A Room with a spectacular VIEW!

There are so many wonderful places to stay once you get to Jasper even if you're on a tight budget.  There are motels, hotels, B&B's, campgrounds, lodges, resorts, chalets and cabins that will take care of all your needs.  In fact, there are over 100 places to stay including private accomodations. I've stayed at a number of places that have all been excellent, very welcoming and very memorable. One of my favorite places to stay though is the Jasper Park Lodge. After returning to Edmonton back in 1987, I needed to getaway for a weekend, so my husband and I spoiled ourselves and stayed at the JPL for the first time.  It was over the holidays adn I'll always remember that weekend.  Driving into the grounds for the first time - the Christmas lights, the decorations in the Main Lodge, swimming outside enjoying the fabulous view of the snow covered mountains - it's a picture I'll never forget. So every year since, we have made our way to the Lodge at least once a year for some R&R and some very special treatment.  In a word, majestic! Everything is first class - staff is wonderful , courteous, professional, and takes care of your needs instantly. I guess when you work in paradise it's not to hard to be happy.

The rooms have everything you need - the most cosy beds with to-die-for pillows. You'll never want to get out of bed or leave your room. There's a mini fridge for any drinks and snack you might bring with you. There's a coffee maker with coffee/cream supplied and even Fairmont's own tea!  We always look forward to breakfast - on the weekends, there's this incredible buffet. They even have a "juice of the day" some crazy concotion of Cherry, Blueberrry, Passion, Orange juices- very tasty as is the Eggs Benedict!

The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge has been around since 1915 and was originally called 'Tent City', it consisted of a few tents on the shores of beautiful Lac Beauvert. In 1922, eight log bungalows were built and in 1923 came the addition of the first unit of the main building and additional guest cabins. Some of these original cabins still stand today and they are magnificent. The Points Cabin is one of the orginals and is said to be "haunted". 

Between the early 1940s and early 1950s, most of the original log cabins were replaced with modern attractive cedar chalets. Disaster struck The Jasper Park Lodge in July 1952, when the original main building, at that time the largest single-story log structure in the world, was destroyed by fire.  Today, the Lodge consists of the main building which has the most amazing Great Hall with an awesome fire place and very comfortable couches and chairs - a great place to enjoy your morning coffee or afternoon. In the summer, the outdoor Cafe is very popular - it's difficult to even find a table. There's also boutiques, a sports lounge and fabulous dining facilities plus a gym, spa, outdoor swimming pool and an indoor hot tub. If your a golfer, you must play Jasper's world-famous golf course at the Lodge which was designed by master architect Stanley Thompson - I've played it - it's beautiful. The views are spectacular. In fact, just a few days before I played last week, a baby Elk was born on Hole 16. PRICELESS. Oh, and a little tip, hide away any treats you might take on the course with you or purchase at the snack shack. There is a resident crow or two that are experts at stealing food right out of your cart. We caught one stealing one of our rice krispie squares .. and I'm sure it was the same thief that took our friends hot dog within seconds of him putting it down on the seat of his cart to tee off.  That little devil followed us around the entire course doing his best to get his beak on our other goodies.

The Lodge always as celebrities hanging out - you never know who you might see. Back in 1946, The Emperor Waltz, featuring Bing Crosby, was filmed there. Mr. Crosby enjoyed the resort so much that he returned a year later to take part (and win) the Jasper Park Lodge Golf Club's Totem Pole Tournament. Marilyn Monroe, Robert Mitchum, Jimmy Stewart and Walter Brennan all roamed the grounds at one time or another. 

Another little tip, if you join the "President's Club" and sign up for the email letter, you'll receive advanced notice on sales first week of each month. So, if you are going to any Fairmont properties, I would suggest signing up for the free membership. They just introduced the use of free BMW bikes to PC members.

The JPL and the Fairmont Properties also have a very "unique team" that work for them - I'll tell you about this team tomorrow.

~Seanna~