Lost in Alberta: The Ultimate Canadian Adventure with Fairmont Hotels
Picture it: Snow capped mountains that tumble into beautiful emerald lakes. The most incredible hikes, each leading to breathtaking views of mountains and valleys. An abundance of wildlife that feels as though you are in a nature documentary. I could almost hear David Attenborough narrating as I observed a herd of goats making their way up a rocky edge one afternoon.
Now combine this incredible feeling of being in the great Canadian outdoors with pure comfort and luxury: Plush bathrobes, comfortable beds dressed in high thread count sheets and incredible restaurants and amenities that make you feel like royalty.
This is the Fairmont Hotel experience in Alberta. I recently came back from an amazing week hosted by Fairmont Hotels visiting their different properties in Jasper, Lake Louise, and Banff.
Each of these incredible hotels have so much to offer and I highly recommend checking them out for your next trip to the Rockies. They are perfectly nestled in nature, set against the backdrop of mountains, forests, and lakes.
If you know me, you know I love and appreciate getting out into nature to camp, hike, and explore. With that said, I just as equally appreciate all the things that come with a luxury hotel experience. I have done my fair share of camping and glamping this summer and now it was time to trade in the tents and cabins for some fine dining and a little bit of pampering. That’s why the Fairmont Hotels in Alberta are the perfect getaway: they offer luxury and comfort, but are also immersed in nature and the great outdoors – it truly is the best of both worlds!
Stop 1: Jasper, Alberta
My first stop was in Jasper, Alberta which is a small alpine town in the middle of Jasper National Park. This place is absolutely stunning. From the snow-capped Rocky Mountains to lakes, forests, and rivers – there is no shortage of beautiful scenery all around! You can access Jasper via Highway 16 traveling west from Edmonton, or Highway 93 heading north from Banff.
Jasper town is very quaint and scenic to walk around. I loved exploring these small mountain towns and checking out the different shops, restaurants, and bars.
Where to Stay
I loved every moment of my stay at the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, a picturesque and cozy log cabin-inspired hotel nestled in the middle of Jasper National Park. There are amazing views of the mountains all around and the hotel looks out over Beauvert Lake, a stunning emerald-green lake.
The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge is actually a bunch of cedar chalets and Luxury Signature Cabins connected by pathways. It really gives you the feeling of being fully immersed into nature! They have an on-site golf course, swimming pool, and spa – no shortage of relaxing activities to try out.
Our cabin faced the lake and it was so nice to hear the loons sing at night. Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge reminded me of a classic film favourite: Dirty Dancing and more specifically, the fictional ‘Kellerman’s Lodge’ where the family vacationed for the summer. It feels like the same community resort in the movie, albeit without the stuffiness. While nobody ‘put me in the corner’, I felt the same sense of joy and and fulfillment that Baby probably did by the end of the movie.
Our beautiful cabin!
View from inside, facing the lake
Where to Eat
Okay, one of the best parts of any trip is the food, right? Well, there is no shortage of great options in Jasper! I loved my breakfasts at the Great Hall, an on-site restaurant at the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge. I particularly loved it because it has the most amazing patio overlooking the lake and mountains. I love getting eggs for breakfast, so I thoroughly enjoyed my omelette!
For dinner, we ate at The Emerald Lounge & Patio where I had the most amazing poké bowl made with fresh local ingredients and topped with a miso glazed salmon. Not only was the food absolutely amazing, but there is the most stunning view of Beauvert Lake. Combine this with a fancy cocktail, and it’s the perfect treat-yourself kind of meal!
What to Do
Jasper is the perfect place to get outside and enjoy nature! With beauty all around, you’ve just got to get out and explore. Here are some of the things I did during my time in Jasper:
Rocky Mountain Motorcycle Tour: Thanks to The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge in partnership with Tourism Jasper and Jasper Motorcycle Tours, I got to live out my adrenaline-fueled dreams! We had an absolute blast cruising in and around Jasper in this motorcycle. It was something totally unique and different from anything I had ever done before! There’s nothing like the fresh mountain air filling your lungs as you cruise along the highway.
