I have been to the Chateau several times as a preteen and young adult with my sister and parents but this was the first time going with my own husband and 2 children. The drive up is beautiful and really striking in the deep snow. I am sure it has impact on travellers from warm climates. The Chateau is lovely as can be expected from a Fairmont. The location could not be more beautiful as the lake is gorgeous in both winter and summer. We took advantage of the winter activities and did some ice skating (appreciating the nice big fire on the side of the rink to warm up) and tobogganing. We also took a horse drawn sleigh ride which was worth while although I wish I was wearing warmer footwear. Even leather boots did not keep the toes warm. DRESS WARM! At the end of the trail is a beautiful frozen waterfall that climbers often scale.
All the dining areas were exceptional. Did a 3 course dinner and wine pairing in the Dining room which was awesome. Did appies at the german fondue place which was excellent. Did pub fare at Grizzlies which was very good and kid friendly in the afternoon (2 thumbs up). Also did lunch in the lakeside lounge which is fantastic in both service and cocktails.
Housekeeping was non-intrusive and thorough.
Only problem was at check which was a bit of a nightmare with 2 tired car sick kids since our room was not ready on time and then we were given the wrong room entirely with someone elses things in the foyer. Management promptly made up for the inconvenience with a bottle of Champagne and treats for the kids.. and free valet. All forgiven.
Overall this is a top notch place, excellent for families and romantic escapes.

Look this hotel has been on my bucket list since I was a little girl, yes the view is amazing and the service provided by all staff was fantastic ..... but!

This hotel is horrendously overpriced especially in the dining department. We dined at 2 of the onsite locations and purchased from the deli. The room-service breakfast meal didn't have a meal on there for less than $20!I do have dietary requirements and they were catered for very well but it doesn't make up for the costs.

The rooms are small and the heating is slow, the beds are very uncomfortable. The shower is tiny and I am not a big person at all. The gym had a great variety of up to date equipment but very limiting on the amount available.

It is undeniably one of the most incredible locations for a hotel! The view is absorbing and the main reason to stay at this hotel. So my starting position for the location alone is to give this hotel a 5 rating. I would strongly recommend paying for a room with a view. Clearly it costs more, but the ability to take in the view whenever you want is priceless (so look elsewhere to save money if need be). We slept with the curtains open and it was amazing to wake up at first light and see the sunrise reflecting off the glacier (head down to the lakeshore for great photos...you won't be alone, no matter how early it is!)

But the hotel has to be more than providing a shelter to see the views and that is where it fell short and hence the lower rating. There was the sense that it doesn't need to try too hard as people will always come to visit and in my mind the Fairmont brand is affected accordingly.

Having come from the the Fairmont Pacific Rim where the hotel was new and the service impeccable, our expectations were high. But over the course of our 5 night stay, we had ample opportunity to see that it was well below that standard. The building is much older and clearly has a different style - not a problem, but there are certainly parts of it that are in need of refurbishment (our room, some of the restaurants, bar and spa). Also, cleanliness did not seem to be a strength - we were lucky enough to have glorious sunshine, which struggled to get through the filthy windows and served to highlight the poor cleaning standards in the communal areas and bedroom.

But this could have been tolerated if the service had been up to scratch. Yes, there are hundreds of visitors passing through every day, including massive tour groups (note that the communal areas are open to non-residents, so you are often treated by staff as if you are any old person off the street). I couldn't work out if the staff were under pressure because of the sheer volumes or that they didn't care because of the revolving door. Wherever we went, the service became acceptable if staff were simply not rude. The concierge was so rude to us, we had to just walk away. The staff in the bar tried to make us sit inside when we requested outside (where there were a number of tables free) because they didn't want to have to clear them and so we just had to insist. The therapies in the spa were definitely below standard.

Would we return? Yes, absolutely, because of the view. Also, it is an ideal location for the lake with the options to hike and go horseriding, and good to visit the area (gondola, Lake Moraine, Bow Lake, Peyto lake, icefields parkway). But my expectations for the hotel would be lower!

Walliser stube - great for fondues with a decor which probably comes into its own in the winter months.
Poppy Brasserie - would recommend the game trio of bison, elk and venison - delicious.
Glacier Saloon - dark and dingy, serving usual diner fare but at inflated prices, but was often the only option if you hadn't made a reservation elsewhere.
Lakeview Lounge - not v clean, with arrogant/rude staff.
Chateau Deli - open 24 hours - great for early morning breakfast after lakeside photography session, as well as sandwiches, hot soup and a v tasty chilli (but if you are heading out anyway, I would stop off at the bakery in the village - much more choice)