This is probably the highlight of our 2017 trip. As the travel period was in peak season, I paid CAD $999 (before tax) per night for my Fairmont Gold room! If I were to travel a month before, the room is as low as CAD $599 (before tax). How big difference a month made! I was deciding if I should go for the Fairmont Gold room, in the end I decided to take the plunge. What benefits will Fairmont Gold get u with the additional CAD $200?
- Private check in area in the lounge (and avoid the long queue at the front desk)
- Club Lounge with all day snacks, breakfast and evening canapes
- Daily turndown service with Fairmont chocolates
- Complimentary 1 hour evening kayak rental in Lake Louise (worth CAD $65)
- Complimentary portable battery rental
- Complimentary usage of board games available in club lounge
For those planning to stay here, do book in advance. Your chances of getting a room via 3rd party booking website (e.g. Expedia) for bonus miles earning may be low.
We arrived from Banff and check in was a breeze thanks to the private check in area in the lounge (thus bypassing a long queue we saw at the check in desk). As this was a special trip with my wife (indicated during the booking process), I was surprised that we were upgrade to a 1 bedroom suite. On top of that, we were surprised with a complimentary bottle of Prosecco on our first night.
The room itself is very big, with a separate bedroom and living area. The living area is furnished with a sofa and a study desk. A Nespresso machine is available with capsules topped up daily. Water boiler is available in the room. A Bose sound system is also available but unfortunately, it is of the older model with the 30pin connector (instead of lightning connector). Instead of 1, you will get 2 bar fridge (1 in the living room and 1 in the bedroom).
The bedroom came equipped with a queen bed and another TV. The bathroom is huge and furnished with marble flooring and wall while the vanity desk is well stocked with amenity kit. The toilet is in a separate cubicle. Bathrobes and slippers are also provided.
The lounge is fairly large and although it can get a little full during breakfast time, I never had any problem getting a seat for both of us. The lounge is a comfortable place to relax in with snacks (pastries and cereal) and drinks (hot and cold beverages and a sophisticated and nice looking coffee machine). It would have been better if the lounge has a direct view of the lake.
The breakfast in the lounge is pretty good with a large selection of items including hot food. There is an egg station available too. Food spread for evening canapes is more limited but is still generally good overall.
Evening Cocktail spread
Breakfast spread – with cook to order egg station
Throughout the stay, the staff (especially the Fairmont Gold team and those in the club lounge) had been extremely helpful and friendly. They will readily answer your queries and help you to make any bookings if needed. I really appreciated how the turn down staff put > 10 chocolates (stacked in a pyramid) on my second night – as if they read my mind that I love chocolates!
Even though Chateau Lake Louise is fairly secluded and about 5 km away from Samson Mall (main town centre), one will never get bored staying there. Things that you can do include:
- Multiple trails catering for different levels of difficulty. This can be done alone or with paid guides (from hotel). I managed to do the Lake Agnes Trail which is fairly simple as I am someone who has never hiked before. There are signs along the way to guide you. One thing to note though is for those traveling in May and early June, the snow may still be thawing and hence it is essential to have the correct foot wear with you.
- Kayaking in Lake Louise. The sunrise kayak is one of their signature programme but you have to wake up before 5am.
- Campfire near the Swiss Guard House – where you get to sit around while chatting up with fellow visitors and roasting marshmallow over open fire
- Gym and swimming pool are available for use
- Scheduled yoga sessions conducted by staff
- Movie night – movies are available for kids and teens and it comes with free popcorn!
- Shuttle bus to Moraine Lake
- Shuttle bus to Lake Louise Ski Resort
- Day trips to nearby places e.g. Icefield and Emerald Lake
- Doing nothing and enjoying the view – you can do this in the club lounge or better still at the Lakeview restaurant where you will have a grand view of the lake and the mountains behind
Having a battery in hand is definitely helpful during the hike – rent one for free from the Club Lounge
If you are traveling to Banff National Park, make sure you stop by Lake Louise and if you are in the mood for splurging Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise is the one to go for. I will definitely recommend to go for Fairmont Gold and if you don’t mind the extra CAD $100 per night, do go ahead and book the lake view room. You will have a splendid view of the lake right from your room!
Here are some pictures from the lakes:
That Time Of The Year! 
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