Banff Aspen Lodge

New Snow in the Canadian Rockies

2010-03-09T14:46:00.000-08:00

On Sunday I wore flip flops for the first time this year, thinking that spring may officially be here. On Monday Banff/ Lake Louise received 25cm of new snow, signalling that winter is definitely not over :)
We couldn't be happier at how white the town of Banff currently is...and especially at how much fresh snow the ski hills have received. Here is a photo from my balcony taken this morning showing Mount Norquay:

I was unable to make it to the ski hill today, but I spoke with some friends who said the conditions are unbelievable. The Banff Aspen Lodge has different ski packages available. Check out our two day Ski and Soak package that costs only $102 per person per night (based on two people and two nights). This includes passes to relax in the Banff Upper Hot Springs and one day of skiing at either Sunshine Village, Lake Louise or Mount Norquay. Check out www.banffaspenlodge.com/specials for more information and hope to see you soon~

Banff's Littlest Cheerleader~

2010-03-02T11:14:00.001-08:00

Check out Banff's mini-est cheerleader:

I was back in Ontario this week to visit my family and brought my niece this adorable hoodie from Roots Canada. Roots is located at 227 Banff Avenue and has some great Banff Hoodies. The quality of their sweatshirts is amazing; they can last for a long time and are a great reminder of your time spent in Banff.

Brewster Sleigh Ride at Lake Louise

2010-02-21T18:07:00.001-08:00

This past week I had the opportunity to go on a horse drawn sleigh ride around Lake Louise! It was such a great time and definitely made me feel like I was in a winter wonderland.

You catch the sleigh behind the Chateau Lake Louise and it then goes along the lake for around 2km. It turns around at the end of the Lake Trail and if lucky, you will be able to see some gorgeous frozen water falls at this spot. We even saw someone ice climbing on it!

The sleigh drops you off back where you began by the Chateau and you can then go in and warm up with a hot chocolate in the historic Chateau Lake Louise. Check out www.brewsteradventures.com for more information!

Celebrating the Olymipcs in Lake Louise

2010-02-19T15:13:00.000-08:00

I am really enjoying the Olympics so far and feel so proud to be Canadian. Vancouver and Whistler and doing an amazing job as host cities and promoting Canada as a whole. I've almost cried so many times since the games started...the athletes are incredible to watch. The women's downhill that took place on Wednesday was insane; the hill was pure ice and I loved seeing Shaun White do a "triple mccool mctwistflip" on Wednesday evening in the halfpipe finals (although I am not sure of exact name). I really wonder where some of the snowboarding names come from...

Lake Louise is showing their Olympic Spirit with some gorgeous frozen Olympic Rings that are located behind the Chateau, right on Lake Louise.

Valentine's Contest Winners!

2010-02-16T12:06:00.000-08:00

And now the answer you've all been waiting for......the correct number of cinnamon hearts in the Banff Aspen Lodge Jar was 1044! Congratulations to Christy McKenzie for winning a free night at the hotel by guessing 1100. As well, congratulations to Shane Long for winning the in-house contest by guessing that 1054 cinnamon hearts were in the jar.

Stay tuned for our next contest....

Valentine's Contest

2010-02-06T10:07:00.001-08:00

Help us celebrate Valentine's Day by guessing the number of cinnamon hearts in the Banff Aspen Lodge Jar to win a free night at the hotel! (FYI the jar can hold 16 liquid ounces).

Please send me an email at sales@banffaspenlodge.com with your guess by Sunday February 14th, 2010 to qualify to win the free night. I will contact the winner by Friday February 19th.

