Originally Posted by
cwade0
I will be travelling to CLL for the first time on my honeymoon in July of this year. I am planning on booking using the CAA/AAA rate... We are on a budget (second marriage for both, paying for everything ourselves) and want to splurge...within reason.
We are looking at booking either a Deluxe Lakeview ($595 CAD/NIGHT) or a Fairmont Gold Lakeview (From $665 CAD/NIGHT). Both come with a $50 F&D credit with the AAA rate.
We honestly aren't planning on spending a wealth of time in the room... this hotel itself is a splurge for us as we are normally a very budget-conscientious couple. Which rate would you recommend? I feel like we would definitely be in the Gold lounge for breakfast, but is it truly worth the extra $70/night?
Only you can decide if the $70/night extra is worth it, since we all value things differently!
Personally, I would say it is. Even in food value alone. Consider that Lake Louise doesn't have a lot of places to eat outside of the hotel, and meals there can be expensive. You could very easily spend $30 for breakfast for two in the take-out deli on the main floor, or more than that in one of the full restaurants. Of course, breakfast for two can be had for less than $70, so I'd perhaps say, after factoring in the food value of the lounge breakfast, that $70 premium might now only be costing you $30 to $40/night.
The question then becomes, would you pay $35 more per night for a room that is finished nicer, and has a lounge you can relax in, and includes some free appetizers in the evening (which you could actually turn into a light meal if you wanted)? I probably would, if choosing between those two room options, but that's just me.
You can put your $50 F&B credit toward a nice splurge on dinner in the Fairview dining room or even afternoon tea. Both are great dining experiences.