One journalist’s whirlwind tour of peak meeting and incentive experiences in the Canadian Rockies.
There are so many reasons Banff and Lake Louise are not just on the bucket list of world travelers but also for meeting and event planners, not the least of which is the area’s exquisite UNESCO World Heritage mountain scenery, world-class meeting facilities ranging from historic luxury resorts to intimate mountain lodges, and above and beyond wellness options. And it’s less than 90 minutes from Calgary International Airport.
Getting There
With direct flights from many U.S. cities, including Denver, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Dallas, Seattle and Phoenix, it’s not difficult to book either direct or one-stop flights on major airlines such as Delta, American and United, and clearing into Canada is a breeze. The airport also offers U.S. pre-clearance so U.S.-bound travelers can re-enter the U.S. as domestic passengers when it’s time to go home.
There are myriad options to get from Calgary to Banff and Lake Louise. I took the Brewster Express, which offers both a comfortable new bus coach, complete with Wi-Fi and a driver who is glad to answer any and all questions, from Calgary to Banff. While a snowstorm that morning made the motor coach look more like a four-wheeler, with mud from tire to top, the view through the large windows was spectacular as we headed up into the mountains. My travel from Banff to Lake Louise and back to Calgary was courtesy of Alpine Limos & Tours, which offers rides in everything from stretch limos to SUVs to an antique Rolls Royce 1956 Silver Cloud for top VIPs.
Where to Stay
There’s no shortage of host hotels to choose from, but whatever your group’s size and goals, the Fairmont Banff Springs, my host hotel for the first leg of my visit, will make your attendees feel like royalty — it’s not called Canada’s “castle in the Rockies” for nothing! It resembles a Scottish baronial castle that was somehow transported to the banks of the Bow and Spray rivers, surrounded by the soaring Canadian Rockies. It feels like you are totally secluded in nature, but the hotel is actually just a quick walk or ride to the center of town.
I was fortunate to be hosted at Fairmont Gold at Fairmont Banff Springs, an exclusive “hotel within a hotel” that comes with its own reception area, private accommodations on the fourth and fifth floors, a dedicated lounge and personalized concierge services. It’s no surprise that it received a four-star rating from Forbes Travel Guide 2025 Star Awards for the luxurious, intimate experience it provides — perfect for VIPs, executive retreats or any group that wants to seek a private haven.
But the entire hotel is a warren of delights, with intriguing spaces around every corner. The hotel has more than 24 meeting and event venues, from the elegant 5,600-square-foot Cascade Ballroom and the adjacent Conservatory to the 5,700-square-foot Alhambra’s unique cast-bronze doors and large windows that flood the space with natural light, to the Alberta and New Brunswick Rooms, which combined offer 8,520 square feet of event space, including ample foyer space — all with gorgeous views.
For large events and trade shows, the Van Horne Ballroom has 15,000 square feet of flexible event space. The 2,304-square-foot Mt. Stephen Ballroom’s stained-glass windows and soaring ceilings make it an appetizing choice for F&B events, and the Riverview Outdoor Terrace is perfect for receptions. One of my favorite gems in the castle, though, is the Ivor Petrak Room, which can host up to 60 for intimate gatherings and has a unique, atmospheric vibe that has to be experienced.
Beyond opulence, elegance, a commitment to service and views to die for, the Fairmont Banff Springs, located in the heart of Banff National Park, also is committed to sustainability on all levels of its operations, from food waste reduction and local sourcing of 75% of its ingredients from Alberta and other Canadian locales, to donating its leftover soap and hygiene products to Clean the World from recycling and redistribution to those in need, to a reusable cup program. Planners holding meetings at Banff Springs also can use Accor’s Net-Zero Carbon Calculator to calculate their carbon footprint. On the human sustainability front, the hotel also provides ample employee housing, which can be a big help for staffers who otherwise may not be able to afford to live within a reasonable drive of the resort.
