World Traveller 73 
Review: Fairmont Château Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada
Despite moving all around Canada, and heavy travel across the North American business travel circuit, the picturesque town of Lake Louise had escaped my travel patterns for a substantial period of time. When my travel plans took me to Calgary for a week, and since MrsWT73 had never visited Lake Louise, it seemed like a great opportunity to rediscover Lake Louise, Canada with a stay at the Fairmont Château Lake Louise.
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Review: Fairmont Château Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada
“The Fairmont Château Lake Louise offers old school luxurious resort accommodations set against the glorious back drop of Lake Louise. It’s a perfect base for luxury travels within the region “
The Fairmont Château Lake Louise is one of two railway hotels in the area of Lake Louise and Banff with the Fairmont Banff Springs hotel being the other property of similar vintage. Both properties are legendary in the area, having served guests since the 1940’s.
We would end up staying at the Fairmont Château Lake Louise property in early November. This is reported to be among the worst seasonal times to visit Lake Louise. Many of the nearby hiking trails have snow on them and are sometimes closed due to weather conditions. The condition of Lake Louise itself usually has no water activities such as canoeing, stand up paddle boarding or ice skating, due to the winter months and usually hasn’t fully frozen. As a result, November remains to be among the least popular times to visit the resort.
Booking The Fairmont Château Lake Louise:
The property is bookable direct on the Fairmont website with the potential of occurring All Accord loyalty points.
During my stay, rates booked directly on Fairmont had rooms starting at $375 CAD.
The hotel is a member of the All Accord Limitless Program. All Accord Members who are gold level members or higher (30 nights & 7,000 Status points or 2,800€ spend) may be entitled to a room upgrade, when booking through direct channels.
Despite this, the property is also well represented through the American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts program, available to American Express Platinum Cardholders.
For those that don’t remember, American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts program offers a suite of benefits with rates usually near the full “un-discounted” rack rate.
Receive this special suite of benefits with each Fine Hotels + Resorts booking:
- Unique property benefit ($100 USD Food and Beverage Credit)
- Daily breakfast for two
- Guaranteed 4pm late check-out
- Room upgrade upon arrival when available
- In-room Wi-Fi (exclusions apply)
- Noon check-in, when available
With all these inclusions, I ended up booking a rate for a room for $521 CAD ($381 USD) approximately 2 months prior to my stay. By booking the Fine Hotels and Resort Rate, I was able to get in a complimentary full breakfast, and a $100 USD Food and Beverage Credit to be used against dinner and snacks.
The American Express FHR rate was prepaid with 100% refund available for cancellation up to 72 hours in advance of travel.
The Fairmont Château Lake Louise is also a member of the American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts program for those with access to an American Express Platinum Card. Assuming you are not looking to earn All Accord Elite status, booking through the American Express Travel website will afford you with a series of benefits from the American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts program which include:
- US $100 Property credit to be used during your stay
- Room upgrade upon arrival, when available
- Noon check-in, when available
- Daily breakfast for two
- In-Room Wi-Fi, exclusions apply
- Guaranteed 4:00 pm late check-out
Dependent on the rates, you may end up being ahead if all these inclusions offer value to your travel circumstances. In our case, staying only one night, the value proposition with the American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts clearly outweigh the benefits of booking direct.
Getting to the Fairmont Château Lake Louise:
The Fairmont Château Lake Louise is located well into Banff National Park. In our case, we were arriving off an Air Canada flight into Calgary International Airport. With a Hertz rental car in hand, I ended up self driving from Calgary International Airport to the Château Lake Louise.
The Fairmont Château Lake Louise is located within the Banff National Park. Banff National Park is run by Parks Canada; a federal government institution under the Canada National Parks Act.
Park Entry Fees range from $10.50 CAD per person per day, and there is an option to purchase a Parks Canada Annual Discover Pass for $72.75 CAD. While you can drive past the gates without stopping and pass through the park (without paying the fee), you can be liable for arrest, enforcement and removal from the park for being in the park without paying the fees.
We paid $21 for 2 adult passes, which were valid until 4 PM the next day. While I was a little concerned about having to exit the park the next day before 4 PM, we didn’t have any issues with enforcement.
Arriving to the Château Lake Louise:
After a two hour drive from the Calgary International Airport, we arrived to the small town of Lake Louise, Alberta. We self navigated upwards the Château Lake Louise. Due to over crowding, Fairmont has a manned security gate at the property entrance.
After confirming our reservation at the security gate, and confirming that we did not require porter assistance with luggage, we were given instructions for self parking $30 CAD ($22 USD). We didn’t opt for the valet at $45 CAD ($33 USD) a day.
Arriving on the roof of the self parking garage, we took in pretty spectacular mountain views. With our early November arrival, there was a dusting of snow on the nearby mountains, making this stay in the Rockies particularly beautiful.
