CanuckFlyHigh

Thanks.

So if I am staying one night on the F+F rate of $229, and one night on my free night certificate (two nights total), and planning on spending approximately $500 on F+B, do you think they will let me use $600 worth of cert's, or just $300?

Ancien Maestro

No risk in trying.. You can always return the remaining certificates to Costco for a full refund. When I purchased 20 certificates, and BSH only allowed me to burn 18 (6 nights x 3 certificates allowed), I returned 2 certificates no hassle back to Costco. Plus, there is the 10% off coupon for food in each of the certificate packages, so that's savings within savings.

Costco has a full refund, no hassle policy.

kokinos

Only 20?????

"Savings within savings" AMaetro I love this phrase, it defines a diehard flyertalker

Ancien Maestro

The Thai food is call your name.

Is the FT Do going again at the Springs Canada Day long weekend this year? Maybe we'll gather a few others and tee it up for early Spring. Thanks for organizing in the past.^

niehaubs

New to the Fairmont in general, but I am looking at this place for 2 nights in early September. There seems to be plenty of rooms available so I have some time. But I am thinking, book 2 nights, get the Chase card, apply the 2 free night certs in a few months when I get them, then upgrade with my upgrade.

It looks like I have to book a "Fairmont" room, not a deluxe, correct? Which means I need the dbl/dbl mountain view (based on availability). What would the room upgrade get me to? and what would the suite upgrade get me to? I need 2 beds.

Also, that is a completely legit plan, right, I can book on a card, change to the free nights, then apply upgrades?

And lastly, reading this thread and the Lake Louise thread has led me to choose Banff. Would anyone recommend the other place instead for this stay? It seems like a day trip to Lake Louise is an ok way to see the area there. Anyway, thanks for your input. I have never stayed at any Fairmont, so this should be fun. I've also never been to Canada even though I can drive to Windsor in 5 hours or less.

Jasper2009

You seem to have done your homework. Yes, that should work perfectly well.

- yes, you need to book a Fairmont room if you want to use free night certs
- when using a room upgrade cert, you´ll be upgraded to the next room category (one-category upgrade), though it´s possible the hotel may upgrade you from a Fairmont Mountain View room to a Deluxe Mountain View room (instead of a regular Deluxe room, but no guarantees)
- suite upgrades vary, but the hotel is quite generous most of the time. Most people seem to get either a Junior Suite or a One-Bedroom Suite
-the main reason to stay at LL would be to avoid the crowds (i.e. walk around early morning + evening before/after the thousands of tourists are there), otherwise most people indeed seem to prefer the Banff Springs. You could always visit both properties...

nmenaker

I really prefer the Banff Springs, and usually drive up to lake louise for a day trip, hiking, etc. There isn't much to DO at LL (other than the outdoors) the spa at Banff Springs is epic. Last time we were there (okay two times ago, last time I got sick and it was a totally wasted trip! :-( Last time, we headed up to LL early in the morning and had a nice breakfast there (used our bfast certs) and then hiked in the snow up the lake and to the falls for about 3.5 hours. Then came back, had some cocoa and drove back to the springs and then had fondue in town (many more restaurants in BS)

Our last stay at Banff, as a premier they put us in one of the spa suites, which is a one bedroom with a big living room and dining room and outdoor patio. It was awesome, except I was sick, but was very thankful to have such a nice room since we basically spent ALL the time in there.

Ancien Maestro

Sorry to hear that you were sick. Did you stay in the spa suite post renovations? It was certainly nice prior to renovations.

Hopefully the fresh mountain air, which is quite dry helped with your recovery

Maykita

Just to follow up on this, because I am trying to do the same thing: is it correct that I can book ANY room that is marked as a Fairmont room, including Fairmont Mountain View King, and then apply the free cert to that once I receive it? In other words, I do not need to book the cheapest Fairmont room they have in order to be able to later apply the certs, and there would be no extra charge for picking a better Fairmont room? I would also be grateful for any info about what you could likely get upgraded to at the Jasper Park lodge using this same method. Many thanks!

Ancien Maestro

You may only book into the designated Fairmont base category for the property. Utilizing room upgrade would give you a preferred view (valley view) subject to availability at time of booking.

niehaubs

Thanks for the speedy replies, all. I am going to be in the area for the Canmore half marathon, which starts late enough that staying here will not make me be awake at 4 AM to drive to the start Plus it seems like a much better place to visit and explore. I am more of a photography, nature person than a city person (not trying to discount all the excellent things Calgary sure has to offer).

I have a friend from NY is joining me. I'm coming from Cincinnati. I am already stoked and looking forward to it. I will be applying for the Chase Fairmont card by the end of this month.

All Fairmont rooms are showing CAD 600 or so for the dates I am looking so regardless of upgrade, the free night certs will be netting me some super value.

Maykita

Ok, thanks. So any Fairmont room bed configuration is okay for the certs, but it needs to just say Fairmont King (for example) not Fairmont Mountain View King? Thanks for all the help. I don't have the certs yet so I am trying to make sure I reserve a room they can be applied against.

Ancien Maestro

Any bed configuration if available at time of booking, on the designated base room category.

You may also apply room upgrade and suite upgrade certs on top of this as well.. if you choose to use any Premier or Platinum room/suite upgrade certificates.

Jasper2009

I´m not convinced there is a clear-cut answer. The T&C say "Fairmont room (excludes Deluxe room etc.)". IMO you *should* be able to book any Fairmont room regardless of the bed configuration or view as long as it´s in the Fairmont room category - this certainly has been my experience. However, the hotel could probably argue otherwise, so if you want to play it 100% safe, I´d too book the cheapest Fairmont room category.

IME properties are not consistent when it comes to defining "room category". Let´s assume a hotel offers: Fairmont room, Fairmont View room, Deluxe room, Deluxe View room etc.

I´ve encountered hotels that:
a) permitted upgrades from any Fairmont room to any Deluxe room
b) treated these as four different categories (e.g. upgrade from Fairmont room to Fairmont View room only)
c) permitted upgrades from Fairmont -> Deluxe, but only with the same view you originally booked (i.e. Fairmont room -> Deluxe room and Fairmont View room -> Deluxe View room)
d) provided a choice between a better view and a higher room category (i.e. Fairmont room -> Fairmont View room or Deluxe room, but not Deluxe View room)

And then here´s the one time I was told that I could only upgrade from a Fairmont Queen room to a Fairmont King room since "those are two different room categories", but let´s ignore that.

Long story short: There´s no definite answer IMO.


room upgrade cert: next category
suite upgrade cert: usually Junior Suite; if you stay there regularly and/or have Plat status and depending on season you may get a better upgrade, but they are not as generous as they used to be

Maykita

Thanks VERY much for all the comments and help. I just made an online reservation for a Fairmont room as if it would be an ordinary paid reservation. Is that the right approach? Then when the certificates post do I call in to get them applied to the existing reservation? I want to do all the steps right since I am trying to go in high season (August).