Waterton Lakes Lodge Resort
Hotel Nasjonalpark Lodge Hotellanlegg 101 Clematis Avenue, Waterton, Alberta, T0K 2M0, Canada
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About Waterton Lakes Lodge Resort
Waterton Lakes Lodge Resort is located in the heart of the Waterton Lakes National Park town site. Surrounded by the Canadian Rockies, this property offers affordable rooms and suites; indoor pool and hot tub; ski and snowshoe rentals; banquet hall and meeting space; and stunning mountain views! Many rooms recently renovated! A good sleep, a good meal, and a great adventure!
Amenities
- Always Open (24H/24): Yes
- ATM (On-Site): Yes
- Bar / Lounge: Yes
- Canoeing: Yes
- Conference Room: Yes
- Fishing: Yes
- Fitness / SPA Locker Rooms: Yes
- Free Internet: Yes
- Gift / Souvenir Shop: Yes
- Heated Pool: Yes
- Hiking: Yes
- Horseback Riding: Yes
- Hot Tub: Yes
- Indoor Pool: Yes
- Internet: Yes
- Meeting Rooms: Yes
- Pets Allowed (Dog / Pet Friendly): Yes
- Pool / Beach Towels: Yes
- Restaurant: Yes
- Sauna: Yes
- Ski Rentals: Yes
- Skiing: Yes
- Swimming Pool: Yes
- Swimming Pool Toys: Yes
- Vending Machine: Yes
- Wifi: Yes
- Windsurfing: Yes
Features
- Air Conditioning: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Room Features
- Flat Screen TV: Yes
- Kitchenette: Yes
- Microwave: Yes
- Private Balcony: Yes
- Refrigerator: Yes
Contact & Hours
101 Clematis Avenue, Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta T0K 2M0 Canada
Nearby Attractions
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Reviews (968)
Excellent hotel
I spent my birthday in waterton. Turned the big 48.. Excellent hotel. Very clean.. cute. Small things need repair bit over 100%. Good job guys The hotel shows its be loved and for as busy these places are and the beatings they take from the people from all over the world
DON'T STAY HERE!!!
The only thing this place has going for it is the location! Our room was okay, but people upstairs stomped around back and forth with their kids all night and then again in the morning. Management said we had to deal with it cause they were kids : (. There was dirt on our window which looks like it hasn't been touch all season long and the carpet need replaced!! Maintenance is lacking, it looks like the staff accommodations are going to fall down because of the rot in the pillars. The rear of the restaurant also has serious rot on load bearing pillars. Roofs are horrible with shingles missing. Staff in the restaurant / bar are great! Food was AMAZING. Unfortunately they too are dealing with maintenance issues with their draft beer machines. And supply issues in their kitchen. At $350 a room per night. 12 room per building that is over $4200 a night the hotel is making per building and putting NOTHING back into it. Very disappointing. We have been staying here for over 10 years and find it is literally being run to the ground. Don't stay here. Highly recommend staying somewhere else. Management need to step up and put money back into this location.
Good stay
We stayed for 1 night. Rooms were comfy and clean. Some upgrades needed but very nice for a small town. Loved the atmosphere of Waterton, and would definitely recommend and come back. Wifi worked, and rooms were quiet.
The singing Housekeeper was the best part of the stay
The room was decent, but not for the price paid. The room I stayed in was in need of upgrades (tub, toilet, counter top, carpet, case-goods, etc.). The carpet has serious stains which did not establish a feeling of confidence in the cleanliness of the room. The restaurant booked fast during my stay, so it was discouraging that I could not get a table, and there is no room service, so I went to the restaurant and found out I couldn't get a seat, and I then had to go back and pick up my " take away " meal later. The doors are constantly opening and closing in the entry ways to the rooms buildings and efforts should be taken to establish a way to minimize the noise from this. The property looks lovely from the outside, but it seems to me that the owners are absentee owners and are draining the cash cow - it does not seem like there is " pride in ownership " in this property - shame because it looks modern form the outside, and it's in a jewel of a location. The up side was the amazing voice that traveled through the hallways - I followed the voice one afternoon to find out the housekeeper was singing while she worked and her voice was astonishing - she may have been the neatest thing about the entire stay. My opinion.
Top Notch
Although the weather was cold, wet and windy, we thoroughly enjoyed our overnight stay in Waterton thanks to the warm reception and outstanding service offered by Kaitlyn when we checked in. Our second-floor room featured a King-size bed, fireplace, soaker tub, walk-in shower and cozy sitting area. Windows in the sitting room and above the soaker tub made storm-watching in this rugged mountain village a pleasure. That night we dined at Vimy's, the Lodge's onsite restaurant. We thought it would be quiet, but they had organized a Trivia tournament and many of the town's young workers were eagerly participating. Luckily, we had a reservation and the table we wanted awaited us. Food was okay rather than exceptional, but it was convenient and one of the few dining options in town at this time of year. COVID protocols were carefully observed, which made us feel even more comfortable during our stay. We hope to return in future. In the meantime, we salute the staff and management of Waterton Lakes Lodge for staying open during the off-season and throughout these challenging times.
Never stay here
Horrendous experience. We stayed here before, and booked through the hotel itself. We asked for the largest suite, with couch area and kitchen for my 89 year old mum and us. (2 adults). When we arrived the room was dirty full of leaves and horrendously dark with no seating area at all. It was so bad that my 89-year-old mother said I'd rather drive three hours back to Calgary then stay here. That bad. We asked for a refund. Manager Cameron Crielaard refused. Offered us a clean room, but still no couch for my 89 year old mum to sit on. The management here doesn't care about customer service it's very clear when you won't accommodate an 89-year-old!
Not worth the price
We stayed at this hotel Aug. 31.- Sept 3. 2021. The hotel is older and in need for repairs. We stayed there a few years back and it was much better at that time because it was newer. They did not perform basic maintenance. Mould in several places in the bathroom, no chairs and / or tables on the outside patio, rooms are small and dark. Dog poo all over the lawn in front of our patio door. No service at all (they claim because of COVID). The price they charge is way too high for this facility. We will not go there again.
Great location but not great service and room
The location is amazing: less than 10 minute walk to the marina and downtown restaurants and quick bike ride to Cameron Falls. It is also the closest hotel to the town playground and spray park. However other than location, not a great hotel. We were booked in the Full Kitchen Three Queen Suite. The website is very deceiving and says has settings for six people - lie! There was barely any space to move. The table is good for four people. There is NO couch for you to hang out in. There is one room with 2 queen beds (does have good a / c) and another with a queen murphy bed that didn't have AC. Smelled musky when we first got in but did go away after ventilating. The swimming pool was also under renovation which was incredibly disappointing. I mean who renovates the pool in the middle of summer when it's their busiest season and the town closes in winter? The MOST disappointing is the management. When we checked in, there was no mention and no warning that they will be doing construction so at 0900 am the next day after check in, construction workers started roof renovation on our building. It was hard to put my kids to bed with the pounding and they also didn't have a long nap because of the noise construction. When I went to the front desk and spoke to the manager (his name was Cameron?) and explained the situation, he gave zero crap and zero empathy and basically said meh, theres nothing he can do. At least if they had given us a warning that there will be construction, then maybe we could've better prepared not to be in the room during? We were also in the first floor and you can definitely hear the footsteps of people above. All in all, if you need a kitchen or a pet hotel, theres not a lot of options in town so this place will have to do. Just be ready for a not so great stay!
Disappointing Stay
We were looking forward to a very nice stay in waterton with my family, but we got room 1406 in The Founders House, As soon as we twisted the key in the keyhole, it snapped. Although It Is Very Close To Parks and The Street. The Industries Near Are Welches Chocolate Shop, Beavertails / Moozoo Gelato, World Famous Fried Chicken, And The Big Scoop Ice Cream. The Pool Was Closed, My Family Was Dissapointed, Even My 9-Year Old Son. Although Really Close To Cameron Falls. The Flowers In The Drive In Area Are Dead. Also Really Close To The Lake And Beach. Overall I Would Not Reccomend!!
Disappointing
We'll have to say was disappointed. Room was small but comfortable. Pillows were very flat but did get more no problem. They did not come in to tidy the room for the 3 nights we stayed. Had to get our own toilet paper and coffee when we ran out. Not great service at all for the price. Not enough seating with chairs or picnic tables outside for guests. Most rooms did have balconies or patios. Overall would not recommend this hotel and wouldn't stay again.
Pet friendly!
We enjoyed finding a spot to have our dog stay with us. Very good location to everything as well. The lodge was a little tired looking but suited our needs just fine. The Lakeside Chophouse was a divine place to go for dinner on the water :)
First Time Visit
Our first time at the Park and in the beautiful quant township of Waterton. Under the circumstances of COVID finally opening up some, we had a great time. The room was lovely and our pet was welcome and comfortable. Vimy's restaurant was a warm and inviting room with extra special service from the Ladies who waited on us. Will go back to the resort very soon.
3 night stay
The room was clean and well set up. The service we received at the lodge was very good and for the most part the staff was very friendly and professional. I would definitely plan a stay there again. We were in the lakefront accommodation building with a balcony. The only surprise we had was that the room rental did not include daily cleaning service so we had to ask for replacement items such as toilet paper and garbage removal. Now knowing this we would not be concerned next time and would be prepared next time around. The management was professional and showed concern about the guests satisfaction.
Nice overall stay. Disappointed with their restaurant and initial arrival
Nice rooms with a nice fireplace. Overall they are becoming dated but they are attempting to slowly upgrade them. Our screen door wasn't working and beds were less than desirable. Fireplace was lovely and so was the two person jetted tub. Overall we were happy with the room even though when we arrived they didn't have our room ready at all even with it being 1 hour past check in time. They did however give us a free appetizer while we waited which was hot and tasty. However, the two other times we went out to eat the waiter wasn't trained well, our $50 meals were cold and it made for what could have been a great wedding anniversary into just alright. Probably won't return and would not recommend.
Great weekend getaway
Excellent service! Room was nice, a little dated, but clean and every amenity you could need. Had one little hiccup on our stay, but staff was very prompt to ensure we were taken care of and satisfied.
Great location in heart of the village
This is a no-frills facility, but certainly delivered on convenience in a relatively pleasant environment. There were lots of little disappointments... terrible coffee in the rooms, the rooms a bit shabby, but I certainly appreciated they were open and welcoming.
perfect getaway
needed to get away for a night and decided on waterton. fantastic decision. accomadations were great and the food at vimy's was excellent. would highly reccomend this place. the location is awesome...
Waterton in winter
Large clean room. Nice staff, the restaurant happily opened a can for us! The town of Waterton closes for the winter, so buildings are boarded up and you won't see many people. Great break especially during covid. Scenery was amazing, the snowy background really emphasized the fire scars from the 2017 fires
A Great Experience!
