During a trip to Canada I drove from Calgary to Vancouver (7-25 Oct. 2026), stopping in several different Fairmont Hotels on the way, namely Calgary, Banff, Lake Louise, Jasper, Whistler, and Vancouver.
The Fairmont name itself originated in the United States, with the Fairmont San Francisco, which opened in 1907. In 1999, Canadian Pacific Hotels acquired a controlling interest in Fairmont Hotels, and in 2001 the combined hotel business adopted the Fairmont Hotels & Resorts name. It subsequently became independent of Canadian Pacific.
Ownership changed again in 2006, when the business was acquired by investors led by Colony Capital and Kingdom Hotels International, associated with Saudi Arabian investor Prince Alwaleed bin Talal. Fairmont was combined with Raffles and Swissôtel under Fairmont Raffles Hotels International. In July 2016, the French hotel group Accor acquired the business, bringing all three brands into its international portfolio. Fairmont remains part of Accor today, although individual hotel buildings can have separate property owners.
The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge is a historic luxury resort situated on the northern shore of Lac Beauvert, approximately 7 km from the town of Jasper, within Jasper National Park in Alberta. Unlike the monumental, castle-like railway hotels at Banff and Lake Louise, Jasper Park Lodge was designed as a collection of low-rise log buildings and individual cabins spread through woodland beside the lake. The resort occupies approximately 700 acres and has traditionally offered around 442 guest rooms and suites.
The hotel opened in June 1922, developed by Canadian National Railways (CNR) to attract wealthy tourists to the Canadian Rockies and increase passenger traffic on its transcontinental railway. Its origins, however, date to 1915, when a small tourist camp known as Tent City was established on the shore of Lac Beauvert. The camp consisted of ten furnished tents, with wooden floors and walls, and a communal dining facility. Accommodation cost approximately C$2.50 per day, and the first season attracted 260 guests. In 1922, Canadian National Railways acquired the lease and began transforming the site into a major resort.
The railway company had been formed in 1919 through the consolidation of several financially troubled Canadian railways, including the Grand Trunk Pacific system serving Jasper. Under its president, Sir Henry Thornton, CNR sought to develop luxury tourist accommodation that could compete with the famous Canadian Pacific Railway hotels at Banff and Lake Louise. Jasper Park Lodge was therefore not simply a hotel investment, but it formed part of a commercial strategy to encourage long-distance rail travel across Canada.
An important part of the resort’s development was its 18-hole golf course, designed by the Canadian golf architect Stanley Thompson and opened on 17 July 1925. The course became one of Canada’s best-known mountain golf courses and helped attract visitors during the summer months.
The original central lodge was destroyed by fire in July 1952. Consequently, although the hotel dates from 1922, the main lodge seen today is fundamentally a post-war reconstruction rather than the original 1923 structure. Bing Crosby was a particularly enthusiastic visitor and golfer, winning the resort’s Totem Pole Tournament in 1947. Marilyn Monroe stayed at the property in 1953 while filming River of No Return in the Jasper area.
In July 2024 a wildfire devastated parts of Jasper National Park, and also affected the hotel grounds. A major renovation, already being planned before the wildfire, culminated in June 2026 with the unveiling of a C$100 million transformation. The hotel’s June 2026 announcement reported that more than 330 of its 397 rooms, suites and Signature Cabins had been redesigned.
The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge remains unusual among Canada’s historic luxury hotels. Its buildings are dispersed over a large lakeside estate rather than concentrated in a single monumental structure. The resort also offers an outdoor heated swimming pool, spa, restaurants, conference facilities and its re-built historic golf course.
My Cabin
As mentioned, this was my cabin, quite near the main buildings. The problem was to find it. They provided a map, and there was, in principle, a driveway and a parking area. However, possible unknown to the reception, the road area was being re-surfaced. So for the first day-night, parking was “somewhere” and it was walk where you could. The next day-night, I could park nearby.
I must say, coming from Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, I was not that impressed by a cabin that looked very 1970s. And I can’t say my opinion changed much. It was time to de-compress, even if I didn’t feel compressed (although I still had a blocked nose and a cough).
Bathroom
The bathroom was compact, but with a great walk-in shower.
The Morning After...
Frankly, my stay was almost forgettable. I remember spending a lot of time in what was a large jacuzzi-style outside hot-pool. I don’t remember the restaurants or breakfast.
But I do remember waking on the second morning to -5°C.
I might add, that on The Canadian we had stopped in Jasper for about 90 minutes, time to have a stroll around the small town centre.
