The Lodge at Bow Lake

An Unforgettable Stay at Bow Lake – Truly Exceptional! The Lodge Bow Lake is an incredibly special place located right on the shores of stunning, crystal-clear Bow Lake, with breathtaking views in every direction. The rooms are newly renovated, spacious, tastefully decorated, and equipped with everything you could possibly need. The beds are extremely comfortable, and nothing is missing. It truly feels like a home away from home. The culinary experience is a real highlight: Breakfast starts at 8:00 am with cereals, fresh berries, and warm porridge. Then a delicious, freshly prepared hot breakfast is served from the kitchen. Afterwards, guests can prepare a packed lunch for the day’s hike – with a wide variety of cookies, muffins, fruits, nuts, and fresh vegetables. Dinner starts at 6:30 pm, served in multiple courses, with everyone dining together. Every dish is refined, unique, and absolutely delicious. The kitchen is very child-friendly and accommodating – they adjust meals individually and without complication. Allergies, such as lactose intolerance, are handled with care, and guests receive beautiful, tasty alternatives without any compromise. For hikers, the location is perfect: there are numerous breathtaking trails starting right at the lake. A special highlight: two beavers appear each evening around 9 pm, swimming right in front of the lodge – a magical wildlife experience. One useful tip: bring a pair of indoor slippers or house shoes, as hiking boots are left at the front reception to keep the rooms clean and cozy. But what truly sets The Lodge Bow Lake apart is its exceptional team. Every staff member greets you with genuine warmth and a heartfelt smile. You can feel that this isn’t just a team – it’s a family, and each guest is welcomed as part of it. We also experienced a challenging situation: our rental car was damaged by a vehicle from the national park. The lodge staff didn’t leave us on our own – quite the opposite: The owner himself removed the broken glass from the car by hand. Nicola, the kind and capable manager, coordinated everything with the rental company. Thanks to her and the support of other guests, we were still able to join our planned tour that day, even without a car. And most remarkably, the lodge offered us the additional night free of charge – a gesture of generosity and hospitality we’ve never experienced anywhere else. This place isn’t just a hotel – it’s a rare and beautiful experience we’ll never forget. We would return in a heartbeat and highly recommend it to everyone. Thank you to Nicola and the entire team – you make this place truly special!

Sets a standard other lodges can only aspire to. The setting is spectacular, of course, looking across Bow Lake at ragged peaks and two (receding) glaciers. The 100 year-old lodge, beautifully restored with care and craft, is cozy and comfortable, only 17 rooms. The meals are ridiculously good, locally inspired and bountiful. But the staff make it all work. They made us feel like returning old friends even though this was our first visit. They knew our names, were quick-witted, attentive and anticipated wants and needs. They clearly enjoy working there, a tribute to the co-managers, Nicola and Mike, and the principal owner, Bruce, who presides over everything, greeting guests, attending to renovations, mixing drinks, and volunteering tips and stories from his many years in the Canadian Rockies.

Our stay at The Lodge at Bow Lake was the highlight of our trip to Canada! The great communication prior to our trip, the authentic kindness from the staff, the cozy rooms, the lake view and the food…it was the perfect recipe. The breakfast and dinners included in your stay, were top notch. But a gold star was the build your lunch bar. One day the sandwich option was Mushroom Reuben, the best sandwich of my life! I’d go back in a heartbeat, it was hard to leave this morning.

The Lodge at Bow Lake was far and above our expectations. The staff are so attentive, the location is incredible and right on Bow lake, and the food is superb. The rooms are newly renovated but still has that log cabin feel and smell. An unforgettable stay!

The Lodge at Bow Lake is really an extraordinary place in all respects and I could tell even as we were driving up. The view while approaching the lodge is just breathtaking, as you take in the crystal blue lake and the falls and glacier nearby. My husband and I also loved the community tables at meal time and got to meet so many wonderful people from all over the world. And the food and service was impeccable. Because of the remote location, you feel like you have this incredible lake all to yourself. The after dinner strolls were stunning. Also, the front desk was so kind and provided hiking poles for our daily hikes and arranged for a walking tour of the Icefield Glacier, which is also a must. We had an incredible time here. Very special place.

An unforgettable company retreat experience! Our team stayed at The Lodge at Bow Lake for a corporate retreat, and it exceeded all expectations. The setting is absolutely stunning — nestled right by the lake with breathtaking mountain views. The Lodge strikes the perfect balance between rustic charm and modern comfort. From the moment we arrived, the staff made us feel welcome and taken care of. The accommodations were clean, cozy, and well-appointed, with plenty of space for both group activities and quiet downtime. The meeting facilities were excellent, and the common areas were ideal for team bonding, informal chats, and evening gatherings by the fire. We also appreciated the thoughtful touches — locally sourced meals, helpful recommendations for nearby hikes, and the peaceful atmosphere that encouraged reflection and collaboration. Highly recommend The Lodge at Bow Lake for any company looking to host a productive and rejuvenating off-site. We left feeling more connected, inspired, and refreshed. We’ll definitely be back!

