Accommodation: Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise as Fairmont Gold

Dining:

• Afternoon Tea at Fairview

• Dinner at Alpine Social

After our wonderful stay at Banff, we journeyed further north to Lake Louise, a place that we have dreamed to visit for years. And there is only one hotel that we wish to stay: the ONE and ONLY Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. Surrounded by soaring Canadian Rockies, the majestic Victoria Glacier, and the breathtaking emerald Lake Louise (although this time of the year, we only saw it in its frozen state), the location of this hotel is just as good as it gets.

After the valet took care of our car and luggages, we went straight up to the 7th floor at Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise to check in with our hostess at Fairmont Gold Signature Suites. For those who are not familiar with Fairmont Gold, it is “the hotel within a hotel” service for guests who love highly personalized and extra services. The Signature Suites are typically newly renovated, the most luxury and comfortable rooms and suites . At Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, they provided a dedicated Fairmont Gold team to help us with check in/out, dinner reservation, and concierge, and any other services we might need. There is also an exclusive Fairmont Gold Lounge, which offers complimentary breakfast, throughout the day coffee, tea and soft drinks, a selection of books and games, and views to the Bow Valley Mountain Range.

Our room is a two queen-size bed room facing the Lake. Lying on our two queen beds, the kids and us couldn’t stop gushing about the breathtaking views the room has. Attached to the bedroom is a spacious bathroom, which includes separate space for shower, toilet and bathtub . Perfect for family sharing! On the dining table in the living space, we found a plate of snacks and cheese and a welcome note waiting for us. We are happy to tell you that they were very well received. Thank you, Fairmont!

After unpacked our luggages, we went down to the Fairview restaurant to have some afternoon tea. Having High Tea at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise is definitely one of the culinary highlights of our trip in Canada. We are greeted not only with the most beautiful teaware filled with aromatic loose leaf teas (we chose Madam Butterfly, Oregon Mint, and Earl Grey. All was amazing!), but also vibrant and delicious house-made pastries and sandwiches, which comes in a three tiered tray with savories on top, scones in the middle, and sweets on the bottom. But what made this tea service even more special than the others is the unobstructed view from the restaurant to the Lake Louise and the mountains.

When we realized that our bellies could not hold another piece of crumble from the pastry, we decided to go out for a walk on the frozen lake. As much as we would have loved to see the lake in its emerald green color, but walking on the lake and admiring the snow-covered mountain picks close and person are truly unforgettable. Half way through our walk, it started to snow, which made the place even more magical. After a fierce snowball fight between the parents and the kids, ended up the kids in victory (since we couldn’t run away as fast we could twenty years ago), it was time to rejuvenation. We went straight into the heated pool and sauna area in the hotel. Seriously, can you think a better and more relaxing way to warm ourselves up?

Of course, after that, everyone was starving and craving for something hearty and fast for dinner. We decided to try out Alpine Social restaurant in the hotel and we were not disappointed. Knowing that people like to try different things, Alpine Social offers a great menu that allows people to order a variety of dishes to try and share. We ordered three starters, and three main courses, and two desserts for the four of us and they were just the perfect amount.

After dinner, instead of going back to the room, kids then decided to hang out in the Fairmont Gold lounge for a bit to play some board games and enjoy some soft drinks and fresh fruits. I was also happy to sit on the sofa editing some photos while watching them playing. Out the corners of my eyes, I could see staff were preparing some canapés and drinks for the guests.

Next morning, we got up early to pack up and get ready for our four-hour road trip via Icefield Parkway to Jasper. Thankfully, we were able to grab a quick breakfast at the Fairmont Gold Lounge before heading out. Everything we needed from omelette, pastry to fruits and hot drinks were there. It is so comforting to know that although our travel schedule can quite hectic, our stay at Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise is not.

As we slowly drove off the property and the kids asked “when will we come back?”. A very good question indeed, “real soon” we said to them.

*We are invited as guests by Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, but all opinions are our own.