After taking the parking elevator down from the top floor of the parking garage, we arrived to a grand château styled lobby. Complete with a grand staircase, we arrived to a lobby with peek a poo views over Lake Louise.
There was no line at the check in desk when we arrived at 1:30 PM. Hoping to take advantage of a “noon check in – when available” included with an American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts rate, we were pleased to learn at check in that our room was already available.
Included with the Amex FHR rate, we were given a one category upgrade to a Junior Suite facing away from Lake Louise. We had initially booked a non lake view room, and our upgrade was consistent with a non lake view orientation. We would end up being upgraded into a room that was about the same amount as our initial purchase, without the inclusions.
Our American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts benefits card offered a full buffet breakfast for two at restaurant (or room service), and an additional special amenity of $100 USD (which worked out to $128 CAD at the hotel’s conversion rate) to be used at any or all food and beverage outlets.
The food and beverage credit represented tremendous value as the Fairmont Château Lake Louise restaurants were quite expensive, given the remoteness of the property and lack of other competing restaurants. Given our one night stay, it was the perfect way to maximize value at this property.
The Room: Junior Suite, One King
On receiving our room assignment, we headed up to our assigned room #682. Our room was located at the far end of the hallway, which led to a quieter experience with less hallway traffic.
Upon entering the room, we found ourselves immediately in the bedroom of the Junior Suite. The Junior Suite offered a small separated sleeping area along with a sofa bed. The King Bed was really inviting, and looked exceptionally comfortable.
The Junior Suite space offered a sofa bed and a small desk area. The design team did a great job at keeping an open concept that offered a lot of natural light in to the room.
The American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts offered an in room amenity consisting of San Pellegrino, along with some delicious chocolate bite sized cookies.
Consistent with a full service hotel, the room was fully stocked with a full series of glassware, a Nespresso Coffeemaker, and a tea kettle. There was a small mini fridge, which was also empty.
The Fairmont Junior Suite bathroom was a compact space. While it didn’t match the tiny bathrooms of their historic hotels, it was a space for one. The bathroom offered a single vanity sink, a smallish bathtub, along with a stand up shower.
The Fairmont Château Lake Louise offered Le Labo Rose 31 soaps, shower gel, shampoos and conditioners, which is consistent throughout the Fairmont hotel chain.
We were also provided a short resort map. While it was handy, we didn’t refer to it all that much.
It terms of sleep quality, as you might expect from a castle tucked away in the mountains, the room was exceptionally quiet and peaceful. Although the hotel featured five hundred and thirty nine rooms, the room was restful and tranquil.
Around the Property:
The Fairmont Château Lake Louise is the primary resort in town. As a result, the hotel features every feature and amenity possible for guests to enjoy a multi day stay.
The Fairmont Château Lake Louise offers a grand castle like environment. Almost every feature of the public area of the hotel feels impressive. With rich carpeting, and giant picture windows of Lake Louise, the property feels impressive and is an experience to be enjoyed.
Visiting Lake Louise:
Right outside of the Fairmont Château Lake Louise, is the main event. Sparkling Lake Louise sits right outside the back of the hotel, as one of Canada’s most famous lakes.
Access to the lake shore waterfront is from the lower level of the hotel. Within steps, you can be right at the lake shore and all the views that it entails.
The hotel has a rather imposing place on the water front. Despite such a grand structure, the building fit into the environment as much as possible for a finve hundred room hotel.
During our visit, we managed to take in two hikes in the immediate area with hiking crampons & bear spray provided courtesy of the hotel concierge.
On the day of our arrival, we took in the Lakeshore Walk along the right hand side of Lake Louise. On the day of our departure, we took in the Fairview Viewpoint Hike, which led to a spectacular view of the lake. Both of these posts provide more details on these nearby activities.
Fitness Centre:
The Fairmont Château offers a dated fitness centre and indoor pool area. The pool was accessed through the lobby, with an entrance that was located one level up from the main lobby.
The pool was more of a place to take children for entertainment purposes, rather than an aspirational pool that you’d want to spend a lot of time in. The interior decor was a little gloomy. I would imagine that the pool could get quite full pretty easily given its smaller size.
The pool offered “adult only” swimming between 10 PM – 11 PM, which should give you a subtle indication of how many children can possibly frequent this area.
The pool area also captured the gym. The gym offered some indirect light, although was pretty small for a hotel of this size. With great hiking trails right outside the hotel door, I would generally be less reliant on this space for exercise.
It is also worth mentioning that the Fairmont Château Lake Louise is also upgrading the pool and spa facilities with a partially completed renovation project. The project will likely see these facilities moved to a different part of the hotel entirely.
