The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise stands on the edge of turquoise Lake Louise, facing the Victoria Glacier in Banff National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Canada’s first national park. Begun as a rail chalet in 1890, the resort has guest rooms, suites and the elevated Fairmont Gold floors, many with lake or mountain views. Dining runs to seven restaurants, from the lakeview Fairview and Lakeview Lounge to the Alpine Walliser Stube, the social Alpine Social and the new Louiza, with afternoon tea and a seasonal Ice Bar on the terrace. The Fairmont Spa has eight treatment rooms, and the new BASIN Glacial Waters is a self-guided thermal wellness experience built on heat, cold and stillness. Days are built around the outdoors, from canoeing on the lake and hiking to skiing within reach of three resorts and an outdoor ice rink. It suits couples and families who want a lakefront alpine resort with canoeing, skiing and dramatic scenery.