Originally Posted by
Wilas
We enjoyed a couple nights at the CLL earlier this October. I won't post a detailed update of construction like CanadaDH, but from what I've been told, all room renovations are planned to be finished by April. They are currently working on rooms in the Barrot wing. Many of the non-lakeview suites have now been renovated.
The conservative completion date for the Thermal Wellness Facility is the "end of next summer" with a possibility for earlier completion. Here's the progress:
The external work should be completed soon and then the focus will shift indoors throughout the winter and spring.
I'm assuming they are scrambling to get the landscaping and pathing on top of the facility done before winter proper.
I would be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed about not being upgraded to a lakeview suite, but a renovated two-bedroom suite served us just fine. The renovation of this room was completed two months ago. If you have ever wondered what the two-bedroom non-lakeview suites looked like, here you go:
The Parlor felt a bit basement-like without any windows. However, I did actually find the new furniture more comfortable than the stuff in the two-bedroom lakeview suites. It is well-appointed.
The views from the bedrooms were not good (parking lot and service access at the rear of Barrot behind the main entrance), but you could still see mountains and greenery from the bed which is nice to wake up to.
The art style they have gone with is full of texture and reminds me of some of the pieces of art down in Louiza. It does feel a bit too overly coordinated in some spots, but is ultimately, quite nice.
One of the strengths of this property is a more personal touch from concierge staff, especially if you make an effort to utilize them and build a relationship. We received an awesome welcome amenity spread, received hand-written notes each day (one on check-in), and fresh flowers to replace the initial ones on day two (Mrs. Wilas really loved that).
There was more food in the tiered spread... we had been eating for a bit before I remembered to take a picture.
I found a fairly insane rate of $620 CAD a night for a one-bedroom suite, so we definitely got our money's worth out of this stay. We even got one of the window tables at the Walliser this time haha! This property is definitely my Wife and I's favourite hotel for good reason.
Thanks for reading.
Thanks for the update! I had not seen any photos of a two bedroom suite since the renovation. I like the furniture and design style. I see they've gone with freestanding bathtubs and done away with the tub decks. As much as I like the look of the freestanding tubs, I do like function of the older style with the deck, even if it's just for a place to set your drink while sitting in the tub! Although, it looks like they've added an ottoman to the bathroom, so perhaps that would serve the same purpose.
You said you booked a 1 bedroom suite, and the upgraded you to the 2 bedroom? Perhaps that's because the room renovations fell behind. I think there are two non-lakeview one-bedroom suites on each floor, both in the Barrott wing, one in the completed side of the elevator bank and one on the non-completed side. If half of their one-bedroom suites are not complete yet, could certainly increase the odds of an upgrade.
That seems to be quite good progress on the Thermal Wellness Centre, to already have hardscaping on the building roof. I guess even if the spa isn't open until late summer, they want use of the terrace for wedding receptions and events in the Victoria ballroom as soon as the snow melts in the spring. I'm not holding my breath, but I'm at least hoping it will be open for my mid-July trip next year. It might be close! I have suite 703 booked for this winter, so I'll get some good progress photos from directly above the facility then.