Rocky Mountain Food and Wine Festival

2010-02-03T12:32:00.000-08:00

The third annual Rocky Mountain Food & Wine Festival is returning to Banff on Friday May 7th and Saturday May 8th, 2010. Enjoy some fantastic wine, port, scotch, beer and other premium spirits, along with delicious food samples prepared by Banff restaurants and hotels. My favourite part of this festival are the cheese samples that The Bison has given out at past festivals....loves their old Cheddar :)

The hotel has a Rocky Mountain Food and Wine Package that includes two night’s accommodation, a Canadian Rockies Continental Breakfast daily, passes to relax in the Banff Hot Springs and entry to either the afternoon or evening tasting sessions at the Banff Rocky Mountain Food & Wine Festival. This year the tasting sessions take place Friday May 7th from 7-10pm, Saturday May 8th from 2-5pm and Saturday May 8th from 7-10pm. Please call the Banff Aspen Lodge at 1-877-886-8857 to make your reservation: tickets to the tasting sessions are limited.

FYI that the Food and Wine tickets included in our package give admission to the tasting hall. You do have to purchase the Festival Sampling Coupons separately at the Grand Tasting Hall for the actual food and wine samples.

Looking forward to seeing all the foodies and wine lovers at the Festival :)

Guest Comments~

2010-01-30T10:45:00.000-08:00

Here are some comments from Mr. D MacNeil who stayed at the hotel this January:

"All of the employees were helpful and courteous all of the time....can't think of anything at the hotel to change...thank you very much for a wonderful holiday."

Thanks for staying with us and hope to have you stay with us when you are in Banff again~

Emerald Lake Lodge

2010-01-29T12:17:00.001-08:00

I had a wicked two day mini vacation to Emerald Lake Lodge last week. It is just over a one hour drive from Banff, located past Field British Columbia and is a true winter wonderland!

The food and wine are delicious and staff can be outstanding. We had one staff member build us a snowman one night after we made a jokingly comment about wanting one :)

We ate in the Mount Burgess Dining Room the first night and in the Lounge the second night...both places were awesome. I recommend the Ranch Elk Ribeye Steak and Roast Pumpkin Seed Crusted Lamb Rack.

There are some great cross country ski trails in the area, we did the beginner trail that goes along the lake and around the Alluvial Fan Loop. The scenery is gorgeous and the trail is flat for the most part...so perfect for beginners :)

If you are looking for a secluded winter getaway, check out www.crmr.com/emerald-lake-lodge.php for more information ~

Meeting the Travelocity Roaming Gnome

2010-01-23T09:55:00.001-08:00

Last night I had the incredible experience of meeting the famous Travelocity Gnome. He is in Banff to "cure his cabin fever" for the weekend and was the guest of honour at a party at the Elk and Oarsman in downtown Banff.

I wasn't sure what to expect, as I know he is very worldly and I didn't know if we would have a lot in common. I was just so impressed at how nice he is and how he made time for everyone at the party. We chatted for a good 20 minutes and I feel that I've made a true friend :)

Gnomie (as I like to call him) was skiing the Delirium Dive at Sunshine Village yesterday; this is the most extreme terrain at Sunshine and you have to be a pretty incredible skier to do ski this area. He is up in Lake Louise today at Lake Louise Ski Area and enjoying the Ice Carving Competition at the Chateau Lake Louise (part of Ice Magic).

It was great meeting you Gnomie; Banff and Lake Louise are so glad to have had you visit and hope to see you again soon~

Olympic Torch in Banff

2010-01-21T16:42:00.000-08:00

I was in Banff's Central Park last night for the Olympic Torch Celebration. I got all decked out in my red and white gear to show my Canadian Pride:

It was a fabulous night with a great turnout. Performers included acrobats and drummers (kind of like Blue Man Group), Bomba (a Canadian Latin-Jazz Group) and the Canadian Tenors who sounded just awesome. I was standing in front of the line and was able to see Banff skier and Olympic medalist Karen Percy Lowe run by me with the flame...it was really an incredible experience.

Travelocity Gnome is Coming to Banff!

2010-01-20T10:27:00.000-08:00

The results are in...the Travelocity Roaming Gnome is coming to Banff this weekend to cure his cabin fever! The people have spoken and feel that Banff is the better choice for the gnome for his first winter ski trip of the season and I couldn't agree more.

