The Fairmont Banff Springs
Aug 15, 2012, 6:11 am
#241
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: YYZ
Posts: 622
I think Banff in April would be nice since you'll be able to beat the crowds... it might be a bit chilly though for outdoor activities, but any time of the year is beautiful.
If you have a choice, go in the summer though...
We stayed recently for 3 nights and applied the following certificates:
- 3 x free night stays certificates
- 1 x suite upgrade (got a 1-bedroom suite in the Stanley Thompson Wing)
- 1 x golf lesson
- 1 x 45 min. Willow Stream Spa pedicure
- 1 x Locally Authentic dinner (used as Castello to offset a $40 entree)
- $150 worth of credit applied to a Couples Massage at Willow Stream Spa (AMAZING - definitely worth going to this Spa... the RMT receipt was the full value post Platinum discount ($189 each))
Not a bad score for a prime-summer trip - essentially free!
PS: It's been over a week and they haven't redeemed the golf lesson, dinner, suite upgrade, or one of the free night certs - did we get lucky?!?!
Aug 15, 2012, 4:56 pm
#242
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: YYZ
Programs: Accor ALL Diamond, AC Aeroplan 25K, Nexus/GE
Posts: 2,732
Wow. That's quite a lot of value.
When I was there in June, we also used the spa, and I agree, it is a fabulous spa. I also had the 45 minute pedicure cert, and they agreed to let me apply the value of that treatment against a massage treatment instead.
We LOVED Castello. Everything we ordered there was just fabulous. I was surprised at how small it is, which I guess explains why reservations are so important. I think I reserved about 3 months in advance and still couldn't get my preferred seating time.
They were slow to redeem some of my certs. We stayed at the 3 Fairmonts in the Rockies on the trip. The CLL certs posted almost immediately. The redemptions at the Springs seemed to take a week or so. The dining certs posted quickly, but I think it took at least a week for the upgrade cert to post. It's at the JPL where after about 8 weeks my upgrade cert has yet to post.
When I was there in June, we also used the spa, and I agree, it is a fabulous spa. I also had the 45 minute pedicure cert, and they agreed to let me apply the value of that treatment against a massage treatment instead.
We LOVED Castello. Everything we ordered there was just fabulous. I was surprised at how small it is, which I guess explains why reservations are so important. I think I reserved about 3 months in advance and still couldn't get my preferred seating time.
They were slow to redeem some of my certs. We stayed at the 3 Fairmonts in the Rockies on the trip. The CLL certs posted almost immediately. The redemptions at the Springs seemed to take a week or so. The dining certs posted quickly, but I think it took at least a week for the upgrade cert to post. It's at the JPL where after about 8 weeks my upgrade cert has yet to post.
Aug 23, 2012, 10:20 am
#243
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: YYZ
Posts: 622
Wow. That's quite a lot of value.
When I was there in June, we also used the spa, and I agree, it is a fabulous spa. I also had the 45 minute pedicure cert, and they agreed to let me apply the value of that treatment against a massage treatment instead.
We LOVED Castello. Everything we ordered there was just fabulous. I was surprised at how small it is, which I guess explains why reservations are so important. I think I reserved about 3 months in advance and still couldn't get my preferred seating time.
They were slow to redeem some of my certs. We stayed at the 3 Fairmonts in the Rockies on the trip. The CLL certs posted almost immediately. The redemptions at the Springs seemed to take a week or so. The dining certs posted quickly, but I think it took at least a week for the upgrade cert to post. It's at the JPL where after about 8 weeks my upgrade cert has yet to post.
When I was there in June, we also used the spa, and I agree, it is a fabulous spa. I also had the 45 minute pedicure cert, and they agreed to let me apply the value of that treatment against a massage treatment instead.
We LOVED Castello. Everything we ordered there was just fabulous. I was surprised at how small it is, which I guess explains why reservations are so important. I think I reserved about 3 months in advance and still couldn't get my preferred seating time.
They were slow to redeem some of my certs. We stayed at the 3 Fairmonts in the Rockies on the trip. The CLL certs posted almost immediately. The redemptions at the Springs seemed to take a week or so. The dining certs posted quickly, but I think it took at least a week for the upgrade cert to post. It's at the JPL where after about 8 weeks my upgrade cert has yet to post.
Castello was AMAZING - every dish was delicious... I too was surprised at how small it was - and less formal than I expected. There were a lot of kids, and it's upscale casual - I expected more guys in suits / blazers.
