Rich M.
Yelp
We loved our stay at the Cathedral Mountain Lodge. We were so happy when we arrived and were shown to our very cozy and comfortable cabin. It was so much nicer than we had expected. The scenery around the resort was beautiful and it was so nice to be able to walk down to the river (the resort is right on the Kicking Horse River). The staff was incredibly friendly and helpful. I liked the remote feeling of the location and the fact that there was no TV, internet, or phone. But it actually wasn't all that remote as we were only 13 miles from Lake Louise and an even shorter drive to some of the best hikes in the area - Lake O'Hara, Emerald Lake, and Takakaw Falls. I was so happy to come back to our cabin every evening to relax on the porch swing or the cozy couch, with my wife and my dog. I forgot to mention that they welcomed our dog with a nice dog bed and a bowl full of biscuits. Little touches like that really mean a lot. I would definitely stay here again and would even more definitely recommend it.
The only improvement I would like to see with this lodge is, due to their relatively remote location, that they either offer laundry facilities or, even better, provide a laundry service (or even contract out for a laundry service). We had been travelling for a week before arriving here and were a bit disappointed to have to drive over to Field to do laundry - according to my travel book Field is a place that is best avoided as it basically has nothing to offer. However, serendipitously I suppose, we found Field to be delightful and would never have discovered it if not for the laundry thing.
It was a bit rainy when we went there, a quaint little town mostly consisting of some old homes that had been converted to B&B type accommodations and the Kicking Horse hotel, where they had 2 sets of coin operated laundry machines. Since we were doing our laundry there we figured we would have dinner at their restaurant, the Truffle Pig, while we waited for our laundry. While waiting for a machine, the weather cleared and we were treated to the most beautiful scene of scattered stringy clouds, mist hovering amongst the surrounding rocky peaks, and the setting sun painting the mountains all different shades of orange and red. I was a bit frustrated that the food was relatively expensive, again, but we sat down for dinner anyway, and wow! Some of the best food I've ever had and worth ever penny of the $20 to $30 price tag for the entrees. You would not expect it, the restaurant is rustic and relaxed in feel, almost bohemian, but the food is gourmet. I am not a "foody" and rarely complain or rave about a meal. But the dishes here are excellent - memorable. Even the simple stuff - like bread - was special, like the chefs spent hours on every little detail and ingredient in their recipes. They want their customers to enjoy their food as much as they obviously enjoy making it. We loved it so much we came back the following night as well, and they recognized us! We had 6 different entrees in those two days and every one was either the best we've had or a close #2. So if you stay at Cathedral Mountain, I recommend making the short drive over to Field for one of the cutest and quaintest little towns you'll find in the area, and possibly the best food for miles and miles - well at least the best you'll find for under $50 per person and you don't have to wear a suit to dine in. It might be difficult to find enough to do in Field to occupy an entire day, but after some hiking at Takakaw or Emerald Lake, it's a quick little jaunt over to Field and the Truffle Pig.