We chose the 5-night getaway package the last week of February, and upgraded to a Deluxe King room. The room was very comfortable and included meals at Vimy's were excellent. We will definitely be back.
Beautiful Location
Cale and Shiloh on the front desk were so nice and helpful. The whole site had all anyone would want. The food and service where excellent. Rooms were clean and very comfortable. The room we had had a fireplace, fridge and microwave. We loved it!
Typical Mountain Park Lodging
Just another typical mountain park lodge that is overpriced and needs a major cash infusion for upgrades. The room was okay but you had to leave the air conditioner (which barely worked) on continuously (despite a note on it asking you not to leave it on if you are not in the room) just to make in somewhat bearable to sleep at night. The lodge staff were great although clearly they were short staffed and running to keep up. The restaurant breakfast was good for the family although my salmon eggs benny came out ice cold (which I admit I didn't send back but we had to get going to Red Rock Canyon that morning and I could not wait longer to eat). When we checked in there was a mix up with the reservation and I was only booked for one night (when I needed two) and the staff went out of there way to accommodate me in a larger room so I could stay 2 nights at the same right as my previous room. This was extremely nice of them to do and I really appreciated it.
Great Happy Hour!
We stopped in for happy hour and it was fantastic! The appetizers were all delicious and half priced. (The dill pickles were amazing) The drinks were also half price! We look forward to a future return to this yummy restaurant!
We love Waterton!!
Waterton is a most lovely town. Unfortunately, there are too many tourists and out of Province visitors for my taste. Selfishly, I would love it to remain accessible to Albertans only during Covid-19 days. Also, it would help if everyone - citizens and tourists alike - were to wear face masks in public areas.
Restful Stay
We stayed for 2 nights. The front desk staff were very welcoming and friendly. Room was clean and we appreciated the fridge, microwave, and coffee maker. We stayed in an accessible room and the bathroom was large. Bed was comfortable.
Best hotel in southern Alberta! Excellent staff
Staff went above and beyond to assist us! Hotel is super nice, clean, and comfortable!! Views are amazing Restaurant was delicious (the bison burger mmm) Will be back and only stay at waterton lakes lodge
Love the location and have stayed here before however this last experience was sub standard
As stated it turned to a nightmare upon pulling out the hide a bed. Finding garbage that others left behind is unsettling. Not to mention how gross it is to see big hair balls. Upsetting. Felt like no where else to go do stuck at the mercy of the hotel.
Bed was broken
The room is tired and the carpets are filthy, the bed was so bad that we left a 5 am, no exaggeration, my husbands back was out, it took all of our effort not to roll into the centre onto each other. I have never had a worse experience, and I have travelled extensively.
Waterton Lakes Lodge Resort
Waterton Lakes Lodge Resort has friendly and awesome staff, comfortable rooms and is readily accessible to the lake and the village. Overall good service, given the cirumstances with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Buy a tent instead
Where to begin.... let us work back from the annoying to the outright uncomfortable. Fitness centre was not operational, but strangely has a lone fridge in the middle of it (maybe for power lifting). Pool was reminiscent of Communist Eastern Europe in terms of aesthetics and cleanliness. Our thermostat was clearly broken and the room remained a constant 30C which we only survived by opening the window (in October) and blasting the air conditioning simultaneously. We called to report this to the front desk. Multiple times (not just one or two) our call simply wasn't answered and when it was the receptionist put me on hold to " check something " and never returned (bear attack perhaps). Hair dryer worker for 60 seconds then required a " rest " (me and my selfish need for dry hair). The room was dated, all that was needed was a dusty rose coloured fake flower arrangement and I would have been transported back to the early 1990's. Just don't. Please. Just don't.
Vraiment pas terrible
Hors de prix comme tout Lake Waterton. Chambre désuette. Lorsque nous sommes arrivé la clim était coupée et la chambre surchauffée. Le clim faisait du bruit nous avons changé de chambre. La piscine est grande mais vieillotte. Seul point positif le personnel est sympa et souriant. Bref à éviter sauf s'il n'y a pas de place ailleurs.
Français en voyage
Nous venons de passer 3 nuits à l'hôtel les chambres sont spacieuses, la literie confortable mais il faudrait rénover les peintures, le sol et la deco qui doit dater des années 70 !! Nous n'avons pas tester le restaurant seulement le petit déjeuner c'est d'un triste ☹ Pas de personnel pour demander si ça va, table pas rangées et pas trop nettoyées. Non, nous ne sommes pas retournés les jours suivants. Dommage ça pourrait être bien. Christine L
Stains, Mold and Understaffed
First day on arriving we checked into our room and noticed bad stains on the carpet and reported it right away. The staff showed us an alternative room but the carpet was also stained and the room was very hot and stuffy, so we decided to keep our room and expected the stains to be taken care of. Day three and with asking three different times to have them cleaned and the stains have not been taken care of. I could easily do it myself, but I am not paying $300.00 a day to have the opportunity to clean. There is mold on the ceiling of the shower which I reported and was told they would report it.. nothing else offered or done. Cleaning of the rooms each day is pathetic.. it is 5:27 pm and the room is still not cleaned. We asked and they said they were doing the best they can. Would not stay here again.
Good stay
The rooms are arranged in small rustic blocks, mine directly across the road from one of the main blocks of shops but was quiet and we'll appointed. The front desk warned that the WiFi might be dodgy but it worked without a hitch. Would definitely stay again
The staff will treat you exceptionally well
We have been staying at the Lodge for many years. The staff is always pleasant and Welcoming. The resort is very clean and well maintained. This is NOT VEGAS!!! So if your a bit of a snooty pooty and need all the fancy stuff. This isn't it nor is it meant to be. This Place is very Rustic and comfortable. Perfect place to recharge.
Canadian vacation
Waterton was great, took a very nice boat tour (2 hours), the guide was great, perfect sense of humor. I hope to return to take the hike to Crypto Lake, it looked amazing. The hotel wasn't great, the beds were okay and the bathroom was good. The WiFi was almost nonexistent. Waterton Park was very nice, but we didn't have a chance to do much exploring.
Enjoyable stay. Fantastic service!
The room and location were great. But what really stood out was the service from Cale at the front desk! I had booked one night at Aspen Village and one at Waterton Lakes Lodge because that was all I could get with points at the time. When we arrived they only had the type of room I booked (two queen beds) available on the upper floor. However, when Cale heard that my wife was 36 weeks pregnant, he promptly upgraded us to a room with King bed, full kitchen and private ground floor entrance. I was blown away. He was also able to call Expedia and consolidate my bookings so we could stay in the same place both nights. He didn't make me stand at the desk while sorting out my details. He simply said (with a smile and friendly tone) something to the effect of " I'll take care of everything. I've got you ". I've travelled all over Canada and the northern U. S. and never experienced that kind of service. Thank you Cale! You made an unideal situation VERY ideal and we really appreciated it.
A Nice Place To Stay
After making a reservation for a Wednesday July 3rd night stay, my friend and I walked into the lobby and to the front desk to see if a room was available at 9: 30 in the morning. Cale, the front desk person said that there was one available, which was fantastic. He was very nice and accomodating, he even told us where to get our morning coffee and to have dinner, which were both good. So, we checked in and put our luggage in our room and went down to the Lodges restaurant and ordered breakfast. Marlee, our server was very nice and she did a fine job. The room was nice enough for our overnight stay. The only improvement I should mention is that the housekeeping needs to improve because they left their cleaning supplies and supply room door open for a long time in which we had to side step while we were coming and going from our room. There was also an empty beer can on the balcony.
Don't leave anything behind
Don't leave anything behind. They will keep it. Left some hiking boots behind. Called the hotel back and they insisted that they were not there. I know they were left behind in the room because they were not any place else. It was great until that point. Some housekeeper got some great expensive boots.
Desastreux
Passez votre chemin sur cet hôtel qui ne mérite même pas d'être classé !!! Nous avons été obligés de revenir 3 fois pour obtenir notre clef. De plus, les chambres sont plus que quelconques. Et enfin, la piscine est accessible aux personnes qui ne séjournent pas à l'hôtel donc autant prendre son mal en patience pour y accéder.
AMAZING 3bedroom
Once again I traveled to Waterton Park one of the most Beautiful Places in Canada We stayed in the newly renovated 3 bedrooms apartment / hotel. Wow what a beautiful place to stay with 4 of your best friends. I highly recommend staying and will be returning again soon DEANNA is who I always contact when I head down to the RESORT she is Amazing at her Job Thanks Debbie
Hospitality in a difficult situation
We were told that " the hotel is open (it was), the town is open (not so much), and the park is open (barely) " following the evacuation during the fire in which the park visitor center burned down. The first room we were given had the heat turned up to " Hades " on a day that was quite warm. We wondered whether it was left on during the time the town evacuated but this was definitely an issue the housekeeping staff should have adjusted when servicing the room. It room was so hot that we could not remain there for more than a minute and all of the surfaces were so hot that we could not leave a hand on them without discomfort. We were given another room across the hall pretty quickly and we were only charged half price for the room, given that most of the businesses did not come back after evacuation and access to the park was limited to what was on the main road. Even the hiking trails were closed for safety reasons. The staff at the Lodge was friendly and helpful and we enjoyed the one meal we ate at the restaurant.
Very old property in need of major updates!
I was told on the phone when I made the reservation that the property was new. It is old and tired and in serious need of updating. The overwhelming smell of cleaning products was horrible. The bathroom was creepy and the beds and bedding are old. Internet service was nearly nonexistent. There were 2 or 3 local TV channels. I thought I had made a trip back to the '70s. The breakfast was good though.
Recent stay at Waterton Lakes Lodge
For the most part it was a good stay, there just seems to be some building upkeep that needs to be done. Shower stall grout looked like it had seen better days and crumbling away by the door. After a minute in the shower the water level kept rising due to a mostly plugged drain. The Jacuzzi didn't work, but I had a nice soak anyway. The stairs outside going up are sloped downward and just need to be lifted up again, safety hazard, especially when there is a little ice. Food was good, and the room was clean.
Very disappointed
Don't know why they would not allow no penalty cancellation even the park is mostly closed and the town has few business open due to the recent wild fire. People come here for its natural beauty and the lakes. With all the scenic drive roads and trails closed, we were lucky to find a partially open ice-cream (no frozen yogurt) store. Even the airlines know to provide a free drink when the flight is delayed! The management is so shortsighted and has absolutely no sense to build a good business. Will come back the the lakes but no way to stay at this lodge.