Enjoy your time in beautiful Banff National Park Roaming Gnome and please stop by the Banff Aspen Lodge for our delicious homemade granola if you have time :)

Snowtips in Banff~

2010-01-16T09:31:00.000-08:00

I am heading up to Emerald Lake Lodge on Sunday for a couple of nights and plan on doing some cross country skiing and snowshoeing. I personally do not own any snowshoes or cross country skis...so went downtown to Snowtips/Bactrax to see about renting some.

Snowtips is the ultimate rental store in town; you can rent downhill and cross country skis, ice skates, snowshoes, etc. They also have sleds, winter jackets, snow pants, helmets and ice walk crampons. The ice walk crampons are perfect to rent if you want to go and see Johnston's Canyon in the winter time.

Snowtips is located at 225 Bear Street, beside the movie cinema. All rental information is found at http://www.snowtips-bactrax.com/

The best thing about Snowtips? All Banff Aspen Lodge guests receive a 10% discount off all rentals! So I am now all set with some cross country skis and snowshoes and cannot wait for my weekend away :)

Travelocity Roaming Gnome

2010-01-12T11:36:00.000-08:00

Please help Banff win to bring the Travelocity Roaming Gnome to our beautiful town! The Travelocity Gnome has started a contest on Facebook to see where they should go on a ski trip; Banff or Whistler. Go to the following link and vote for Banff so that the best destination wins.

http://www.facebook.com/travelocity?v=app_200157586724#/travelocity?v=app_200157586724&ref=nf

Reasons to vote for Banff:
1) Three incredible mountains
2) Champagne Powder on the ski hills!
3) Amazing restaurants
4) We are a relaxing 2 hour drive from the Calgary Airport (with gorgeous scenery along the way)
5) Fun nightlife!
6) The Banff Aspen Lodge :)

Tunnel Mountain Drive in the Winter...

2010-01-09T14:31:00.000-08:00

One of the first "hikes" that I did when I first came to town with my friend Katie was the path along the Bow River (parallel to Buffalo Street), up around Surprise Corner and then onto Tunnel Mountain Drive. It seemed like one of the longest walks of my life...especially since we turned around near the end and ran back the other way after an unknown animal walked across the path in front of us...

I've since learned that we were only 5 minutes away from the end of Tunnel Mountain Drive and that it really isn't a hike...it is more of a walk :)

It has become a favourite walk for me in the winter time. The road is closed once it starts snowing and walking along it leaves you feeling totally surrounded by nature. The walk ends when you reach Tunnel Mountain Road and you are forced back to reality as you see other humans, cars, etc.

The entire walk can take up to two hours and there is a lot of snow (usually). So make sure you dress warmly, wear the appropriate foot wear and do this walk while you are in Banff..it is worth it!

The Banff Balkan

2010-01-05T11:36:00.001-08:00

I had a lovely lunch at the Banff Balkan today; the food is delicious and I love the atmosphere in there! I had the Donair, along with some wine and it was perfect.

The Balkan is a family run Greek Restaurant, open for lunch and dinner. They have special Greek nights where there is belly dancing, plate smashing and my favourite...the Ouzo :)

If you go on your birthday you also get to smash some plates and are "given" a nice glass of Ouzo, which of course makes for a fun evening! The Balkan is located at 120 Banff Avenue; check out www.banffbalkan.ca for more information

Banff Aspen Lodge

2009-12-31T09:33:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year from everyone at the Banff Aspen Lodge!
Wishing you the best in 2010~

Guest Comments~

2009-12-26T12:29:00.000-08:00

Hotel guest comment card comments:

"This accommodation was perfect for my daughter and me. Might make this an annual event" Ms. Bell, December 2009. When asked if they were to return to Banff, would they stay at the Banff Aspen Lodge again, Ms. Bell responded with "In a heartbeat!"

I'm so glad you enjoyed your time with us and we'd love to have you stay with us again!

Happy Holidays!

2009-12-24T09:44:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays from everyone at the Banff Aspen Lodge!

Christmas Party!

