Emerald Lake Lodge

Lodge · Columbia-Shuswap

Emerald Lake Lodge

Lodge · Columbia-Shuswap

2

1 Emerald Lake Rd, Field, BC V0A 1G0, Canada

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Emerald Lake Lodge by null
Emerald Lake Lodge by null
Emerald Lake Lodge by null
Emerald Lake Lodge by null
Emerald Lake Lodge by null
Emerald Lake Lodge by null
Emerald Lake Lodge by null
Emerald Lake Lodge by null
Emerald Lake Lodge by null
Emerald Lake Lodge by null
Emerald Lake Lodge by null
Emerald Lake Lodge by null
Emerald Lake Lodge by null
Emerald Lake Lodge by null
Emerald Lake Lodge by null
Emerald Lake Lodge by null
Emerald Lake Lodge by null
Emerald Lake Lodge by null
Emerald Lake Lodge by null
Emerald Lake Lodge by null
Emerald Lake Lodge by null
Emerald Lake Lodge by null
Emerald Lake Lodge by null
Emerald Lake Lodge by null
Emerald Lake Lodge by null
Emerald Lake Lodge by null
Emerald Lake Lodge by null
Emerald Lake Lodge by null
Emerald Lake Lodge by null
Emerald Lake Lodge by null
Emerald Lake Lodge by null
Emerald Lake Lodge by null
Emerald Lake Lodge by null
Emerald Lake Lodge by null
Emerald Lake Lodge by null
Emerald Lake Lodge by null
Emerald Lake Lodge by null
Emerald Lake Lodge by null
Emerald Lake Lodge by null
Emerald Lake Lodge by null
Emerald Lake Lodge by null
Emerald Lake Lodge by null

Highlights

Wood-burning fireplaces, balconies with lake views, chic restaurant  

Featured in Eater
Featured in Conde Nast Traveler

1 Emerald Lake Rd, Field, BC V0A 1G0, Canada Get directions

crmr.com

$$$

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1 Emerald Lake Rd, Field, BC V0A 1G0, Canada Get directions

+1 250 343 6321
crmr.com

$$$

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wifi

Last updated

Aug 23, 2025

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@eater

Canadian Rockies Dining Guide to the Food & Drink Scene | Eater

"A remote, rustic-chic lodge on a peninsula in a mountain lake with cozy cabins, wood-burning fireplaces, private wraparound balconies, and a gourmet culinary program anchored by a dining room that serves free-range local meats like elk, bison, and caribou; the main lodge’s historic bar offers a notable scotch selection and period details, making it a refined log-cabin retreat." - Zoe Baillargeon

https://www.eater.com/22946448/best-restaurants-canadian-rockies-banff-canmore-jasper
View Postcard for Emerald Lake Lodge
@cntraveler

Emerald Lake Lodge

"This 1902 timber property on a peninsula overlooking a glacial lake in Yoho National Park, west of Banff, is in "an inspirational location and has a great layout," hence the two perfect scores. The two-story alpine cabins with fireplaces and private balconies have no TVs, and some are "in need of refurbishment." In summer, guests cross a wooden bridge to dine at Cilantro on the Lake, a log cabin. Mount Burgess’s Rocky Mountain cuisine means caribou medallions, elk tenderloin, and salmon fillets. The local terrain draws cross-country skiers, although some prefer to just "sit in the moonlight and gaze at the peaks reflected in the lake."

https://www.cntraveler.com/hotels/canada/field/emerald-lake-lodge--yoho-national-park
View Postcard for Emerald Lake Lodge

Brian Egan

Google
Emerald lake Lodge is an absolutely beautiful place. My family and I are so happy to have had the experience of lodging here. The staff was very friendly and helpful. It truly is an amazing place. The natural scenery is just unbelievable. The room was clean and very comfortable. The rooms have a coffee/tea bar area and a mini fridge. The rooms have balconies with great views. I am 110% satisfied with the service and accommodations!

stephanieo257

Google
Beautiful location of course - how can one better it - and a lovely experience all round. |Staff were all helpful and friendly. |Room was clean and comfortable with a gorgeous view. |Shuttle service worked perfectly. |Food in the lounge was particularly good. We loved eating there. |There are crowds as you would expect, but it is a great base to get away for some fantastic hikes. |Definitely recommend.

Lucyan

Google
Love love love this place! This is one of the most beautiful places I have stayed at. Cute rustic lodge, located at the Emerald Lake in Yoho National Park, surrounded by mountains. We parked at the overnight lot and got promptly shuttled to the lodge, smooth check in. Our cabin was located right across from the spa (hot tub & sauna), which we used quite frequently. After long days spent hiking, it was great to relax at the main lodge overlooking the beautiful lake, sipping on delicious cocktails and enjoying tasty dinner. The food and drinks were amazing. The mixologist at the Kicking Horse Lounge is a magician. Loved hiking around the lake and spending time canoeing on the lake and enjoying the views. Will come back!

alis0n310

Google
Emerald Lake lodge is beautiful and situated right on the lake, the views are breathtaking. We had a Superior King room which had its own fireplace. Apparently these are the upgraded rooms but they still had a rustic look to them.|We found that the hotel was overrun with the day tourists, just freely walking through the hotel property and we would of thought that with the rates you pay at this hotel, it could of been more private. There is also no wifi available in the rooms, and again we would of thought the Signature rooms could of at least had Wifi. You have to congregate at the main lodge to get Wifi and again it appeared that the day visitors were there to get the free Wifi. The location is beautiful, and once the tourists leave at the end of the day, it is a beautiful place.

Lisa Landi

Google
Comfortable, modern, cosy. The lounge had great service, drinks, and food. Our room was on the second floor of our cabin, but they happily brought our luggage up to our room and back. View of the lake from our porch. Nice fireplace we didn't use in July. Postcard perfect picture spot.

Simon Clewlow

Google
You’re paying for the location, not a 5 start resort. The cost of this place is eye watering but the location and the service are exceptional. The rooms are a mixed bag. First night we stayed in an older room that definitely needed some TLC. I could hear random noises from the maintenance room attached all night which was not great. Full credit to the staff for being understanding and accommodating and we were moved to a newly renovated room. Not as rustic as the previous room but it was very nice and still had a cozy fireplace and a much larger bathroom. A lot of noise from the people above moving around but it is what it is. The staff are wonderful. The location is magical. The rooms are noisy and you’ll be hearing everything (and I mean everything) your neighbours are up to! Great romantic location but at a price.

""

Google
Positive: Loved being on the lake. It is beautiful although it rained most of the day we were there. Finally cleared about 3:00 and was able to canoe for one hour which was fun. Lodge was nice, food good and the staff very friendly. Negative: We chose to take our luggage to our room not realizing the slope up to our house, more stairs up to the porch and the steep stairs up to our room on top floor. We would have let them delivery if we had known. Trees blocked most of lake view from room.

Charles Ricketts

Google
Not the cleanest of rooms or the quickest check in service. We had 2 rooms in the cabins but they weren’t close to each other, another frustration! On the plus side this is a perfect location for a romantic break. We canoed the lake but there is a nice path around the lake side and awesome mountain views. Recommend walking out and back on the boathouse side rather than go all round. The hotel itself is lovely, and is arranged like an old hunting lodge with a full size snooker table upstairs. The restaurant was also good. We woke up early and lit the fire in our chalet.
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Brett N.