I also did a whirlwind tour of the Banff Centre for Arts & Creativity, which is a venue unlike any I’ve experienced before. It’s a full-service conference center and hotel venue tucked inside Canada’s leading arts and cultural organization, where attendees mingle with resident artists and musicians in a setting with spectacular mountain views around every corner. Among the Centre’s 60 meeting spaces are 72,000 square feet of inspiration for engaging up to 700 attendees. The main meeting space is the Gold LEED Certified Kinnear Centre for Creativity and Innovation, 21,000 square feet of space in 17 meeting rooms with built-in digital signage and screens, a loading dock and freight elevator. The building also has its own banquet kitchen, along with flexible space divisible by airwalls and flanked by huge windows that showcase the natural beauty of the Centre’s setting. The compound also includes the 15,000-square-foot Max Bell Building, including a 340-seat auditorium, a large foyer, and 14 meeting rooms, and the Professional Development Centre, which hosts four meeting rooms as well as an outdoor terrace and one of the venue’s hotels. On-site accommodations also are available at the newly renovated Lloyd Hall.
The Rimrock Hotel, which at the time I visited was still in the hard-hat-tour phase of a complete renovation and rebranding, will debut as Rimrock Banff, Emblems Collection, Accor’s first Emblems Collection hotel in North America. Slated to open July 1 just in time for Canada Day, the resort will offer 320 guest rooms and suites ranging from Classic Rooms to Premium Forest View Rooms to Luxury Peak View Rooms and a variety of suites. Among the meeting spaces the hotel will offer are the 6,077-square-foot Solstice Ballroom, the 2,378-square-foot Alpenglow and several smaller spaces that can accommodate 18 to 140. It also will have three F&B outlets, from The Market, a grab-and-go coffee bar, to the Social, a beverage-forward gathering space offering small plates, and Parker’s Table, which will be the resort’s main restaurant featuring seasonal, local cuisine.
After two days at the Fairmont Banff Springs, I got to experience the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, nestled at the foot of soaring mountain peaks and the Victoria Glacier. Though its trademark emerald lake was still ice-covered during my late April visit, the thinning ice at the lake’s edges already were starting to glow with that ethereal color it is renowned for.
The 5-Star Chateau Lake Louise, with 359 guest rooms and suites, also has a Fairmont Gold section with premium rooms and suites, dedicated concierge services and a private lounge area. The resort recently completed a massive, $130 million property-wide renovation, including full redesigns of all the guest rooms to give a more contemporary, mountain-inspired esthetic while maintaining the historic hotel’s legacy roots. The Fairmont Spa also was completely updated, but the coolest piece of the redo was the addition of BASIN Glacial Waters, a Nordic-style thermal bathhouse experience featuring an indoor/outdoor infinity pool, steam rooms, hot stone rooms, saunas and glacial-fed cold plunges. More on that later.
The 36,000 square feet of flexible meeting space at the Chateau offers something to inspire groups large and small, from historic ballrooms with glacier views to modern boardrooms. The largest spaces include the Mount Temple Ballroom, whose soaring ceilings, arched beams and original mountain artwork form a stunning backdrop for meetings up to 850. Heritage Hall, also in the state-of-the-art meetings and conventions Mount Temple wing, is a lofty, versatile event space with walls adorned by historic murals of Lake Louise and Banff National Park. Other spaces in that wing include the 420-square-foot Mollison Room, located above the Mount Temple Ballroom for easy access as a breakout room; the 525-square-foot Parker Room; and four quiet salons named for Lake Louise’s most popular hiking trails: Beehive, Lakeshore, Plain of Six Glaciers and Saddleback — all with unique and historic mountain imagery.
But the space that really took my breath away — and is the top choice for special events — is the Victoria Ballroom, a restored 1913 space with vaulted ceilings, crystal chandeliers, a stone fireplace and lakefront views. It opens out to the Victoria Terrace, a gorgeous outdoor space that would be the perfect setting for receptions of up to 350. Also tucked into the side of the Victoria Ballroom and opening out to the Terrace is the Captains Room, a small but amazing private space for boardroom and VIP meetings; and the 900-square-foot Sun Room, whose windows offer stunning mountain and lake views.
In the main hotel building, the Pipestone room, which can be split into two smaller rooms, can accommodate up to 340. Other more intimate spaces include the Agnes and Lefroy rooms, which can accommodate up to 28.
Where to Eat
My first night in Banff, my host treated me to dinner at the Fairmont Banff Springs’ Castello Italiana, where I feasted on calamari and lobster carbonara under twinkling lights. I also had the pleasure of having an afternoon tea in sunlit upper section of the hotel’s Rundle Bar, which also serves as the main lobby bar and hangout area for conference-goers. We sat at a table with incredible views of the Bow Valley and Mount Rundle, where we sipped our choices from the 35 tea blends on offer and a delicious non-alcohol Seedlip French drink. Then we ate our way through a tower of scones, sandwiches and delicate desserts, all of which were amazing. Other libation options include the pool bar, the Ramsay Bar, the Rundle Patio and even the Five Pin & Pints at the hotel’s own Bowl Valley bowling alley. In addition to Italian and English tea, the hotel has the 1888 Chop House, which I hear is the place to sample the best of Alberta’s beef; the Vermillion Room for fine French cuisine; the Waldhaus for
a blast of Bavaria’s best; and Grapes for handcrafted pizza and gourmet antipasti.
The Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity also offers a number of dining options, including the Maclab Bistro for a diverse menu of inventive comfort cuisine and the Vistas Dining Room where the buffet stations are elevated and the views are breathtaking. My hosts explained that the Three Ravens Restaurant and Wine Bar, which was temporarily closed when I visited, not only had the Vistas’ views, but also was heralded as one of the 100 best restaurants in Canada on Open Table for its culturally diverse, seasonal cuisine.
I’m not sure whether to put the Banff Gondola ride up to dinner at the Sky Bistro under experiences or restaurants catagory since it’s a whole lot of both. A modern four-person gondola whisked us up to the top of Sulphur Mountain, where I gawped at the six mountain ranges and Bow Valley from a wraparound observation deck. We weren’t sure we had time before our dinner reservation, but we ended up taking the short-but-somewhat-challenging boardwalk to the Sulphur Mountain Cosmic Ray Station at Sanson’s Peak. I tried to imagine what it must have been like to be Norman Sanson, who for 30 years trekked to the station until, at 85 years old, he hung up his hiking boots in 1945. Just once was plenty to get my appetite up for dinner at the Sky Bistro, which was debuting its new menu that evening after a refresh of the restaurant and its cuisine. The amazing views, however, could not possibly be improved upon. We ate our way through the cleverly titled menu, from Foothills (small bites) to Treeline (light apps), but with the hike and gawping we were a bit too late to get to the last two categories of main dishes,
Summit Plates and Alberta Cuts. Sky Bistro, along with the other three Banff Gondola mountaintop venues, are available for group reservations and buyouts for groups up to 400.
Though its specialty is fondue and prime rib, I had what I have to admit was probably the best omelet of my life at The Bluebird Restaurant in downtown Banff. The Bluebird is one of the Banff Hospitality Collective’s 16 restaurants in Banff that range from a Japanese restaurant and Karaoke bar to a “forest-inspired” brewery to fine Italian dining and a bowling-and-billiards beer hall. I didn’t get to revisit it on this trip, but another of the Collective’s properties is the Banff Park Ranch, an upscale-rustic indoor/outdoor venue that I experienced on my last trip to this area more than a decade ago when I was covering an insurance company incentive.
The Whitehorn Bistro, located mid-mountain at the Lake Louise Ski Resort, is available for group dining and events year-round. I had a crazy-healthy-yet yummy kale bowl during a lunch there, but the restaurant’s signature dishes run more to cheese fondue, charcuterie platters and its signature Whitehorn burger. It can accommodate up to 200 for a seated dinner.
The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise offers five restaurants, from elegant fine dining to a grab-and-go outlet. My first night at the Chateau, I indulged in an amazing cocktail at the recently reimagined and re-opened Fairview Bar and Restaurant, then headed downstairs to Louiza, a Mediterranean-inspired restaurant that prides itself on using fresh, local ingredients. While I heard that the Lamb Chops Scottadito is out of this world, I went with the organic chicken Milanese, which was fresh and super-crispy and beyond delicious. I also had breakfast at Louiza, which has a full buffet plus the ability to order off the menu, so everything is made fresh. I’d highly recommend the Lemon Ginger wellness shot as a great morning energy-booster. While I didn’t eat there, the Lakeview Lounge, the hotel’s lobby bar, was always packed with people eating, enjoying libations, and staring mesmerized at the incredible views.
My final night in Lake Louise was capped with an amazing dinner at the hotel’s Walliser Stube, where we feasted on the three-course Chateau Experience. First up was the signature cheese fondue and all sorts of dipping tidbits (who knew gherkins and cheese were so good together?), a main course — I had the Rainbow Trout a la Meuniere, so good! — and topped it all off with chocolate fondue. I can’t imagine a better venue to host my final toast to an all-around incredible four days in the Canadian Rockies.
