Four-star One MICHELIN Key Lake Louise, Banff
Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise
A railway hotel on the shore of Lake Louise, looking straight down the water to Victoria Glacier, with 539 rooms and a history of Swiss mountain guides going back to 1899.
Opens the hotel's own website. We have no arrangement with the hotel.
- MICHELIN
- One Key, 2026
- Rooms
- 539 rooms and suites
- Opened
- 1890, as a two-bedroom chalet
- From the airport
- About two hours from Calgary International
The hotel
From a lakeside chalet to a château.
In 1890 the Canadian Pacific Railway put up a small chalet on the shore of Lake Louise, with a dining room, a bar and two bedrooms, at the suggestion of its general manager, Cornelius Van Horne. After a climber died on Mount Lefroy in 1896, the railway brought in Swiss mountain guides. Between 1899 and 1954 they led more than 250 first ascents in the range, and in 1909 they taught local children to ski.
The hotel grew around them. The Painter Wing of 1913 is the oldest part still standing; the wooden Rattenbury Wing burned in July 1924 and the Barott Wing replaced it a year later. For decades the Chateau opened only in summer. Today it stays open all year, with a ski school, the lake frozen for skating and the Lake Louise World Cup races nearby.
- BASIN Glacial Waters Thermal bathing on the shore of the lake, kept for hotel guests, opened in September 2025.
- On the lake Canoes on the turquoise water in summer; in winter, skating and an ice bar on the lakefront terrace.
- Mountain guides Guided walks and climbs in the tradition of the Swiss guides, and the Snow School for skiers.
Rooms & suites
Ask for the lake side.
Rooms face either the lake and Victoria Glacier or the hillside behind; the MICHELIN inspectors recommend the lake.
- Rooms Lakeview Rooms King or queen rooms looking down Lake Louise to Victoria Glacier.
- Deluxe Mount Temple Wing Rooms Deluxe rooms in the Mount Temple Wing of the hotel.
- Signature suites Marquis de Lorne, Belvedere and Tom Wilson Named suites at the top of the range, alongside Fairmont Gold rooms with their own lounge.
Dining
Fondue, Rocky Mountain cooking and tea by the window.
Restaurants as listed by the hotel. Alberta has no MICHELIN restaurant guide. Shown for information.
- Fairview Bar & Restaurant Rocky Mountain, seasonal Executive Chef Andres Gonzales, windows on Victoria Glacier
- Walliser Stube Swiss and alpine, fondue Restaurant and wine bar
- Louiza Mediterranean, sharing plates Breakfast and dinner
- Alpine Social Comfort food and sharing plates A nod to the climbing guides
- Lakeview Lounge Afternoon tea, cocktails Views of the lake and glacier
Good to know
Before you go.
- Arrival Check-in from 4 pm, check-out by noon.
- Children Welcome at any age; children up to 17 stay free in an existing bed.
- Pets Accepted on request; a charge may apply.
- Booking tables The hotel strongly advises booking restaurant tables ahead.
Getting there
Flying to Banff.
Calgary International is about two hours away by road, through Banff and 54 kilometres beyond it. Private jets land at Calgary as well, where FBOs and customs are on site.
- Vancouver 1 h 15
- Los Angeles 2 h 50
- Toronto 3 h 50
- New York 4 h 35
- London 9 h 35 long-range jet
Questions
What guests ask first.
- How many MICHELIN Keys does Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise have?
- One, in the MICHELIN Guide's 2026 selection for Canada.
- Which rooms look over the lake?
- The Lakeview rooms face Lake Louise and Victoria Glacier. Rooms on the other side look onto the hillside.
- Is the Chateau open in winter?
- Yes. Built as a summer hotel, it now opens all year, with skating on the lake, a ski school and an ice bar.
- Can SkyCourtage arrange the flight to Banff?
- Yes. We arrange Business and First Class seats on scheduled airlines and private jet charter to Banff, with one final price, our margin included. The hotel is booked with the hotel or through our booking partner.
Also in Banff
Other hotels worth the trip.
- Fairmont Banff Springs The "Castle in the Rockies", with a large spa and a golf course ringed by peaks.
- Post Hotel & Spa A riverside ski lodge from the war years, renovated and kept for summer and winter alike.
- The Lodge at Bow Lake Listed by MICHELIN under Lake Louise, by Bow Lake on the road north to Jasper.
Staying at Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise?
Book the room, then the flight.
Rates and availability come from the hotel itself. For the journey to Banff, a Business or First Class seat or an aircraft of your own: tell us the date and we come back with one final price, our margin included.
Opens the hotel's own website. We have no arrangement with the hotel.