Yelp
Why 4 stars? Because the restaurant was a decent stop while at Emerald Lake. --- --- --- I am reviewing the restaurant here, which does not have its own listing. We did not stay at the lodge. The truth is: the food was 3-star worthy, but the convenience was 5-stars. We split the grilled cheese and the bison burger. Both were just a-okay. I was tempted to drive a few miles to Field to visit one of their highly rated establishments, but we were tired and hungry and wanted to canoe after our meal. This ended up being an ideal stop for us, based on our situation. The Lodge also has WiFi, which is helpful in a region where there is absolutely no cell service. And they allow you to be served in the very comfortable lounge area, rather than the actual dining room, if you prefer. We preferred. It can't be easy to get food supplies out to Emerald Lake, so the 3-star food rating is no knock on them. We very much appreciated the convenience!
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Jaslean A.

Yelp
The most Incredible EXPERIENCE HERE!!! This place has been on my vision board for awhile and my husband and I just came here this weekend! The location is STUNNING!! To me it's better than lake Louise at the chateau fairmont. My husband and I are so happy we stayed here! The service was great and the food was EXCELLENT. The rooms are cozy and it was worth paying for a lake view. The rooms weren't anything spectacular but you are coming for the lake experience! I would HIGHLY recommend anybody to come stay HERE! The best weekend getaway!!!
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Tulsa H.

Yelp
First of all, there's no Wi-Fi in the individual cabins/lodge but Wi-Fi is available only at the main checkin spot. We stayed here for a night and did breakfast and dinner here. The bison burger for dinner was okay--better than expected actually. One thing I would complain about the Lodge is that it took us a while to get a hold of them for the shuttle service. There was a long wait for this shuttle and it defeats the advertisement of it being 24-hour when you called the reception and there was no one answering. So what can you do except to wait there and keep on redialing with no promises that someone would pick up. The emerald lake is quite beautiful.
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Tracey S.

Yelp
I came here to stay a few days while I was on vacation. This was my dinner on the first night. It was absolutely delicious! The flavors were amazing. I loved everything! I highly recommend this restaurant.
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Kimberly H.

Yelp
The hotel itself is special because it's the only piece of civilization along Emerald Lake. The lake is incredible - so still, gorgeous reflections of the surrounding mountains, and crazy emerald green! The lake is also a bit more of a trek from the business of Lake Louise area or Banff town, so more opportunities to feel immersed in nature and also higher probability of seeing wildlife. The icing on the cake is the lake and all of its natural beauty. There is a first-come-first served hourly canoe rental off the lake. We went in June, just at the beginning of the travel season, so it wasn't too busy and we easily got a canoe, which seats 3. It was an incredibly relaxing paddle out and spectacular views in all directions. The lake is primarily surrounded by mountains so there isn't much wind, so the reflections on the lake are incredible. Regarding the hotel itself, it is definitely a more campy/retreat center feel - the rooms have cute patios that face the lake, fireplaces with tinder, and warm touches; however many of the patios are blocked by some trees (though that keeps the view from the lake beautiful), so that could be hit or miss. The rooms themselves were pretty standard, like a nice glamping experience for adults. There is no wifi access in the cabins. The main lodge is gorgeous, plenty of lush seating with cozy fireplaces. The staff are all super attentive as well. The Lodge for breakfast was good; very tasty, standard breakfast/brunch fare. Some of the game sausages were interesting, not bad, but the bison sausage was drier than I would have liked. The plating was also subpar for what one would expect for the cost of this hotel. The views from the lodge while eating breakfast are awesome though. You cannot park your car near the cabins, instead they're parked down the road and there is a shuttle to call between the two. It's a little inconvenient, but the staff are actually very quick so it was a better experience than what I was anticipating when I first heard of it! The Kicking Horse lounge for drinks at night - ah-mazing. My friend and I were carried away chatting in the late evening by the fireplace when we were offered a drink, despite past the posted time, and also notified of a last call. I got a beautifully smoked old fashioned and my friend got the Rocky Mountain Fog with earl grey and amaretto. Overall, the place is a gem and a special place because of the location. It can be updated a bit, but my expectations when signing up were for the location and the view, less so about the sleeping quarters.

Kathleen P.

Yelp
The front desk staff are very unhelpful. The rooms are not great, stains on the couch and walls, very old cabin feel. No one helped us with our luggage. The food in the dining room is not great. Way overpriced for what you get. Not worth it. Skip Emerald Lake and go to Moraine Lake Lodge instead. They are really great and accommodating with clean rooms and a better experience altogether.
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Bekah B.

Yelp
All the bad reviews on this place are for sure Karens lol. It's not a freaking upscale resort with the nicest accommodations in the world that's why it's not that expensive. It is absolutely beautiful, staff was always super kind (besides the curly hair one from cilantro cafe she was rude) all the food was amazing. Jason from the front desk was super helpful. Yes there's tour buses in and out (it's a destination hello?) but after dinner it is so peaceful and quiet. Our room was small but fine (if you're spending enough time in your room for it to matter why are you even there) They give you firewood for each night. There's a game room above the dining room to enjoy. For the price, this place is incredible.

Justin R.

Yelp
What a complete disaster! Traveled all the way from Florida(!!) to check out wedding destinations and emerald lakes was on the list. Was set to check in Feb 15th and throughout the upcoming months since booking, I continuously received email confirmations 'they were looking forward to our stay'. The latest was the day before on Feb 14th at 2:14am notifying me the hot tub was closed for maintenance. No biggie. However when we showed up onsite, the place was basically deserted. We asked a girl in the restaurant lodge how we check in and she informed us they have been closed for days due to a power outage... What!? Yes, we literally traveled over 3,000 miles and could have adjusted our trip if they gave us notice but instead sent us an update on their hot tub being out instead? Can't make this up. We frantically got on the phone to the CRMR before they closed and spoke to a Lauren, then a manger, Patrick. They were apologetic we were not notified then offered to put us in their partnered deer lodge, that was not well reviewed, or their Post hotel. They even offered to include a bottle of wine at dinner to make up for the inconvenience. We took them up on the offer for the nicer looking Post hotel but when we showed up there was no bottle of wine offer... wonderful. Turned out to be a complete waste of a trip that we could have adjusted at any time with the proper notice. Instead we were left forced to stay in a back up Inn with 0 view or experience, and drive in the dark back to lake Louis where we originally came from. By far the most infuriating experience of all. Would never ever return and certainly not concerning them as a wedding venue if they can't even have the decency to notify their guest properly.

Linda W.

Yelp
Amazing food, gorgeous views, and special people! If in Canada, it's a must visit! You will love!!
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Melissa O.

Yelp
This place is BEAUTIFUL! All the staff we encountered was very friendly and helpful. The views are INCREDIBLE! The $80 canoe rental is worth it. There is a nice and easy hike that is very accessible from the lodge. The restaurant had great food as well. We ate here twice and give it a 10/10. The dishes are unique, flavorful, but very good. I didn't get a picture of the pistacho sponge but also recommend if you are looking for something less sweet and with a mild crunch. Overall, we had a great experience and highly recommend!
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Nancy F.

