Month: September 2015 (Page 2 of 4)

You can either hike to the top or take the gondola. We were lazy, so we took the gondola. The gondola is quite expensive, but will get you on the top in no time.

The views on Banff from Sulphur Mountain really are incredible, extra bonus points for the reconstructed weather station and the interesting information about the Cosmic Ray Staion.

Highly recommended.

Sulphur Mountain, Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada
http://www.brewster.ca/attractions-sightseeing/banff-gondola/
+1 877-565-9372

Visited July 2015. You can find my review about Sulphur Mountain also on TripAdvisor.

Our evening in Sushi Bistro turned out to be quite an interesting experience. When we arrived, somewhat after 8 pm there was a line waiting. When I see a line I always think the food must be worth waiting for. So we joined the waiting line. We got a glimpse inside and saw people leaving. We were confident that we would soon get a table. This turned out to be false. We saw tables without people, but full of dirty dishes. The waitresses couldn’t get the tabes cleaned fast enough.

Some people before us in the line simply gave up their place in the queue, looking at those dirty tables. We persisted, however. After about 20 minutes waiting, we got a (clean) table, with lots of excuses: “thank you for waiting”. The Japanese waitresses were very kind though and did there best, but they simple were horribly unorganized. Very strange for Japanese people (yes, they were real Japanese people, I understand some Japanese and spoke with them).

To order you get a sheet on which you can mark the dishes you want. There were some dishes already sold out, so the waitress had to mark this on every menu (the menu’s were wiped after every use). The cleaning of the tables remained a problem though and the waiting line never resolved while we were eating. I had to restrain myself from giving the waitresses advice. They carried the dishes separately to the kitchen instead of using a big serving plate to collect them all.

Sushi was good though. I loved the sashimi! The nigiri and rolls were also good. We ordered a sashimi combination which was also sold out (but not marked as such on the menu) and we got some extra pieces for the same price.

I have to say I really enjoyed the food and the disorganization was at times amusing, but I can understand why some customers got fed up waiting for their orders.

We left at about 10 pm. A longer evening than expected. Don’t eat here if you are in a hurry.

Sushi Bistro, 208 Caribou Street, Banff, Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sushi-Train/111210592274668?rf=133982996675183
+1 403-762-4000

Visited August 2015. You can find my review about Sushi Bistro also on TripAdvisor. My scores: value 4/5, service 2/5, food 4/5.

This beautiful canyon shouldn’t be missed when you visit Kootenay National Park. An easy walk from the parking lot and lots of bridges to admire the view from.

Marble Canyon, Kootenay Highway 93, Kootenay National Park, British Columbia, Canada
http://www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/bc/kootenay/index

Visited August 2015. You can find my review about Marble Canyon also on TripAdvisor.

This restaurant is located nearby Lake Louise, but has the advantage that prices aren’t completely outrageous over here, compared to the Chateau. Staff is friendly and professional. The interior is classic lodge style: with lots of wood and mounted animals.

I started my meal with a cocktail ‘bison in the hills’ (wodka, lemon, black current wine). This cocktail was absolutely fabulous, so I ordered another one: the backcountry (bourbon, drambuie, honey), which was also very nice.

Since I had never before eaten caribou meat, I couldn’t resist ordering it here. I was not disappointed: the meat was excellent, very tender. Loved the gratin also.

In total we payed about 100 Canadian dollar for our meal. I would definitely come back here.

Mount Fairview Dining Room, 109 Lake Louise Dr, Lake Louise, Banff National Park, Alberta T0L 1E0, Canada
http://crmr.com/deer/
+1 403-522-4202

Visited August 2015. You can find my review about Mount Fairview Dining Room also on TripAdvisor. My scores: value 4/5, service 4/5, food 4/5.

We stayed for three nights in one of the cabins of this beautifully located lodge. Prices for staying at the Lodge are high and to be honest, you mostly pay for the unforgettable location. That lake is really is a gem.

You can’t park nearby the hotel, so you’ll have to leave your car on the parking lot and take the shuttle bus. The bus drivers are very friendly and the service is available 24/7. We never had to wait longer than 10 minutes for a shuttle, but I have to agree that it is a bit of a hassle.