Aug 31, 2012, 8:49 am
#244
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Charleston, SC, USA
Programs: Avis Pref+, Hyatt Explorist, Marriott Life Gold, Honors Silver, IHG Plat via MC.
Posts: 6,786
When I used a $25 breakfast coupon at Fairmont Vancouver (old-school hotel,) they accepted it @ C$25. A few days later at Banff, they enforced the US$25 rule & applied a -7% exchange rate just like US currency, when mid-market was -1%!
Oct 22, 2012, 8:17 am
#245
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 9,740
The Escape to Willow Stream Spa package isn't quite what it used to be.
Not only has the "base" price increased (the same time last year the package was $449; now it is in the $529 range), but the included massages/"treatments" are only comped up to $179.
It used to be that there were around 10 or so massage options that you could choose from as part of the spa package, ranging from the basic relaxation massage ($179 list price) to a mountain stone massage ($199 list price).
Now, apparently, you can chose any massage (although this point is not entirely clear), but when you book your appointment, you are bruskly told that the package only gets you a massage worth $179 and if you want something that costs more than that, you are responsible for the price difference (although, if you are a presidents club member, you do get 10% off the difference).
How many massages are offered at $179? I counted around 4.
Suffice it to say that this strikes me as a bit of a devaluation in the spa package.
--
As an aside, be sure to look at your check-out bills closely! The hotel repeatedly tacks on a $10 per-day self-parking charge on my bill, which (i) isn't even the right amount for self parking; and (ii) in any event, is totally baseless, since I book packages that include self-parking as part of the rate. One time mistakes I can understand, but given the number of times that this has occurred, I can't help but think that it is a new way that the hotel hopes to raise some revenue.
Also, a $25 dining certificate on Saturday was exchanged and treated as $23 CDN. This when the CDN:USD was around 1.0057. Meanwhile, at Lake Louise a few weeks ago (and when the USD was a good bit weaker), the certificate was accepted at par.
Quite frankly, the nickle, diming, and devaluating at BSH is getting a bit aggravating. I feel that my dollar goes a lot further (and is appreciated a great deal more) at Lake Louise---and particularly while on their Gold Floor.
Not only has the "base" price increased (the same time last year the package was $449; now it is in the $529 range), but the included massages/"treatments" are only comped up to $179.
It used to be that there were around 10 or so massage options that you could choose from as part of the spa package, ranging from the basic relaxation massage ($179 list price) to a mountain stone massage ($199 list price).
Now, apparently, you can chose any massage (although this point is not entirely clear), but when you book your appointment, you are bruskly told that the package only gets you a massage worth $179 and if you want something that costs more than that, you are responsible for the price difference (although, if you are a presidents club member, you do get 10% off the difference).
How many massages are offered at $179? I counted around 4.
Suffice it to say that this strikes me as a bit of a devaluation in the spa package.
--
As an aside, be sure to look at your check-out bills closely! The hotel repeatedly tacks on a $10 per-day self-parking charge on my bill, which (i) isn't even the right amount for self parking; and (ii) in any event, is totally baseless, since I book packages that include self-parking as part of the rate. One time mistakes I can understand, but given the number of times that this has occurred, I can't help but think that it is a new way that the hotel hopes to raise some revenue.
Also, a $25 dining certificate on Saturday was exchanged and treated as $23 CDN. This when the CDN:USD was around 1.0057. Meanwhile, at Lake Louise a few weeks ago (and when the USD was a good bit weaker), the certificate was accepted at par.
Quite frankly, the nickle, diming, and devaluating at BSH is getting a bit aggravating. I feel that my dollar goes a lot further (and is appreciated a great deal more) at Lake Louise---and particularly while on their Gold Floor.
Oct 22, 2012, 9:12 am
#247
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 9,740
ETA: A quick dummy booking on their website indicates that the fee is $12 per room per day.
Also, not that it really matters, but the way they treated the 5% GST was rather odd: one line was for the room GST, another line was for the package GST. I think that it all added up the same (although it totalled more than what the "total room rate" was shown on the booking confirmation), but that was the first time I've seen that, as I recall.
Oct 22, 2012, 1:12 pm
#248
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: YYC
Programs: Aeroplan E50K, Marriott Titanium/Lifetime Platinum, Accor Diamond
Posts: 274
The Escape to Willow Stream Spa package isn't quite what it used to be.
Not only has the "base" price increased (the same time last year the package was $449; now it is in the $529 range), but the included massages/"treatments" are only comped up to $179.
