Need your help! Planning trip to Canadian Rockies

[Robinette]

Betty X ~ You did a very nice report on the Banff Springs. We will visit there but not stay. The best price I could find was $449/night (CAN).

What about the Buffalo Mountain Lodge? Anyone have experience with this place? I'm thinking about staying there for the first 3 nights. They are $234/night (USD) for a premier room.

I booked our airfare this morning!! We are going to fly Frontier Airlines. They were $396 round trip and they had the flight times we wanted.

I am having a great time planning this trip. Thanks for all your help. At first it was hard because it wasn't Disney World that we were going to (I'm just in love with that place! But researching and looking at all the beautiful pictures of Canada has made me look forward to this vacation. I think it's going to be a very romantic place to celebrate our anniversary...15 years!

 

[MazdaUK]

We're going to Vancouver in August and I found (DIS-ers excepted, of course! ) Tripadvisor very helpful, particularly with choosing hotels and answering questions. I was originally planning on spending a couple of nights at the Kicking Horse cabins (or something) which included a white water safari - til I found out the it was over 600 miles from Vancouver! (Not good with kids who get travel sick).

 

[disney funseeker]

Robinette, we have stayed at the Buffalo Mountain Lodge. You will love it.

The rooms are very nice, service very good. Main Lodge has excellent dining.
We've only stayed there once but have had drinks and/or dinner there several times. The dining is known for the variety of game you could try. I'll check and see what info I still have about the menu and about the lodge itself.

Oh, I think I have a pic of the girls and I having a drink on the patio. will post again once I find everything

I found some info and here's a pic. can't really see much, but don't we look happy to be there?
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c369/disneyfunseeker/buffalomtnlodge.jpg

The menu:
main courses from $22 to $35

example: Rocky Mountain game platter serves 2
smoked dried buffalo, venison ham, pepper duck breast, game pate,
elk salami, mustard melons and cranberry relish.

or maybe some fish
roasted wild salmon, rhubarb maple compote, citrus couscous.

or something more "normal"
beef tenderloin, seared king scallop, herb garlic mignonette, roasted
fingerling potatoes.

Anyway, I think a good choice, nice surroundings, away from downtown, yet close. Did I mention, watching elk one time just outside our window while dining?

 

[ACDNGUY]

Please let me offer my insight. I lived in Banff for 6 years and continued to work in Banff fro another year after leaving, I now live in Calgary.

First of all September is still an incredibly high traffic month (usually) and therefore prices are still going to be high. Be prepared for all weather, it can snow any month of the year in Banff, but the likelyhood gets even better in September, with that said it can also be 80 F. If you are going to go up the Ice Fields Parkway towards the Columbia Icefields and Jasper be very ready for etreme changes in weather. This is probably one of the best drives you could ever take, a few places along the way to visit would definietly be Bow Lake and Num-Ti-Jah lodge (Stop and have some Lunch) Peyto Lake (you look down on the lake that is so amazing in Color, it looks like a bear skin rug by shape thrown out on the forest floor) and definately the columbia Icefields it is here will where you will truly witness the effects of global warming, but also take part in an absolutley amazing experience. I will leave the recommendations for Jasper up to the person that lived and worked their.

In Banff, I would say that there are 3 very high end hotels, those being the Banff Springs, the Rimrock Resort Hotel and Buffalo Mountain Lodge, With the Banff Springs and Rimrock tied for the top followed by Buffalo Mountain Lodge. Although the Banff Springs is known around the world keep in mind that this is a historical Hotel built before the turn of the Century. The average guest room size is extremely small usually quoted in reviews as closets tha can start as high as $700 CDN per night in High season ( you can get deals to bring the price down) The rest of the hotel is incredible, with a lot of tourists. I have been there when other tourists not staying at the hotel will basically follow you to your room to try and have a look inside. Amazing Restaurants espescially the Banffshire Club 1 of only 5 five diamond Restaurants in Canada.
On the Other hand there is the Rimrock Resort Hotel, a newre hotel approximately 13 years old. It is built into the side fo the mountain directly across the street from the Upper Hot Springs and the Gondola. From the Road the Hotel appears to be only 2 stories high, but when you enter the lobby you are actuall on the 7th floor of the hotel as the hotel is literally bolted into the side of the mountain. The rooms inside the Rimrock are much more spacious and the prices are far fairer as you are not paying for the name, however if the hotel is close to sold out you can expect prices starting at around $400 CDN per night. The Rimrock does not have the amount of restaurant options as the Banff Springs but they are also home to Eden Dining Room another 5 diamond Restaurant. (It is amazing that there are only 5 five diamond restaurants in Canada and 2 of them are in such a small town).
The Buffalo Mountain Lodge is on the Extreme other end of town from the other 2 hoteld, but nowhere near downtown (in banff Distances, so still only a 2 minute drive) It is a very nice property where by most of the rooms you enter from the outside. It is more of what one would imagine a mountain lodge to be. It is also a sister property to Emerald lake Lodge in Field and Deer Lodge in Lake Louise. As for Lake Lousie I would stay in the Chateau if you can get a lake view room as it is amazing, and you don't face the other tourists following you to your room problem as its sister property the Banff Springs does as they do not allow non registered guests beyond certain points (A very funny Story about why this is and if you decide to stay here let me know and I will tell you the story) If you don't Stay at the Chateau there are a couple of option. Please do not stay at previously mentioned Deer Lodge as it is nowhere near the quality of Buffalo or Emerald Lake Lodge. Emerald lake Lodge is very nice, very remote. The units do not have TV's so it does allow for some great relaxation and the food is very good. Service levels are very unpredictable due to the isolated nature of the lodge and thus getting good employees. In Lkae Louise there is also the Post Hotel wich is amazing and I would check that out if I was you.
As for activities I could go on and on and on, however without knowing your interests I will leave that one alone right now. But if you have any questions or want any suggestions let me know. I know that someone recommended Canmore and yes you will be able to get a hotel there for a huge discount comared to Banff, but as a first visit I would not recommend it, there is something very unique to Banff, so please experience it and enjoy it and there is no way you will be able to find accomodations that can compete with even the mid level properties of Banff in Canmore.