OK for a night
Nice looking rooms in separate houses with a first and a second floor. Good mattress, nice view on the mountains from our room in building 11. Room was way under-lighted !!! Coffee making facilities, microwave and refrigerator in room. Also an aircon. Bathroom was OK No safe box, plastic cups only, not pleasant to drink wine or an aperitive and the internet WIFI was also poor. Breakfast was good, eggs, bacon and hash browns. The location was marvelous, close to town center and many restaurants.
Not great, but OK
Definitely not luxury accommodations, but we weren't expecting that. The room was comfortable enough with a good centralized location walking distance from shopping and the waterfront. I would say the most uniquely positive aspect of the lodge was it's rec. center that had an indoor swimming pool and nice hot tub. Also locker rooms with showers, foos ball and pool tables. The pool isn't large, maybe 15 yds long. No lane lines and the poor water clarity made it difficult to see the bottom, but if you are a lap swimmer as I am, when traveling you'll take anything that allows you to swim at all. Hot tub was nice and hot though. The rec center is accessible by punching in a 4 digit code that the front desk gives you. My biggest complaint... a completely dead pine tree just outside our window that should have been removed long ago, but for some reason it hasn't. See attached pic. Seems someone in the grounds crew would have taken care of that in as much as people go to Waterton for the outdoor beauty. As far as Waterton itself... stunningly beautiful... loved it! Will be returning.
Great location...
Great location in the centre of the village -- we love Waterton townsite. My suggestions for the lodge is to update their information -- we were told the pool and games room was complete with everything, but it wasn't -- you need to either bring your own towels or pay for the use of them, and pay for the games room activities, but there is no one on staff to get you anything you need, and we went at different times of the day... no one, ever. Also, the front desk does not give you the correct information you need -- they told us we could just walk into the pool, no towels needed.... no, you need an access code, and bring your own towels.... and we wanted to access a local hike with a " townsite access " -- went to the front desk to ask where that access site was, and the guy at the front desk gave us directions to drive to the information centre to ask.... I pointed out that I did not want to drive when I knew we could walk to the access point, I just needed to know which direction it was, and he continued to try and fumble his way through instead of saying " I don't know - let me ask someone who does ".. finally, after I was blunt about asking if someone else knows, his co-worker helped us. Teach your staff to ask for help if they don't know something. Otherwise, it was a good location, an okay room, and the cleaning staff were terrible.
Absolutely Appalling
I recently had the misfortune to stay at your Waterton Lakes Lodge Resort. We chose your establishment based on the excellent photos and description on your website which showed your 'cabins' to be high spec yet cosy and your amenities top notch. The price for a 1 night stay certainly suggested a high quality experience. We even chose the more expensive 'deluxe ' cabin to make our stay that bit more special. I think it would be easier to describe the issues room by room for clarity so here goes… Hallway - I understand the need for easy to clean surfaces but the institutional lino was not entirely welcoming and reminiscent of a correctional facility. This set the tone. Bathroom - a large room with Jacuzzi bath. The walk in shower could have accommodated 10 people at once it was so large. I'm not sure why that would be necessary and perhaps size could be sacrificed for cleanliness. The tiles and floor were old and dirty and I cannot remember the last time I thought it would be more hygienic not to get into a shower. The Jacuzzi bath was therefore not an option on the grounds that waterborne diseases cannot be easily spotted. The toilet functioned well but was approximately 2 feet from the floor. Do you have a particularly short guest demographic? On a positive note this enabled a great hamstring and quad workout but I imagine would be problematic for those of normal height but limited muscle tone. Bedroom / living room - the first thing we noticed was the heat. This was not just warm but of sauna like proportions. We managed to open the windows to their full 2 inch gap and eventually found that the as advertised fireplace was the culprit for the tropical temperature. The gas pilot light was on and so high that it was heating the entire room and the glass fire front was too hot to touch- no way of turning this off and sadly it was May not January so we didn't really get the benefit. The room lighting could best be described as dingy- this is possibly a good thing as at least we couldn't see the finer detail around the cleaning. We were intrigued by the bedside lights - there were indeed 2 but they were a double unit attached to the wall above the right side of the bed. This seems a little unfair on whoever gets the left side- perhaps you could consider sharing the ability to read a book. The television had no signal - enquiring at reception we were told that there was a known fault with the antenna. This information was not relayed on check in or on your website- the price was also not adjusted accordingly. I am sure this was an oversight rather than any attempt to mislead your prospective guests? And so to the bed. The 1st thing we noticed was the hair. Both on the outside cover and on the inside. This was not our hair. I consider myself fairly proportionate in height / weight ratio and therefore did not expect the bed to break when I sat on the end of it. On closer inspection this would seem to be due to it having a rough box on the floor with an old divan base balanced on top and the mattress from hell atop that. The mattress was a whole experience in itself. I know we were staying in the mountains but I didn't expect to be laying on a 3d topographical representation of the local area. Lumpy is nowhere near an adequate description. After reluctantly climbing into the bed we found it necessary to cling to the outside to prevent a rollercoaster effect. This was not the best nights sleep I have had and not quite the fantastic experience suggested by your advertising. Amenities - this had been the tipping point for choosing your hotel over others. A pool and whirlpool plus a gym. It did not bode well when all of this was completely open for anyone to walk in and a sign on the door asking for a couple of dollars contribution for any non guests using the towels. The gym equipment was broken and filthy and we were advised by someone trying to use it not to bother. Everything including the doors into the pool was unlocked and accessible. The instruction to enter the pool via the changing rooms was laughable. The changing areas were dirty with broken lockers and walking through them with bare feet would have been an adventure too far. The whirlpool was taped off with some distressing looking foam on top. As you can imagine by this stage we were unwilling to try the pool as I could not be sure my immune system could cope with the shock. Breakfast area - I won't comment on the breakfast as it was complimentary but it would have been nice if the breakfast area had been clean and tidy. We certainly weren't lonely as the builders working nearby were frequent visitors and made the most of the coffee and pastries. I cannot remember ever having to write such a review and am able to forgive the odd issue but you are charging 4 star prices for a 1 star experience and that is unforgivable. Your location has made you complacent and I am extremely disappointed. As you can imagine I will not be recommending you to others - interestingly on check in we were asked to provide a review on TripAdvisor - so here it is!
Dark dated rooms
First room we were assigned was dark and dingy. There were no windows that could be opened. The second room we were assigned was 1608. While it had windows we could open, we were unable to close them as they are casement windows and the mechanism that opens and closes then broke / due to rust. The room is very small, very dated, and poorly designed. The tv cabinet sits at an awkward angle where it can not be watched from the couch or the bed. While the bathroom is large and somewhat bright, the spa tub would not turn on and the tile is dated and dirty. The drapes are plastic and two different lengths. It would have been very nice to have at least had an outdoor seating area, but there is not even a bench or chair. For the $300+ we paid for this room we are very disappointed.
Don't waste your money
Sadly I did not enjoy the Waterton Lodge Resort. We were in Room 1108 which had a musty smell upon arrival as the curtains were closed and the windows shut. With fresh Canadian air outside this made no sense. Lighting was particularly poor throughout the room with a low orange glow. Perhaps this was to disguise the poor cleaning. I found hairs on my bed and in the bathroom sink which I thought was unacceptable. The shower had mound around the edges and a rusty shower rail. Again, very poor for a property charging $220 per night. Stains on the carpet, chipped walls only added to the run down feel. Wifi in the room was non existent and there were 3 channels on the TV. Positives were it's good location in town, just a short walk to the lake and nearby restaurants, but this in no way made up for the negatives. Overall a poor stay and I could not recommend it at all - thankfully we only stayed the night. Please buy some mould spray and get some better cleaners and lighting, or charge $40 per night.
Nice Property, Nice Location
Nice property in Waterton Park. Two blocks from the lake; close to shopping and restaurants. Units are clustered together in small buildings. They're older construction and somewhat noisy, but otherwise well maintained. Standard range of amenities.
They billed us twice
Horrible in customer service. They billed us twice, even knowing that everything was already paid (although in the web page they say you can pay there...) Thanks to the girl at the check-in, they told us everything was already charged, but the girl at the check-out billed us again, telling us it was not. Checking the account some days after was a surprise... They returned one of the pays, but I list 10% of the money for not paying in CAD. Bank charges, but lodge fault. The room was too hot and noisy to sleep. I can hardly sleep anything. Restaurant was good and the girl was very nice.
All the essentials
WLLR has the important essentials. It is located in the heart of the village of Waterton. It is close to stores and restaurants and hikes, the lake and waterfalls. You can walk and not have to move your car. The Prince of Wales hotel and park visitor station are a short drive away. The lodge rooms are clean and temperature-controlled. The beds are comfortable and the area is quiet. Rooms have a refrigerator and microwave. Ice, a restaurant and a small gift store are located in the main lodge. Wifi is available, though not very strong. Hot water is plentiful for showers / baths. Yes, the rooms are showing some wear and you only get 3 TV stations. Also, there are no elevators, so you'll be carrying all the stuff you don't need and should have left at home: /
VERY DISAPPOINTED DO NOT STAY!!!!
We had planned to stay two nights but after arrival we were very disappointed and cancelled the second night. Why? Well where do we start, for the price of 300$ a night you get a very dirty worn out room with many amenities not working such as, Wifi didn't work signal was too weak, front desk simply didn't care and said we should come to lobby to access the internet. Air conditioning: Inside the room the air conditioning unit was extremely small and insufficient to cool the room even with the outside temperature at only 20 degrees we could not cool down the room. Going to be brutal when the temperature outside goes up to 30Celsius. Coffee maker didn't work. Tv remote didn't work had to use buttons on side of TV. Seems like for the price of the room, the owners are not putting any maintenance into this place and likely don't care because of this place being such a remote location and not many other hotels in town. My recommendation is rent a room in Pincher Creek, 30 min drive north and have access to better accommodation and drive to the park.
worn out and not very clean
We stayed one night in a standard queen room. Everything felt worn out and dirty. The light fixture lens in the bathroom had paint all over it and not nearly enough brightness. The hair dryer didn't work. The walls and doors are all quite marked up. As a previous reviewer said well past its prime.
Kind and Friendly Staff
The accommodations were suitable and very affordable and the staff was extremely friendly and attentive. After checking out, and while on our way to the airport several 100 miles away, I thought I had left my iPad in the room. I called the front desk, and spoke with Trilla who went out of her way to search the room and contact me. Her sense of urgency and attention to matter was greatly appreciated.
Well past it's prime
Our recent experience at Waterton Lakes Lodge Resort was disappointing to say the least. The room we were checked into appeared worn and needing updating, although the new vessel sinks were the only plus. We could not connect to the wifi, very weak signal, The TV would not connect to any channel - just the TV guide. The bathroom was dark due to burnt out lights as was the case in the bedroom ceiling light. Front desk said that they could loan us a DVD player and a movie. The grounds outside around our unit was weedy with ants all over. Then to top it all off, my wife left a pair of expensive shoes on the bed. (last minute rush to check out). When contacted 6 hours later, the front desk clerk said they would check. They called back the next day to say that someone else was in the room and that they couldn't gain access,. If you do stay there, watch for someone wearing light pink Cloud runners.
