Family vacation, so once again, time for family photos. Let's go through the checklist of…read morerequirements. Pristine background setting? Check. Beautiful family in tow? Check. Positive attitude about taking time away from family vacation to take photos? Check. Clean and pressed clothes? Check. Fantastic local photographer to conduct the shoot? Check! It's become a bit of a tradition to take family photos when on a vacation to a unique and luxurious location. (See my review Studio 3511 Photography here: http://www.yelp.com/biz/studio-3511-photography-honolulu?hrid=qWiF0G99XOcUeich6zomsg). Heading up to Whistler, I figured it was time once again to capture the family for posterity. It had been two years since our last family photos and while three of us looked more or less the same, The Boy had grown about 15 inches. Funny how that happens. I started my search for a photographer on Yelp (of course) and contacted a photographer who got back to me quickly saying that she was unavailable, but recommending that I get in touch with Darby Magill. Perfect--a personal referral and one from a peer--how could I go wrong? I emailed Darby and she got back to me right away. Over the course a few emails we discussed settings, pricing and other logistics. Darby suggested we meet in Rebagliati Park just a short walk from Whistler Village. From there we could wander and look for interesting settings. That sounded like the perfect plan. We're a causal group and liked the idea of capturing different settings during the hour-long shoot. In her final email Darby wrote "I'm short with a big black bag :)" and sure enough, when we arrived at the park, Darby was easy to pick out from among the tourists. Just as I suspected, the down to earth vibe that I felt in Darby's emails was immediately apparent in person. Safe to say that we all liked and felt comfortable with her from the beginning. Over the next hour Darby snapped shots of us in numerous settings--underneath the large natural growth trees, next to the river, along a walking path and, perhaps my favorite, under a bridge that was painted with fantastic urban art. I appreciated the different poses and angles that Darby explored and the particular attention she paid to the dance of the light that poured through the trees. I honestly have no idea how many pictures Darby took, but the portfolio she uploaded had over unique 60 photos, each presented in color and greyscale. Throughout our hour together we visited with Darby, enjoying learning more about her and her business. The photos themselves are terrific (with perhaps the exception of a certain teenage boy who decided he had something against smiling--so much for that positive attitude check box above.) Still, vibrant imaginative, lovely and fun. Darby provided all of them on an easy to access password protected website so we could review and share and print. A great keepsake from a great vacation and a time capsule of who we all were that summer of 2014.

Darby was the photographer for my wedding. She showed up on time and dove right in. She captured…read morethe day just the way we had hoped. She was incredibly flexible and easy to work with and managed to take pictures of almost every single one of our 100 guests. We really enjoyed working with her.

Our fragile little Southern Californian bodies braved the cold to try out snowshoeing, and Whistler…read moreOlympic Park was the perfect place to do so. We rented our snowshoes from the main lodge, which also had cross country ski rentals (apparently 90km of cross country trails, whatever that is in miles), snowboards, tobogganing, and so many more wintery things that are completely separate from my understanding of normal outdoor activities. I mean, where else can you find biathlon lessons? Obviously the surrounding area is gorgeous in winter, a wonderland of quiet white stillness, forests and forests of evergreens, and creek beds lined with powdery snow and ice. There are frequent signs and maps to keep you oriented along the snowshoeing trails, which was great for us noobs. You can do anything from short out-and-back trips to several miles of strenuous trails. One star docked because I thought the snowshoes were pretty pricey for a rental - a flat rate of $16 regardless of the time you spend with them. They definitely did not seem to be in high demand either as there were dozens of pairs behind the register. Maybe instead do an hourly rate instead? This is in addition to a per-person entry fee to the park. Also, some of the cross county skiers were surprisingly rude when we stepped on their track - I get we were in the wrong, but have a little grace and chill out just a bit.

It was cool getting to see where the Olympics were held - especially seeing the ski jump sans snow…read more Definitely pay and do the biathalon shooting!! The staff was SO nice and patient. The gun is surprisingly easy to shoot and aim compared to a "real" rifle (hello, confidence booster). I could've stayed out there all day shooting.

Excellent and knowledgeable staff. Took the time to show me the appropriate selections for my…read moregarden.

