The five-hour drive from Calgary to Jasper on the Icefields Parkway was beautiful, but still long. We rolled up to the Alpine Village needing a bit of much-deserved R&R, and that’s exactly what we got. Situated on Highway 93A just south of the Jasper Townsite, the Alpine Village is a rustic retreat that feels somehow opulent. Maybe it’s the richness of the wood in the heritage cabins, the blissful quiet of the evenings, or the almost-private view of the Athabasca River that makes this particular lodging worth the expense. For us, the total package was well worth the price of CN$170 per night.
Upon our arrival, we were greeted cheerfully at the office, where we picked up our key and received information on the area. We then trotted off to cabin #4, our little home away from home. This heritage cabin, built in 1941, was a little slice of the mountain life we’ve always dreamed of. The wood-burning fireplace, vintage gas stove and lovely quilt carried us into yesteryear, while the satellite television brought us back to the 21st century. We had a kitchenette, a sitting area, a dining area, private bathroom with tub and shower, and a nice comfortable bed. It was the perfect place from which to base our one-week adventures in Jasper National Park. As an added touch, we found a note from the staff wishing us a happy honeymoon alongside a mini bottle of champagne and some truffles.
The Alpine Village is a family-run business and the service is excellent. Our cabin was made up or left alone daily according to our wishes. The staff were great in helping us choose activities or find our way, and were also willing to give dining recommendations. The character here is also not what you would typically find at a hotel. The cabin gave us extra privacy, and we had only to walk across the road to relax right in front of the Athabasca River, amidst views of Mt. Edith Cavell and Old Fort Point. One night we decided to forego dinner at a restaurant in favor of Alberta beef on the barbecue. It was so relaxing to sit outside our cabin and grill up steaks while watching the world go by. Any aches and pains from the day’s activities we soothed away with a relaxing evening dip in the large sparkling hot tub. We also found that we could walk into the town from our cabin, at a distance of around 2 kilometers, I believe.
I would highly recommend Alpine Village to anyone looking for a relaxing place to stay. We really enjoyed the ability to have breakfast in our cabin, pack lunches, and cook dinners instead of having to dress for a restaurant. This also saved us some money, offsetting the slightly higher nightly rate. We slept well the entire time, and really felt at home. We daydreamed more than once about leaving it all behind and running away to a cabin just like #4.