An ok place to drop your bags and spend the night, but could use a little TLC
Pros: The location was good (though Waterton is a very small town, so pretty difficult to find a bad location!) The beds were very comfortable, and the linens were very clean. There are separate buildings that house several rooms. We were in the " Lake House ". Parking was pretty good. The lot was quite full for the first night (Saturday) but lots of space on the second night. Cons: 1. My biggest pet peeve with these accommodations is that it was not made clear (to the best to my recollection) at the time I made my reservation, or even when we checked in, that there was not an elevator in our chalet. My mother has a bad leg, so it came as quite a surprise that our room was on the second level of the chalet, with only the stairs to get up. This probably won't be a big deal to most people, but for those who might have issues walking up stairs (particularly with luggage), it may be of concern. We weren't offered any help with our bags (which had we known about the stairs, we might have made use of). The main front desk is in a separate building from the chalet, so it was easier for me to just lug both our bags up myself instead of asking for help. (The issue here is not so much that there is no elevator, but that we were not informed or given the option of a room on the lower level). 2. The rooms could use some refreshing. There were many areas in our room that needed some paint work (a lot of scrapes and areas that need touching up). The bathroom was relatively clean, but dated. 3. There was a small corner shelf with a coffee station; this did not appear to have been wiped down in quite some time (my mother travels with Lysol wipes so she made quick work of that ha ha). But, one would expect that this is an area where some attempt would be made to keep it clean. 4. The porch area to the main building wasn't particularly clean during our stay (there was a single sock there the whole time we were there, as well as some recycling that no one bothered to remove over the couple of days we were there). Taken alone, none of these issues would have really been too big a deal. However, put all together it gave the impression of a hotel where attention to detail is not exactly paramount. The staff was ok. The ones we dealt with weren't rude or anything like that, but we certainly didn't have any " over and above " type experiences. Given that Waterton is a very destination-based location and that the vast majority of visitors I would expect are tourists, it would have been nice if the staff for example at the very least offered a town map.
Waterton Lakes Lodge Resort
This is maybe only place open during winter season in Waterton Park. It's located in the middle of city, they have pool, hot tub. Stauff is very friendly, room are clean ans spacious. Unfortunately, Waterton is well known for wind gust, and we could not do much of outdoor activities.
Great place to stay
Stayed for 2 nights. Rooms were clean and staff are very friendly. Really nice having the pool and hot tub. Small issue with TV service but didn't really matter to us. Supposed to be fixed before next season. Will definitely go back again.
Our stay at Waterton Lakes National Park in Alberta, Canada
Great room with a view of the historic hotel from the balcony on the second floor. Had to go to the lobby to gain internet access. If you like adventure and hiking be sure to sign up for the Ranger Hike along the lake. It is 8 miles but you get boat ride back. You are guided by a Ranger from the US and one from Canada. Do not forget to take your passport of you are going to Waterton lakes National park!
Disappointing
Waterton is a beautiful place and after a very long day exploring the area we made our way to the resort. Check in was quick, easy and the receptionist was very attentive. There are different lodges all numbered, but after dark a little tricky to navigate which lodge is which. All lodges say non smoking but since this rule was introduced clearly the lodge we stayed in had not been policed closely enough or decorated and deeply cleaned or changed from when smoking was allowed. It was dated, smelly, dirty and drab. Fortunately we were there for only one night. Our lodge was close enough to the main building to get ok wifi. Tv in the room, fridge, microwave and coffee machine. Bed was comfy which I guess is what you need. It was reasonable in price compared to others so again I guess you get what you pay for. We would not stay again. The bathroom was terrible the shower didn't run away so you stood in dirty water coming back up the pipe! The shower curtain was mouldy and clearly needed to be bleached or ran through the machine or better still replaced! The bathroom needed updating. The carpet was so dirty it needed a good clean. Having stayed in three other hotels in the area it was by far the worst.. The whole place needed updating and were it not for the staff and location the review would be a two.. Overall a good deep clean with some tlc like new shower curtains, carpets cleaned, lick of paint it could be so much better.
Nice hotel, older but clean
Grounds are pretty basic, as are the rooms, but you are in downtown Waterton. There is a restaurant on site, Vinny's, and walking distance to several other restaurants. Our room was in the 1100 building. We had room 1107 and had 2 double beds a mini fridge and microwave and a small deck. The only complaints is bathroom is very dark, lighting is weak, and our deck had some type of animal feces on it... Which one would say how could an animal get up on the 2nd floor deck.....
Disappointing accommodation
I was disappointed with the state of this accommodation. It is very basic for the price of £104 for one night (and that was supposed to be a deal) and certainly could do with some upkeep. The beds are comfortable and there is a fridge and microwave in the room. The TV has a mind of its own and there were no instructions for it. Having said that the staff were very helpful and the location is ideal. There is an excellent restaurant on site.
Comfy cozy
We come to Waterton on a regular basis because we live only 40 minutes away. I am not sure that there is a bad a place to stay here but one thing for sure is that this place has the vimy restaurant and it is good. You might as well stay here. It's nice and clean the price is right around a hundred bucks, there is a pool, hot tub and sauna. Also at this time of year you have the whole town to yourself it's awesome. Here is to our 26th anniversary.
Breathtaking
Was here recently on a business trip and have to say it's in one of the most breathtakingly gorgeous locations I've ever seen. Nestled between two ridges in the Canadian Rockies, it's surrounded on three sides by majestic vistas. Even in early May there was plenty of snow up high to add to the scenery. My room was in one of the cabins and when I left the room to walk the area after sitting in a plane all day, I had to thread my way around a herd of about 15 Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, including one pretty big ram with almost a full curl of horns, that were grazing on the new grass. There were also numerous mule deer just munching away, not mindful of anyone. Dinner at the lodge was an incredible slab of beef (Alberta is like Texas in that it's the regional staple), perfectly cooked mixed veggies and a great selection of salads and sides. Breakfast the next morning was equally as good. The rooms were clean, comfortable and very quiet. Wi-fi was available and, other than being a bit slow for attaching pics to e-mails, was more than adequate. Who goes there to use the Internet anyway? When out walking the next morning, about 200 yards from the lodge, I heard rushing water and followed the sounds to a very scenic waterfall not half a mile from the main lodge.
Comfortable and cozy
This was my first time at this lodge, and for the most part it was a nice stay. I was a little worried when I first read the reviews, but it turned out to be a beautiful quiet mountain get away. My sister and I stayed the weekend, and enjoyed it. The room was not brand spanking new, nor were we expecting it to be. It was clean; the beds were comfortable and really couldn't ask for much more after a day out hiking and sightseeing. It was also the down season and most everything in the entire place was boarded up and closed down. One of the only complaints I would have, would be the wait time at the restaurant (Vimys) to get a seat and to actually get your order taken and fed. The first evening, we waited in line for 50 minutes just to get seated, and for the most part the waiters totally ignored the people standing in line (to the point they did not even so much as make eye contact) because they were too busy getting orders for the people who were already seated. After finally being seated, it took another 45 minutes just to have a drink order taken (can you see where Im going with this?) By the time we even had our actual food order taken, we had both drank 3 glasses of wine on an empty tummy and were then to the point of starving and it wouldn't of mattered what they brought us to eat because we would of eaten it anyways nor at that point did we pay much attention to the actual time it was taking! After dinner we went over to soak in the hot tub and it was great to find that there was absolutely no one else using the pool, or hot tub or anything at all at that time so we had the whole place to ourselves. The pool was clean, the hot tub as well. The locker rooms lacked cleanliness and could of used a major clean. The very first morning there, we woke and my sister (who is way more awake in the mornings than I ever will be) went over to the pool again to work out and swim as I lazed around in the room and drank coffee and watched the mule deer munching the grass right outside my windows. Beautiful sight to wake to in the pre-dawn mist. The breakfast at Vimys that next morning proved to be like something out of candid camera, the one waitress was running around like a chicken with her head cut off trying to take as many orders at once as she could and keep everyone happy as the other waitress basically tottered around behind the bar and ignored people for the most part. The food that morning was poor I hate to say it, and it also took over and hour to be served anything. So our quick breakfast before we head out hiking turned into a three hour ordeal that we did not plan on. A person would make a killing at this national park setting up a sandwich and snack bar in the off season alone. I for one would of defiantly went elsewhere for food each and every time if there was a closer option. We did find the most fantastic place to eat on the way out of the park, at a place called Twin Butte, amazing Mexican food so so good, Id come back JUST to have their food again! Believe me do not pass this little general store up to eat at on your way in or out of the park. All in all the surrounding scenery was amazing, the lack of people at the time we were there for the weekend was most welcome. We did not come to sit in the room and watch TV so it didn't matter even if the room had one or not lol It was a chilly weekend but well worth the drive time. I got a lot of very nice photos and had a great visit with my sister. One favour to ask… Do you think next time we come that you could possibly turn down the wind a little bit?
Great Value, Great People, Great Views
My wife and I shared a great time at Waterton Lakes and stayed at the Waterton Lakes Lodge Resort. The room was a double queen and was in a great location close to everything. The Vimy Restaurant serves excellent meals at good prices. Mauve and Sara were wonderful servers, knowledgable about the area. I highly recommend the Lodge for your stay at Waterton Lakes.
