- www.fairmont.com/lakelouise
What can I say, this place is dope. I went there with my family two weeks ago and everything was perfect. The lake is beautiful, the hotel is top notch, and put the two together you get a pretty spectacular place. The color of the water is somewhere between green and blue, and it’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen. According to Wikipedia, the color of the water is due to glacial flour that is carried into the lake by melt-water from the glaciers overlooking the lake. Cool!
I took this photo on a evening walk around the perimeter of the lake (on the right-hand side of the first photo)
The hotel is gorgeous and is filled with little shops that are fun to visit. There’s a wide selection of restaurants, all pretty classy. There’s also a 24 hour (24 hour!) deli/cafe that takes the pressure off scheduling for food, knowing that you can get food whenever you want. This is my first Fairmont stay, and I was very happy with my experience. When I called the front desk, they ended every sentence with Ms [my last name]. Did I mention there’s a 24 hour cafe?
Everything about this place spells romance. I went with my family, so I spent a good chunk of time missing my boyfriend and wishing he was there. If you go with your boyfriend, I swear he will propose. Seriously, this place will propel him to drop to his knees and declare that he wants to spend the rest of his life with you, and then you guys will go to one of the gift shops and get a ring, and then you’re going to email me and tell me all about it.
Price: pretty steep. Fairmont essentially have a monopoly on the view and they know how to charge for it. Fortunately there’s something to do all year. I went in late-August, so there’s canoeing and hiking. Winter would be a great time to go for the skiing and for the snow-covered view. And there’s the option of relaxing inside your room that’s available year-round. (Room service prices had my jaw drop though). With Banff, Jasper, and the Ice Fields nearby, you can make a great trip out of it. Another option is to skip out on the hotel all-together. Seeing the lake is free, and there are plenty of cheaper accomodations nearby.