The maintenance and care of this hotel is well below average. Every where you look, it begs repair. The entry table in the registration office probably has not been dusted in over 2 years. The rooms are frayed and ants all over in the room. Towels full of hair. The lake and the views are second to none. Food expensive, and just fair. Just visit for the day read more

What a find!! It was cold and super snowy when we checked in here in April, but it was an awesome spot off the beaten path. My husband and I came to the Banff area for the first time with no idea where to stay. We originally put in a search to stay in the Lake Louise area, but Emerald Lake popped up. We booked it based on price and reviews, unaware that it was a little far from Lake Louise and Banff. But totally ok. It was quiet and beautiful. Our room had a fireplace with wood that was restocked on a daily basis. There was a porch to sit on, and we would have enjoyed it had it not been snowing and raining. The staff is super friendly. The food at this location is also very good. We didn't get to experience Cilantro's as it was closed for the season, but I hear it's very good. If you get the chance to stay here, do it. Staff says that it's lovely right after the summer crowd leaves. read more

Don't do it. Such a disappointing stay. They have been under a boil order for all water since June, so they give you bottled water to take to your room to brush teeth with, make coffee, etc. Yet this wasn't mentioned when I booked. Room was horribly outdated. Screen falling out of the door, nasty carpet, hard bed, disgusting sheets (found a big blood stain on them the 2nd night), shower didn't drain well at all. Breakfast buffet ran out of French toast, bacon, and eggs. Took almost 30min to refill. The staff was helpful but they all looked so weary and over-worked. The scenery was pretty but not worth the rest of it. read more

I am giving this hotel one star because the view is beautiful. It is absolutely the most gorgeous setting. But... This place was utterly disappointing in every way. I booked a stay here because a dear friend of mine was getting married here. I called in advance and asked the person who I booked my room with for an adjoining room because I was bringing my teenage daughter. They told me they would try. They did NOT tell me there were no adjoining rooms because the property consisted of cabins- basically four rooms to a cabin. They also did not mention that there would be no cell service, no WiFi and no TV in the room should my daughter happen to get a room far from mine- and that is exactly what happened. They put my 15 year old daughter in a separate building in a remote location with no access to her cell phone. Ace customer service! And they did not have another set of rooms in the same building once I arrived and asked for different arrangements. Some people might enjoy a hotel that is completely cut off from the rest of the world. But if you are not going to provide a single decent amenity how could you possibly call your resort deluxe or charge such outrageous prices? Our rooms were dirty and massively outdated. The bed was uncomfortable. WE COULD NOT DRINK THE WATER. We couldn't even wash our hands with the water without using hand sanitizer afterwords. The staff was ambivalent and lacked decent training- most of them were kids on student visas. Lean in to your remoteness. Lean in the the rustic nature of your lodge. BE SMART about what you have. Provide glorious rooms and interesting activities. Have a fantastic spa with amazing treatments. What do they expect people to do when it's pouring rain? Sit in their rooms? Doing nothing? Well, I hope you brought a book because the nearest store is 45 minutes away. You cannot depend on shuttle service from Calgary airport so I hope also, even if you are coming from another country that you feel confident enough to drive in mountainous, sometimes hazardous conditions. If you want to explore and stay in this beautiful part of the world, do yourself a favor and stay at the Fairmont in Lake Louise or Banff. The price is comparable and you'll get fun things like cell phone service and a movie to watch if the weather is too miserable to be outside in. Do not stay here. Honestly. Maybe if enough people make a fuss they will turn what could be a great property into something worth the money they charge you. read more