2009-12-22T16:11:00.000-08:00

We had our Christmas Party at Melissa's Restaurant this past week! We have it there every year and it is always a blast. To eat we have a traditional turkey dinner with all the trimmings and a lovely festive dessert.

My favourite part of the evening is the Secret Santa Gift Exchange. Everyone brings a wrapped gift and leaves it on the table. We then get to choose a gift from the table for ourselves. The fun part is that if you find yourself admiring someone else's gift, you are able to "steal" it from them (instead of picking a new one). This year I received a ITunes gift card...I am so exited to use it!

Thanks to Barbara for organizing this great dinner for us and as well, thank you to Melissa's for hosting us. For more information on Melissa's, check out their website: http://www.melissasrestaurant.com/

Ice Magic 2010

2009-12-15T14:42:00.000-08:00

Ice Magic begins on Friday January 22nd in Lake Louise at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. This is an amazing event where teams from all over the world compete in an International Ice Carving Competition. There is also an Ice Castle built on Lake Louise that you can skate around...so much fun!

Check out this video from when we were up there last year:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTuN1Zn_jHA

Tunnel Mountain

2009-12-03T16:02:00.001-08:00

I was hiking on Tunnel Mountain yesterday and there were three deer just off the trail. The following is a photo of two of them watching me VERY closely.

Here I am at the top of Tunnel...the mountain to the left in the background is Rundle Mountain and it goes all the way from Banff to Canmore.Tunnel Mountain is a mini mountain located right in the middle of the town of Banff. The mountain has a 4.3km trail (round trip) with 300 metres of elevation gain. It is a great way to see the entire town of Banff and get some exercise. I tried to go up it at least once a week in the summer months and look forward to climbing it this winter :)

Visit www.banff.com/hiking/tunnel_mtn.shtml for more information~

Ski Card for Banff and Lake Louise

2009-11-28T14:33:00.001-08:00

I am going to be buying the Sunshine Marmot Ski Card and Louise Ski Card for this ski season. The Sunshine Marmot Card costs $79.95 and gives me seven days of skiing; with three free days and discounted tickets for the other four days. The card provides a savings of almost $300 for seven ski days - check out http://www.skibanff.com/ for more information. The Louise Card costs $99 and gives me two free ski days at any time and all other ski days cost just $50 per ticket - a savings of $25 per ticket. Visit http://www.skilouise.com/ for details.

I plan on going up to Sunshine Village on December 7th and cannot wait! The conditions have been wicked for early season with crazy amounts of snow so far...it is going to rock :)

This photo was taken on Thursday at Lake Louise...it looks incredible!

Walking to Work...

2009-11-25T08:39:00.000-08:00

One of the things that I love most about living in Banff is that we get to see deer walking on the sidewalk. I always wonder...do they know the sidewalk is the "safe" place for them to walk to keep clear of cars? I took this photo on my way to work today...
Where is the coolest place you've ever seen a deer? Let me know~

Rocky Mountain Flatbread Company

2009-11-21T10:38:00.000-08:00

My favourite restaurant in Canmore is the Rocky Mountain Flatbread Company. Their flatbreads (pizzas) are handcrafted, made with all natural ingredients and cooked in an artisan's clay wood fired oven. The Flatbread Co. is really involved with the Bow Valley Community through fundraising opportunities and their Education Society. Check out their website for more information on this; http://www.rockymountainflatbread.ca/.

The restaurant is very family-friendly; there is a play area with a mini clay oven and pretend food for kids to cook in. Here I am making myself some pizza in the kids area and enjoying a glass of wine:For dinner I usually start with a Fresh Herb Salad, followed with the Apple Chicken Harvest Pizza and the most amazing homemade brownie for dessert! Tuesdays are Kid's Pizza Making Night where from 5-7pm, kids can make their own pizza. On Thursdays enjoy a three course meal at the restaurant for only $19. You are also able to buy frozen flatbreads at certain food stores, including Nesters Market in Banff.

The Rocky Mountain Flatbread Company is located at #1 838 10th street in downtown Canmore.