Ski Banff!

The purpose of this trip was to go skiing in the mountains. My husband and I had never been skiing in the mountains before, growing up in the Midwest, so we were excited to try our hand (or legs) at real skiing. We were initially looking in the Colorado/Utah area, but found the resorts there very difficult to reserve and expensive. So we started expanding the search to Canada. My husband did some research on skiing in the area and discovered that not only does Banff have skiing, they have some of the best skiing in the world!

We invited some friends to go with us, one of whom is a fairly serious skier. He was very impressed with the mountain (we primarily skied at Lake Louise) and the snow quality, not to mention the lack of lines at the chair lifts!

I am sure you have all heard amazing things about the Banff region, and they are all true. It was truly like being in a whole other world. It is extremely international -- we encountered Aussies, Scots, French, English...hardly any other Americans. I don't know if we encountered another American the entire trip!
Best Things to Do (in the winter):
-Ski at Lake Louise!! The views here were absolutely incredible. Since this was the first time I had skied on a mountain, I can't really compare it to other regions around the country, but my skier friend raved about it, and judging from the international people who were there to ski, I feel confident in recommending it.
-Take in the beauty of Highway 1 (the Trans-Canadian highway). It is lined on either side by the Canadian Rockies and it is truly breathtaking.
-Explore the town of Banff. It can be a little bit touristy, but it is unique and eclectic. Definitely worth a stroll!
-Check out the Banff Springs Hotel. We did not go in, but we were able to get some stunning pictures of the outside and the views around it. If you have an extra + CAD to plunk down for a night, go ahead and book a room!

Quick Tips:

DO take your passport. We did not even think that we would need our passports (even though we were flying). I ended up grabbing mine at the last second, but my husband had to go home and get his and ended up missing our flight. He took the next one out that went from Chicago to Dallas to Calgary (ouch)!
DO bring more warm clothes than you think you need if you are planning on skiing. From monitoring the Weather Channel before we left, most of the time the weather was in the mid-30's Fahrenheit. Except for the week that we were there. The temperature completely bottomed out. The highs most of the days were in the negatives Fahrenheit. It was cold.
DO rent your skis from Glacier Shop/Breeze Ski. We received fabulous service and reasonable prices.
DO NOT make a reservation with Glacier Shop/Breeze Ski online. We had made an online reservation and they didn't have it. I would call instead, or just walk in.
DO pay close attention to the weather while you are driving. Snowstorms can settle in very quickly -- be prepared.

Best Way To Get Around:

You almost have to rent a car while you are there. It is 80+ miles from Calgary (which is where the nearest airport is) to Banff. It's a beautiful drive too, once you get into the mountains. Also, if you are renting skis at a separate shop than the mountain (or bringing your own), make sure you request a ski rack for the car. We used Alamo and were very happy with them.

Best Things Nearby:

This resort is about a five-minute drive from Banff. There is very easy access to Highway 1 and to the town. If you're looking to be right in the middle of downtown Banff, this isn't the place for you. It is right in the middle of Banff National Park and you are surrounded on all sides by the Canadian Rockies -- a definite plus! It was great to step outside of the resort in the mornings and be surrounded by majesty.

Best Things About the Resort:

The location was outstanding. Since we're not real party people, we enjoyed being on the outskirts of town. It was also nice having such easy access to Highway 1. Being from Chicago, I'm used to traffic, but it was sure nice to not have to fight any while being on vacation!

Another great benefit was the indoor and outdoor whirlpools! We took advantage of that after each day we skiied. We even tried the outdoor whirlpool (in -20 F weather)! It was lots of fun and felt great on our aching muscles and not crowded at all.

The front desk staff was very helpful and efficient. We only spoke with them a few times, but I was impressed both times.

Although we did not take advantage of it, there is a shuttle bus that takes you to the various mountains around the Banff -- Nakiska, Lake Louise, and Sunshine Village for no additional charge.

Our unit had a fireplace, which was very cozy. The resort also sold bundles of firewood for $7 CAD. We used two of these bundles during the week. The bundles are delivered to your door, or even put in your condo if you're going to be gone.

The unit was very clean and nicely decorated. I had read some reviews about the decor being outdated -- it wasn't "hip" per se, but I didn't think it was ugly or outdated. Maybe they have recently redecorated the models.

Resort Experience:

As you drive off of the exit from Highway 1, the Rocky Mountain Resort is right on the left. There is a nice bright-green sign that marks the entrance of the resort. I was a little unsure as to what to expect, especially as this is not listed as either a Gold Crown or a Resort of International Distinction. But I was pleasantly surprised by the front desk/lobby area (normally, that is a clue into what the unit will be like). The staff was very efficient, it was tastefully decorated and clean.