I was torn how to rate this place. Let me preface this narrative by saying the lodge is very beautiful and the surrounding country is probably the most amazing place I have ever been (and I have traveled extensively). I guess when you stay for 3 days and 2 nights at a place, and you spend about $1,300 on just lodging and food.....you're expectations are high. I have stayed at the Ritz at Half Moon Bay and Manhattan for cheaper than that (to put it in perspective). So, after all that, here is what I have to say: First impression, our driver that took us from the parking lot to the lodge was fantastic! He's a young kid of Australia and could not have made a better first impression. Got there, checked in, and had dinner. Dinner both nights was AMAZING! Breakfast the first morning was amazing as well (that included the service). That is pretty much, where the great service and nice experiences ended. This VERY expensive lodge is mostly ran by YOUNG "seasonal" workers who have the type of attitude you'd expect when walking in to a Gucci store. They are nice, but just nice enough....I.E. they aren't going to be super helpful, they aren't going to really greet you with a smile and make you feel like they really want to help you. They appear to be border-line annoyed but forced to be be semi-nice to you. It's weird, and makes the experience crap. You pay that much money for that type of service? 100% unacceptable. You will pay Ritz Carlton prices, but you will get Super 8 Motel service.....and I kid you not. That's not the best part, the last morning we are there we decide to have breakfast one last time since the food there is so good. My wife went and got a table before the 11am cut-off time while I rode to get our car. After the waitress hovered over her and then stated, "the kitchen closes you have to order by 11am" she ended up having to tell her what we wanted, even though I wasn't back yet. Mind you, I returned at 11:10am. The waitress was pissed that we sat late, and you could tell. Never refilled my coffee or my wife's drink, never checked on us after we got our food, and we had to hunt her down just to pay! And our breakfast cost us over $50!!!! Ridiculous!!! Also, the second evening we had dinner, which cost us over $250 with tip, we sat for almost 15 minutes before a waitress even greeted us. For these prices the service is below sub-par. The young kids that work at the lodge actually live on the grounds (you'll see their housing at the end of the parking lot). I would say the average worker there was college age, late teens-early 20s. And, in May, it is hot in this part of the Rockies.....don't kid yourself....it is HOT! And there is no A/C in these cabins or the main lodge. So when you go to dinner don't wear long sleeves, you will sweat. You think I'm kidding but I'm not. Even the people that work there commented on how hot it was in the main lodge. Nothing like a $250 dinner enjoyed while you sweat. At night we had to keep the door open to our patio and have every window open to catch a breeze so we didn't burn up. So, scenery, hiking, food....amazing. No A/C, no internet, no phone service, no TV, horrible customer service, or service in general. Oh, and if you want a "view of the lake," which they will try and up charge you $25 a night for, keep in mind you will be viewing the lake through an obstructed view (layer of tree's), it's not a clear view of the lake like you would expect. There are a few rooms that have unobstructed views, but that is few and far between. I'd estimate it to be maybe a handful of the rooms. read more

Terrible rooms. Carpet looked like it had never been cleaned. Just an awful experience. Staff was not only unhelpful but seemed to enjoy watching someone pay $375 for one night in a room that I wouldn't ask a homeless person to stay in. read more

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If you have an itching to go canoeing on one of these amazing Canadian lakes but balk at the line and $65/hour fee at Lake Louise, just head over to Emerald Lake. It's $45/hour and a lot less crowded (still beautiful). The canoes and life jackets are surprisingly clean. Parking is way easier to find as well. read more

Beautiful view and some staff were great. It overall room was run down and outdated. Fuse blew when my wife used the hair dryer. Best part of the room was the fireplace. Definitely not worth the nearly $400 U.S. dollars per night. read more

I don't really understand why this place is getting such good reviews. I wish i knew before I stayed what it was really like and I would of never gone. This place cost me a FORTUNE and I've never stayed in such a run down place in my life! Where do I start.... The rooms were totally run down, dirty, old broken furniture, stained dirty carpet. The tub and sink didn't drain so you'd be standing in ankle deep water during your shower, then have to wait a good 20 mins for it to drain so the next person could shower. The heat in the room is boiler heat and it was unbearably HOT! we couldn't even enjoy a real fire with the in room fireplace. We kept our balcony door open a crack all day and night (in the winter even!) and our bedroom window open all night just so we could sleep! The staff was extremely loud in the morning, stomping up and down the stairs with their radios on full blast cleaning other rooms while we were still trying to sleep. You can hear your neighbors flush their toilets so no real privacy and we paid extra for one of the more expensive suites. Hot tub was nice and relaxing but also not taken care of properly. The water level was extremely low and the ice surrounding the hottub wasn't scraped off so very very dangerous even trying to walk around it to take your shoes off. I expected for $700/night the room would have a mini fridge but again.... Was disappointed. You're way out in the bush and with the food being sooo expensive we brought beverages and snacks of our own just to find out we had no where to keep it cold. Again.... We paid a ton of money to have dinner included both nights we were there and that's the only thing that was good about this hotel. The food was definitely amazing but for the prices it cost to eat I would really hope the food would be good! I will never return to this hotel.... Ever! If you're charging $500 plus for 1 night stay I would think you could clean the rooms properly, throw some paint on the walls and maybe get some furniture /end tables etc that weren't broken and falling apart. And have drains that actually drained! Very very very disappointed. It cost me $1700 for 2 nights with dinner for 2 both nights and it was a complete waste of hard earned money! Don't stay here!! read more

We are at the restaurant overlooking Emerald Lake. We ordered the Alberta sirloin steak, salmon and mixed salad. The food is decent and the service is quick even with our large group of 21 people. The price is reasonable given the view and location. I recommend this restaurant for dinner. read more