Great location, stay if you get a good deal or if they do minor renos
I'll list the good and the bad because they kind of balance out, that WU you can decide for yourself too. There are 8-9 lodges on a parking lot beside the lobby and vimys restaurant. We stayed in the shooting star room 1909, i in the yellow lodge. Bad: 1. Small room (we got the 1 queen room, cheapest I believe). 2. Stinky shower curtains that when got wet would float around your feet because they were too darn big for the shower. 3. Blow dryer smelt like it was burning and would not work after 2 - 3 seconds. Had to cycle it on and off a couple times before it worked properly. 4. Left a lovely note (a smiley face and a " please and thank you ") on the headboard of our bed to replace our bed sheets as they were very sandy and dirty. Nothing was done, it seemed housekeeping did not even acknowledge the post it note on the headboard. Hard to believe considering our bed was made and pillow placed in front of note. FYI we found the bed sheets dirty the night we arrived and did not bother to call reception because it was already late. Good: 1. Bought a deal on travelzoo for 180.00 to stay 2 nights, including a 25.00 gift certificate to use at vimys restaurant for dinner. 2. Plenty of clean towels, did not see stains when shined on light. 3. Found one free coffee voucher to be used at " pearls " (vimys sister restaurant) in room by coffee maker. 4. Recreation centre was exceptional. The steam room and sauna were very clean compared to other facilities. Also the hot tub and pool were clean. Weight and cardio room had plenty of space for a resort this size. There is foosball and pool also! Only minor problem is on the foosball table one of the rings that is attached to the end of the handle piece is loose and causes a lot of noise when trying to play. Other than that the rec centre is a difinite yes in my book. 5. Front desk staff were very nice and accomodating. When I called about the blow dryer they said they would have it fixed in the morning, when I asked about housekeeping they said they'd get my sheets changed as me and my girlfriend have dinner, both times recived an apology, which goes along way. Overall the stay was good because we paid such a small price. If we were to pay 200+ a night we would have difinitely been disappointed as we have stayed in other resorts with more good qualifies than bad at that price point. The little bad (easily fixable) hassles added up and made our stay less enjoyable than it could have been. If you know what your getting into and don't mind the hassles we encountered than you shouldn't have a bad experience. Other than that book only if you get a good deal or waterton lakes lodge resort gets a minor renovation.
Overpriced
For the price we paid ($259 / night) I would have expected the place to be in better shape, be cleaner, have an actual kitchenette, etc. We stayed in the Red Rock House unit. The " kitchenette " had very little counter space after you put the portable electric stove out. There is hardly any space to work on to cook a meal. They, however, did provide a good amount of cookware, dishes, utensils. The unit itself is very dated, floor was extremely dirty, is very dark and bathroom's tub backed up. I saw bugs crawling across the bathroom floor and one ran across the dinner table while we were eating. The couch in the living room was really worn and was stained and dirty. The pillows (in the bedroom) smelled like cigarette smoke and our pajamas smelled like smoke after staying there. The location of the " resort " is in a good location, right in the middle of Waterton town site. There is also plenty of parking. This is definitely not what I would consider a " resort ". Our unit (on the main floor) faced a main road and when we had the curtains open to let more light in everyone walking by could see right into the unit. It was not relaxing at all. I definitely would not stay here again.
Comfortable and spacious
We stayed in a kitchenette, it was very spacious and comfortable. The flooring was outdated and not fitted properly with gaps but it was ok. The view from the front door was breathtaking. The pool and hot tub were great, the pool was deeper than most hotels and the gym facilities were good also. They charged $20 for us to bring the dog but at least we could have her there. The bed was comfortable but small.
Waterton Glacier Suites a better choice
We stayed here just 2 nights, had booked for 5. When we made our reservation they said we'd have 2 separate bedrooms with 2 double beds and 1 pullout in the living area. We only got 1 double bed and 2 pull outs. Unacceptable. They could not do anything for us. We went searching and looking at many other hotel rooms and decided to stay at Waterton Glacier Suites for the remaining 3 nights. The price was less and we got a very comfortable queen bed upstairs, and a " murphy " bed downstairs with an additional pull out. The murphy bed is pretty much like a real bed, a mattress drops down from the wall, very comfortable. The price was less per night. We found the Waterton Glacier Suites much nicer, layout was better, no bugs, cleaner, newer, and just nicer to look at inside and out. The Waterton Lakes Lodge tried to fit in with the environment when choosing style and colors, but somehow it just doesn't " work " overall. And the pool, which is supposed to be " salt water " smells horribly of chlorine, we couldn't even walk through the door.
So la la - unterer Hostelstandard
Liegt in Waterton. Recht teuer, Anmeldung und bezahlen gingen super schnell. Auschecken dauerte ne halbe Ewigkeit, obwohl nichts los war. Personal war für diese Tätigkeit nicht zuständig. das Personal stand lieber rum und unterhielt sich. Zimmer war O. K.. Nichts besonderes - Durchschnitt. Insgesamt würden wir nicht mehr dort buchen, da das Preis-Leistungsverhältnis schlecht ist. Für den Preis erwartet man mehr als unterer Hostel-Standard.
Costly rate for average hotel
We stayed at the Waterton Lake Lodge for 2 nights during the week of July 3, 2006. We paid $174+ tax per night, which is quite pricey compared to other Waterton hotels (unfortunately the others were all booked up during this busy season) that ranged between $119 to $169 per night. What we received for the costly rate was very average. The rooms are nothing to complain about, and nothing to brag about. They are quite standard and simple. I did find the beds to be fairly comfortably (I like softer beds), and the hotel was conveniently located to the Waterton Recreation Center (which includes use of pool, gym, sauna, hot-tub with your stay). The hotel is not right on the water like other hotels (such as Kilmorey Lodge, Bayshore Inn), but it is very close walking distance (2-3 mins) to town center with the restaurants, shops, etc. They have about nine seperate buildings that have about 10-12 rooms per building. They are two storey buildings that have stairs only. We had a room on the main floor, and we found it to be very noisey - not from people outside, but from people upstairs. Since it is a wood frame building, we could constantly hear footsteps from upstairs. In our case, we heard noise from walking, playing, etc from above during all times of the evening, 11pm, 3am, 5am, then 8am. Unfortunately, we experienced this both nights of our stay and the sound of the footsteps are loud enough to wake us up and keep us up. At one point, we even had to turn on the TV in the middle of the night for 'background' noise to help drown out the footsteps. If we went to Waterton again (which we definately would), we would probably try to book further in advance and book at another hotel. I would stay at this hotel again, but not for the price we paid - just not good value. If you are heading to Waterton, we really enjoyed the Lamp Post dining room (restaurant at Kilmorey Lodge) for both breakfast and dinner and would highly recommend it. Pat's convenience store is very helpful for all your needs (they rent bikes, scooters, they sell anything from snacks to bear spray) Pretty much if you need anything, stop at Pat's. Very helpful and friendly service as well.
I sat here regularly
Since we live in Lethbridge, Waterton is a common getaway. We've stayed at the Waterton Lakes Lodge at least 5 times in the past 5 years. The first time I saw this place I wasn't impressed. The buildings seem to be clustered randomly around the parking lot. But through several stays I have gornw to appreciate that this was partly to protect a large green area in the middle of the property. Having looked at the layout more, I think they could have done a bit better, but it's not bad. The rooms are fine. The basic rooms are nice. We apprecited the kitchenette once when the kids were very little. Now I often spring for the " deluxe " rooms that include a fireplace and a much bigger bath. Overall this is a great spot for young children. The on-site pool is the only one in town (in fact it's the town pool). There are also often deer or other local critters wandering the lawn of the hotel. Yes, the check in staff are pretty rough around the edges (a basic course in hotel management, or even friendliness would help). And the in-season prices aren't that great of a deal (I tend to stay in the off season). The food here is good (admitedly not as good as the Lampost at the Kilmorey) Overall I find it to be the best accomodation among the slim pickins in the park.
Waterton Lakes Lodge almost destroyed our vacation
I used to work for a 5-star Hotel, so I know exactly how to place a hotel reservation. I booked a 1 bedroom suite for my family of 4 over the phone, I then wrote down all the details, including the clerks name etc. I phoned back the day before check-in to confirm our reservation. Both times I spoke with staff who barely spoke English and didn't seem to understand a word I was saying when I tried to confirm what I had booked. When we arrived the next day to check in, we were given the keys to a tiny, shoddy, over-priced room, that did not have the separate bedroom that we had booked. We went back to the front desk, where they told us that was all that was available. After driving for most of the day, our family then stood at their front desk for over an hour, while they mumbled to each other and made a weak attempt to help us. In the end, they phoned 1 other hotel and then said that everything in town was sold out, so our only option was to take their room. I said we'd be back in a few minutes and walked across the street and found exactly what we needed at Glacier Suites. To top it off, when we booked over the phone they said they had to charge the first night on our credit card at the time of booking (approx $300 / night). But when we told them we found a place on our own, they said the refund would take 3-5 days to go through!
Housekeeping Manager Brenie does not want you here!
We paid CN$400 for a package of two nights in a standard room, 1 lunch and 1 dinner in the hotel restaurant. Arrived at 2:30, signed the check-in registration which noted our assigned unit 1103, was told room was not ready until check in time 4 PM. We had a beer in the hotel bar, used the wifi, and at 3:50 told the front desk we had to go to the post office. Drove back at 4 PM, parked by our building, brought our bags into the building and left them in the hallway. A housekeeping supervisor told me our room would be ready in 2 minutes and I said, " OK, I will go pick up the keys from reception. ". Got to the reception, was told our assigned unit 1103 had problems, another room would be assigned when one was ready. After my questioning I understood that unit 1103 had no problem, but Housekeeping Manager Brenie did not want us to have it. I asked Brenie how could she punish us just because we went to the building before picking up the keys at 4 PM? Brenie finally gave the approval to reception to hand us the keys for unit 1103 after she showed us she was the big boss! Brenie's unprofessional behavior brought down our rating of the hotel which had a " Vacancy " sign out front.
Came excited, left dissapointed
We booked a room to celebrate our anniversary. Check in was quick and efficient, but the front desk agent offered very little info on the property other than a rather serious warning to not take anything valuable with us if we went to the pool. (Made me assume theft is a problem here). We had a nice dinner in the onsite restraunt. The food was well prepared and the restraunt had a nice atmosphere. After dinner we decided to go play some billiards on the pool table in the pool house. Bad idea. The table was tore up, and there was not a single cue with a tip on it. Really???Upon leaving the pool house I noticed the panic bar on the door was zip tied in the unlock position, totally negating the need to punch in the security code to enter the building. (If theft is a problem, that is probably a good place to start!!) The room directory mentioned DVD players were availiable with a selection of DVDs at the front desk. Billiards was out, so a movie by the in room fire place sounded nice. Nope! The same front desk agent informed us he " had no wires to hook any of the DVD players up ". Really??? How about a movie on TV? Nope!! Only a handful of channels with a very fuzzy picture. Really?? So that left us with a soak in the jacuzzi tub in the room. Looked good untill I had to clean it first to remove someone's left over hair. Really??? The room was marginally clean. I had to move a bedside table to access a plug in. Very dirty and dusty. The bed was not nice. We both woke up with sore backs. (We are young healthy people, this is rarely a problem). The bedding and pillows were good, and both seemed clean. The room was large enough, and with a good atmosphere. The shower is huge but lacked even a simple shelf for soap or shampoo. Should I really have to put that on the floor??It felt very much like a locker room shower. The continental breakfast left a lot to be desired unless you are into yogurt that was nearly two weeks past best before date or jams that were so old they had the consistency of glue. Our package included chocolate dipped strawberries. These were delivered shortly after checking in, and were probably the highlight of the stay. This property left me with the feeling that it is slipping away quickly. If I had to stay here again, I would, but not before exhausting other options first.
