The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise has been one of my favorite hotel experiences in the world to date. Here are 7 reasons you should stay there on your next trip to Lake Louise (some of these only apply to the gold floor rooms which I highly recommend).
Beat the line and have more time – Lake Louise is one of the most visited places in Canada. There is a lot of traffic going in and out of the lake area. You will have to find parking, and if its full, I believe they will turn you away. By staying at the hotel, you will have the opportunity to see the lake at your leisure without having to worry about any of these inconveniences. The Lake is literally the hotel’s backyard.
2. See the lake from a different vantage point and under all different kinds of lighting – Although there are other hotels in the area, I believe it is a waste of time and $ to stay anywhere else, and if you do take my advice, you should book a gold room and make sure it has a lake view – otherwise it will also be a waste of time and money. With a lake view, you will see the lake from a higher vantage point that most others will not. Also, you will be able to see the lake under different lighting – for example, sunrise, sunset etc. We felt that although the lake was nice up close, we would of missed out if not seen from the room view or under different lighting.
3. The hotel itself and rooms, are very nice and have lots of history.
4. Breakfast and evening snacks. If you stay on the gold floor, you will be provided with breakfast and evening snacks. The breakfast selections are excellent and include a wide variety of hot and cold food. Throughout the day, you can also pick up snacks like trail mix, cookies and gummy bears. They also have non-alcoholic beverages throughout the day. In the evening, they have canapes and alcohol (each guest gets a complimentary beer or wine). Having breakfast provided is a very convenient option as there is nothing in the immediate vicinity, and you can get your day started faster. Breakfast is the only meal I don’t mind having at a hotel.
5. Shuttle to Lake Moraine – Another popular lake in the area is Lake Moraine. For the same reasons mentioned above, it is a high traffic area. If you stay on the gold floor, the hotel will include round trip shuttle service to the lake. You won’t have to deal with parking and other inconveniences.
6. Canoe included – With the gold floor room, they will include a 1 hour canoe rental. Its one of the best things you can do at the lake. A nice thing about this is that there is a priority line for hotel guests. Also, you can wake up earlier if staying at the hotel, and get on the lake before it becomes crowded.
7. A Base for Hiking – By staying at the hotel, you can have a base for hikes. You will also have access to bottled water and trail snacks in the gold lounge before or after each hike. We did the teahouse hike and I have provided some sights encountered on this hike below.
You can still visit the lake for the day, or stay at other hotels in the area and have a great time. The lake is beautiful. However, I think that if you make the effort to come, you might as well have the best experience possible!