The lodge looks inviting, but disappoints when it comes to the restaurant. The outdoor deck has little view, and food is mediocre. I had the salmon, which had good flavor, but was nothing special. My friend went for the chicken sandwich, which was served on a roll that really disappointed, and her fries were pretty burnt. On top of this, the waitress was unhelpful, and not very pleasant. Given the option, I would skip for lunch next time. read more

We spent a day hiking around this lodge, and had dinner in the restaurant. I can't comment on the rooms, but the location is incredible, and the food and service in the restaurant quite good. The rooms all overlook the beautiful lake. There is a great hike around the lake. read more

I was going to dock a star because of the absence of in-room wifi and TV (no cell service either) - but then I realized this is one of those magical places where it's a blessing to be able to truly put down all devices and appreciate the surroundings. We stayed in a pointe cabin, and although it's pricey it's worth it. Breathtaking views of the lake and mountains beyond. The 5.3 km (3ish miles) trail round the lake is perfect for short walks or a decent run (watch out for the wetter side where the path gets very muddy and uneven). Great restaurants and bar plus games room upstairs. You'll see wildlife so bring your good camera, and during the on-season you can take a canoe out to appreciate the tranquility of this setting. read more

This is one of those historic lodges in the Canadian Rockies which sits on a gorgeous, outrageously blue glacial-fed lake. The main lodge building welcomes you with decks overlooking the lake and off the bar. The hotel rooms look a little tired, but our's had everything we needed after a long day of hiking. Dinner was delicious and so was our made to order breakfast, although service was a little slow at breakfast after we placed our order (a complaint voiced by others during our stay) and our dinner servers were a bit impatient and authoritarian. Dinner was delicious and the wines were memorable. This is about the only place to stay in this area - so I would recommend it because the surrounding area is so special. But I do think it is overpriced for the amenities and overall quality of the furnishings, both in the lodge and the rooms. But I would be remiss if I did not compliment our bellman who delivered our bags and ice to our room. And a big compliment must be given to the grounds keeper/gardener. The flowers and planting beds are beautiful. Wi-fi only in main lodge. No televisions either - it is all about the setting - simply breathtaking! read more

Second time staying at Emerald Lake Lodge. First time was great this time was quite disappointing. We stayed in the pet friendly room 321 i think. Later that night we decided to make a fire so we could fall asleep to the crackling. The vent was wide open and after we went to bed we both got up not long after becasue the entire room was filling up with smoke - scared we wouldn't wake up the next morning we had to sleep with the deck door wide open to let all the smoke out - because of this we both had horrible sleeps. Completely ruined and took away from the experience - when i mentioned this to the front staff the comment back i received was " we can't control the fire" . Seriously? No but you can control your upkeep and maintenance of the chimneys in these rooms so your guests can actually have a fire and enjoy it. After spending close to $400 on this room and voicing my concern i was just really disappointed by the completed lack of care. read more

We loved it here. We came here in the spring when it was quiet-not many guests. Sadly, we did not try much of their food since husband got food poisoning en route from place in Calgary. We spent most of our time catching up on board games we haven't played since we were kids and walking the trails. Canoe on the lake is a must. Would be great here in the summer with a young baby or toddler. Leave the mobile phone and tablet at home for the real outdoor experience! read more

This place is storybook beautiful. We loved the accommodations and facilities. The restaurant is good but is very ambitious. It didn't offer any ordinary dishes and there aren't any other places to eat. If you don't like buffalo, bison or goat cheese, the menu choices are limited. The breakfast was good but very expensive. The fireplace in the room, the hot tub and the surroundings made this a truly relaxing and magical vacation. read more

Wow! What a beautiful place! Location was about 1/2 hour from Lake Louise, less crowded, and I think more beautiful. Restaurants served great fare, although a little pricey, as there aren't any other places close by that one can simply choose over the in-house restaurants. Brandon and Matt were especially helpful (wait staff). If there's a complaint, it's that we upgraded our room upon arrival, but were shuttled around night after night (and weren't told precisely what "shuffled around" would mean) so we were slightly inconvenienced. Although they advertise wi-fi access there was hardly a connection, so no phone or internet the entire time we stayed (5 nights). The Jacuzzi spa was perfect after a day outdoors. read more

Emerald Lake is in a beautiful area overlooking a breath taking lake. You definitely pay for the views. The actual lodge needs updating. The rooms are ok, No mini fridge which is weird and the bathroom is small and dated, no tv's in the rooms and no wifi, wifi is only at the main lodge and it is dicey. I think for the room price, there should be updates done to reflect how expensive it is. A fuse blew in our room and the hotel staff did not have it taken care of for 45 minutes after we let them know. You also have to park your vehicle in their overnight parking and call for their shuttle bus to pick you up which I did not like at all. Hotel staff are friendly for the most part, but one guy in particular you need to be careful of what he tells you because later on he will go back and say he never talked to you. It's a tourist destination so be prepared for over priced food and lots of people. read more