The units are small. They are not unbearably or uncomfortably small -- we had four people in a two-bedroom and it was almost the perfect amount of space. I never felt like we were tripping over one another, but it also felt very cozy as well. The kitchen/dining room/living room areas are all pretty wide open, which was nice so that one person could be in the kitchen cooking and still be involved in the conversation.

I think the bedroom was where I felt the smallness of the unit. The bed (a nice queen-size bed) pretty much took up the entire room. There was a nice armoire and a nightstand, but that was about all you could fit in there. The upstairs bathroom was a good size, but the downstairs bathroom was a bit on the small size. Still, the downstairs bathroom had a shower, which was very nice, especially when getting ready.

The kitchen was stocked with pots and pans that were adequate, as well as a few measuring cups, a cheese grater, a colander, and silverware. There were no measuring spoons. We were a little disappointed that there was no oven, but we knew that coming in. The dishwasher and stove looked to be new, but the stovetop was fairly old. Still, it was adequate.

We found everything to be very clean and comfortable. We would absolutely stay here again! Don't be afraid because it isn't a Gold Crown resort, unless you have more people than can fit in a bedroom (i.e., two people in a one-bedroom, four people in a two-bedroom).

• Unit Type: 2 Bedroom
• Activities: Very Good
• Amenities: Excellent
• Unit Satisfaction: Excellent
• Family Friendliness: Very Good
• Service: Very Good

I was expecting good things from Seoul Country and was not disappointed. We are spoiled by the abundance of good Korean cuisine here in Chicago, so I was excited to see what Banff had to offer. I had read some reviews online prior to coming, which were positive, so we made it a point to come here. Reservations were not needed the evening we went (I think it was Wednesday night). We were almost the only ones in the restaurant!

The requisite side dishes were all fresh and delicious, which is often a sign of the rest of the meal. We also ordered an order of mandoo for an appetizer, which was very good. There was a gas grill in the middle of our table on which we cooked our meat. Our waiter was very efficient and helpful, cutting the meat for us and turning it at the appropriate time. We were a little disappointed by the kalbi beef (not enough flavor), but the bulgogi was good, as was the chicken. I have had better Korean food, but all in all, it was a good experience, and fun to do with friends. It was a little bit expensive, so I would save up if you are planning on doing this.

Lake Louise is truly a world-class ski resort. This was the first mountain that I had ever skied and was a bit intimidated by the size. I hadn't skied in three years prior to skiing here and surprised by how steep some of the green runs were, particularly on the front of the mountain. This isn't a mountain that is very well-suited for beginners, in my opinion. There is a small bunny hill on the front of the mountain, but the next step up from that are the greens, and I found them to be fairly steep and long.

I much preferred the backside of the mountain, especially the green bowl and the Larch area. The Larch area is facing the backside of the mountain and is less steep, but the runs are also not as long, which is good for novices like myself. The bowl is also fun, but it can be very scary if it is windy and snowy because the visibility is very poor, and with no trees, it is difficult to see where you're going. If you get too far over to the edge of the run, you can fall right into a double black diamond!

The snow quality was tremendous and the views were unbelievable. It took your breath away! Unfortunately, we only had a few sunny days, so we didn't see as much as we might have otherwise seen, but what we did was amazing.

There is no shortage of ski rental shops in Banff. It can be somewhat overwhelming to figure out which one has the best skis for your money. We were very happy with our choice of Breeze Ski. It is located inside of the Glacier Shop, which is a trendy ski shop that sells clothes, skis, goggles, etc.

We arrived to pick up our skis on a Sunday, late afternoon. It took us 2+ hours to get our skis! There was someone in front of us who was trying on skis to purchase, so that absorbed much of their attention. There were only two guys working, so we ended up spending a lot of that time waiting. However, once we did get served, they were extremely attentive to every detail. My friend who has his own skis says that they spent more time fitting our boots than they did with his that he had bought!

My right boot ended up being too small and really hurt my foot on the first day that we skied. I brought it in on Monday (and the shop was much less crowded) and they refit me. Other than that, we were very happy with all of our equipment and the service that we received. We got the recreation skis (the lowest level). You can also demo skis, but those are fairly expensive. Their pricing is constant -- you do not get a discount for renting multiple days. I got sick the last day and they took back the skis and gave us a refund (you pay up front), no questions asked.

We highly recommend them (although don't go late on Sunday!). And they are conveniently located right off of Banff Ave. For more information, go to their website www.breezeski.com.