Our cabin was nice, with a comfortable bathroom with lovely bathing products. There was also a fire place and wood available in the cabin, which we didn’t use, since it was quite warm during our stay. The bed could be better though, from such an expensive hotel I expect superb sleeping accommodations.

There was also some noice in the room from (we think) the heating system, a bit annoying, especially when you are looking forward to a quiet place to sleep.

I did love the breakfast though. Two times we ordered from the menu. Both times we had an excellent breakfast, although we had to wait longer than expected. For our last breakfast we tried the buffet, which was good, but again, it took too much time before the pancakes and the scrambled eggs were replenished.

We also had lunch in one of the restaurants. Really great food, but again, pricy. Be warned, the bar closes at 23u, so late night drinks are out of the question, which is a real shame, because you can’t go anywhere else for drinks without taking the shuttle.

We especially loved the hot tub and sauna accommodations. Very clean. Beautiful hot tub, perfect temperature. A great way to relax after a long day hiking.

O yeah, there is only wifi in the reception area.

Emerald Lake Lodge, Emerald Lake Road Yoho National Park, Field, Yoho National Park, British Columbia V0A 1G0, Canada

Stayed August 2015. You can find my review about Emerald Lake Lodge also on TripAdvisor. My scores: location 5/5, cleanliness 3/5, service 4/5.

The Takakkaw falls are really a marvel of nature. This is a must see when visiting Yoho National Park. It is just a short and easy walk from the car park to the falls. Make sure to put on a raincoat, because this falls will get you very wet. Since the water comes from a glacier it is also ice cold.

Highly recommended.

Takakkaw Falls, Yoho National Park, British Columbia, Canada
http://www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/bc/yoho/index
+1 250-343-6783

Visited August 2015. You can find my review about Takakkaw Falls also on TripAdvisor.

This is really an excellent place for a quick lunch or take-out. The buffet is absolutely amazing. Both the warm and the cold buffet are great. Lots of fresh vegetables, great salades, fresh fruits, perfectly cooked meat and pasta. You pay by weight, which is very convenient. For about 10 to 15 euro you have a really tasty and healthy lunch. They even offer kale! After our first visit here, we returned the next day, because we were so impressed by the quality of the food.

The wine selection at the bar is also excellent and the glasses are big. Good value for money.

Foodease, 835 N Michigan Ave, Water Tower Place, Chicago, IL 60611-2203
http://foodeasechicago.com/
+1 312-335-3663

Visited August 2015. You can find my review about Foodease also on TripAdvisor. My scores: value 5/5, service 4/5, food 5/5.

This is a breathtaking place, too bad everybody knows this by now. You’ll be standing on the shore of the lake surrounded by selfie sticks. I also disliked the Chateau a lot. A very ugly building in such a beautiful environment.

I have to add that renting a kanoo is ridiculously expensive: 55 dollars for half an hour. You better rent a kanoo on Emerald Lake, over there it only costs 66 dollar for two hours.

Lake Louise, 111 Lake Louise Drive, Lake Louise, Banff National Park, Alberta T0L 1E0, Canada
http://www.skilouise.com/
1-877-956-8473-1-403-522-3555

Visited August 2015. You can find my review about Lake Louise also on TripAdvisor.

This restaurant is located nearby Lake Louise, but has the advantage that prices aren’t completely outrageous over here, compared to the Chateau. Staff is friendly and professional. The interior is classic lodge style: with lots of wood and mounted animals.

I started my meal with a cocktail ‘bison in the hills’ (wodka, lemon, black current wine). This cocktail was absolutely fabulous, so I ordered another one: the backcountry (bourbon, drambuie, honey), which was also very nice.

Since I had never before eaten caribou meat, I couldn’t resist ordering it here. I was not disappointed: the meat was excellent, very tender. Loved the gratin also.

In total we payed about 100 Canadian dollar for our meal. I would definitely come back here.

Deer Lodge, 109 Lake Louise Dr, Lake Louise, Banff National Park, Alberta T0L 1E0, Canada
http://crmr.com/deer/
+1 403-522-3991

Visited August 2015. You can find my review about Deer Lodge also on TripAdvisor. My scores: value 4/5, service 4/5, food 4/5.