A - List. Recommended. You will be hard pressed to find a more beautiful and serene location as is Emerald Lake. Let's face it. You could pitch a tent here and still be blown away. The lodge compound is visually stunning next to the lake. The rooms are clean, well organized and still in need to renovations. The fireplaces all work providing there is dry firewood. The hot tub under the stars is an experience most people should parkake of. The chef and food are first rate. Dinner overlooking the lake is filled with ambiance and great memories. There is a pool room on the second level of the main lodge. Service is good and they hire mostly the young travel-and-have-some-fun types. I am going back for my 4th stay at the lodge next year. If you are looking for non-stop action and bling bling, this is not for you. If you are looking to book a stay at the Lodge, I recommend you phone around, check the internet and at the end of your search try the website known as Skoosh. I found savings from 10 to 30% savings over booking directly with the hotel. This is an Incredible place. Expen$$$ive. read more

On September 6, 2016, my sister married her husband by Emerald Lake. It was incredible. The weather was perfect and the scenery was unreal. We had dinner at the lodge afterwards and the exotic menu alone is worth the visit. This trip was also a good vacation for the whole wedding party and the best part about the digs--no televisions, no Wi-Fi, no cell service. Of course, all of those things are available at the lodge but when you are in your room, you are focused on the fireplace, the balcony, or the precious silence. I would say you need to be in fairly good shape to stay here. There may be a ramp at the lodge where the restaurant is located but there are no rooms in the lodge. Access to the cabins involve climbing many stairs and going up or down hill. Just something to be aware of if it is a concern. We tried to do everything while we were there but we just couldn't fit it all in. There is a hot tub and sauna facility we visited our last day. We took a canoe out on the lake one day to take panoramic photos. Hiking is also a big activity--if you aren't a big hiker, you can take a walk around the lake. It will be muddy in some places if there has been rain. There is so much history here and most of the rooms have a copy of a book outlining that history. You can also buy it in the gift store but they don't have that many copies and keep it behind the register. You can buy it on Amazon anyway. There are so many things to do nearby. We drove in from Calgary and stopped in Banff for the Grizzly House. We visited the little town of Field. The Columbia Ice Fields are nearby too. My sister found Emerald Lake by searching the internet for "most beautiful places in the world." I am so happy I had the chance to visit this magical place and the wedding photos are phenomenal. We met some interesting people working here and just can't say enough good things about the whole experience. read more

great food good bar, was there for a wedding and weather was great. not far from lake louise and field and was a great time...really felt nice to be with nature read more

We went to emerald lake lodge for two nights during Christmas. The first night we were there we expected impeccable service. We were very disappointed. When we arrived the bellman refused to take our things to our cabin. We asked him multiple times and he just kept saying its not that far. Later that night was a wedding in the main lodge which took up the entire upstairs (including the billiards table) and later in the evening it became impossible to be in the main lodge at all due to the noise. The second day we were there was much better we rented cross country skis and spend a few hours skiing around the lake. The food was amazing at the lodge although it was very pricey with no alternatives. We had a lot of fun at the lodge and do look forward to coming back although next time we will try and plan meals a little better. One of our favourite features of the lodge is the fireplaces. A "woodsman" will hand deliver wood whenever you need it and set up a fire for you. The entire time we were here we had a fire going. Very nice feature! read more

WE were in Canada to celebrate our 30th anniversary! First of all, yes it is expensive but you definitely pay for the view, It was stunning. We had a deck with our room right on the lake and was very private, nobody walking between you and the lake as it was all bushes! (Room 251) It is an older lodge and does need some upgrading. There are ear plugs in the rooms as you can hear people above you walking around and the floor creaks. Our tub drained slowly and our sinks stopper was unhooked but my husband fixed it. The heater thermostat was touchy and we had to take the cover off to fix it. Not sure how the septic system works here but we got a whiff in our bathroom every once in a while. We did not call for help on any issues as we didn't want to be bothered. We enjoyed the fireplace at night with our wine and in the mornings with our coffee/tea. We did not use the hot tub but it looked great and all the hanging baskets around the property are gorgeous! We ate at the lounge once for lunch and once we split a dinner. The lounge staff was very friendly but all could use more training, all young most from other countries. The low square tables were never cleaned off after each use. pouring wine for a patron to taste, etc.... little touch you would expect from such an expensive place. We walked around the lake and it was just stunning. We would definitely stay here again..... maybe for our 50th! read more