Yelp
So...where to begin? My husband and I spent a few days in Kelowna and decided to book here for 2 nights to break up the drive home. Turning into the overnight parking area, I was already scratching my head a bit. Very run down, old junk laying around. I go into this little hut and dial 0 to get the shuttle to come pick us up. We get dropped off at the lodge and you can't help but be blown away by the amazing views. Check in was all good and we are given our room. It's at the very furthest part from the lodge and no one helps you with your bags. For $400+ a night, you'd think they could do that? As we're walking to the cabin I'm noticing the cabins look really worn down, like pretty bad. We get into our room and I'm so disappointed right away. I noticed a musty/dirty smell to the room, old old furniture, old dirty carpet, a rickety aged deck with nails poking out of it. The deck was filthy, cob webs, dirty, paint chipping off everywhere and 2 dirty chairs. As I'm scoping the room out my husband is appalled at the comforter, which was covered....and I mean covered in sex stains. I'm so disgusted that I pull out my cleaning wipes and start cleaning this room myself. My husband goes to the lodge to ask about a different room. As I'm cleaning I am just in shock and how bad the cleanliness is. This is during covid 19!! Why are these rooms so terrible. I get that they are old and run down but they can still be clean. Husband comes back and they move us. So we lug all our stuff back to another cabin closer to the lodge. We go in and it smelled a bit better but upon examining the comforter there were even more sex stains than the last room! At this point we decided that we aren't going to stay and we left. The staff were so nice, not a single person gave us attitude and were very apologetic saying " ya we get it, it's bad" like they deal with this a lot. This lodge needs a massive overhaul and renovation.

tony g.

Yelp
The good- Location is fantastic. Staff friendly. Food not bad. The bad- 675$ for an incredibly dated and small double queen room. Porch and whole exterior is peeling paint and stain, loose rails and generally borderline safe. No staff. Staff that are present are working extra hours and double duties...our waitress from France was lovely but also the driver of the shuttle, waitress and sometimes cleaner! The rooms were filthy, especially the carpets. We didn't use the shower because it was covered in not our hair,. The restaurant is nice, but it took 1.5 hrs to get our food. I asked about the kitchen staff and was told there were only 3 for the whole restaurant working 6-7 days a week. I asked the pay....and of course its barely minimum wage. These resorts have to get their act together, because there is no friggin way I'm paying this much to get so little anymore. A 180$ breakfast was the last dollar I'm spending at any resort of the Canadian Rockies.

Lori W.

Yelp
Believe the reviews! After a lot of research, we decided on Emerald Lake Lodge for our family vacation because it looked more remote and peaceful than Lake Louise and others. We rented four cabins in all. After making our reservations (this was in January for a trip mid September) I read my first pretty horrific reviews. I couldn't imagine them being true and thought they must be very picky people. The pictures of the lodge were idyllic. I did reach out to the resort to ask about them to see if they had any comments. They were aware of the reviews and assured me they have addressed the cleaning issues and were doing more in-depth training with their employees. Early Sept I decided to look at reviews to see if things had changed. They had not and the most recent reviews had actually gotten worse. I started to worry and contacted them again. I was again assured they have dealt with the problems. * Upon arrival one of our rooms wreaked like urine. The manager didn't have any other rooms and sent housekeeping over in the morning the next day. After explicitly telling her I did not want the fix to be smelly stuff sprayed all over, that is exactly what the man who showed up the next morning did. This is after knocking and walking right in. * Lots of tour buses and people in and about the cabins, not as quiet as you would think. *Guests don't have priority for dining and the wait for the tour busses can be lengthy. *After a long trip getting there, we were told we need to take our luggage to our rooms without help. Which is fine, but it's up and down stairs and a paver pathway that is broken down and hazardous. For the price this was my first clue something is up with this place. * Restaurants are not open all the time. They closed the Cilantro cafe for the season after telling me there were three places to eat on the property. They could keep it open for weddings though. *Speaking of weddings, when the wedding party leaves Cilantro Cafe they move their reception out to the fire pit and will continue to party until the wee hours of the night (4 am one night). With this comes very noisy, drinking guests and some were vomiting outside one of our cabin windows. Their response, we don't have enough staff to monitor. * When we were given the keys to our rooms we were told where to go and no one offered to help with luggage. This isn't a big deal but for the money we were paying it was odd especially since we had to lug our luggage up and down many stairs to our room on a pathway that was broken down and a hazard. * The bar is a joke. Online it boasts a story about the bar " Located in the main lodge, the Kicking Horse Lounge features a selection of superb regional micro-brewed beers as well as some of the world's finest single malt Scotches, Cognacs and Ports, the bartender behind the original 1890's Yukon Bar will take - and make - all drink requests." My son in law was pretty excited about this because he is a pretty talented mixologist. The bartenders were very young adults who had no idea how to make drinks. We asked for a Dacquari and after waiting 15 min the server came out to say I'm sorry we don't have a blender. My son in law said that's fine because you don't need a blender for Dacquari's. When I spoke to the manager about this he said website needs to be revised because we don't have real bartenders. * I witnessed MANY angry, upset guests bringing in pictures of the filth in their rooms. * Not sure what Canadian Rocky Mount Resorts (CRMR) are doing with the money they are bringing in here. We, along with other guests, were making some pretty fun guesses and none of them included investing in their properties. I would never stay at a CRMR resort again, ever. * Staffing was their standard reason. I did see some staff working long hours and most were very new. The office staff is not trained so don't waste your time asking any questions or advice about the area they won't know. It was bad. I couldn't stop thinking about it so I googled employment reviews and found the reason they can't keep people. Best advice I have is believe the reviews, don't trust their answers if you call.
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Cece C.

Yelp
We stayed here for three nights in August for a friend's wedding and also as a second honeymoon gift to ourselves. If you're looking for a picturesque and romantic spot in the Canadian Rockies, this is it! We loved the view from our room and the resort experience itself. Yes it was expensive - terribly so even with the decent USD exchange rate - but worth it to be an overnight guest. We really went into it not knowing what to expect. Their social media highlights the lake, mountains, and utility as a wedding venue - but not so much about the rooms or guest experience. You should know ahead of time that it is outside town, remote, only accessible by shuttle (for guests), and has no cell service. We embraced that and pretty much stayed on site, walked and hiked, ate at the dining options, and enjoyed our in-room fireplace. In August! It was fantastic! The rooms are no-frills, charming, and retro but spacious. They could definitely use an update from the 1970s. No TVs or fridges. There is a boil water notice that appears to have been in effect for years, but it wasn't a huge issue. As for activities, I certainly recommend walking the lake loop. Amazing views and can be remote depending on how early you do it. Mid-morning you can expect shuttles upon shuttles of foreign tourists that practically take over the place and can be a bit loud and rude. It was at those points that we appreciated having a room to retreat to. Food options are limited, but good. The flatbread was my go-to! If you're staying a few days, I would bring snacks. Even small items are very pricey and it adds up - don't be surprised if meals run you $100 CAD per day. They discourage outside food, but I would bring non-perishable snacks if you're budget conscious like I am. If you must plug in, there is wifi in the main lodge. I actually had to join a work conference call one morning and was able to call in via wifi upstairs. It was surprisingly quiet enough to work, although I definitely wouldn't recommend this resort for business. All in all a lovely experience and I hope this review helps clueless future travelers like myself. I'd like to return, but I would probably go in the off season when room prices are 4x less than what we paid. Next time!
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Christa S.

