I am currently with my family at the Fantasyland Hotel in Edmonton (Trip Report later), and we are thinking about going to the Lake Louise/Banff area.

Question 1: Which route is easiest to drive to this area (i.e. no cliffs on the sides of the road)? After looking at the map and asking a few locals, we have decided we will either take 2 south to 11 west to the icefield pkwy south to Lake Louise, OR we could take 2 south to Calgary then 1 west to the icefield pkwy into Lake Louise. Which is better?

Question 2: I have looked at the Fairmont s in both Banff and Lake Louise and found that there is no availibity at either of these. What are some other good hotels in the area?

Thanks in advance,
GC

There's a Relais and Chateau - Post Hotel - near Lake Louise that's nice.

Also the Canadian Pacific Hotels - Chateau Lake Louise and Banff Springs Hotel - are lovely.

If you want to consider some place else, I preferred Moraine Lake to Lake Louise. The Moraine Lake Lodge there is nice.

Good luck finding a place. I was there last year at this time and we had trouble getting hotels five months out. Hope for cancellations.

The Banff Springs Hotel is the Fairmount property as I recall and it is popular but I have also heard some mixed reviews recently anyway!

Rimrock Resort on Sulphur Mountain is super!

Similarly Chateau Lake Louise, the Fairmount property, despute the wonderful views is not quite as great as you might imagine, particularly when it gets overwhelmed in summer.

The Post Hotel, with fantastic food and wine would be my likely choice here! http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/smile.gif