Deer Lodge

The only thing I really missed in the heritage room was a fridge, though we managed by keeping drinks on the balcony. It was clean, with toiletries replaced daily, a great shower, and a very wide, comfortable bed. We also had a lovely balcony and view. The location was excellent, with plenty of free parking and an easy stroll to Lake Louise. You can catch the Parks Canada bus to Moraine Lake there, but need to show your hotel confirmation at the hut. Breakfast was nice, though staff were slow to refill things, especially coffee. Our bags took about an hour to get to the room, and we had to ask reception twice, so carry them up yourself. The hot tub was out of order, which we’d been told ahead of time. Prices are high, but that seems common in the area.

The restaurant and lounge were great, and the Gourmet Getaway food vouchers covered a surprising amount of really good food, so that’s where the package felt worthwhile despite its high starting price. We didn’t get a chance to use the hot tub. The bed was soft, the toiletries were nice, and the old building has interesting features and high ceilings. We knew there was no TV or thermostat in the older hotel, and we were mostly out exploring anyway. I slipped badly on the front steps, so some grip tape would help. Though the rooms have been repainted, I think they need a proper renovation or a better paint job, more art, and more in-room amenities. Boxes of decorations in the hall hurt the atmosphere, and clearer parking lot signs would help too. My partner would give it four stars, I’m closer to three, but we’d stay again.

A big plus is the outdoor hot tub, with a lovely mountain view. Lake Louise is only about a five-minute walk away, and you can catch the Moraine Lake shuttle there instead of dealing with parking. Our third-floor room had a mountain-view balcony and was perfectly satisfactory, though it felt dated. There’s no elevator, so expect to carry your luggage up the stairs. A road runs beside the hotel, but the creek alongside it does a good job of masking traffic noise. The included breakfast buffet was average.

We really enjoyed the rooftop hot tub. The room was a good size and clean, despite some of the comments I’d seen online. There were a couple of small drawbacks, like creaky cupboard doors and thin walls, though it was quieter than I expected, probably because people were getting the rest they came for. Being able to walk to Lake Louise quickly for sunrise without worrying about parking made it a great tradeoff.