Going to Banff, LL, and Jasper in June and wanting to stay at the Fairmont properties. Struggling with which rooms to choose, which views. I can afford more than the deluxe rooms but certainly not the highest priced. Does anyone have exact room #'s on any of the 3 properties? Thanks!!

I recently stayed in room 676 (the main lodge....not in a cabin)at the Jasper Park Lodge and room 913 at the Banff Springs and was very happy with both rooms. You can e-mail me at [email protected] if you want more details.

jmilam: Do you know of any way to get good discounts at those Fairmont properties? I was hoping to get a lakeside deluxe (Louise) for our visit in early Sept-- but rates I've been quoted are around $750 (without meals). I've tentatively booked a lakeside king non-deluxe, at a little over $500, senior rate-- but I have the feeling we'll not be very pleased in that "standard" size room.
Good luck in finding the category you desire. I remember hearing that the "gold" level rooms are very good.

We stayed in room 735 in the Banff Springs last Sept. It's a corner room with windows looking 2 ways over the valley - fantastic view, and large room. It is categorized as a king deluxe view room. However, other rooms in that category may have just one view out over the valley - still beautiful.

At the JPL I would ask for a room on the outskirts - one that faces the river rather than the lake. The way the property is set up means that the lake view rooms also have a lot of pedestrian traffic and therefore are less private. I stayed in a river-view room last time and there was no pedestrian traffic because there was no reason for anyone to walk over there unless they had a room there. The rooms are less expensive too.

Don't know of any discounts for Fairmont besides the usual travel websites.

Murphey: I called Fairmont and was told that JPL has no river on the property? Just Lake? Now I'm confused.

Sorry. I guess I should have explained myself better. It is true there is no river on the property, but you have to cross a river to get to the property (as soon as you get over the bridge take a right and you are driving onto the property). The rooms I was talking about face away from the lake and towards the river. I should not have dscribed them as "river-view" because that is not technically true. We could HEAR the river but did not see it from our room. You will not actually get water views, but you will get more privacy and since the lake can be viewed by taking a few stops away from the room, we thought we were better off with the privacy than with the view. Just ask for a room on the outskirts of the property on the river side. They should know what you mean.

Hope this helps and sorry for the confusion.

We have booked Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise and got super rates with flight, room, and rental car via the on line sites such as hotwire, priceline, expedia, etc.

Murphey: Thanks so much!

gg3: Thanks very much to you also. It may just be our age, viz. "grew up" not using anything like those on-line companies, so I've always been afraid of them. Too bad because we travel a good deal, and I know one can get great rates using those discounters. One of the main things that keeps me from using them is that they're totally non-refundable, all the $$ up front, yes? I'm always afraid that something will necessitate our having to make changes and then we'll be cooked. (Airfare we usually use frequent flyer miles for.)

jmilam - I understand how you feel about booking on line w/some of the agencies. Use to - we did everything via a travel agent, except book flights, as we use credit card miles for this. But I first decided to try the online companies to see rental car rates and they were soooo much lower, but they state "non-refundable. I called my credit card company and asked their policy on this charge, if we could not make the trip or use the car. They told me they (cc company) would refund the amt. pd. to the online company, then they (ccc) would negotiate with them to ret. our money since a car wasn't rented. I asked the credit card co. if they always win on this issue and they said they do. So I felt secure doing this. Just check out the policies with each source because they differ on refunds. My brother & his wife are taking hubby and I on this Canadian trip because I gave him a kidney and he is giving us a trip. Pretty cool, huh ??? But he booked it entirely on line and the rates for 3 nights at Fairmont C. Lake Louise, rental car, and plane fare from Texas to Calgary was less than $1,000 pp. US. If you book a trip to be taken after Labor Day, the rates really go down a lot. Brother took out insurance which was quite reasonable on the trip for the 4 of us. We, like you grew up not having computers, so this is so new to us, but heh, if it means saving a bundle, then I am going to learn all I can bout it. Good Luck, gg

Hidee Poss...just returned from the JPL and stayed in a Lakeview Suite #540. We were the very last group of Condo's...our patio faced the lake/our front door faced the golf course...very private area...loved it! If you contact JPL, they can fax or email you a map of their property which shows the location of the units. Other than the cabins where Queen Elizabeth stayed, I would think we had the best choice. Our room had a living room with pull out sofa/fireplace/bedroom with 2 queen beds/and a small bar area with fridge/coffee maker/large bath with jacuzzi tub....We were within a 5 minute stroll to the main lodge...wish i was going back TODAY!!!!!

Visormom: Thanks so much for responding here and thanks, too, for your other post, which of course I've been reading. Your room at JPL sounds wonderful-- but won't do for us since we need a king bed (real restless sleepers). We've booked a lakeview junior suite, and size-wise I think that'll be fine (it has a king). I just hope it'll have the privacy we're hoping for. Thanks for the suggestion to request a map of the property; I'll do that. (Do you happen to remember the junior suites? Are they in a nice quiet location as far as you could tell?)
I'm so glad you had good weather for your trip. Despite what many folks seem to say, I believe that really does make a difference. We're hoping for the same in our early-mid Sept vacation.
Happy continued travels!

Rather than staying at the Banff Springs, might I suggest that you look into the Rimrock Resort instead. In my experience, while I love the Springs and suggest to everyone that they visit it (and stay for Sunday Brunch if you're in Banff on the weekend), I've found the accommodations and views at the Rimrock to be far superior to the Springs.

Have you searched the Fairmont website for deals? Under each propery they have a "packages" list which often offer very good value. The B&B rate is almost always only an additional $20 which is very good value considering the breakfast you get. They also sometimes have a "package" that includes a stay in each of the mountain hotels along with activities and meals. Depending on your budget, it is good value.

I have stayed at in various rooms and suites at both the Banff Springs and the JPL, but never at LL.

In general, I find the best rooms to be the Jr. Suites. In the Banff Springs the Jr. Suites are tucked in slope of the roof. They have much more character than the full suites which are big, but just two connected rooms, one with a couch instead of a bed. You do not want a "fairmont" room at the Banff Springs. You'll be happy with anything delux or higher.

At the JPL, again, you will be happy with anything Delux or higher. Again, the Jr.Suites are the best. I prefer the Jr.Suites with Jacuzzi tub (not for the tub), these are the one at the back row of the property - not facing the lake. They are in one of the few remaining old buildings and are true suites, just small, complete with fireplace.

I agree with Terrence about the Rimrock. We wanted a spectacular view and wouldn't have settled for less. We were lucky to get a corner room with two windows, and it is a lot less money than LL.