My daughter-in-law ordered flower arrangements and bouquet from WGC. They absolutely nailed the…read morelook she wanted and the flower pots and decor were exceptional. I would highly recommend this venue for flower arrangements.

For the price and the spaciousness of the suites it's hard to beat in Whistler. It's right by the…read moreFairmont in a quiet area and they have underground parking and an outdoor pool and 2 hot tubs. I couldn't believe how large the 1 bedroom suites were, they could definitely sleep 6 people. It was probably bigger than our apartment and had a huge living room and fireplace. We chose it because we wanted to make our own meals while in Whistler as there are less vegan options there than Vancouver and were quite happy with the kitchen and space. There is no daily maid service FYI, but this was expected and fine with us. You have tons of fresh towels in the bathroom anyway. We stayed on the 3rd floor and the only thing I would fault is that it was a little too hot. We opened the tiny window in the living room and had some fans on but I can imagine in the height of the summer it would get quite hot especially if you were cooking in there too. Having some AC in the building would be really nice. But if it's in the winter time, it would be fine as well as there is a nice fireplace that can heat up the suite quickly. For pool towels you have to go to the front desk, the only thing I found odd was that the pool towels are TINY. I am a small girl and it would barely fit around me, so I could only imagine if you're a guy or bigger boned that the towel would seem more like a hand towel to you. It's the smallest full sized towel I've ever seen. They expect you to only take one and to reuse them so they don't run out, but I don't see how that would work as you can barely dry yourself with one let alone cover up. The room itself was very comfortable, the hot tub was quite hot and we had an enjoyable stay. I would definitely recommend staying here especially if you have a bunch of friends or a family as there's enough space.

We stayed two days here. It took a long time to check in with other guests waiting. A 4pm check in…read moreand a 10am check out is inconvenient. Our small room had a huge bed, a bit of furniture and a fan for the heat. We used the pool and hot tub and after we put or towels over the shower curtain rod to dry and the whole curtain assembly crashed to the floor. I managed to get it back up and the same thing happened the next night. I found that to charge a deposit for pool towels a bit tacky especially in the fact that if the towels are not returned to the check out counter they will charge you $15.00. We won't be back.

A lovely stay. We went for a work trip and had a great experience. The gondola was so convenient…read more Kit held an event for our company and was our mixologist. He made it such a pleasant experience. I will say though the food was not that great...

I'll be honest, I don't often stay at Fairmont properties. This may have been the 5th one I'd ever…read morebeen to in my life. That being said, it was dated, the breakfast setup and options were abysmal, and there were flies everywhere they served food - ick! The pools and hot tubs were comparable to other hotels in the area, the food options at the pool were not exciting, especially for the sticker shock. I called down to see if I could order the seafood chowder from the Mallard to bring to the pool -- they mentioned they dont really have that as an option at the pool because of the possible "spill factor," but I found that odd since they were tolerant of kids drinking their virgin daiquiris in the pool with negligent parents not supervising. There was much confusion and chaos but eventually I was able to place my to go order and have my lunch at the pool (almost 2 hrs after my initial call to the number listed in the room guide for the restaurant, which is actually just the number to the front desk of the hotel -- counterintuitive!) The sandwich shop downstairs was the highpoint of the dining experience for the hotel -- clearly they have some room for improvement for their more pricey/upscale dining options. The adults only pool was in the shade for much of the day and the loungers/tables/entry/exit options nearest that pool were super inconvenient -- so much so that I suffered the kids pool to get my workouts in. The room we were in was really old, musty, and had disappointing pillows, sheets, and thin/well-worn towels. At the rates they charge, even in the "off-season," they are in dire need of upgraded linens. That small thing would go a long way. The customer service was mostly great, with the exception of a couple of people I interacted with. I imagine it is difficult to deal with the kind of people who walk on air through the halls of the best hotels in the world, but I am not that person -- and still felt a couple employees missed the mark with regard to that top-notch customer service the Fairmont brand prides themselves on.

Great Irish dinner! I was throwing a surprise bday party on St. Patty's Day and looking to find a…read morecaterer who could deliver to our home. The owner, Gregg, was referred to me and was a terrific choice. The corned beef was incredible... in a delicious gravy (but not too much). He also made carrots and parsnips, red potatoes, cabbage and Irish Bread... everything was exceptional and all our guest have commented many times over about the dinner. And that was before the Guinness Chocolate cake was served! This company is reliable, easy & flexible to work with, and fairly priced. We will use G-Van again! Cheers.

