Christmas in lake Louise

We have just spent a week in a winter wonderland. We arrived in banff on 20th December and stayed for 3 nights at banff springs fairmont hotel. I have a always been an economy air travel kind of girl and spend the money on the accommodation. Banff springs was like a castle in the snowy mountains. It was big, luxurious but intimate at the same time. Plenty of spaces to have a drink by the fire, enjoy a game of pool (which the kids loved) and a very sizeable gym. The service was outstanding. There were daytime movies (in a proper cinema with popcorn) and the most incredible thing was that the hotel welcomed pets! So it was not uncommon to see a puppy dog walking through the corridors of the hotel with its owners. Banff is known as a party town (ever since Harry Nina worked here it got it's reputation) it's a beautiful small town (about a 10 minute freezing walk from the hotel) it's about 4 blocks by 3 streets long and is just small enough to give it the cute tag. At banff springs we enjoyed the hotel cusine and ate well at the Italian restaurant and Wildhaus just a small walk away. The kids enjoyed tabogganing (although I did not enjoy watching them -extremely dangerous). We also did the banff gondola ride to the top of the mountain which was picturesque but extremely cold -10 degrees. Avoided the hot springs (thanks for the tip kelly) and did the Johnston canyon ice walk which was only 5km but took us about 2 hours. It was very pretty seeing all the waterfalls frozen over. We bid farewell to banff springs and headed to lake Louise for our very first family white Christmas. 

For Christmas we stayed at the fairmont lake Louise and this place is all about the location. You cannot beat the image of the hotel with a frozen lake, ice skating out the window and surrounded by mountains draped in snow. The hotel is not as nice nor as welcoming as banff springs but the location and the views make up for it. We have enjoyed many things over the Christmas holiday: Sleigh rides, ice skating, tabogganing on soft snow, gingerbread house making, decorating a Christmas tree, meeting a fake Santa on Christmas Eve; skiing at lake Louise and let's not forget my favourite the ice bar! 

Today was an absolute highlight we skied at lake Louise. Unfortunately it's not ski in ski out which z and I are very fond of. It was a big effort to get us all up at 7am and ready for lessons at 10.30am. For those that have skied you'd be aware of the effort required to get warm, hire boots, get them on, hire skis, poles etc and then realise you need to go to the bathroom! Try that with children! The kids did ski school and were soon turning and stopping like pros. Z and I did ski school also brushing up on some old skills. I had a few falls but shoulder intact and the I conquered the mountain. We have one more day at this beautiful location and we will fill it with ice skating and tabogganing and one more trip to that ice bar for mulled wine! Merry Christmas to all.