Yelp
***NO WIFI IN ROOMS or CELL SERVICE, also UNDER A WATER BOIL ADVISORY since May 2018!**** I stayed here the evening of September 29th, 2019. First off, be sure to park in the shuttle parking lot. A shuttle transfers you from the overnight park lot to the lodge. Once off the shuttle, check in was pretty smooth. Our room was quite far from the main lodge, so I figured they would offer to bring us AND the luggage to the room, but they only bring the luggage. After checking into the room we noticed that the water boil advisory had been in affect since MAY of 2018! This was mildly discouraging, because they told us upon check in that we could use the water to brush our teeth, but then in the room it said that you could not use it to brush your teeth AND when you washed your hands, it said to them immediately clean your hands with hand sanitizer. Well, here are my issues with this. If you want me to sanitize my hands, PROVIDE the sanitizer. Secondly, how do you want us to sanitize after hand washing, but you don't want us to sanitize our entire body after showering. After getting settled we went to the restaurant and the food was only mediocre. I would recommend eating elsewhere before dining there again. After getting back to the room, we couldn't even lock the door! So, we went to bed without locking the door. Then around 10:30 PM we were awoken to the sound of someone trying to unlock the door and come into our room! The rooms are not signed well at ALL! It is very confusing when trying to locate your room for the first time. Also, I called the front desk to discuss something with a manager and a manager is not on duty after 6:00 PM! This is was VERY shocking to me. Also, there is NO WIFI in the room or any type of cell service. I 100% do not recommend staying here. Honestly, the only redeeming thing about this place was the amazing fire place in the room.
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Jenny O.

Yelp
The service was spectacular here! It is off the beaten path as stated when you make your reservation there is no wifi, no TV's it's a place to relax, let go of the electronics that run us on a daily basis and reset. The views alone are worth staying here. The rooms are old but that is part of the charm and allure to this hotel. We also tried the restaurant a few times and the food was delicious lots of flavor cooked perfectly and very fresh. If ypu are looking for somewhere no traditional somewhere to unwind and enjoy the people you are with in good conversations this is the place. I highly recommend and will definitely be back with more of my family.

Abbi C.

Yelp
The only redeeming quality of this place is the location, it's a beautiful lake and the scenery is unmatched...but you're better off staying in field or golden and making a day trip here. The lodge is outdated, overpriced, and to be completely honest it's gross inside. I was extremely disappointed upon arrival, saving up for this trip for months to be met with a unclean and unkept room. Our room was much smaller than what the pictures showed, it was dirty upon arrival (alarm clock on the floor, stains on the sheets, stains on the carpet, dirt on the floor, etc) and the deck looked like it hadn't been cleaned in years. Our toilet was broken, the fire wood was wet, the sockets were loose and sparked when we went to plug in our phone (fire hazard???), our room smelt gross, the bedding smelled like B.O., and our fan in the bathroom sounded like a bomb was going to explode. You're not allowed any outside food and they provide absolutely nothing in your room, no mini fridge, not even bottled water. Just a coffee maker and cups. For somewhere with such strict rules and high prices, you'd think they'd consider their guests comfortability and provide them at least some water and small snacks. We weren't provided with room service in our two nights there, we weren't helped with our luggage (my partner has a broken wrist so i had to bring everything upstairs, im not a very strong person either..) We asked for more fire wood, they ignored us 3 times before finally putting wood in the bin and the wood was wet and useless. The staff were unkind, demeaning, and rude to us during our stay. During our first night, we had no voice but to eat at their overpriced restaurant. I asked to have an item removed from my meal and the waiter was extremely unkind and said "Well i'll have to ask the kitchen but most people just eat it.." and then came back and said "never mind it's fine." Over $100 on a meal and it came with the item in it that i asked to be removed, which tells me that it must be partially pre-made. They had the hot tub closed and there's no other amenities provided, i was extremely disappointed as there's absolutely nothing to do around besides look at the lake. Our view of the lake from our room was covered by trees, and the deck was gross so we didn't go on it anyways. We chose to drive out to field and went to truffle pigs instead for meals, not only were the meals delicious, the staff were actually kind and personable. We loved it so much we went there three times and wished we had stayed at that lodge and just drove over to emerald lake instead. Stay in Field or Golden and make the trip to emerald lake, save your money and don't make the same mistake we did. I wish we could get our money back.
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Chantel H.

Yelp
Choose this resort on recommendation of a coworker to celebrate our 15th wedding anniversary. First off this resort is fairly secluded. It's about 10-15min drive from the nearest town, Feild. When driving down the road be sure to stop at the overnight parking lot/staff lodgings as there is no parking at the hotel itself. Instead there is a shuttle to take you up the rest of the way. The shuttle is a quick trip and staff are very friendly and helpful. Check in was relatively quick and painless. There is absolutely no cell service in this resort. But to me this was more of a bonus. I mean who wants to take a work call when you're on a vacation. Also the only wifi you have is in the main lodge. That's right folks no wifi in your rooms. For me this is one of the reasons for choosing this hotel. If you're worried about boredom the hotel has several board games and packs of cards to borrow out if you want. The rooms themselves are very dated but in good repair. I absolutely loved having the fireplace in the rooms. We took full advantage and had a fire going whenever we were in our room. The beds are definitely dated but surprisingly comfortable. The pillows on the other hand were fluffy but quickly fell flat. The shower was actually really nice with a decent amount of water pressure. The lodge is really lovely and rustic with lots of comfortable seating. But where this hotel really shines is the food. Oh glorious glorious food. Our first night we ate in the dining room. This area requires a reservation but those can easily be made at the front desk. My husband had the beef tenderloin. My God did they ever get it done right. It was perfect seared on the outside and evenly cooked through out. It was so tender and juicy and flavourful. He opted for mashed potatoes instead of risotto and he was completely satisfied with them. I myself had the duck. Unfortunately the duck was just a bit over cooked making a bit more chewy then it should be. But honestly the taste made you appreciate the chewiness of it. The star anise ajus was the perfect compliment to the dish. The side lentils had an equal amount of shredded duck mixed in making this dish super high in protein. Oh and the bread. Bread service is available on request but make sure you do. They buy their bread from an artisanal bakery in Calgary and it is awesome. Our second night we decided to dine in the pub. We started the meal off by sharing the elk bruschetta. This dish was basically a small elk steak on top on a heap of artichoke antipasto on a thin crustini. I have had elk a lot and I have never had elk so tender and juicy as this piece was. The anti pasta was just the right combination of salty with a hint of sweet. For our mains I had the bison burger with Caesar salad and my husband had the bison prosciutto sandwich with fries. The Caesar salad dressing was amazing. I wish I could get the recipe. The bison burger fell a little short as it was a bit dry and I had to ad ketchup to make up for it. My husbands sandwich was flavour and delicious. But the fries... OMG these fries. So like and airy and crispy. With coarse grind salt. Oh so good. All in all we had a great stay. If you've got yourself a hotel somewhere else be sure to stop in for a meal as the food here should definitely not be missed. Food alone is a five star.
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Tee G.