Run down, overrated " hostel "
Check-in was great. And this is where is went down hill. Arriving at our room we we hit with an overwhelming smell of Indian curry, which stayed till lunch time the next day. The carpets were disgusting, looked like a mechanic shop. We have stayed in hostels when we were younger and this was in the top 3 worst places we have ever stayed. I would be embarrassed if I owned this hotel, a little bit of the profits need to be used for renovations especially when paying this much for what realistically should be rated as a 2 star hotel. An apology from the manager as seems to be a standard response from this hotel is not sufficient, it is hollow when it continues to occur and nothing is done to either renovate the rooms or discount rooms that are sub standard. We will never stay in this hotel or any other hotel owned by Waymarker.
infestation
shocked to find beds infested with ants-told staff -was told that happend this time of year-not good enough-it was disgusting-couldnt sleep-would not recommend this place-needed to be fumigated- freaked us out-nothing staff would do-
A delightful stay.
Traveling through Waterton as one of many side-steps between Texas and Alaska, we spent three nights at the Waterton Lakes Lodge and took some time to relax, take in marvellous scenery, and spend hours on end in the hot tub in our deluxe room. Waterton has excellent hiking in every direction, just as the handsome young man at the front desk had told us, so we spent our entire first day in the sun, savoring the strong breezes that cooled us down. After a full day of fresh air and exercise, we topped it off with superb dining at the Bighorn Grill, a movie in our room, and then more relaxation in the hot tub. We did the exact same thing the next day because the first day was so great! We are SO glad we didn't take a " honeymoon suite " at one other hotel because that entire place (to remain nameless) was ugly and smelly. The photos on their website were stunningly beautiful, but to look at that other hotel and conference center first-hand was sheer disappointment. We have already made reservations at the Waterton Lakes Lodge for 2004 and we are considering booking our family reunion there in 2005.
Not quite value for the money
Picked this spot so we could use the gym to run and bike in the am or late pm, however both the treadmill and exercise bike were broken. When I asked if they would be fixed soon, was told they would be sending them out " sometime " to get looked at. The pool smelled and tasted like chlorine, but the length was good for doing laps. The room was soso. It was very warm. I had to keep the windows open and turn off the pilot light to the gas fireplace, but it still was too hot (I called down to the main desk, and rather then send someone up to make the pilot light adjustments, they told me to do it myself). We stayed two nights. When we came back the first night the room wasn't cleaned up and we were not given any clean towels. I called the front desk and had a batch of clean towels delivered within 1 / 2 hour, but no explanation or apology as to why the room wasn't made up. The jet tub was good. Wouldn't go back.
Waterton places aren't updated... and this isn't a 'resort
Stayed for about 1 1 / 2 weeks in a pet-friendly room. Housekeeping had to be requested (and didn't do a great job at that) and the rooms are outdated (all the places in Waterton are outdated, though, so this wasn't worse or better than others I've seen). Great location right in the middle of town and helpful front desk staff. The service at the in-hotel restaurant is terrible (Vimy's) so I'd avoid.
Here is a very recent review... HORRIBLE!!
Stayed here May long weekend and we requested 2 rooms... one that would allow a dog. The agent was accomodating and said we could have an adjoining room. When we arrived we were on 2 different levels (the property consists of several units with a lower and upper level in each unit.) When we asked the front desk why we were not adjoining, we were told there were no adjoining rooms available. The odd thing? The room I was in was an adjoining room!!! So I had to listen to a stranger's baby cry all night long in the next room! But they would not ask the other guest to switch with us. Second, in the email confirmation letter we were quoted one price, then were told upon check in that the rate was incorrect and they wanted to charge us $175 instead of the quoted $134. The $134 rate was to include a whirlpool bath and fireplace (according to THEIR printed literature.) But no we did not have either in the room. In the printed literature our " standard " room should have been only $113.00. We were told that since it was a long weekend the printed literature rates did not apply.... then perhaps they should have that in fine print somewhere. My room did not have a waste basket so I had to call for one. However when I went to call the front desk I could not because the phone cord was missing. I don't mind some disorganization on a long weekend..... but the front desk staff were rude, tried to milk us for more $$ than what was quoted, and then lied about the adjoining room not being available. I live only an hour plus away and will return many more times to Waterton this summer.... but will not return to the Waterton Lakes Lodge! I would rather tent it and brave the typhoon winds! PS I am a travel agent too so I know in this biz the hotel staff's excuses are totally inappropriate and unacceptable.
A nice try, but nothing spectacular
Waterton Lakes Lodge is located in Waterton village in the center of the park. Although a short walk to the lake (everything there is) it really has no view of the lake. The rooms are in a series of buildings around the grounds. Each of the buildings has 8 or so rooms. The whole facility has an attempted " eco " theme with pleasant, but not plush rooms. The restaurant surprisingly has no lake view. While we were there, they were rennovating the restaurants, which still will only overlook the adjoining youth hostel and pool building. We actually ate in what appeared to be some sort of large conference room. The staff was nice and the food very good, but the setting was odd and obviously make-shift. We would have appreciated some kind of warning. Waterton itself is a pleasant village with a handful of restaurants with a fun, casual atmosphere. The park itself, which is not heavily visited, is beautiful. For a real treat, have a drink at the Prince of Wales Hotel about a 1 / 2 mile up the street. It is perched on a hill with a magnificent sunset view of Lake Waterton. Waterton Lakes Lodge is OK, but no better or worse.
Extremely disappointing stay
We got married in the park and stayed at this hotel for a total of 5 nights. We had frequent problems with lost reservations, being overcharged for our rooms, extra charges placed on our rooms which were not authorized. Overall, we were extremely disappointed in the hotel's handling of these mistakes. We expected a lot more. ***Security Warning*********************************************** During our stay, one of our guests room doors was left open by the cleaning staff, and items went missing from his room. The hotel manager was extremely rude to us and quite unprofessional in dealing with this situation. ******************************************************************** The dining is room is very nice, and the chef did a fabulous job with the wedding dinner. Pearl's bakery did a fabulous job on our cake. If we return to Waterton, we will definitely NOT be staying at this hotel again.
Good location - old rooms
We stayed just one night in June. The cabin and our room looked a little bit old, but it was clean. Unfortunately, the price was very high and the room not really worth the money. It is in a National Park, but I would still expect more for the price. Compared to all the other hotels in Waterton it might still be a good choice.
Cancelled Wedding
This is a review of the poor service we experienced when booking our wedding at Waterton Lakes Lodge. I booked our Wedding reception at Vimys Lounge (the restaurant in the hotel) after seeing photos of it online. My fiancee and i both loved the look of the large windows and views. We were having a pretty " no frills " type of reception with about 50ppl. We just wanted a quiet dinner in nice atmosphere. It was very hard to get a response via email or phone messages with the events coordinator to begin with. Once booked my Fiancee and i went out to Waterton to see the restaurant and talk about table set up, our meal, ect. with the coordinator. Everything seemed perfect. When we got back home i email the coordinator to see if we could have the ceremony in the restaurant if the weather was poor outside. She emailed back saying she would find out and let us know the next day. About 2 weeks went by without a word. I called and left messages and finally got through. She said they " weren't sure " if they could do the wedding at all. This was 3 weeks until the wedding. I was shell shocked. My fiancee called the Restaurant and did a bit of yelling and then they sid we could have the reception in the Banquet room and the would waive the $500 rental fee for that. We didn't book in the banquet room. We wanted a low key wedding in the dining room. I contaceted the head office and they were pretty understanding but wouldn't give in really to some requests i made (haoppy hour drink prices tll 8, discount on food ect). To make a long story short we cancelled the whole wedding in Waterton. It was too much stress and we lost trust in their ability to coordinate a simple wedding reception. The reasons thy gave us for not having the wedding in the restaurant were varried; short staffed, general manager was " grumpy " and there was not enough room in the one side of the restaurant. This all would have been nice to know before we booked and the said it was going to work. Our wedding is September13th. We've booked out flights to Vagas.
Won't stay there again
What a disaster! We were only going to take a one night romantic get-a-way from Calgary. The lady that booked our reservation said that our room was the nicest in the hotel and her personal favorite but upon getting in, the lake " theme " she was talking about was nothing more than a lamp with sea shells stuck to it and a lake name on the front door. There were burnt out lights all over and it just looked rather dingy. We next went down to their Vimy dining room for supper. The waiter wouldn't seat us even though they don't take reservations and there were clearly 8-10 open tables. We went elsewhere. In our room, there was also no way to control the tempurature. The wall mounted heater / air conditioner was either on or off, no inbetween. So by 3 am, the heat was unbearable and it had to be turned off. Then by 6 am (as the outside temp was -5) we were freezing. I will never stay there again as I expect more when paing $130 a night.
This was rather a strange hotel... really not a Lodge
The units are grouped about 4 or 5 to a building and " Good Luck " finding your room. The numbers are a secret and the desk people didn't give us or any of the other travelers we encountered directions. The desk person just kept telling us how tired she was as she is working two jobs. The rooms are basic and fairly dingy without good lighting. We had to walk up a steep flight of stairs to get to our room. No help offered.
If you need WIFI then Waterton is not the stop for you
I was on a working vacation and chose to stay in Waterton based on the advertised WIFI in the rooms. While we really enjoyed our visit there, Waterton was beautiful, the boat tour excellent and the Pizza outstanding, the WIFI did not work... at all. It cost me dearly and would caution anyone who needs to be connected. Room was clean, adequate and part of town. Also, because of internet problems the room was not ready at 5pm and we had to return later to check in. That was a problem due to our timing of activities and limited us.
