Fairmont President's Club - Fairmont's best Canadian ski resort?

Which of the following is Fairmont's best ski resort?

- Lake Louise
- Banff
- Whistler

Any comments on these properties would be appreciated.

Muerz

The priority might change if skiing were not your #1 activity:

1. Whistler has a purpose-built base village, and is clearly the most convenient for a ski vacation -- a great ski resort experience. The ski area is huge and very well laid out.

2. Lake Louise is in a drop-dead location but it's a 5-10 minute drive from Downhill skiing, while you can cross-country ski right out the door. It is a smallish, pretty much self-contained hotel, probably because it is so isolated (there is one other resort -- the Post Hotel -- about 5 minutes away, with one excellent restaurant to lend some variety). The skiing is over a huge expanse of mountains, with a more haphazard layout than Whistler because it evolved over a longer time, but it's also a LOT sunnier than Whistler. As long as you're driving, you'll probably drive a bit further once or twice to Sunshine (above treeline skiing). Neither the mountain nor the hotel is in anything you might call a village.

3. Banff is the most interesting hotel (history, facilities) in the most interesting village of the 3, but it is by far the least convenient to skiing. There are 3 mountains in the area, and the all-around best is Lake Louise, which is the furthest away.

If you do pick Lake Louise, you might spend a night or two at Banff, and use that as your base for Sunshine / Norquay, the other mountains in the area.

Very convenient thread for what I need... thanks for starting it. How would you rate the Chateau Whistler? Is it worth the extra $$ when compared to a week's stay at one of the lodges (ie. Crystal or Tantalus Lodge)?

While the Skiing is not as good in Jasper, AB, the Jasper Park Lodge is also a superb resort with a cabin type layout and very large outdoor pool which is toasty warm and particularily welcoming when its minus 20 and snowing!! There is also skating and cross country skiing at your door. Marmot Basin the downhill ski resort is 20 minutes away and there are shuttles - a new lift opened there this year. Service has always been first rate and prices are much more reasonable than Whistler. For superb first class skiing its Whistler for sure.

I can vouch for the Chateau Lake Louise as well - great views, particularily from the lakeside rooms. Have not stayed at the Banff Springs or at Chateau Whistler.