It used to be that there were around 10 or so massage options that you could choose from as part of the spa package, ranging from the basic relaxation massage ($179 list price) to a mountain stone massage ($199 list price).
Now, apparently, you can chose any massage (although this point is not entirely clear), but when you book your appointment, you are bruskly told that the package only gets you a massage worth $179 and if you want something that costs more than that, you are responsible for the price difference (although, if you are a presidents club member, you do get 10% off the difference).
How many massages are offered at $179? I counted around 4.
Suffice it to say that this strikes me as a bit of a devaluation in the spa package.
Not only has the "base" price increased (the same time last year the package was $449; now it is in the $529 range), but the included massages/"treatments" are only comped up to $179.
It used to be that there were around 10 or so massage options that you could choose from as part of the spa package, ranging from the basic relaxation massage ($179 list price) to a mountain stone massage ($199 list price).
Now, apparently, you can chose any massage (although this point is not entirely clear), but when you book your appointment, you are bruskly told that the package only gets you a massage worth $179 and if you want something that costs more than that, you are responsible for the price difference (although, if you are a presidents club member, you do get 10% off the difference).
How many massages are offered at $179? I counted around 4.
Suffice it to say that this strikes me as a bit of a devaluation in the spa package.
Oct 27, 2012, 9:20 am
#250
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Programs: Hyatt Diamond, Fairmont Platinum, Aeroplan Diamond, HHonors Gold, SPG Gold
Posts: 18,686
True, that the Escape to Willowstream package has seen a price increase. For a few years though, the price on the website was from $529, but when searching for rooms the best price Fairmont mountain view room with package sometimes appeared $449. Good to know that $469 is available, we're planning to revisit sometime in the first two months of the new year.
Nov 8, 2012, 4:35 pm
#251
Join Date: Nov 2012
Programs: FPC Platinum
Posts: 15
Gold floor at Fairmont Banff Springs
I was curious if anyone here has stayed on the gold floor at the Banff Springs. I just booked 5 days there in Dec. The only other gold floor I have stayed at is the one in Whistler. I was always impressed with the food that had on the gold floor in whistler for breakfast and apres ski etc. Any feedback would be appreciated.
Nov 8, 2012, 7:38 pm
#252
Join Date: Feb 2006
Programs: UGS, AA CK
Posts: 212
First off, love the username.
I stayed there a couple years ago on the gold floor. We liked it - great breakfast before the runs and nice spread in the afternoon after the lifts close before dinner. The gold floor also makes it feel like a much smaller hotel. Ask for a valley view room if you can get that - spectacular views.
If you like tougher terrain, I recommend making the trip into BC and going to kicking horse. Closest I've come to heli-skiing inbounds...
I stayed there a couple years ago on the gold floor. We liked it - great breakfast before the runs and nice spread in the afternoon after the lifts close before dinner. The gold floor also makes it feel like a much smaller hotel. Ask for a valley view room if you can get that - spectacular views.
If you like tougher terrain, I recommend making the trip into BC and going to kicking horse. Closest I've come to heli-skiing inbounds...
Nov 8, 2012, 7:50 pm
#253
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Canada
Programs: Star Alliance G*, Marriott Bonvoy Titanium,
Posts: 3,585
recommended reading
I heartily recommend the Gold Floor! It was definitely worth the extra $$. The highlight for me was the staff, an extraordinarily dedicated and knowledgeable group of young people!
Last edited by Jasper2009; Nov 8, 2012 at 8:42 pm Reason: threads merged
Nov 8, 2012, 10:12 pm
#254
Join Date: Nov 2012
Programs: FPC Platinum
Posts: 15
Thanks for the replies. I wish I could take the compliment on the user name, but sadly i have nothing to do with making the wine...only drinking it 
I like tougher terrain, but im taking my GF boarding and she is more a blue groomer type rider.
What is the lounge like. Is it a place you'd take a bottle of wine to and sit by the fire. Does it have great views?
Thanks for the advice on requesting a valley view.
I like tougher terrain, but im taking my GF boarding and she is more a blue groomer type rider.What is the lounge like. Is it a place you'd take a bottle of wine to and sit by the fire. Does it have great views?
Thanks for the advice on requesting a valley view.
Nov 8, 2012, 10:16 pm
#255
Join Date: Nov 2012
Programs: FPC Platinum
Posts: 15
BTW...what has your success been with using a room/suit upgrade on gold floors. I know fairmont says they are officially not allowed, but a couple times the gold floor has said if you request direct to the gold floor they will try to accommodate.