Deer Lodge

Deer Lodge is one of the older lodges at Lake Louise, set at the foot of the lake road a short walk from the water, and it offers a cosier and more affordable alternative to the big hotels beside the lake. The booking page counts 71 rooms in three building styles, the Heritage, Tower and Lodge wings, and gives the address as Lake Louise Drive. Lake Louise is a six-minute walk, and the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise is about eight minutes on foot, which puts the lakeshore within easy reach without the cost of staying beside it. The rooms vary widely, with superior heritage rooms with a king bed or two double beds at the top, traditional tower rooms with a queen bed and compact lodge rooms with one double or two twin beds. The lodge has an on-site restaurant, Mountain Fairview, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus a terrace, a garden, a coffee shop, a games room and a billiards table. Free parking, free Wi-Fi, a free ski shuttle and ski storage make it practical, and pets are not allowed. Breakfast is available for a surcharge. The property is rated in the middle class on the booking page. It suits visitors who want an authentic mountain lodge and a walk to the lake, and who are willing to accept smaller rooms in the older wings.

Rooms and wings. The heritage rooms are the largest and the most comfortable, the tower rooms are mid-sized and the lodge rooms are small. If space matters, pay for the heritage category, and if you only need a bed for the night, the lodge rooms keep the cost down. Check the description for the bed type and the building before you book.

Living here. A typical day starts with breakfast at the restaurant or the coffee shop, then a walk to Lake Louise for the view, a canoe in summer or skating in winter. In the evening you can stroll back, have dinner in the lodge and relax in the games room. The ski resort is a short drive or shuttle ride away, and the village of Lake Louise with its bakery and groceries is a few minutes by car.

Who should stay. Couples, friends and small families who want a Lake Louise base without the price of the Fairmont Chateau will like Deer Lodge. The trade-offs are small rooms in the oldest wing, no pets and a lodge atmosphere that is rustic rather than polished. For a more luxurious stay, look at the Post Hotel or the Chateau; for a hostel-style budget option, the HI Lake Louise Alpine Centre is nearby. Book early for summer and for the ski season, because the lodge is small and fills quickly.