Package from April 10 to 13, where kids can take part in face painting, bouncy castles and an Easter egg hunt.