Food and Beverage:
The Fairmont Château Lake Louise is one of the only resorts in town, with minimal off-site restaurants located in the town of Lake Louise. Given the lack of independent options, the food and beverage outlets on the resort can tend to be a little on the expensive side.
It is also worth mentioning that the hotel prioritizes hotel guests for dining in its restaurants. Reservations are recommended and we did find some food and beverage outlets to be quite full, despite our off season visit.
Louiza Restaurant and Bar:
Louiza Restaurant and Bar would form the basis of most of our dining at the Fairmont Château Lake Louise. As a result of the American Express Fine Hotels and Resort rate, we redeemed our $100 USD Food and Beverage Fine Hotels and Resort Voucher, along with enjoying breakfast next morning.
Louiza was located on the lower level of the Fairmont Château Lake Louise, immediately next to the lake access.
The Louiza Restaurant and Bar has a contemporary look and feel to the restaurant, with smaller bistro style seating spaces similar in concept to a Mediterranean restaurant.
For our evening dinner visit, based on recommendations from the hotel, I made an advance reservation for 7:00 PM via the email address listed on the hotel website. I received a confirmation within 24 hours for a table at 6:45 PM.
The Louiza Restaurant and Bar dinner menu featured a number of interesting plates that offered a solid variety of meals that were well curated and consistent with the concept.
MrsWT73 went with a light meal that consisted of Halloumi Sakanagi Fried Cheese, Pomegranate, Stone Fruit and Cress Salad. As an appetizer, it was generously portioned. The Halloumi received high marks for it’s taste and flavour combinations with the stone fruit.
For a lighter dinner, MrsWT73 also enjoyed a Garlic Cheese Bread with sundried tomato, and artichoke tapenade. It was presented freshly baked and warm with cheese goodness inside.
I went with a more upscale main course in the form of a Lobster Spaghetti Carbonara, with cured pork belly, egg yolk and pecorino cheese. The lobster tail was a nice way to elevate the dish, despite an unexpected item to be on the menu in the middle of the land locked mountains.
The cheque came to $144 CAD with one appetizer, one bread, one entree and two glasses of wine. Our $100 USD food and beverage credit covered most of the dinner tab.
During breakfast hours, Louiza Restaurant served a breakfast buffet. The breakfast buffet was regularly priced at $43 CAD per person. Having it included in the room rate through American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts saved us about $100 CAD.
The breakfast buffet included freshly brewed coffee, Lott 35 teas, specialty coffees and smoothies available from the buffet.
The design of the breakfast offered some quicker items from the buffet, with most of the items available through ordering off of your waiter.
I enjoyed an a-la-carte Salmon Florentine Eggs Benedict, with saffron hollandaise presented on sourdough muffins. I also enjoyed a massive freshly baked Almond Croissant, which was a terrific way to start the day.
MrsWT73 went with a North African speciality of Shakshuka; baked eggs, onion, bell pepper, parsley and mini naan bread. It is pretty unusual to see this dish on menus in North America, so MrsWT73 jumped at the opportunity. The Shakshuka offered a great flavour profile that was different than the usual egg dishes which Middle Eastern flair.
We were pretty happy with Louiza Restaurant for both the dinner and breakfast options. Despite an elevated price, the food was enjoyable and nourishing at each visit.
Alpine Social:
The Fairmont Château Lake Louise offered Alpine Social as the “other” casual dining restaurant on the property. I didn’t feel to excited about this food and beverage outlet. Despite being a contemporary and remodel space, the facility occupied a windowless space located under the main floor on the lower level.
We didn’t end up dining at this location during our visit, and it didn’t seem to be too popular during our stay.
Fairview:
The Fairview Bar and Restaurant offered elevated and glamourous dining. The menu featured mostly upscale proteins including Alberta Beef Tenderloin, tomahawk pork chops, Elk and Bison wrapped in ham, and Organic Local Lamb Chops from Vulcan Alberta.
Seeking for something more casual, we ended up at Louiza’s restaurant instead.
Lakeview Lounge:
Taking up the primary space in the main lobby was the Lakeview Lounge. The Lakeview Lounge featured absolteuly iconic views over Lake Louise in an old world setting.
This space was categorized as offering a lunch menu and a lounge menu during the dinner time. It was fully booked for a wedding reception on our Saturday visit, and was completely dead after hours.
My Thoughts on Fairmont Château Lake Louise:
I was really happy to have returned to the Fairmont Château Lake Louise, even if we happened to be visiting in the low season of November. We ended up getting exceptional value by booking through American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts, as a result of all the inclusions.
The Fairmont Château Lake Louise offered elegant and refined old world accommodations, set amongst the backdrop of the classic Canadian Rockies. While the property wasn’t the most state of the art, it allowed us to make the most of our time in the region. I spent a fair amount of time looking out of the window, walking on nearby trails, and enjoying the mountains of the area.
World Traveller 73 
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