Fairmont Banff Springs Signature Suite Collection
The Fairmont Banff Springs introduced a new level of luxury to the historic castle hotel this past summer with the Signature Suite collection. Located on the sixth floor of the main hotel building, the collection includes five one- and two-bedroom suites measuring around 550-square-feet, plus the uber-luxe 850-sq.-ft. Gallery Suite. In addition to full bathrooms off every bedroom, the Signature Suites have powder rooms off the living-room areas, while the Gallery Suite has its own foyer entry and a butler’s pantry/food-service prep area for private catered dinners at the full-size dining table. The Gallery Suite and three adjacent suites can also be cordoned off into a private wing (if private wings are how you roll). All Signature Suites offer upgraded amenities, VIP concierge service, spa access, in-room breakfast from a special “signature menu,” and (naturally) gorgeous mountain views. While the decor in the suites is fully updated, unique touches, such as blueprints from the original hotel build framed and hung as artwork, provide links to the storied past.
fairmont.com/banffsprings
Brooks Creek Ranch Near Fernie
If you’re looking to go off the grid this winter, but not too far off the grid, Brooks Creek Ranch is a modern bed-and-breakfast tucked up in the mountains just north of Fernie. The large home is segmented into two wings: guest accommodations on one side, the resident family’s quarters on the other, with interior access between them via a sliding barn door in the dining area. There are four guest suites at Brooks Creek — two on the upper level and two on the lower level — all with spacious ensuite bathrooms featuring large walk-in showers. Guests can enjoy a cozy common living-room area and hot tub with a mountain view. Brooks Creek also offers complimentary shuttles to and from Fernie for skiing, so you don’t have to worry about navigating the resort parking lot, and for dinner in the evenings, so you don’t have to worry about having that second glass of wine.
brookscreekranch.com
Crosswaters Resort in Kananaskis
The opening of the Kananaskis Nordic Spa last year seems to have kick-started a bit of a wellness movement up at Kananaskis Village. The new Crosswaters Resort, located adjacent to the spa on the Pomeroy Kananaskis Mountain Lodge compound, is also orienting itself around wellness. The adult-only third floor (designated the “wellness floor”) features rooms equipped with aromatherapy diffusers, weighted blankets and cellphone “sleeping bags” on the bedside tables to encourage you not to disrupt your rest with screen time. There’s also adult colouring pages and markers waiting for you when you step off the elevator. Though Crosswaters is owned and operated by the Pomeroy hotel group, it operates independently from the main lodge, which is part of the Marriott Bonvoy Autograph Collection of hotels (a recent brand switch after operating for years as a Delta hotel). As such, Crosswaters has its own drive-up entrance and lobby, and guests pay a mandatory resort fee for access to the Lodge’s pool, hot tub and fitness facilities. Note that the Nordic spa is a separate entity from both hotels, requiring its own price of admission.
crosswatersresort.com
Avenue’s writers and editors are occasionally invited to experience dining or adventure activities as a guest, including some experiences in this story. Neither complementary experiences nor advertising are required for coverage in Avenue. Neither companies that advertise nor those that provide other incentives are promised editorial coverage, nor do they have the opportunity to review or approve stories before publication.