Yelp
We enjoyed being here, though we stayed for 4 nights/5 days, which was really more time than was needed there. There are some decent hikes there, but it's far from many other things to see. Tourists crowd the bridge leading to Emerald Lake, but surprisingly the path around the lake had just a handful of hikers. It's a very nice, easy hike with some good views. It was fairly muddy on one side due to recent rains, but still doable. I don't get the complaints about the room - I thought it was clean and nice. It's not the height of luxury, but it's comfortable. The pillows could be better - it was basically a shapeless pile of feathers - but we bring our own when we travel. We enjoyed our balcony and the cozy sitting area. The water still has a boil order, and housekeeping wasn't great about providing more water after the first night (though hopefully the desk would have if we asked, but we shouldn't have had to). We did not try the cafe by the water, but ate in both the main dining room and lodge several times each. We were underwhelmed by the Chef's Cheese Plate (didn't try the charcuterie board) and the breakfast buffet. Though granted we tried the buffet the morning after doing the breakfast buffet at Poppy's in Fairmont Lake Louise, which was hard to beat. Everything else was really good in both restaurants, particularly the daily soups (loved the tomato bisque with goat cheese).
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Anne S.

Yelp
Emerald Lake Lodge has the most beautiful setting of any hotel I have ever stayed in. Our tour guides told us that the rooms were not going to be very nice, but I had a fine experience with them. Every room has a fireplace, the beds were comfortable, and I found it amazing that they had running hot water out in the middle of nowhere. Also, when you first check in, the lodge puts a cookie and a plum on your bedside table, which was a nice welcome. The cookies were delicious!! Now onto the food in the hotel dining room. During the first dinner I had there I ordered the pork chop, which had a nice crispy skin, but was otherwise mediocre. I honestly think I just don't love pork chops. Our whole table ordered the charcuterie board, something we all thoroughly enjoyed. My favorite part of it were the cured duck slices. I also liked the mustard infused melon and cranberry balsamic relish. The best thing that I had at this restaurant was the banana bread french toast at breakfast! I love banana bread and battering and frying banana bread only improved things. The french toast was served with mascarpone and hot maple syrup, the perfect condiments. Anyone who stays at Emerald Lake Lodge should consider themselves lucky. It has such an amazing natural setting, and the food at their restaurant is not too shabby either.
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Penny And Art R.

Yelp
Emerald lLake has a five star view but a two star accommodation. Rooms were old & needing repair. It had no air conditioning and no TV...but there was a fan in the room. What an absolute lost opportunity the management /owners have lost! Not worth the $.
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Eric B.

Yelp
Perched on the edge of spectacular Emerald Lake, the original Emerald Lake Lodge was constructed in 1902. It was purchased by the current CMR owners in 1979, restored, and then reopened in 1986. The Lodge (and Cabins) are well located and maybe to preserve part of the ecosystem and the tranquillity, you have to park your car and take a shuttle bus to the main building (the only historic Lodge structure left). Form there, staff will take you to your cabin in golf carts. I chose to walk in and stop at the bar for a drink. Built of hand-hewn timber and featuring massive stone fireplaces, the Lodge includes an elegant dining room, quiet reading and sitting rooms, and conference facilities. The lounge features an oak bar salvaged from an 1890s-era Yukon saloon, but the payoff is sitting out on the deck and taking in the stunning view. It was one of those special times when I felt awed and small.

Jojo L.

Yelp
I think this is a very overly rated place. Everything has be ordered from them food/drink wise, no outside food brought in. Also they didn't mention that there's no TV, nor WiFi in any of the rooms. There's also no cell reception in the area. The cabins are far from the main lodge & the pathways are not maintained. This is a good marketing ploy but your have to get all your resources from them & they are very very expensive! I think this place is a scam!

Dennis C.

Yelp
Just returned home from a quick stay at Emerald Lake with mixed thoughts. This place is near and dear to our hearts as we have been going there for 24 years and we were married there 17 years ago. We used to go once a year on our December anniversary but have been skipping a few times lately but not because of Covid. Initially this was a magical remote winter wonderland but has been getting rundown with no regular improvements. It seems like they just do regular maintenance to keep the place running. It's tough to keep going there as the daily rates keep rising from year to year but the place continues to get run down every year. In talking to the staff they know it is rundown but CRMR which owns this resort and several resorts in the Banff area has not performed any renovations that we have seen since we started going there. In past stays power has gone out for several hours and some rooms had frozen water pipes, luckily not our room. At times the wood burning fireplaces in the rooms and main lodge were the only source of heat. Some people have commented that there are no televisions or wifi in the rooms. Do your homework people, it says this right on the website. There is only wifi in the main lodge where you can use your cellphone to make calls if need be. I'm okay with this as it's nice to be unplugged for a few days. And some people complain that the parking lot is a bit of a ways from the lodge and have to get bussed up to the lodge with your luggage. I'm okay with this too as there is no vehicle traffic around the lodge. Remember this is a remote resort in a National Park where people go to get away for some relaxation. As with most resorts and restaurants, there are staff shortage issues form housekeeping, restaurant service and hosting services. But we found the majority of people working there were great. Shout out to Katrina in the lounge, Dante and Joel (Go Riders!) on the shuttle bus and room shuttles for their friendly great service. Although the menu selections have been reduced during Covid as in most restaurants, the food continues to be good although still pricey. Mixed Grill for breakfast and Elk Strip loin are my regular favourites. This place is situated in the heart of the Rockies 11 kilometres off the #1 highway in Yoho National Park and can be a magical place in the summer and winter. Outdoor photographers love this location. Some of the best scenery in the country. But it needs major upgrades if it wants to take advantage of it's location and become a true destination site. Under current rundown conditions it will be hard for them to draw clients that are willing to pay their daily rates. At least maybe reduce prices to ease expectations of their guests. I see price is the number one complaint in the accommodation reviews. I assume fighting the red tape in getting renovation permits in a National Park is not easy but this needs to be done before CRMR runs this place into the ground. If permits take awhile, start now. Or sell this property to someone who sees the potential of this location and is willing to perform some much needed work.
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Laurel B.

