Fairmont Banff Springs vs Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise [closed]

I'm planning to travel to the Canadian Rockies this summer. I called the hotels, but their answers were too officialese and diplomatic.

Courtney Brown writes that they're apart by just "a forty minute drive Northwest from Banff". Why did Fairmont build two hotels so close? I know that Lake Louise ("LL") overlooks the eponymous lake.
What are their differences?

Enjoy Banff says that for Banff Springs

Cons: While the guest rooms can be quite small, the property is HUGE.

and for LL

Cons: The location is slightly remote, and there is not a lot of “town” in Lake Louise compared to Banff. Once you are there, there isn’t too much besides the amazing outdoors nearby.

joan1 says

I would choose the Banff Springs ,, service is better

Jasper2009 says

the standard rooms at Lake Louse are tiny (abotu the size of a closet) and are nothing to get excited about, definitely not on par with the rest of the Fairmont hotels

anti_ice says

My vote is for the BSH. The hotel is waaay better IMHO and in a different league in terms of character and there is waaay more to do in Banff when you aren't hiking.

hotels banff

Best Answer

Fairmont built neither of those hotels. Both Banff Springs Hotel and Chateau Lake Louise were both originally built over a hundred years ago by the Canadian Pacific Railway company. Each of these hotels is notable enough to have their own Wikipedia article, and it would be worthwhile for you to read about the history of each one. They will both be very different from a modern newly-built Fairmont hotel.
The major difference is, clearly, the location. What sights or attractions would you like to be close to? It's up to you. Since both hotels are historic, each one will have their own ambience, quirks, and charms. Both are currently managed by Fairmont, which means you can expect a similar level of service between them.

The hotels will not be identical of course, and the level of service experienced by individual people who write reviews on the Internet will vary as much as for any other two things. Choose what you want to be close to. Since this is the 21st century (instead of the 19th, when travel was more difficult), it's quick enough to drive from one place to the other if you want to go do something else.

Pictures about "Fairmont Banff Springs vs Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise [closed]"

Fairmont Banff Springs vs Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise [closed] - Photo of Woman Standing Near the Lake

Fairmont Banff Springs vs Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise [closed] - Woman in Yellow Long Sleeve Shirt and Black Pants Standing on Rock Near Body of Water

Fairmont Banff Springs vs Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise [closed] - Brown Horse on Road

Whats better Banff Springs or Lake Louise?

If you put location aside, the Banff Springs hotel is a far superior hotel. Its also cheaper for most rooms, the restaurants and pool options are better, and the spa is better. The Lake Louise Chateau is huge, but awkward. If you get one of the few lake front views, you will be paying a huge fee for them...

Is Lake Louise the same as Banff?

To clear up what can be confusing, Banff National Park is a massive expanse of land and mountains that most people see only a dent of. Within the park are the village of Lake Louise, Lake Louise (the actual lake) and the town of Banff.

When did Fairmont buy Banff Springs?

In 2001, Canadian Pacific Hotels, the hotel division of Canadian Pacific Railway, was reorganized as Fairmont Hotels and Resorts, adopting the name from an American company it had purchased in 1999. The hotel's name was changed to the Fairmont Banff Springs as a part of this re-branding effort.

How far is Fairmont Banff to Lake Louise?

Yes, the driving distance between Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel to Lake Louise is 59 km. It takes approximately 46 min to drive from Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel to Lake Louise.

Inside the world-famous FAIRMONT BANFF SPRINGS HOTEL (Canada): impressions \u0026 review

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Images: Lisa Bourgeault, Andre Furtado, Andre Furtado, Nataliya Vaitkevich