The Fairmont Jasper Park LodgeSerenity, Seclusion and SophisticationBy Genevieve TrokaA New York man reaches heaven, and as he passes the gate, St. Peter said, "I am sure you will like it". A Pittsburgh man followed and St. Peter said, "it will be a great change for you". Finally, there came a man from Jasper Park Lodge, "I am afraid" said St. Peter, "that you will be disappointed." Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, from 1925 Jasper Park Lodge guest book.
All too soon it was time to return to urban living and leave behind the Lodge with its thousands of twinkling lights and the wintry smell of evergreens. Beauvert Lake would soon freeze solid to accommodate skating parties, and sleighs will replace the horse drawn wagons. Back in the comfort of my living room I can plan my next great Canadian lodge experience of serenity, seclusion, and of course, sophistication. courtesy of The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge If you go:Come aboard VIA Rail's Snow Train to Jasper. Silver & Blue Class service includes private sleeping compartments and great regional cuisine. Website: http://www.viarail.com Where to stay:The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge offers several romantic getaways during the year, as well as events such as Christmas in November. Log on to http://www.fairmont.com/jasper for further information. The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge |
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Deep inside Alberta's 4,200 square mile Jasper National Park, and flanked by the Rocky Mountains, lies The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge. The Lodge has been welcoming visitors since 1915 when a few tents were pitched along the shores of Beauvert Lake. Over the years the Lodge has welcomed an impressive list of guests including Bing Crosby, Marilyn Monroe, Joe DiMaggio, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. As a matter of fact, during their cross-country Canadian tour in 1939, the King and Queen stayed in the elegant six-bedroom Outlook Cabin.
Since the early 1900s, guests have been arriving at Jasper Park Lodge by train from across Canada and the United States. I was to learn that at least 200 of my fellow passengers on the overnight train from Vancouver were part of a U.S. tour group, also on their way to Christmas in November at the Lodge. Three hours out of Vancouver, as I feasted on prime rib in the vintage dining car, my porter had transformed my room into a cosy bedroom. The lights had been dimmed and a thick duvet was lying on the bed - a perfect setting in which to be lulled to sleep by the rocking motion of the train. 
On arrival in Jasper, a courtesy van from the Lodge was waiting to take me on the 10-minute ride to the Lodge. As a first time visitor I was surprised, and delighted, to see that Jasper Park Lodge was in fact, not a traditional hotel, but a secluded 1,000 acre oasis dotted with cedar chalets and heritage log cabins. As the van turned into the driveway, I felt as if the weight of months of big-city life were being lifted from my shoulders. My head turned owl-like towards the horses hitched to wagons that would later carry me on a tour of the cottages. To my right, elk lazily grazed in the nearby woods, and straight ahead a herd of big horn sheep contentedly licked salt off the highway, oblivious to the van just inches away from their tails. The scent of wood smoke and the crackling fire welcomed me inside the Lodge's Great Hall. The nearly 40-foot double stone fireplace dwarfed the chairs and sofas placed nearby. I pulled an oversized rocking chair closer to the fire and gave an exaggerated sigh. I revelled in the thought that this jewel in the crown of the Canadian Rockies was to be my home away from home during the next four days. 
The dedicated and well-trained staff are instrumental in the success of the Lodge. Several staff members are second and third generation, and others are couples who met each other at the Lodge. During the welcome reception for Christmas in November, I met a lovely woman of a certain age who had worked in housekeeping during the 50s. She spoke fondly of her tenure at the Lodge and has been returning as a guest for decades. One day as I strolled through the staff parking lot, I noticed licence plates from all across Canada. As well, I was intrigued to hear that the server who poured my coffee on my last morning was from Australia.