 

[Robinette]

ACDNGUY ~ thanks so much for all the information. I have decided that we will stay at the Buffalo Mountain Lodge for a few days while in Banff. Would I need to change hotels to tour Lake Louise? I know that Jasper is pretty far from Banff so I thought we would switch hotels when we go there.

Moraine Lake Lodge looks great also.


As for activities we want to try white water rafting, hiking, plan on spending lots of time taking pictures, exploring different towns and eating a great food. My husband and I run often so we're hopping to get some early morning runs in but I am worry about the wildlife.

 

[disney funseeker]

Robinette, the distance from Banff to Lake Louise is 55km (35 miles), not far.
The distance from Lake Louise to Jasper is 226km (143 miles).

But as mentioned before, it will take you several hours because of the many beautiful sights and stops you will make along the way.

Just a suggestion, but if you want to continue traveling north towards Jasper after Lake Louise, why don't you stay one less day at Buffalo Mtn. Lodge and stay at the Chateau Lake Louise. Chateau lake louise is having a deal called "only 1-way summer" It might still be available in early Sept. It will probably still be more expensive than Buff. Mtn. Lodge but not by much, as I know that the summer rate at BML is quite high.

 

[Robinette]

Hi all

Hopefully everyone is having a great summer. Our trip to Canadian Rockies is getting close, 8 weeks away! I have the last 3 nights left to book. The reservations right now are this...

Buffalo Mountain Lodge for the first 2 nights. We will explore Banff and fill up the 2 days there hiking, shopping, the Gondola and whatever else we can find to do.

Then we are going to Yoho National Park and staying at Cathedral Mountain Lodge for 2 nights. I am very excited about staying here. Looks beautiful and peaceful. Here we plan on whitewater rafting, more hiking and sightseeing.

After Yoho, we are going to take the Icefields Parkway up to Jasper. This is where I need help, I don't know where to stay here. We will have 3 days left. Would it be too risky to just find a place when we arrive? Again our dates are 9/7 through 9/14.

So far I have these places in mind... Beckers Chalets, Alpine Village, Pocahontas Cabins Resort. Also, we are thinking we might spend our last full day in Calgary since our flight leaves very early in the morning. What do you all think?

TIA!

 

[bev r.]

Just one comment about the Pocahontas resort. It is located just inside the east park entrance, which is about a 25 minute drive to the town of Jasper. Depending upon how much time you want to spend in and around the town, you might want to factor in the extra driving time between the two spots. That said, the resort is closer to the hot springs, and there are a few hiking spots in the area.

 

[disney funseeker]

Try becker chalets. I wanted to stay there this summer but they were already booked up for the summer in April.

trip advisor has good reviews.

I would book ahead. I am staying at the Sawridge in Jasper at the end of the month. could give you a review when I return.

 

[chasbos]

MazdaUK - we just returned from a wonderful week out west. We started in Vancouver and ended up in Calgary for the stampede.

Your post caught my eye as we did stay at the Kicking Horse Chalets (very nice) and went White Water Rafting! We stayed 1 night in Kamloops and then stayed at the Chalets for 2 nights - we are a family of 6 and there was plenty of room!

The white water rafting was sure a highlight.

We sure took a lot in in 1 week (it is actually not long enough!)

For the OP - have a wonderful trip, we sure did.