Picnic: The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge offers incredible picnics prepared by Fitzhugh’s Fine Foods. You can enjoy the picnic on the property and Rikki and I chose this beautiful spot by the lake. The picnics are available in portable backpacks or Instagram-ready wicker baskets. It’s the perfect way to spend an afternoon. If you’re looking for the perfect spot, take the path to your left (when facing the lake) towards the golf course. You will find several little areas to set up your picnic. I mean, look at this view!
Sulphur Skyline Trail Hike
Distance: 8.2k hike
Elevation: 666m
Duration: 3-5 hours
This was an incredible hike that lead to incredible views of the surrounding mountains. Rikki and I definitely felt like it was more on the difficult side as it’s an incline the entire way with the last 400 meters to the top being the most difficult. We felt so accomplished once completing the hike and I felt like I could do anything. That’s the beauty of a difficult hike: it’s like a metaphor for life. The views don’t come easy and require lots of work but it’s well worth it in the end.
Stop 2: Lake Louise
After an amazing few days in Jasper, we moved onto the next destination: Lake Louise. To get to Lake Louise, you will travel along one of the most famous drives in Canada: The Icefields Parkway. This stretch of Highway 93 runs between Jasper and Banff National Park and is about 230km long. To say that this highway is breathtaking is a massive understatement.
It takes about three hours to drive, but we took a little longer to stop and gawk at the breath-taking views along the way. I felt so lucky to see some mountain goats, Elk and three black bears along the drive – it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience to see them up close! I’m telling you, it’s like being in a Natural Geographic magazine.
One of the stops along the way was a hike at Wilcox Pass Hike.
Wilcox Pass Hike
Distance:9.8km
Elevation: 409m
Duration: 3-4hrs
The Wilcox Pass hike is like being in the Sound of Music. Alpine meadows expand for as far as the eyes can see with views of mountain peaks and glaciers. This is a must do hike where you can enjoy the beautiful Athabasca Glacier. There are wildflowers growing throughout as well as a stream running through the mountains. It is a true gem!
Where to Stay
If you haven’t heard of Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise then you must be living under a rock. This iconic hotel is pure luxury and comfort set on the shore of the gorgeous Lake Louise and massive snowy Victoria Glacier.
Our room had an incredible view of the lake and the Chateau has all the amenities you need – including a spa and on-site dining and shopping. It is also perfectly situated for year-round outdoor activities like hiking, snowshoeing, or canoeing on the lake.
I fell in love with this hallway in Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise
Where to Eat
I am a sucker for a meal with a view, so I was pretty excited to eat at the Lakeview Lounge & Patio, which is one of the most iconic and beautiful lounges in the Canadian Rockies. It is a very elegant and luxurious setting, perfect for relaxing and admiring the amazing view. I had the BBQ Kurobuta Pork Jowl Lettuce Wraps on the first night and they were so good!
For breakfast we ate at Poppy Brasserie for both mornings and the eggs benedict were so delicious. The eggs were perfectly poached and the BC smoked salmon was fresh and delicious.
After a few nights of eating out at restaurants, it was also fun to just chill out in the room at the Fairmont Chateau and order In-Room Dining. Especially after a few full days of activities, it was great to relax and order a delicious double pepperoni pizza to the room. There’s just something about eating in your hotel bathrobe and slippers that’s the definition of luxury.
On our second night, we dined at the Fairview Bar and Restaurant, an elegant restaurant at the hotel that offers a true fine dining experience. The restaurant also overlooks the lake which further adds to the atmosphere. They have a seasonal inspired menu and we had the scallop crudo and spot prawn cocktail for starters, the 8oz Cali cut striploin and elk ribeye for mains, and duck fat frites, harissa seared asparagus, and sautéed local mushrooms for sides. The meal was absolutely delicious and everything was cooked to perfection.
What to Do
We had two full days in Lake Louise, the perfect amount of time to check out some amazing activities! Here is how we spent the days in Lake Louise:
Moraine Lake Sunrise Experience: We woke up super early for this one, but it was well worth it! We had a private shuttle arranged by the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise to Moraine Lake, where we watched the sun rise. It was so magical and peaceful at that time in the morning. Moraine Lake is really hard to get to because it gets packed fairly early in the summer months. It was nice to be shuttled over without having to worry about finding a parking spot. Although the BC Forest fires made the view a bit hazy, it was still beautiful nonetheless.
