Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel and Our Family Vacation #writerslife

​As my children have grown we’ve moved away from the more traditional family holidays and instead have concentrated on short weekends away.
 
This summer as a special treat we decided to stay in the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel. No, we’re not rich, but as residents of Alberta we were given a special rate that made a three night stay within out grasp, and I have to say, it was worth every penny.
 
I’m getting ahead of myself here. We live in Northern Alberta near Edmonton and Banff is a mere five-hour drive from our home. No problem, we have a well-maintained car we should have made it without incident. About an hour away from our destination our Volvo started to shudder. We managed to make it to the town of Canmore before it broke down completely. We were twenty minutes from our destination.
What could we do? My husband being the smart man he is (That’s why I married him.) called us a cab. I swear, with no word of exaggeration, the cab arrived within a minute as if it were waiting in the wings for our call.
We had the car towed to a dealership in Calgary and we proceeded to Banff. 

The view from our hotel room

Sunrise from one of the many hotel patios

You would have thought that being stuck in a hotel without a car would have ruined our little holiday, but surprisingly the opposite happened. We walked everywhere and as we walked we chatted, joked, laughed and complained. In short, we connected. We didn’t do any of the things that we planned instead we took in the sights around Banff town and explored the Banff Springs Hotel otherwise known as The Castle.
 
Here’s a blurb from the hotel website:
 
“Few hotels in the world can rival the majesty, hospitality and scenery of the Fairmont Banff Springs. Its unique blend of opulence and seclusion has been a symbol of Rocky Mountain magnificence for more than a century. Styled after a Scottish baronial castle, the Fairmont Banff Springs offers stunning vistas, championship golf courses, unparalleled skiing, classic cuisine and Willow Stream, a world class European-style spa. Experience timeless beauty and luxurious comfort in a pristine wilderness.”
 

The castle before dawn

A room with a medieval flavor

The hotel staff were helpful, courteous and amazing. Visitors are welcome to walk around and explore every inch of the castle. Not once were we told to leave a location.
Here are some of the amenities that I encountered:

• I counted 9 restaurants  - there could be more
• 4 ballrooms – once again these are just the ones I explored.
• A bowling alley
• Ping Pong Tables
• Pool Tables
• A small shopping mall
• A world-class golf course.
• Magnificent grounds with trails leading to the nearby Bow Falls
• A fitness center with yoga classes included
• A spa
• 2 swimming pools – one indoor and one outdoor
• A coffee shop
• And my favorite  - patios with magnificent views

The Bow Falls

One of the many restaurants at the castle

Despite the inconvenience of a car breakdown and a hefty repair bill, the Fairmount Banff Springs Hotel provided us with an escape from reality. For a few short days we were surrounded by panoramic rocky mountain views, enjoyed the old world ambiance of the hotel and were treated like royalty. That is something I could get used to :)

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An elk having dinner. It’s not unusual to see wild animals grazing in Banff Town.

Snow capped mountains on the day of our departure.

Here are a few facts courtesy of www.banff.com
 

• The Town of Banff has an elevation of 4,537 feet (1,383 metres) making it the highest town in Canada
• Banff National Park was established in 1885 as Canada’s first National Park (third in the world) and was the birth of Canada’s vast national parks system
• Banff National Park covers 6,641 square kilometres (2,564 miles)
• Banff National Park is open all year round
• Banff National Park’s peak season is July and August
• Banff National Park has in excess of 2,468 campsites
• The Town of Banff has a population of 7,500
• Banff National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a United nations designation which helps protect over 20,000 square kilometres (7,700 square miles) of the Canadian Rockies