By Toni Owen
Canoe rentals are popular on the lake.
Overlooking one of the most photographed scenes in the world, Banff National Park's Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise
resort is elegance surrounded by glaciers, which give the lake its famed teal hue. With 550 rooms and 36,000 sq. ft. of convention and meeting space, it features the luxury VIP Gold Floor, eight restaurants and lounges, a shopping gallery, health club and spa, full afternoon high tea, guided hikes, canoeing or ice skating on the lake, world class skiing, four golf courses, horse riding, dog sledding and snowshoeing, plus a retired Mountie in red serge and hat sharing local history in the soaring lobby.
Wows and Woes
High tea is a tradition in the Lakeview Lobby.
I was looking forward to requesting a song from the harpist at high tea in the Lakeview Lobby, a treasured memory. Although her posted hours were 12 to 4 p.m., there was no notice that she had a wedding booked in Banff that day and left before I arrived.
Insider Tips
Minutes away, Timberline Tours has 88 horses ready for ten-minute or ten-day trips into Banff National Park's wilderness. The Mt. Temple wing rooms are newer and bigger with views of the lake.
The Lake Agnes Teahouse trail can be crowded. Start early, or hike to the Plain of Six Glaciers, which is longer and less traveled, and return via Lake Agnes. Both moderate hikes feature teahouses.
Author's Most Memorable Moment
The Chateau Lake Louise Resort is a tourist must-see, and the trail around the lake was congested with tourists snapping cameras during my weekend visit. For me, the magic and majesty of the mountain setting came when the sun dipped below the peaks, the tourists fled inside and the stars twinkled on the serene lake as the moon rose, a boon to my peaceful reflections.
Bottom Line
Just 30 minutes from Banff, the stately, secluded Chateau is cradled in alpine majesty, a testament to refreshing, unfrenzied holidays with access to nearby phenomenal panoramas.
About the Author:
Toni Owen started writing in 1975. Owen is a journalist published in "Newsweek" and the "San Francisco Chronicle." She was an editor in the San Francisco Bay Area and in Banff, Alberta. Owen has a master's degree in English education and won the national C. Everett Koop Award.
Photo Credits:
TS Owen photo
TS Owen photo