Yelp
The Emerald Lake lodge rests on the shore of the lake from which it takes its name. The view from the docks and the main lodge is absolutely breathtaking and all of the cabins share a rustic charm that perfectly fits with the landscape. However, after staying here it became obvious that this hotel survives on its location, not on its service. It is the only hotel in the area (excluding family-run B&Bs in the nearby town of Field). First the good: I was here for a wedding and I will say that the staff involved in the actual event itself were wonderful. Above all, the wedding coordinator was outstanding. He was incredibly helpful and professional. Unfortunately for those at the Lodge, he told me that he was moving on for a well-deserved promotion at another location. The worst service we received would have to be in the restaurant. The two servers we had for our multiple visits were both slow, rude, and unhelpful. I was shocked at the way one of them spoke to the bride's mother when she asked a question about her meal. The other was so grumpy that it made us uncomfortable. The food here was also hit or miss. The first evening I had an incredibly over-salted risotto but for breakfast I had a fantastic banana bread french toast. My companions all had a similar experience. The front desk wasn't much better. When I asked if there was a possibility of having an early check-in time for my room, it took a good ten minutes of the staff discussing this before letting me know this wouldn't be possible. I was in the wedding party so I wasn't going to have a lot of time to check in later in the day. I told them that I didn't need to go into the room if it wasn't ready, but that I just wanted my key early. Nope, wasn't happening. Fine whatever. My friend who was arriving the next day could check in for me right? Wrong. I let them know that the person I was going to be sharing a room with didn't have a credit card so could they please keep my card on file and they would check in for the both of us. I was told this would be fine and that they had made a note of it. However, when my friend tried to check in they would not allow it because he did not have his own credit card. I had to run down after the ceremony to check in with the same credit card I had shown them the day before. My final little annoyance able the hotel is that there is no cell service in the area and WiFi only worked in the main lodge, not in the cabins. While I didn't mind being cut off from the outside world, it did make coordinating things with the rest of the wedding party somewhat difficult if they weren't in the room or in the lodge. Overall, I did enjoy my time at the Emerald Lake Lodge. The facilities and rooms are well maintained and you can't beat the location. However the lack of customer service training from many of the staff members was obvious. For a hotel that charges upwards of $380 a night, I expect better.
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Chen Z.

Yelp
Amazing! Beautiful view of the lake. Boy how I would love to live and work there. Our room had a fireplace, king sized bed and a back patio view of the lake. There are some trees in the way but still amazing. They supply firewood and kindle for your fireplace. The lodge area is simple to navigate also maps are available during check in. They supply a shuttle bus that goes back and forth from the parking lot. There is a about 2 hour hike trail that wraps around the lake. The hike is very easy and there are openings off the trail where you can get a better view of emerald lake. There is also a outdoor jacuzzi with the lake view. There is WiFi only at the lodge and not in the rooms and the service is a tad slow. The lodge has a game room upstairs with a big pool table, tv, lounging area and also a computer (only 1) if you ever need to look up activities or directions. There is canoe rentals, I would recommend only taking it out for an hour which is enough time to circle the lake.
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Larry L.

Yelp
This is the second time we have stayed at the Lodge. The first time was several years ago, and we had such a wonderful time we decided to go back. Pros are a wonderful staff, especially Liz and Chris in the dining room, fantastic food, great trails, and wonderful views. Cons aren't terrible but this place could easily get to 5 stars. There was a boil water requirement in effect, but that sometimes happens at remote resorts. The cabins could use maintenace and replacement of finishes. We really enjoyed our stay.

steve P.

Yelp
The lodge was overwhelmed by tourist day buses. Our room was ready 1 hour later than promised and it was dark, smelly, and dirty Emerald lake is beautiful. The main lodge building is nice, with some old wood from the original Canadian Pacific Railroad building, that preceded it. The front desk clerk was not very apologetic that our room was not ready when promised, and would not let us sign in until the room was ready, she was a bit rude. Walk-in reservations for a room started at $450 cad. Our impression on entering the room was dark, uninviting, stale air, and dirty - yuck. The lake view was filtered by dense tree cover, a decent sized deck was wobbly and had nails popping out 1/8th inch from the decking, and the outermost foot showed signs of serious dry rot. If that was my deck I wouldn't let kids or guests use it. There is no WiFi in the rooms, only in the main lodge. The front porch has rows of people using phones and computers. The bartender was nice. The room smelled of air freshener and it did not smell good, there was no airconditioning, and it had dirty looking carpet, the welcome paper sign on the bed was disgustingly soiled and it went straight into the trash. The ceiling light fixture was full of dead moths. The closet door was missing. 1/2 of the vanity lights were burnt out, and the prior guest's contact lens was dried out on the counter -- the maid clearly had not cleaned throughly. The bathroom had moderate quality fixtures and counters, but was dark and dirty - again, yuck. The room had a wood burning fireplace, with wood and starter and two nice oatmeal cookies. Overall, not recommended
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Charles N.

Yelp
We are at the restaurant overlooking Emerald Lake. We ordered the Alberta sirloin steak, salmon and mixed salad. The food is decent and the service is quick even with our large group of 21 people. The price is reasonable given the view and location. I recommend this restaurant for dinner.

Kadam M.

Yelp
This place over all is good and I would consider coming back but it needs a little TLC. The bathroom looks good with stone tile and granite counter top but the ceramic tile kills any hope of a rustic look especially with the excessive caulking and lack of edge strip. The electrical plug in our room wouldn't hold the cords in so that's probably a fire hazard. Speaking of fire our room had a small supply of wood, kindling and matches so that was nice. The second floor room had a very nice lake view and seemed to be very well insulated from noise. The pathways are cobble stone but terribly uneven and I think some of the stairs are uneven as well. The wedding/reception was in Cilantro on the Lake, I could see daylight through the wood joints and the roof drips right on the pathway outside so that's a water spot waiting to freeze and have someone slip on it. Are eave troughs (sp?) taboo here? How about a drip chain? Most of the staff were great, especially for the wedding. The server in the lounge forgot what type of drink I wanted three times. WIFI seems to only be available near the checkin/lounge. To be fair I don't feel a need to be on WIFI when I was there but guests and/or kids may appreciate it. I have stayed in a lot of hotels so it does take a lot to impress me but I had higher expectations for this place and for the price I paid for the room. (Approx $350 plus taxes). TLDR: needs some updating and better guest services for this price.
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Mary F.

Yelp
Pros: Very romantic setting for couples looking to getaway. Location: Lake Louise is about 30min away. The city it is in, Field, is across the highway and there's tons of elk. This hotel is so secluded and so peaceful, we almost didn't want to leave. First, you have to park your car in another lot and call the front desk to have someone pick you and your bags up. Then the van takes you down the road to where the main lodge and the cabins are located. The restaurants' food on site is spectacular. The staff is very nice, very helpful. The cabins are comfy, with fireplaces and wood provided, and a balcony. No internet or cell phone service either.

Dara A.

Yelp
The maintenance and care of this hotel is well below average. Every where you look, it begs repair. The entry table in the registration office probably has not been dusted in over 2 years. The rooms are frayed and ants all over in the room. Towels full of hair. The lake and the views are second to none. Food expensive, and just fair. Just visit for the day

Laurel H.

Yelp
Don't do it. Such a disappointing stay. They have been under a boil order for all water since June, so they give you bottled water to take to your room to brush teeth with, make coffee, etc. Yet this wasn't mentioned when I booked. Room was horribly outdated. Screen falling out of the door, nasty carpet, hard bed, disgusting sheets (found a big blood stain on them the 2nd night), shower didn't drain well at all. Breakfast buffet ran out of French toast, bacon, and eggs. Took almost 30min to refill. The staff was helpful but they all looked so weary and over-worked. The scenery was pretty but not worth the rest of it.

Amy F.