Don't Mix Travelers with Working Crews
This was our first visit to Waterton, and maybe our last visit to Waterton if we live by our first impressions. The Waterton Lakes Lodge Resort was the only place in town left open after the long weekend, we had no idea the place becomes a ghost town after Thanksgiving. It would have been nice if this info was shared on the web site or at least have someone contact us to say you know that all amenities with the exception of our hotel and dining room as closed. So this left us with little to no options. Since we had just arrived we decided to try out the dinning room, being the only place open it was very busy and clearly under staffed. We were tucked into a corner and waited for 20-30 minutes to receive a menu and to have someone come and talk to us. As we were ordering, we soon came to discover the long list of items the kitchen was out of, perhaps the Chef forgot to place an order for food that week? Once our food did arrive it was ok, nothing to make me go wow how amazing. After about 21 / 2 hours we were finally done. Our server was trying to explain off the wait with how they were trying to stagger the orders so the kitchen could keep up, well if that is the case, why not some snacks an nibbles on the table as we waited. The next day we went in for breakfast as this was the only option, like dinner the breakfast menu was very over priced, my wife and I each had 2 eggs, she had bacon, I had sausage, toast, hasbrowns for her and I asked for fruit as I have an allergy to potatoes. (The fruit consisted of very large pieces of cantaloupe and some dried up oranges, I think food shortage carry over to breakfast) Our server who looked like he just woke up, (these as a note are my big pet peeves with servers) he had some yellow t-shirt on, clearly not uniform standards, unshaven and clearly not familiar with the menu or how to use the POS as I could hear the debate on what to charge me for the fruit I had subbed for Hashbrowns. Once breakfast arrived, I had no toast, and hashbrowns, I asked to have the hashbrowns returned and my toast to be brought out, my wife shared hers with me, then I over heard the manager say, but he has toast, no I don't, so went the discussion now of how to charge me for the toast which was included in my breakfast. In the end $35.00 for breakfast that wasn't memorable is very over priced. We went to Pincher Creek the next morning and had an amazing breakfast for under $20.00, so if your there in the off season I would go there for all your meals. The room was OK, nothing special at all, and we travel a lot and stay in hotels a lot. being off season I feel the rates were too high, I guess there was a 25% off stay if you stayed 2 nights, which we did, but no one took the opportunity to share with us at any point, or wasn't offered at booking, we saw the ad on our dinning room table, so at check out I had to ask if we could get the discount. The rooms were not quiet at all, we were in a block that had a lot of search and rescue guys down for training and some construction crews, these guys get up really early and start moving around, You can clearly hear them and every step they take, and even better when they start up their work trucks, not much sleep happening at 4:30am. Would have been nice if the hotel would have grouped us with travelers and not with crew workers.
not the best choice
I've stayed here a few times when other hotels were overbooked. Its sort of like an old condo complex. The rooms are rather bleakly furnished with wierd decor. Lamps made from animal horn type motif. Not really my thing. Towels and amenites are not the best and while tv is very ltd in Waterton they still use the old massive type tvs. Its a very dated 60-70's type room. I'm sorry but the pix on the website look a whole lot nicer than reality. I'm sure the price is decent but for a nicer stay there are better choices.
Do not recommend
We reserved a room at this hotel as a " Walk-in " while visiting the very lovely Waterton National Park. We were greeted by a very accommodating, nice young lady at the front desk who seemed to be providing us with " upgrades " one after the next! Turns out it was an special package offer they were running for $199. CAD which included a $50. Dinner and a $25. Breakfast voucher at the inhouse restaurant. Fantastic right?!! When we arrived the next day to check-in at 2:30 our room was not available, but that was fine so we can back at 4pm. The property is a series of buildings with maybe 6-8 rooms in each and it quickly feels very " Hostel like ". I noticed immediately a very large wheeled basket overflowing with dirty laundry at the front door of our building. There were also beer cans on the floor and none of the doors locked making the entire building fully accessible to anyone. Once inside the very cramped and smelly room I looked at the carpet on the side of the bed, which itself appeared very dirty and old and there were about 10 clipped toenails from a previous guest! It was absolutely disgusting and unacceptable. The toilet was also clogged and the window box air conditioner filter was laying on the carpet in front of the fireplace. I put that dusty thing back in myself. We called and another very attentive staff member came rushing over with a plunger and vacuum. The room is in desperate need of refreshing. Maybe a lighter color paint and brighter bulbs! Overall better attention to managing the property could go a long way. We had a much more positive experience in the restaurant with the staff and the food preparation was surprisingly good. Some of the staff appear to be very hardworking and very friendly, there is definitely room for improvement in management. The WiFi is free but does not work. The location is excellent but, after our experience I can't recommend this property.
Great Location But Over-Rated, Not Clean, Tired & Pricey
We had a room with a kitchenette priced at $225.00 night + applicable taxes. We stayed there for two evenings. Very overpriced. The bed was not made (I pulled up the bed covering each AM) ; the cleaning staff did not vacuum each day (peanut debris left on floor for two days) ; no dish towels for cleaning / washing dishes; no " scott " towels or napkins in kitchen; some of the kitchen utensils need to be replaced as old & scarred. For $225.00 / night they simply change bathroom towels, check bathroom soap supply and empty the garbage. Vimy's Lounge & Grill, on site, was not great the one evening a group of us had dinner there. I had Atlantic farmed salmon (priced about $28.00) which was quite lacklustre. Other entrees and appetizers, as reported by all attending, were not much better, however both the service & server was great doing an outstanding job. We would not return to the Waterton Lakes Resort.
Last vacancy at Canada day
We had a double queen bed room without pre-reservation. Bad cleaning, malfunction of electrical equipment. " Free spa facilities " was a hot-tub and a steam bath out of order combined with a little indoor pool and a 50 degree Celsius dry sauna. Only the walls made this a better choice than the campsite.....
An absolute RIP-OFF
Yes, the Waterton Lakes Lodge is an experience, I wish I could say a happy one. Not so, the place is for Backpackers not Tourist, primitive to say the least at 5 star prices. Zimy's restaurant, part of the Lodge, is an absolute disgrace. The food we ordered took over an hour to be served and when it was finally served it was burnt and cold. The chef is an amateur clown, least to say we refused to eat the meal and left without paying.
Not Happy!
We stayed one night only in a " family / kitchenette " suite consisting of 1 bedroom, full kitchen, small bath and tiny living room area with cheap sofa bed. The cost was $274.00. Check-in was delayed by staff until exactly 4 pm and checkout was reminded several times to be 11 am. This is both 1 hour later and 1 hour earlier than most hotels. We were then given directions to a different unit which left us driving around several times to find the correct one. The kitchen had a sign stating we must do our own dishes or be charged another $10.00 for any dirty dishes left. What??!! It is a hotel kitchenette. Should I wash my own sheets as well?? Sofa bed was completely uncomfortable; Every sound from the unit above and the mutual entry way was heard all night long. Whether footsteps or doors opening and closing or talking or water running - every sound is audible. I would definitely NOT stay here again, especially for the quality to value exchange. The only thing this hotel really has going for it is the fact it is in Waterton Park.
This place is in need of some TLC
I was really looking forward to staying here but was surprised by the condition of the resort. I did not find our room that clean. In the hallway their was large stains on the carpet. Our room had a Jacuzzi tub that we ran out of hot water trying to fill the tub. We also were afraid to use the jets as we were concerned about what might come from them. The building we stayed in was the Red Rock building. I felt like the place was run down. On a positive note the bed was really comfortable and the view of the mountains are nice and the room was very cozy. Could use a little decor. The restaurant had great food and good service but again seemed run down, the kitchen doors had two fairly good size holes in them. The carpet was not in great condition. The upstairs area was much nicer. The fitness room was very sad and most of the equipment had out of order signs or damage. Definitely does not look like the photo on the website. There was sheep excrement's everywhere and I really think it could of been swept off the sidewalk. I did not feel the price matches the state of this resort. I really hope they will give it some TLC as I think it has much potential. The Gift shop was cute and the people were nice. We did enjoy our stay with a little TLC and this place would be amazing.
Don't waste your money here, go to Banff instead!!
- we booked our stay at the Crandell Mountain Lodge but when we arrived, a note on the office door said we had to check in at Waterton Lakes Lodge (WLL) ; who apparently own the Crandell also. - when we booked our stay, we indicated we'd never been to Waterton so wanted to make sure the hotel was close to shopping / sightseeing / etc. We were told it was but we were not told that the entire town is boarded up until May. - we were also not told (at time of booking) that the only restaurant open in town was the Lampost; located at the WLL - when we arrived (15 minutes early) for our dinner reservation, we were told (very loudly) that we couldn't be seated until our exact reservation time; regardless of the numerous empty tables. - menu wasn't clear about what was included with meal and the waitress didn't know and had to repeatedly ask someone else - we had to wait 15 minutes then flag the waitress down to take our order - waitress had a dirty looking gauze / splint on her index finger, which stuck out over the food when she served it - gross! - waitress took our appetizer to several other tables before figuring out it was our order - appetizer was cold / tough - waitress brought us ceasar salads which we did not order - asked for plates to share appetizer - the ones she brought were dirty - had to flag waitress down for coffee refills. Also had to ask for cream / sugar - main course steak (ordered well done) was charred black on the outside and pink in the middle. Second main course (containing pasta) was chewing and crunchy; the result of having sat under a heat lamp too long. - no wine list offered - when we said the food was aweful the waitress giggled then walked away. We made 4 attempts to contact general manager (Darcy Wright) to ask for our money back but he just ignored us. It wasn't until we went through the Better Business Bureau that the WWL indicated they would reimburse us. It's been 4 mos. and still waiting for this to be resolved.
Unbeatable location, shabby lodging
The lodge is located in one of the most beautiful spots in Canada. Incomparable views with everything you could ask for in a National Park. Unfortunately there is no pride of ownership in the interior. Our room was shabby and dirty and as another reviewer mentioned, in need of some serious TLC. The bones of the lodge are great, but it feels neglected and undervalued. It is too bad as I plan to return to Waterton, but will plan to stay outside the park next time. This place could be a destination spot considering the location and activities available. It should be a place easy to recommend and hopefully with a little effort will be one day soon. The upside is that the staff are very friendly and helpful.
Painful Check in
It's off season and this hotel still couldn't check us in an hour after the 4:00 check in. Shabby carpets, old draperies and furnishings and someone else's food left in the refrigerator. Not impressed.
Needs a reno!
My husband and I stayed for 2 nights in July. We had to wait until 4:30 before our room was ready, even though check-in was at 4:00. When we got in then, I could see that there were hairs on the bathroom floor. We stayed in one of the 1100 block of lodges, on the 2nd floor. The room was small and cheaply furnished. The bathroom had a sky light, which was nice. All that was available to us was a room with 2 queen beds-luckily the beds were comfortable. The carpet in the bedroom was OLD and stained all over. We did not take our shoes off, because of this. The front lobby had a musty, bad smell, upon entrance.
