Wondering if spending the night in Banff National Park would be any more magical, I started researching accommodation options in Lake Louise. I came up with the five best options according to my mountain man criteria. I have listed them here for you, and hope they can be of some use, whether summer or winter.
First off, you can’t miss the Chateau Lake Louise, one of Canada’s grand railway hotels. This luxury resort hotel dominates the eastern shore of the lake and was built in the early decades of the 20th century by the Canadian Pacific Railway.
This classic hotel was built originally to bring rich travelers westwards to the Rocky Mountains at the end of the 19th century. Only in the 80’s did the hotel start offering year round services and now offers the regular ski resort fare, in addition to ice skating and sleigh riding.
If you’re looking for something less conspicuous, albeit with less history as well, head on over to the Lake Louise Inn. The three-story Lake Louise Inn holds 177 guestrooms and 70 suites. All the rooms over look the natural beauty of Lake Louise area.
Also on my Best Places to Stay near Lake Louise list is the Deer Lodge, just one kilometer from several trailheads and six kilometers from the ski resort. The Deer Lodge is aesthetically pleasing since its architecture is mainly hand-hewn logs covering stone fireplaces and cedar saunas. The hotel has a lounge and views of the Victoria Glacier.
If you are looking to spend your days simple relaxing, the Post Hotel and Spa is an excellent choice. Besides a full health spa, this hotel has a deep wine cellar, giving guests plenty of options to sip the nectar of Dionysius in the Rocky Mountains.
The hotel that made the final cut is the Emerald Lake Lodge. Abutting the Lake Louise ski resort, Emerald Lake Lodge is ideal in winter, but also offers plenty of adventure in the summer. This lodge is also made form hand-hewn timber and is spotted with massive stone fireplaces. The lodge has an oak bar salvaged from an 1890’s Yukon Saloon, giving the lodge a taste of the Wild West.
