After several years of attending Whistler Pride, this was the first time we had the pleasure of staying at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler. Like most Fairmont hotels that we have seen in the mountains, they are not on the main strip or in the center of town. Some can be a bit of a distance from the core – like the Jasper Park Lodge – but the Fairmont in Whistler is a short 10 to 15 minute walk to Whistler Village, with the back side of the hotel right on Blackcomb Mountain, meaning slopes are within a couple minutes.

The hotel is new compared to the Fairmonts in Jasper, Banff and Lake Louise. It opened in 1989 with an additional expansion in 1997. Despite its short years, the hotel embraces a traditional Fairmont Chateau look both inside and out. A grand entrance way greets guests checking in, with tall ceilings, lots of artwork, stone pillars, wood finish, wood-carvings and lots of small detail accents throughout. Every time you walk through the hotel, you come across something that you want to take photos of. It could be the large floral arrangement in the lobby that is constantly being refreshed, the light fixtures, the fire places, the pool, the walk way above the lobby – and so on.

The hotel has 12 floors and 550 rooms. It also homes conference rooms and a 12,000 square foot ballroom. It has a fair-sized outdoor pool and hot tub, so you can enjoy a nice soak with snowflakes falling around you. The pool is on the back side of the hotel too so you can see the skiers and snow boarders coming down Blackcomb Mountain.

The room we were placed in was large. It had two queen size beds and a big bathroom where you could either use the two-person dedicated shower, or take a bath in bath tub on the other side. This room is designed for four people to easily get ready in to hit the slopes in the morning and relax when they get back. The theme of detail continues into the rooms with carvings in the furniture, large chairs, bead headboards, granite counter top in the two-sink bathroom, and more.

While we were getting ready to head out for Whistler Pride events in the evening, we got a knock on the door: turn down service for the rooms. I was at first confused on what was going on. I found out that this luxury service is included with the room. The room service attendant comes in with bottled water for each guest, adjusts the bed sheets so that they are ready for you to crawl into bed, provides house slippers for walking around the room and hotel, and checks to see if anything else is needed.

Customer service is something that the Fairmont has been stellar with. They have a free shuttle service from the hotel throughout Whistler Village and back. We were also offered rides in other cars should the bus not be convenient. The bus stops as close to the location requested by the guest as possible on its loop. The trip is about 20 to 30 minutes from the hotel and back. The driver was extremely helpful in providing some additional tourist information.

The hotel provides its own guide for snowshoe walks, ski/snowboard tours, mountain tours, hikes and more. The excursions offered depend on time of year and can go for one to three hours. There is supposedly an ice cave on Blackcomb Mountain that they will take small groups of people to see. We would love to get a chance to do this in the future. The guided excursions are included with your stay at the hotel and daily activities are confirmed 48 to 72 hours in advance. They have the list posted by the elevators so you can plan your stay to include them.

The hotel offers six dining locations that provide a unique menu and feel. Check out our food review at http://www.gaycalgary.com/a5382. There is a lower level, which connects to a street with several shops and services, so you don’t need to venture too far if you need to grab stuff for the slopes, a bite to eat or gifts. The hotel has a roof top wedding chapel, too, which affords a spectacular view of the area. There is also the Fairmont Chateau Whistler Golf Club, a high-end golf course, as part of the hotel. It features an 18-hole, award-winning course, suitable for all skill levels. It is open from the last week of April to mid-October. The golf course is not on site, but a short distance from the hotel; the shuttle service can drive you over to it. The golf club also has restaurants and shops. There are also tennis courts open when weather is suitable.

If you are wanting to stay at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler, I recommend booking several months in advance. When we were there, it was fully booked. They were even worried that they might have not be able to accommodate us since they were also booked for a conference, on top of people using the slopes and people there for Whistler Pride. As I work on this article, again it is sold out. The room rates vary depending on the time of year and what you want, but if you want luxury, high-end customer service – and to feel like you are truly away from the norm – this is the place for you.

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Contributor Steve Polyak |

Locale British Columbia | Whistler |

Topic Fairmont Chateau Whistler | Fairmont Hotels | Accommodation and Lodging | Travel | Whistler Pride |

Photo Gallery Travel |Whistler |