Yelp
I am giving this hotel one star because the view is beautiful. It is absolutely the most gorgeous setting. But... This place was utterly disappointing in every way. I booked a stay here because a dear friend of mine was getting married here. I called in advance and asked the person who I booked my room with for an adjoining room because I was bringing my teenage daughter. They told me they would try. They did NOT tell me there were no adjoining rooms because the property consisted of cabins- basically four rooms to a cabin. They also did not mention that there would be no cell service, no WiFi and no TV in the room should my daughter happen to get a room far from mine- and that is exactly what happened. They put my 15 year old daughter in a separate building in a remote location with no access to her cell phone. Ace customer service! And they did not have another set of rooms in the same building once I arrived and asked for different arrangements. Some people might enjoy a hotel that is completely cut off from the rest of the world. But if you are not going to provide a single decent amenity how could you possibly call your resort deluxe or charge such outrageous prices? Our rooms were dirty and massively outdated. The bed was uncomfortable. WE COULD NOT DRINK THE WATER. We couldn't even wash our hands with the water without using hand sanitizer afterwords. The staff was ambivalent and lacked decent training- most of them were kids on student visas. Lean in to your remoteness. Lean in the the rustic nature of your lodge. BE SMART about what you have. Provide glorious rooms and interesting activities. Have a fantastic spa with amazing treatments. What do they expect people to do when it's pouring rain? Sit in their rooms? Doing nothing? Well, I hope you brought a book because the nearest store is 45 minutes away. You cannot depend on shuttle service from Calgary airport so I hope also, even if you are coming from another country that you feel confident enough to drive in mountainous, sometimes hazardous conditions. If you want to explore and stay in this beautiful part of the world, do yourself a favor and stay at the Fairmont in Lake Louise or Banff. The price is comparable and you'll get fun things like cell phone service and a movie to watch if the weather is too miserable to be outside in. Do not stay here. Honestly. Maybe if enough people make a fuss they will turn what could be a great property into something worth the money they charge you.

Chris D.

Yelp
Terrible rooms. Carpet looked like it had never been cleaned. Just an awful experience. Staff was not only unhelpful but seemed to enjoy watching someone pay $375 for one night in a room that I wouldn't ask a homeless person to stay in.
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Carol L.

Yelp
If you have an itching to go canoeing on one of these amazing Canadian lakes but balk at the line and $65/hour fee at Lake Louise, just head over to Emerald Lake. It's $45/hour and a lot less crowded (still beautiful). The canoes and life jackets are surprisingly clean. Parking is way easier to find as well.

Renna P.

Yelp
I don't really understand why this place is getting such good reviews. I wish i knew before I stayed what it was really like and I would of never gone. This place cost me a FORTUNE and I've never stayed in such a run down place in my life! Where do I start.... The rooms were totally run down, dirty, old broken furniture, stained dirty carpet. The tub and sink didn't drain so you'd be standing in ankle deep water during your shower, then have to wait a good 20 mins for it to drain so the next person could shower. The heat in the room is boiler heat and it was unbearably HOT! we couldn't even enjoy a real fire with the in room fireplace. We kept our balcony door open a crack all day and night (in the winter even!) and our bedroom window open all night just so we could sleep! The staff was extremely loud in the morning, stomping up and down the stairs with their radios on full blast cleaning other rooms while we were still trying to sleep. You can hear your neighbors flush their toilets so no real privacy and we paid extra for one of the more expensive suites. Hot tub was nice and relaxing but also not taken care of properly. The water level was extremely low and the ice surrounding the hottub wasn't scraped off so very very dangerous even trying to walk around it to take your shoes off. I expected for $700/night the room would have a mini fridge but again.... Was disappointed. You're way out in the bush and with the food being sooo expensive we brought beverages and snacks of our own just to find out we had no where to keep it cold. Again.... We paid a ton of money to have dinner included both nights we were there and that's the only thing that was good about this hotel. The food was definitely amazing but for the prices it cost to eat I would really hope the food would be good! I will never return to this hotel.... Ever! If you're charging $500 plus for 1 night stay I would think you could clean the rooms properly, throw some paint on the walls and maybe get some furniture /end tables etc that weren't broken and falling apart. And have drains that actually drained! Very very very disappointed. It cost me $1700 for 2 nights with dinner for 2 both nights and it was a complete waste of hard earned money! Don't stay here!!
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B C.

Yelp
Beautiful view and some staff were great. It overall room was run down and outdated. Fuse blew when my wife used the hair dryer. Best part of the room was the fireplace. Definitely not worth the nearly $400 U.S. dollars per night.
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Bianca K.

Yelp
This place is absolutely gorgeous! The husband and I spent a night here during an extended hiking trip in the area and were in heaven! Our room was relatively basic but very comfortable, king size bed, super fluffy feather comforter, balcony overlooking the lake and mountains and a ready made wood fire. perfect place to relax after some strenuous hiking with a nice bottle of wine!! As there is nowhere else to eat we ate dinner and breakfast at the lodge restaurant while visiting. Upon arriving we were informed that you had to make a reservation to eat in the dining room, now I understand that requirement in the middle of summer when this place would be busy... But at the end of April when there are maybe 30 people in residence?? Oh well... Thankfully you could sit in the lounge and order from the dining room menu which is exactly what we did. Dinner was delicious but expensive! The menu is full of fresh local ingredients and the meals were simple in their execution... It was one of the best meals I've had in a long time! There is no cell coverage at the lake and wifi is only available inside the main lodge building but why would you want to be interrupted by real life in this amazing location? We'll be back!
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David H.

Yelp
You can't beat the setting - the scenery is beautiful, the historic lodge is beautiful. As for the restaurant, this is one of the top ranked places to eat in Canada for good reason. Make no mistake about it, this is not a cheap place to eat, even by Canadian National parks standards. But it will be worth it. I had the salmon, of which I enjoyed every bite. The risoto was also quite good too.
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John M.

Yelp
A decidedly mixed experience for me. I went to ELL and stayed 4 days. The setting is really nice, and the lake is beautiful. That said, the service was overall pretty horrible; especially in the lodge. I was continually amazed by the forgetfulness, inattentiveness, and downright rudeness of the staff. In terms of forgetfulness it was pretty common that during breakfast I needed to ask twice for things like water to drink, or repeatedly refuse coffee I wasn't drinking. Just strange. I was also surprised that while there were tables with views the staff preferred to seat us often in less nice seats. We needed to be assertive to get an available table with a view. The food itself was lack luster. The potatoes for breakfast were flavorless and overdone. The burgers microscopic. Signature desert drinks that were cold which were supposed to be hot. On the upside the pastrami sandwich was good as was the lamb. Still I was expecting some pretty epic food...that never arrived. Better eats could be had in Field at the truffle pig bistro. The other thing which was bizarre about my experience at ELL was that despite the very nice surrounding environment there were no topographic maps and the staff themselves had no knowledge of anything around the area. In other words, there wasn't any quality advice about how one might spend their time. Just really strange. It seemed that there was no tribal knowledge and everyone was new at what they did. For instance we were interested in seeing the burgess shale but were told that we would have to go to Field to get a trail pass. We did go there, only to find that they only guide folks up there on Saturday-Tuesday. It was Tuesday and we were now in Field and missed our chance. Still no one at the lodge front desk seemed to be clued into this. Not so weird you say? There is a trail from the lodge to the burgess shale...so it isn't some remote destination. At any rate, I am hard pressed to say that knowing what I do that I would do ELL again. I actually think I would take my chances at the Fairmont in Banff and Lake Louise. I hit up the latter for dinner and hiking and was a marked better experience.
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Jackie L.