Afternoon Tea: After an early morning, we were happy to have a chill afternoon. The Afternoon Tea at Fairview Restaurant in the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise was so enjoyable and we loved trying all the little snacks and finger foods while overlooking amazing views of Lake Louise and the Victoria Glacier. The teas were delicious.
Canoe on Lake Louise: This is the most quintessential Canadian Rockies experience! The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise has canoes available for rent every day, making it easy and convient to get out and experience the breath-taking scenery of Lake Louise! Getting out on the lake provided such a unique view of the beautiful lake as well as the chateau and we had so much fun paddling and exploring every corner of the lake.
Fairview Lookout Hike
Distance: 2.4 km
Elevation: 167m
Duration: 1-2 hours
Fairview Lookout is a 2.4 kilometre hike on the property with a steady incline that can be a bit tiring but is totally worth it. It’s a beautiful hike through a forested area that takes you to a lookout overlooking Lake Louise and the chateau. It was very cool looking at all the canoes which looked like tiny red specs against a turquoise blue backdrop.
Stop 3: Banff
After two perfect nights in Lake Louise, we were on to the last destination – Banff! Banff is a super popular mountain getaway for international and local tourists alike, attracting over 4 million visitors each year! It’s set right in the Rocky Mountains and is a very quaint little town with lots to see and do.
Banff is about 45-minutes drive away from Lake Louise and, once again, we loved driving through the scenic mountain highways!
Where to Stay
We stayed in the Fairmont Banff Springs for one night and absolutely loved it. They call it Canada’s “Castle in the Rockies” and I totally see why! It is an iconic landmark in Banff, and you can see the hotel from just about anywhere in town. It stands tall with over 700 comfortable and elegant rooms. Our room had a great panoramic view of the surrounding mountains and the terraces – the perfect view to wake up to in the morning!
Where to Eat
The food on this trip was absolutely amazing everywhere, but dinner at the Rundle Bar is definitely up there as one of my favourites! It is a newly renovated restaurant and bar in the Fairmont Banff Springs with a mouth-watering pan-Asian inspired menu. The menu is tapas style so we shared wings, banh mi bao buns, pork dumplings and a poke bowl with ahi tuna. It was simply amazing. They also have super unique handcrafted cocktails, so it’s a great place to go and celebrate with your loved ones! I tried the Saskatoon Manhattan which is served with a bubble that pops as your nose touches, releasing the aromas of the cocktail. Such beautiful presentation!
Brunch is one of my favourite meals, and the 360° Dome provided one of the best dining experiences on the trip. This private dining experience is like no other – you are seated in a glass dome that gives panoramic views of Banff National Park. It’s so cool! They have all the classics like eggs benedict, buttermilk pancakes, and make-your-own mimosas but the single best part for me was the avocado toast and freshly baked pastries. Yum!
What to Do
Since we were only in Banff for the day, we didn’t see as much as we would have liked (just an excuse to come back another time!). However, we got to spend time at the Willow Stream Spa and indulge in an Alpine Aromatherapy Massage. The spa has different amenities to enjoy such as 3 waterfall whirlpools, an indoor mineral pool and an outdoor whirlpool. They also have a room where you can lounge on a reclined bench and listen to a meditation every hour on the hour.
It was so relaxing and the environment was just amazing with the sound of waterfalls in the background and mineral pools to soak in. They offer a ton of services from massages to facials to salon services. It is the ultimate place to relax!
In the morning we also enjoyed their stunning pool as well as roaming the halls to take in all of the history. Be sure to walk around the hotel because there is so much history and beauty throughout. We even learned about some of the hotel resident ghosts from one of our servers.
Conclusion
Visiting the different Fairmont Hotels throughout the Canadian Rockies was the experience of a lifetime. The luxury of living at the Fairmont Hotels, mixed with easy access to the great outdoors, was the best of both worlds. It was definitely something I needed after the last year and a half of staying close to home during COVID-19!
If you’re looking for a fun and relaxing place to visit, make sure to check out the Fairmont Hotels in the Rockies – you definitely won’t regret it!
I’m grateful to Fairmont Hotels for sponsoring this trip to the Canadian Rockies! I’m excited to share my experience, as I know many of you will love it like I did! All views and opinions expressed are my own.
