About Banff / Lake Louise

Diamond in the Wilderness

Chateau Lake Louise — "Diamond in the Wilderness"

The first white man to see Lake Louise was Tom Wilson who was taken there in 1882 by a Stony Indian. It was then called "Lake of Little Fishes." In 1883 Dr. G.M. Dawson visited the lake with Wilson and renamed it "Emerald Lake." In 1884 the name was changed again to Louise; some say it was named after the daughter of Lord Mount Temple, the President of the British Medical Association and others say it was named after Princess Louise, the daughter of Queen Victoria.

In 1888 John Enselwood, a Canadian Pacific employee, built a lean-to shack - near the present swimming pool — to be used as a shelter for fishermen. A year later, William Whyte of the CPR asked W.J. Astley of Banff to make arrangements for a log chalet to be built by the company's carpenters at Lake Louise. This chalet had a lounge, a kitchen, two bedrooms, an attic and a veranda. The chalet was destroyed by fire in 1891.

Astley was instructed to build a larger Swiss-style rustic chalet and he chose the site where the present Chateau now stands. It was completed in 1893. A new wing was added in 1913. When the chalet was again ravaged by fire in 1925, this new wing was all that remained and is now part of the present Chateau.

When the Chateau opened in 1926, there were no cars in the park, so the Company ran the "Lake Louise Tramway," an electric trolley on a track, from the station to the hotel. After the arrival of the automobile the tracks were removed but parts of the old track bed are still visible from the road.

Today Lake Louise is a year-round resort offering a range of outdoor activities including skiing, skating, sleigh rides, horseback riding and more. The Chateau boasts 489 rooms with a long list of modern amenities. Guests looking for a touch of luxury and elegance may choose special accommodation called Belvedere suites. Located on both the lakeside and mountainside of the hotel, these suites occupy two floors and include a spiral staircase, two bathrooms and an open balcony. The lower floor has a sitting room with sofa bed and the upper floor has a king-sized bed and ensuite bath.

The modern Chateau offers visitors a choice of six restaurants and three lounges, as well as a beauty salon and barbershop. Guests can take advantage of the health club and European-style spa or relax in the swimming pool, whirlpool, sauna or steam rooms. Special services are available for families, and guests from around the world can expect a welcome from multilingual staff.