Fairmont’s Willow Stream Spas are typically top-notch. If you visit either of the hotel’s locations north of the border in Banff or Jasper, be sure to book a massage.
You – and your neck – will thank me.
Because while there are plenty of outdoor activities to keep your body moving at these gorgeous locales in Alberta’s Canadian Rockies, it’s the head-turning and neck-tilting scenery that will have you scampering for a rubdown. And many of the vistas are on the golf courses linked to The Fairmont Banff Springs and The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge.
At the castle-like fortress in Banff, the golf course is steeped in history, with the main 18-hole course celebrating its 100th birthday a few years ago. A 3,357-yard Tunnel 9 is woven into what is casually known as the Stanley Thompson 18, a 7,083-yard, par-71 beauty nestled between Sulphur Mountain and Mount Rundle.
Thompson, affectionately known as Canada’s version of Alistair McKenzie, did a marvelous job utilizing the terrain and the site’s proximity to the mountains, which provide stunning backdrops off the tee on the third, fourth, fifth, 10th and 18th holes, in addition to abutting some of the front-nine fairways. The 192-yard No. 4 known as Devil’s Cauldron has an elevated tee box that looks down on a green with a glacial pond in front and a rocky hillside and towering pines to the rear. It’s one of eight holes on the course where water can be seen or comes into play.
“This course has always played a prestigious role in Canada and has always been seen as one of the top facilities in the world,” said director of golf Steven Young. “You’re not going to find many courses like this anywhere else.”
The same goes for the hotel, which sticks out from the crowd because of its majestic architecture at the base of the mountains. The sprawling structure is a National Historic Site that was built in 1888, and its location in Banff National Park is just a few blocks from the quaint town center of Banff.
“It’s one of the finest hotels in the world,” Young said. “Having it linked to our golf course is absolutely wonderful.”
A woodsy wonderland about 180 miles west of Banff is also affiliated with a Fairmont, but not in a traditional hotel way. The Jasper Park Lodge is full of cabins of various sizes, which adds to the rustic beauty of the resort’s 903 acres. The property’s golf course, which also was designed by Thompson and opened in 1925, blends in beautifully with the rugged terrain. There isn’t a lot of elevation change, but the 6,663-yard, par-71 layout flows seamlessly through the surrounding forests, native grasses and rustic bunkering.
Perhaps the prettiest hole is the 361-yard, par-4 14th, where Lake Beauvert hugs the left side of the fairway and green and tee shots must navigate a chute of trees.
“As far as serenity and natural beauty, this course is tough to beat,” said Gregg Lown, director of golf at Jasper Park. “It’s a pretty special place.”
Beginning as an eight-bungalow retreat at the turn of the 20th century, site has 446 rooms on 700 acres in the heart of the Canadian Rockies. The cabins and suites can accommodate couples, families or large groups, meaning that romance, recreation or rounds of golf are just a few of the options available.
“We’re all set up for a great stay,” Lown said, “no matter what you do or when you come.”