Definitely paying for the view
I was incredibly disappointed with this lodge. Upon arrival there was no greeting at the reception desk. The girl simply asked me what I needed from the stool she sat on. Then there was some confusion with our reservation. The whole while, the young lady barely got off the stool to attempt to check us in. She merely told me she was putting a $200 deposit on my card. When I asked why she simply said it was because we were staying two nights. Our room was prepaid so I was confused. I thought it steep for an incidentals deposit for a hotel that had no options to bill to the room? I had spent ample time on the phone with the booking agent when booking to confirm a ground level pet friendly room as our son has difficulty with steep stairs. When we arrived, our room had been given away to a tour. The receptionist had a " well too bad " attitude. A supervisor overheard the conversation and quickly jumped in to save the reservation by accommodating us and waived the pet fee for us. The front desk did not provide any information about hotel amenities. No indication that there was a restaurant or its hours. We had to call to get any information and needed to ask staff outside for directions to our chalet. Once in the room, we were pleasantly surprised. It was very clean and the beds were very comfortable. There was a huge bathroom that appeared to be recently redone, there are some indications of mould around the tub but I think that can be expected in older hotels. The furniture was well kept and small fridge and a microwave that were not outdated!! The TV is small (but really we weren't there for the TV) and the remote didn't work so you couldn't turn it on. No batteries were available at the desk. When returning to our room after breakfast, we found the room had not been restocked with any of the coffee items and the beds were simply thrown together and tucked under and garbage bags had not been replaced but merely left in the bottom of the garbage cans. I had to go to the front desk to get coffee for the morning. That front desk agent (Zoey) was fantastic!! She quickly got us the items and apologized for the inconveniences. She renewed my faith in the lodge staff!! Still not the service you expect for $240 / night! The recreational centre is walking distance from the lodge but despite no smoking signs posted there were young staff and other young people standing around smoking in the doorway to the centre. The Hostel is also attached so there seemed to be ample young adults roaming around. They did not move for guests and made no apologies for blowing smoke in your face or blocking doorways. We found much of the staff to be young, almost transient and they were almost inconvenienced by any questions. We soon started asking service staff at the restaurants for directions and things to see and do recommendations. I understand the Recreational Centre is not owned by the Lodge but it was dirty and the pool water was cloudy and the chlorine levels were abundant!! The pool area was filthy and there was mud on the pool deck and the bottom of the pool was gritty. Very unfortunate for the Lodge, but it associates the amenities and led to further disappointment. We appreciated the efforts of the supervisor / manager at check in but the stay itself was disappointing for the money. We will not return.
Could use a little polish
The resort is actually a series of buildings house approx. 6 units in each. My room Had a bed, couch, fridge, simple coffee station and personal amenities. Bed was comfortable, linens and towels. fresh. Staff were friendly enough. I have stayed here previously, and can honestly say that this hotel in in need of a good scrub, Polish and refresh. Housekeeping - please rid the Moldy bathroom tub and shower, odorous shower curtain, remnants of prior guest: unsweetened and unmopped tile floor spills. Management: please address insufficient / sparce bare bulb lighting in bathroom, stained carpet in rooms, stained couch and chair upholstery. The facility was priced steep, and really failed to deliver. As one of the newer facilities in Waterton, I would have expected they would use that to their advantage. Hopefully they consider.
You will LOVE this place, we did
Great place to stay during the winter season. The town is CLOSED so few if any tourist. Absolutely NO loud and rude children. Great pool, there is a hot tub in our room that both my wife and I easily fit in together. A fire place a TV and spacious room. The Vimy's Lounge and Grill has food to match the amazing views. Everything I tried in my stay was world class, the last meal I had was the Trout. It was the best Trout I have ever had in any resort or city in North America, I have been in every State in the Union and every Province of Canada plus two of the three territories. This place is world class eating for certain.
Refreshing get away
Waterton is quiet, peaceful, unspoiled beauty in winter. Fresh air, even walking around the townsite, the only company were grazing deer and mountain sheep. Temperatures are much lower than the city so bundle well, comfortable walking shoes, your camera and a bottle of water are all you need. It was an inspiring get away from city life, in march month.
BELOW AVERAGE / SKIP
Unfriendly staff made us feel unwelcome. Almost racist. Check in staff was rude. Breakfast tables dirty and bin overflowing by table. No milk available. We got it after waiting 10 minutes. The lady however asked all others if she could make their experience better.
Overpriced and run-down
Hotel is well -located in centre of town. When we arrived, there were several drops of blood on Duvet Cover. We asked that it be replaced and it was done promptly. We discovered that the TV wouldn't work although it appeared to be new. The blow dryer didn't work as well and was promptly replaced. The light fixture in bathroom was missing although there was a lightbulb that worked. When we stepped out on the balcony and leaned on the railing, it was loose and almost gave way. All in all this property needs a great deal of upkeep and renovating.
The best place to stay in Waterton
Waterton National Park is known for being very natural and rustic. It is a small village with smaller hotels, quaint shops and lots of excellent restaurants and cafes. There are no posh mega-hotel chains here and that's ok. The closest that you will get to a nicer hotel is this one. It is well maintained, with nice decor and a good list of amenities. Many of the hotels in this area do not have A / C and it can get pretty hot and stuffy. The other hotels are older and don't have sound proofing either. The Waterton Lakes Lodge is quiet and well equipped. It's also very busy so book as early as you can (they have a low-risk cancelation policy too). The food is good and the staff are very helpful.
Gone downhill
Have stayed here in the past and it was great. The resort seems to be much more run down and poorly managed now. Our reservation, that was made months prior, was screwed up and we weren't given the room we were promised. The worst part was that no one working at the hotel seemed to remotely even care. When the staff called the manager to come out and address our concerns he his in the office around the corner and didn't meet us. We had to go back to the front desk three times to get a room which was remotely decent and at the same cost as the original room we were promised. The bed was so soft our backs were messed up after one night. It is definitely time for the resort to spend some money on repairs and upgrades. This was a really nice place to stay in the past but feel it has drastically gone down hill. We won't be staying here again.
Underwhelming
This hotel is one of the most pricey properties in Waterton. The rooms are quite large, and ours had a jacuzzi tub and king bed. However, the property has no internet that works, and at check-in, you are advised to use the cafe across the street or the adjacent park! How can a park have wifi, and a large hotel not? Because they are too cheap to upgrade and provide a service to customers. Not that we're addicted to the internet, but when you want to check in with your kids and keep up with work (who generously gave you time off as long as you stay up to date) it can be essential to check in once you're back in from a day of hiking. The amenities were nice, but the property is tired-looking and could use an update in many areas. The Vimy restaurant staff were just awful. We had 3 or 4 different people asking us if we'd like water or coffee, and none of them brought any! The omelet comes with potatoes, but not toast. There are cloth napkins, but plastic cream containers. Just so many oxymorons. The place can't decide if it's upscale or rugged. Not impressed with the bad service at all.
Little noisy the first night
It's our second time staying here, and we got the same room. It was a nice room. The first night was valentines night and there was some loud rooms in our complex. It was full moon so lots of people out to just ski that night. Next night was much better. Have to say though the gym room needs to be updated. It's worse than it was two years ago. The two treadmills are both broken, and the majority of the other equipment is taped up. The carpet is terrible in there. It's sad. Buy treadmills from Costco even. It's such a pretty view from that room but the state of the room is horrible. The pool is nice. Steam rooms wonderful.
Expensive and below average
Room was comfortable enough but like previous reviewer said the advertised free wifi is non-existent, when we checked in we were told to go across the road to another business for wifi. Walls are paper thin, we could hear next door conversations and all our neighbours bathrooms. A two-inch gap under the door meant we were women by the smell of cigarette smoke drifting in. Would not stay again.
Outdated and musty
Ok. Let me get this straight. The ONLY reason I was convinced to rate this a 2 is because of the front desk staff. They were very friendly and welcoming. We walked into the lobby building and it looked nice, but when we got to the building, it was a lot shabbier. The bathroom was okay. The bed skirts were faded green while the comforter was red plaid-ish. The light fixtures were very outdated and dim. In the morning, the room was so musty and felt almost damp. The only reason we stayed here was because there was no availability elsewhere. If you can, stay somewhere else.
Below par lodging in out of this world scenery
I arrived early and was greeted by the desk staff who, when I inquired if a room was ready, was told in a condescending tone, " I really doubt it because you're so early but I'll check anyway. " As it turned out there was one ready. Lucky me. Well not for long. Got to the room on the second floor of the building to find it smelled like vomit. I attributed it to the fact that it went away once I turned off the a / c and chalked it up to a unclean filter. Lifting up the toilet lid, there was some bloody snot in the bowl. Flushed it. The wi-fi was unusable. The night of my stay, a weeknight mind you, there was some special function in the main building with very loud music and loud people that lasted well past midnight. I'd been counting on a good night's sleep since I was planning an early departure for a long drive. It wasn't to be. I mentioned these issues to the desk clerk upon check-out, and she admitted there was a party that night but wasn't at all apologetic. The only issue she made a note of was my complaint about the awful smell. No offer was made to try and make the stay right. It's unfortunate that my trip to the beautiful Waterton Lakes Park was marred by this substandard property and unconcerned staff.
Owners are Cutting Corners (i. e. staff)
The weekday special should be a deal, 199 Canadian, includes a bonus 50 for dinner and 25 for breakfast. For Waterton in the summer that sounds like a great deal. Other reviewers noted how dated this place is for the money you pay. You can do some quick math at how much their revenue is a day and realize the owners are milking this place because there is more demand for lodging than supply. They cut corners on maintenance, upgrading and most importantly on staff. All the staff we met were nice people and tried their best. But there is not enough staff, that is obvious. Not paying enough? No one wants to work in Waterton? My hunch based on looking at nearby lodging is the owners are greedy, plain and simple. You should not advertise wifi and then tell guests it basically doesn't work. Everyone should get 10% of their bill right there. Vimys, the hotel's restaurant (this place is not a resort) is like the alleged wifi: spotty. We ate their three times. Fish and chips and fish sandwich one night -- the fish and chips were by far the best meal we ate, recommended. Beef Wellington was overcooked and appeared reheated / old on a bed of old mashed potatoes advertised as fingerling potatoes. We complained to the manager and he 'generously' gave us 25% off rather than comping the entree. The maple salmon dish was dry served with plain white rice (huh?). Eggs benedict were great except they were served with those frozen cubes of pre-fried potatoes you'd find at a cheap diner totally devalueing the meal. The only hotel where you can truly view the lake from your room is the Prince of Wales, and you'll pay for that view. Bayshore has trees in the way though the second floor has some limited views, though beware of the north facing rooms that view the busy marina area. Based on research and observation the Bear Mountain Motel looks like the best place -- try to score a kitchenette and pack some food into Waterton.
Cold Showers
We were here for one night during our trip through several Canadian and US National Parks. This was our most disappointing stay. The rooms are spread among several separate buildings, with about six rooms to a building. The room was adequately sized with a spacious bath and shower but temperature control was a problem both with the noisy AC unit and especially the shower which began to get cool after one shower and was completely cold before my wife finished. When I mentioned the cold water problem to the front desk their comment was that inadequate hot water had been a problem lately. Obviously they were aware of the problem and there was no indication they were doing anything about it. Not much of an apology. The bed was large but not particular comfortable and was very bouncy - could not move without distributing the other person. One window did not even have a window covering so I stuck a pillow in it to cover most of it to keep the bright early sun from waking us up. Seeming very overpriced given what the other hotels appeared to offer.