Canadian castle springs out of ice and snow

STACEY BODGER soaks up the splendour of a fairytale hotel after a hard day's skiing
in the Canadian Rockies.


For more than 100 years they have come to marvel at its turrets, sulphur springs and daring scenery. And I was no different. The majestic Banff Springs Hotel could easily be intimidated by the huge Canadian Rockies peaks that loom above it. But it more than holds its own on the town's skyline, rising above thousands of snow-laden pines with an air of bolshy grandeur.

The castle was built 112 years ago by the Canadian Pacific Railway. Workers building Canada's first transcontinental railroad stumbled upon hot springs at the base of Sulphur Mountain.

The area's tourism potential was quickly recognised and in 1885, it was set aside as the country's first national park.

The Victorian gentry came to the hotel in droves to take in the views, soak in the springs and venture into the backcountry with local guides.

I come on the seventh day of a Canadian ski tour with five other journalists and an escort who watches our faces as we catch our first glimpse of the castle, its thousands of lights throwing out a golden glow.

She waits for our reaction because she's been here before and is already familiar with its majesty.

The "Castle in the Rockies" has grown by 500 rooms, to 770, since the days when horse-drawn carriages filled its courtyard.

But its Scottish structure and romantic opulence remain largely unchanged.

We arrived with burning leg muscles from skiing Mt Norquay, a steep little beauty just out of Banff.

A soak in an iron tub would have been heaven to most of us - until we limped to our rooms and discovered VIP passes to the hotel's Solace European spa.

Needing a map to navigate the vast hotel, I made a bee-line for the mineral pools and, after admiring the fruit selection in the guest lounges, discovered I'd been beaten there by three of my colleagues.

And there we stayed for most of our two nights at Banff Springs - soaking in hot springs over Hungarian Kur minerals and gazing out at snow falling on to the remarkable Rockies.

But we also made time to explore some of the hotel's 12 restaurants and lounges, 40-store shopping arcade and marble Rob Roy dining room.

After spending my time at Banff Springs feeling like a child at Disneyland, I expected to be far less impressionable by the time we arrived at Chateau Lake Louise.

But it is at least the equal of Banff's castle - sitting regally on the edge of a frozen Lake Louise and surrounded by ice-blue glaciers.

The huge chateau lies just 40-minute drive along the Trans-Canada Highway from Banff - a superb journey through the heart of the national park.

It began in 1890 as a wooden chalet providing afternoon teas for summer campers.

However, $65 million has since been spent on expansions and restoration and it now boasts 489 rooms.

With no solarium to get water-logged in, we explored - marvelling at Victorian dining rooms and lounges set against a vista of shimmering glaciers.

We downed apres-ski cocktails while watching a horse-drawn sleigh wind around the frozen lake and later had fun with fondue in the Edelweiss Dining Room.

During summer, a hike above emerald lakes to the alpine tea houses and nature tours are apparently the things to do.

But in winter, it's all about the snow - in our case a frantic day on the slopes of Lake Louise, one of Canada's largest and most affluent ski areas.

The summit of the Top of the World run offers probably the best view of the lake and chateau - which seems from that height to be no more than a fancy Lego model.

Way up high, there's also a chance to put Banff National Park, the chateau and the castle into perspective.

It's strangely calming to know that they won't have changed much by the time my visit is 100 years old.

* Stacey Bodger travelled to Canada courtesy of the Canadian Tourism Commission, Canada's West Ski Consortium and Air New Zealand.

CASENOTES:

GETTING THERE: Star Alliance partners fly to Vancouver about 17 times a week.

WHEN TO GO: Winter runs from November to March but the Rockies offer superb spring skiing through April, when there are cheaper airfares and fantastic snow. Ph 0800 CANADA.

HOTELS: Prices for Banff Springs Hotel and Chateau Lake Louise start at around $C350 ($533) a night for a double room. Luxury packages at Banff Springs, including spa access, begin at $C960 ($1460). Tempted? Visit their websitefor more information.