After reading numerous poor reviews, I felt it was time to chime in my own after this weekend.
I drove a long ways to climb mount Victoria and stay at abbot pass, the problem was that during high season, all hotels are booked, hostels are full, and car camping was frowned upon.
Nearly two minutes from the Lake O'hara staging area, the great divide lodge had a room for me for only a hundred dollars (which is very very low during high season near Lake Louise). I snapped it up.
I had a great shower, comfortable bed, wifi, and everything else I could need. I got a great night's rest, a continental breakfast, and scaled Victoria the next day from abbot pass. I NEEDED a hotel, and Great divide lodge provided.
People knocking this place are overly fussy and have unrealistic expectations. The hotel runs off of a distant diesel generation system, as there is no power linkages from field or lake louise. With their power costs being nearly a dollar a minute, they obviously have to make limitations (my room has no appliances except a TV, to prevent power waste.) Wifi is intermittent, and that's understandable. If you notice where the hotel is, you'll soon understand it's holding its own and is in proximity to no other sources.
I have stayed at numerous fairmonts, and even the Savoy in London. Why was I not disappointed with the GDL? I needed a bed, warm water, shelter, and something to eat in the morning. I did not arrive expecting super highspeed wifi, or cavier and dom perignon. There are times where a place to stay is what's needed, especially in a prime location; this hotel delivers. If you are a fussy baby that wants black tie accomodations, shell out three hundred and stay at the fairmont.
I cannot comment on the noise or other guests - some people have noted parties or loud kids. I will say this; I have stayed at hotels nearly 5 times the cost, and have had screaming kids fighting in the hallway, while the parents continue to slam the headboard in the adjacent room; price will not always be a guarantee of comfort. My stay was clean, quiet and safe. My room (21) was clean and recently renovated.
When I return to climb Lefroy and hungabee, I will stay at this hotel again. When I go to lake louise to go snowshoeing, and fine dining, I will stay at the chateau. Each place has a suitability to it. read more