Downtown Banff Bleisure Break
I had that rare and wonderful benefit of a few hours of leisure time on my second day in Banff to explore the town itself. I took a quick hike from the Fairmont Banff Springs to check out the incredibly scenic Bow Falls, then hoofed it for the 15 minutes or so it took to get to the heart of Banff. After scoring some postcards to send home and visiting the local post office to stamp and mail them, I wandered through the compact town center’s main streets — making a note to myself for stores to revisit and restaurants to try on my next visit — and the section of the Bow River Trail that runs through downtown Banff. It was a lovely way to take a breath before the next set of adventures began.
Wellness Experiences
I was treated to several experiences during my stay that fall under the general category of “wellness,” though I’d put them more under something like “soul rejuvenation.” The first, and most personally profound, was a forest bathing experience arranged by Stellar Experiences, whose tagline is about reimagining travel through purposeful adventures. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but my Forest Therapy guide and Stellar Experiences’ Director of Guiding Operations Scott Berry took me on much more than a guided hike to Johnson Lake and a meditation session. There really aren’t words for just how profound the experience was, but suffice to say that I can only imagine how powerful it would be for a group looking to gain insight, clarity and team cohesion. The company offers a series of corporate and leadership experiences, each tailored to the group’s specific goals.
I tried to bring some of that focus with me as I took a few runs later in the trip at the Lake Louise Ski Resort, one of the SkiBig3 ski areas (the others are Banff Sunshine and Mt. Norquay). Just minutes by shuttle from the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, the ski area offers 169 runs on four mountain faces, providing terrain accessible to any level of skier. The ski resort also offers several special event venues for groups, including several base and mid-mountain options. The Lodge of Ten Peaks deck, a covered, all-season post-and-beam chalet with a huge central stone fireplace at the base of the mountain, can accommodate up to 60 for a standing reception, and the Whiskey Jack deck, also at the base, can accommodate larger groups with a rustic charm. The resort has dedicated event coordinators who can work with meeting planners to facilitate everything from catering to group lift tickets and custom itineraries.
With its wellness and sustainability focus, Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise had too many options for me to sample them all in my short stay. I did have an after-dinner sound bath meditation, which I was a little afraid would put me out after that chicken Milanese at Louiza. But instead of falling asleep, I entered an incredibly deep meditative state and, when I eventually made myself come out of it, felt both refreshed and ready for bed. I also had the pleasure of going on a guided morning meditation walk along the lake’s shoreline, surrounded by crackles of breaking ice, the occasional birdsong and the crisp crunch of our feet on the snowy trail. The resort offers a series of meditation and yoga classes throughout the day, as well as a fully equipped fitness center, a heated indoor pool and whirlpool, and fully refurbished spa.
But the coolest — and by that I mean the hottest — wellness experience was yet to come. I had heard a lot about the Chateau’s BASIN Glacial Waters and wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I’m not normally a spa person, but everyone assured me it was nothing like the usual spa treatment. And it definitely was not. It was like forest bathing, only in in actual water.
The all-sensory, indoor-outdoor thermal bathing experience rooted in thermotherapy starts when you check in and are given the choice of curated wellness journeys (called “trails”) that focus on whatever state of being you choose (rejuvenate, relaxation, etc.). Or you can explore the myriad hot and cold-water therapies on your own. I started out following the Stillness Trail, which focuses on quieting the mind and releasing tension. But I got sidetracked in the best possible way by joining the Aufguss ceremony, a traditional, guided sauna ritual originating from Germany, where an “Aufgussmeister” (sauna master) pours water or scented ice balls mixed with essential oils onto hot stones to create intense, fragrant steam. Our Aufgussmeister circulated the ever-intensifying heat with towel dancing choreographed to music. It only lasted 15 minutes or so, but it was one of the most intense 15 minutes I’ve spent in a long time, maybe ever.
Then a quick plunge in the icy cold glacial bath shocked me back to life enough to check out the rest of the offerings, my favorite being the indoor/outdoor infinity pool. I could have stayed in the outdoor pool for hours watching the light play over the mountain peaks. It was magical. I took a bit of time to recover at The Glacier Lounge, which offers a dedicated menu of wellness elixirs, adaptogenic tonics, and healthy, freshly prepared fare.
If your group only does one wellness activity, I can’t recommend the Basin highly enough.
I had not been to Banff or Lake Louise in many years, and I couldn’t help but think about how, while the magnificence of the mountains is unchanging, the experience groups can have in their presence just keeps getting better.
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