Yelp
The lodge looks inviting, but disappoints when it comes to the restaurant. The outdoor deck has little view, and food is mediocre. I had the salmon, which had good flavor, but was nothing special. My friend went for the chicken sandwich, which was served on a roll that really disappointed, and her fries were pretty burnt. On top of this, the waitress was unhelpful, and not very pleasant. Given the option, I would skip for lunch next time.
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Nick S.

Yelp
I was here for a weekend corporate function this past winter... and though late to review, I needed express my gratitude for truly a great time! Our weekend began by being shuttled from the parking lot to the lodge, and as we left our car behind, we truly separated from the outside world. The accommodations are cabins, with a main lodge for dining and cocktails. The cabins are relatively basic (for the price), though come with a stocked wood burning fireplace. There is no wifi or internet connectivity from the rooms, nor is there cell service, so you will soon be in withdrawal... and then soon after realizing how much you needed the break. At any rate, first impression of the site is this truly is beautiful setting! The frozen lake is surrounded by mountains, with cross country and snowshoe trails disappearing into the mountainside wilderness. The on site facilities allow for ski and snowshoe rentals, giving you the option of exploring mountain trails, or staying on the flat frozen lake. And it snows here. A LOT. The staff are kept busy shovelling around the cabins, pathways, and lodge. But the endless fresh powder on the trees and buildings makes for endless photo opportunities. Speaking of the staff, they prepared a bonfire with smores for us the first night, and the second night an A+ multi-course meal in a private dining area. The meal, the service, the environment, were all very memorable. Recommended. Yelp's 30 Day Challenge 2012 - 11/30
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Ninette B.

Yelp
What a find!! It was cold and super snowy when we checked in here in April, but it was an awesome spot off the beaten path. My husband and I came to the Banff area for the first time with no idea where to stay. We originally put in a search to stay in the Lake Louise area, but Emerald Lake popped up. We booked it based on price and reviews, unaware that it was a little far from Lake Louise and Banff. But totally ok. It was quiet and beautiful. Our room had a fireplace with wood that was restocked on a daily basis. There was a porch to sit on, and we would have enjoyed it had it not been snowing and raining. The staff is super friendly. The food at this location is also very good. We didn't get to experience Cilantro's as it was closed for the season, but I hear it's very good. If you get the chance to stay here, do it. Staff says that it's lovely right after the summer crowd leaves.

C R.

Yelp
I was torn how to rate this place. Let me preface this narrative by saying the lodge is very beautiful and the surrounding country is probably the most amazing place I have ever been (and I have traveled extensively). I guess when you stay for 3 days and 2 nights at a place, and you spend about $1,300 on just lodging and food.....you're expectations are high. I have stayed at the Ritz at Half Moon Bay and Manhattan for cheaper than that (to put it in perspective). So, after all that, here is what I have to say: First impression, our driver that took us from the parking lot to the lodge was fantastic! He's a young kid of Australia and could not have made a better first impression. Got there, checked in, and had dinner. Dinner both nights was AMAZING! Breakfast the first morning was amazing as well (that included the service). That is pretty much, where the great service and nice experiences ended. This VERY expensive lodge is mostly ran by YOUNG "seasonal" workers who have the type of attitude you'd expect when walking in to a Gucci store. They are nice, but just nice enough....I.E. they aren't going to be super helpful, they aren't going to really greet you with a smile and make you feel like they really want to help you. They appear to be border-line annoyed but forced to be be semi-nice to you. It's weird, and makes the experience crap. You pay that much money for that type of service? 100% unacceptable. You will pay Ritz Carlton prices, but you will get Super 8 Motel service.....and I kid you not. That's not the best part, the last morning we are there we decide to have breakfast one last time since the food there is so good. My wife went and got a table before the 11am cut-off time while I rode to get our car. After the waitress hovered over her and then stated, "the kitchen closes you have to order by 11am" she ended up having to tell her what we wanted, even though I wasn't back yet. Mind you, I returned at 11:10am. The waitress was pissed that we sat late, and you could tell. Never refilled my coffee or my wife's drink, never checked on us after we got our food, and we had to hunt her down just to pay! And our breakfast cost us over $50!!!! Ridiculous!!! Also, the second evening we had dinner, which cost us over $250 with tip, we sat for almost 15 minutes before a waitress even greeted us. For these prices the service is below sub-par. The young kids that work at the lodge actually live on the grounds (you'll see their housing at the end of the parking lot). I would say the average worker there was college age, late teens-early 20s. And, in May, it is hot in this part of the Rockies.....don't kid yourself....it is HOT! And there is no A/C in these cabins or the main lodge. So when you go to dinner don't wear long sleeves, you will sweat. You think I'm kidding but I'm not. Even the people that work there commented on how hot it was in the main lodge. Nothing like a $250 dinner enjoyed while you sweat. At night we had to keep the door open to our patio and have every window open to catch a breeze so we didn't burn up. So, scenery, hiking, food....amazing. No A/C, no internet, no phone service, no TV, horrible customer service, or service in general. Oh, and if you want a "view of the lake," which they will try and up charge you $25 a night for, keep in mind you will be viewing the lake through an obstructed view (layer of tree's), it's not a clear view of the lake like you would expect. There are a few rooms that have unobstructed views, but that is few and far between. I'd estimate it to be maybe a handful of the rooms.

M P.

Yelp
Second time staying at Emerald Lake Lodge. First time was great this time was quite disappointing. We stayed in the pet friendly room 321 i think. Later that night we decided to make a fire so we could fall asleep to the crackling. The vent was wide open and after we went to bed we both got up not long after becasue the entire room was filling up with smoke - scared we wouldn't wake up the next morning we had to sleep with the deck door wide open to let all the smoke out - because of this we both had horrible sleeps. Completely ruined and took away from the experience - when i mentioned this to the front staff the comment back i received was " we can't control the fire" . Seriously? No but you can control your upkeep and maintenance of the chimneys in these rooms so your guests can actually have a fire and enjoy it. After spending close to $400 on this room and voicing my concern i was just really disappointed by the completed lack of care.
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Ben I.

Yelp
I was going to dock a star because of the absence of in-room wifi and TV (no cell service either) - but then I realized this is one of those magical places where it's a blessing to be able to truly put down all devices and appreciate the surroundings. We stayed in a pointe cabin, and although it's pricey it's worth it. Breathtaking views of the lake and mountains beyond. The 5.3 km (3ish miles) trail round the lake is perfect for short walks or a decent run (watch out for the wetter side where the path gets very muddy and uneven). Great restaurants and bar plus games room upstairs. You'll see wildlife so bring your good camera, and during the on-season you can take a canoe out to appreciate the tranquility of this setting.
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Mom L.

Yelp
We loved it here. We came here in the spring when it was quiet-not many guests. Sadly, we did not try much of their food since husband got food poisoning en route from place in Calgary. We spent most of our time catching up on board games we haven't played since we were kids and walking the trails. Canoe on the lake is a must. Would be great here in the summer with a young baby or toddler. Leave the mobile phone and tablet at home for the real outdoor experience!
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Tim O.

Yelp
We spent a day hiking around this lodge, and had dinner in the restaurant. I can't comment on the rooms, but the location is incredible, and the food and service in the restaurant quite good. The rooms all overlook the beautiful lake. There is a great hike around the lake.