lake-louise

The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, Canada’s Castle in the Snow

 

The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise this Spring Break; Who needs an imitation castle in the sun when you’ve got a real castle in the snow? The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise near Banff, Alberta, is a beautiful winter castle situated on the edge of a glacial lake in the Canadian woods, with a storybook look, horse-drawn sleighs, diamond-cut mountain peaks, and giant evergreen trees laden with snow.

Located in Banff National Park, about two hours from of the international airport at Calgary, Alberta, The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise is surrounded by soaring Rocky Mountain peaks. It was built a century ago as a grand stop for intrepid train travelers keen on climbing, fishing, picnic-ing and hiking in the majestic Canadian wilderness. In modern day, it serves as a year-round luxury mountain resort, remote yet easily accessible, with a plethora of activities to choose from, including skiing, snowshoeing, skating, dog-sledding, ice climbing, and cross-country skiing.

 

 


Resort Activities

Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise skiingLet’s start with alpine skiing. The Chateau Lake Louise is a brief 15-minute shuttle drive from The Lake Louise Ski Resort, recognized in 2014 as the Best Ski Resort in Canada by the World Ski Awards. The ski area has terrain suited for all types of skiers and snowboarders, from beginner to expert, and the views of Banff’s diamond-cut Rocky Mountain peaks are astonishing on a clear winter’s day. Banff National Park is blessed with 30 feet of snow annually, and the month of March — time for Spring Break — is known among locals as the snowiest month. There’s a good chance Spring Break skiers and snowboarders will ski powder!


Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise ice-skatingBut there’s more to do at The Chateau Lake Louise than simply skiing. Each winter the glacial-fed Lake Louise — situated steps from the hotel’s grand back door — freezes over and is used as an all-natural skating rink. CNN recently rated the skating at The Chateau Lake Louise among the top-10 most beautiful outdoor rinksin the world. Skate rentals are conveniently located at Chateau Mountain Sports in the hotel, adjacent to the front desk in the main lobby; skaters from beginner to expert can glide, twirl, even pick up hockey sticks and participate in an impromptu all-Canadian game of [ITAL]shinny. Each winter there’s an ice castle built right on the surface of the lake — skaters can skate right through it!

 


The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise snow-shoeGuests can sign on for a Mountain Adventure Program that provides a personal guide to explore Lake Louise on snowshoes, cross-country skis and more. The resort’s Powderfest Snowshoeing experience, for example, includes a brief introduction to the art of snowshoeing — if you can walk, you can snowshoe! It then guides lead explorers into the forest to search for signs of tracks of animals — creatures that have adapted to Canada’s harsh winter conditions. There’s a Night Owl Snowshoe experience, too — journey into the woods on clear, starry night to glimpse the constellations.

 


The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise activitiesCross-country ski lessons and guided tours take place on some of the most enchanting ski trails in Canada — snow-laden evergreens, views of a glacier, and the steep rock faces of the jagged Rockies all around. Nighttime campfires invite children to play games, sing songs, and roast marshmallows. There are guided ice walks to frozen waterfalls for youth and adults that are absolutely enchanting. And the family-friendly White n’ Wild Snowmobile Tours organized from The Chateau Lake Louise offer comfy, lightweight snowmobiles from which to tour nearby winding mountain trails.

 


Other wintery activities at the resort include ice fishing, dog sledding, heli-skiing and heli-touring. Visit Brewster Stables for horse-drawn sleigh rides — experiencing the sights of Lake Louise in true western style. The horse-drawn sleighs glide along the lakeside trail to the end of Lake Louise. The traditionally styled sleighs feature cozy upholstered seats to keep you warm and comfortable.

Fairmont Chateau ice-barIn the afternoon, belly up to the outdoor ice bar at Lake Louise , situated alongside the ice skating rink. The ice bar serves hot chocolate with and without liqueurs, as well as a selection of Canada’s best ice wines, or even shots of Jagermeister poured down the length of one of the bar’s ice sculptures — an experience that will warm your insides.

Yes, many of us identify Canada with [ITAL]cold, yet Banff National Park’s average temperature in March is only 34 degrees Fahrenheit — with the region’s ultra-dry climate, that makes Spring Break practically t-shirt weather!


 

This season during Spring Break, The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise has a number of offers to help you save and make your visit truly special.

Here’s a list of these incredible offerings:

[callout title=’Spring Break Offer’ text=’4th night free & $50 food & beverage credit:’ button_text=’Learn More’ button_link=’http://www.fairmont.com/lake-louise/special-offers/hotel-offers/promotions/spring-break/’]
[callout title=’Stay & Play’ text=’5th night free’ button_text=’Learn More’ button_link=’http://www.fairmont.com/lake-louise/special-offers/hotel-offers/promotions/5nightpackage/’]
[callout title=’Stay & Play Plus’ text=’6th & 7th night free’ button_text=’Learn More’ button_link=’http://www.fairmont.com/lake-louise/special-offers/hotel-offers/promotions/7nightpackage/’]
[callout title=’Ski & Save’ text=’adult lift tickets OR $100 daily resort credit’ button_text=’Learn More’ button_link=’http://www.fairmont.com/lake-louise/special-offers/hotel-offers/ski/ski-save/’]
[callout title=’Ski More & Save More’ text=’includes the above PLUS complimentary breakfast for two each morning when staying three nights or more’ button_text=’Learn More’ button_link=’http://www.fairmont.com/lake-louise/special-offers/hotel-offers/ski/ski-save/’]
[callout title=’Winter Wonderland package’ text=’includes unlimited equipment rentals and a guided half day excursion with an Interpretive Guides’ button_text=’Learn More’ button_link=’http://www.fairmont.com/lake-louise/special-offers/hotel-offers/discovery/winter-wonderland/’]

The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise is located a scenic two-hour drive from the Calgary International Airport in the heart of the Canadian Rocky Mountains. For information on the hotel, its luxury, and its location, see www.fairmont.com/lake-louise

This winter, think spring! See you on snowy Lake Louise at Spring Break. www.fairmont.com/springbreak