We did the Sea to Sky helicopter tour & we landed on a glacier. The vast beauty of nature was…read morebreathtaking! A must do for anyone who wants to experience the grandeur of Whistler & the surrounding mountain ranges and glaciers!

This company is awesome! My husband and I booked a heli tour with Denis and were blown away. Would…read moredefinitely recommend no limits for their ice cave tour in whistler. Top notch tour with personalized itineraries.

My wife and I stayed at the Alpine Chalet during Christmas week this year and were blown away. The…read morehospitality and service were second to none-- Cynthia and Fritz went above and beyond every step of the way. Quick example: as a poorly prepared Californian I arrived without real boots which were needed a number of times through the trip; not to worry as Cynthia lent me her own boots to use for the duration of our stay. The breakfasts were top notch. Every morning we had a different, gourmet meal: eggs benedict swiss-style, vegetable frittata with tomato coulis and polenta sticks, omelette with smoked salmon and leeks alongside roasted potatoes, etc. The main was always preceded by a french press coffee and a sort of an amuse bouche that ranged from a traditional bircher muesli to the more adventurous "wasabi boat" (which tasted better than it sounds, perhaps). The Inn itself is warm, clean and has the feeling of being newly built or at least recently renovated. Our room (the Spruce) was well appointed and moderately sized with a cozy fireplace. It is located a very short drive (or longer walk) from the Village and lifts and next to the beautiful lakeside park which offers great strolls when you're tired of hitting the slopes. All told, we hated to leave and can't wait to return. Highly recommended to anyone looking for a place to stay around Whistler. I registered for Yelp solely for the purpose of writing this review given how great our experience was.

I bought a Groupon that gave us basically half price on this chalet. I now realize that even at…read morehalf price I would never come back. Not that it wasn't nice, it just wasn't for us. My fiancee and I stayed here for a short weekend away. While yes, it was nice and yes, it was clean and yes, it was incredibly quiet... it was also horribly boring and felt like we were staying at our parents' place and we were afraid of offending someone and getting kicked out! They don't allow food or drink in the rooms, they don't allow shoes past the front desk (they provide these low quality little slippers) and they don't allow noise after 11pm. I haven't had an 11pm curfew since I was 16... not really a fan. The breakfast was good and the service was nice but I was not impressed that there was no choices for the meal or forewarning about what would be served. I mentioned when we checked in that I don't like fish and thank goodness because they made eggs benny with smoked salmon. Although we didn't know how picky and specific we should be. My fiancee does NOT like eggs benedict, he doesn't like hollendaise and he doesn't like eggs with runny yolks. Every time I order it at a restaurant he is totally grossed out so think how happy he was when a big plate of runny eggs benny was plopped down in front of him. Had we known thats what they were serving he would have simply told them he doesn't like it and would have requested some scrambled eggs... but there wasn't an option. The food was really good but I'm an options kind of girl. I like to choose what I eat or at least have some forwarning. I think that eggs benedict is a very interesting choice to serve to people without any choice. It is a very specific taste and not everyone likes it. I was suprised they went with something so different. After the first meal we requested scrambled eggs for the next morning which our host agreed to but we received egg quiche instead, just like everyone else. Fortunately, it was good but still felt like we were guests at someone's home and were afraid of being rude instead of feeling like we were on vacation and in control. Either way, we would not stay here again. Too expensive and not worth it. We apparently had the second nicest room in the chalet but it was nothing too special as far as I could tell. Especially for the price. It's not very close to the village so we had to take a cab in and we found that the hotels we've stayed in inside the village were just as nice and quiet but also much less expensive. They have a shampoo, conditioner and soap dispenser in the shower that just screams cheap and it was broken so for the first day we didn't have anything to wash our hair with! We happened to bring our own soap. Silly things like that just again made it feel like we were staying with someone instead of on vacation. It is probably aimed at older people or yoga buffs but they promoted it on Groupon so they got a lot of younger people and it was definitely not our scene. I'm sure there's a market out there for this chalet but it is not for a couple of 20-somethings from Vancouver up for a chill weekend in Whistler.