The Lodge at Bow Lake is an incredible place to stay. The entire team does an excellent job — professional, friendly, and always helpful. The managers clearly care about the guest experience, and it shows in how smoothly everything runs. The accommodations are clean, comfortable, and well designed. The food was consistently great, with high-quality ingredients and well-prepared meals. The location speaks for itself — stunning views, a peaceful atmosphere, and direct access to some of the most beautiful parts of the Rockies. Big thanks to the whole team for making the stay such a great experience. If you haven't been to the lodge yet, you're missing out.

Unfortunately, our experience staying here was very disappointing. The location is, of course, exceptional, and the staff are very friendly (I particularly loved the effort Bruce made to refer to guests by their names), but one can't help but feel that the lodge is something of a construction zone, or at least very much a work in progress. ||On our first night we discovered mice in the room. Just when we'd managed to usher them out and get back to bed, we heard the scamper of yet more little paws and got up to discover that more had somehow found their way inside, despite our having stuffed a towel underneath the door. Given where the lodge is located, this feels in part like it just comes with the territory, and we laughed it off the next morning with another couple at breakfast. ||That day, we returned from a hike at around 3 pm to find two of the staff on a mobile platform and painting immediately outside of our window. It was a hot day, and we wanted to open the window, but unfortunately this prevented that. When the staff moved to the floor above ours, we cracked the window open, but the smell of the paint led us to close it again and head downstairs to the bar.||It wasn't mice that proved troublesome on our second night, however, but the arrival of a food delivery truck shortly after 5 in the morning. Given the noise, it sounded as though the truck was parked almost directly under our window, engine running the whole time, the clanging and chatter downstairs filling our room. This disturbance I cannot chalk up to the location, and when you're paying as much as you are to stay in a place like this, you expect to be able to sleep better than you would have at a campground. Unfortunately, the campground would have been much better. As it was, we slept only a few short hours and felt quite groggy the whole next day. ||The rest of our 10-day trip through the Canadian Rockies was wonderful, and we stayed at a couple of excellent B&Bs and campsites, the total for all of them less than our 2-night stay here. In the end, that's what was so upsetting. Spending $900 per night on an accommodation is a real splurge for us, but given the other reviews and the incredible location, we thought we'd treat ourselves. Given our experience, I really wish we hadn't.

I didn't fully appreciate Num-Ti-Jah Lodge when I stayed here 2 years ago because I was so bent on staying up to date on my social media accounts. Looking back I wish I didn't bother with Wi-Fi at all (it didn't work half the time anyway) & enjoyed the experience more. The restaurant, The Elkhorn Dining Room, had really great food. We went down & had dinner once, as well as one night we sat in the little seating area outside of the restaurant as we didn't make a reservation in time but they did serve us. We only went for dessert anyway so they really didn't mind. It was a nice atmosphere to just sit back & relax with some cheesecake. We also managed to grab some breakfast the day we were leaving & it was also very good. Like VERY good! I still dream of it to this day. The scenery alone is worth going back for. This lodge sits on the shores of Bow Lake amongst some of the most beautiful and, dare I say it, Instagram-able, mountains. There's a hike up to Bow Glacier Falls that is said to take about an hour & a half to get to and, judging by the pictures I've seen, a must see. I wasn't able to make the hike myself but am fully prepared to make the trip this year. I should add: this is an OLD lodge & does not have an elevator. I made the mistake of packing a suitcase. Next time I'll stick to backpacks. Much easier to lug up a couple flights of stairs (our room was on the top floor)! If you ever visit Num-Ti-Jah please use it as a chance to unplug & relax! It's an amazing place! I know I regret not slowing down & appreciating it more. It truly is a beautiful place.

We found this gem by accident when our rental car broke down a few kilometres away. Or maybe, fate willed us there. The staff were amazingly welcoming, we needed food and were blown away by the menu and then by the quality of the food. Amazing dining. It lives up to its name of a lodge, and if that sounds right for you this place will easily exceed your expectations.

We stayed here for one night and for someone who enjoys photography, this is the place to be to capture the amazing scenery around Bow Lake. I was able to capture the ever changing effects of lights during a storm and sun afterwards to the scenery since you are perfectly positioned right in front of the lake and Bow Glacier. The dinner at the lodge was the best dinner during our vacation in the Canadian Rockies. I tried the 5 tasting menus and the food were delicious and beautifully presented. The staff were very friendly and attentive. We would eat here again if ever we make it back to the Banff area.

DO NOT STAY HERE!!! I have signed up on every website possible to review how terrible this place was and how it stained our honeymoon! Isolated it is not. It is a stop on most tour bus routes, making getting in and out of the lodge a huge headache in the morning and afternoons, attempting to get around the twenty something tour buses and all the OLD tourists on the buses attempting to take pictures of bow lake and going to the gift shop. It is very crowded and loud until about 7PM when they all leave. When I made the reservations I informed them it was our honeymoon. I asked for the king/lakeside view room. I felt I was prepared and had set a pretty good expectation (wasn't expecting champagne, free dinner/dessert, or handwritten card as we had gotten at most places), but we did not even get a Happy Honeymoon, congratulations from the staff. Speaking of staff let's start there, as that seemed to be a HUGE disappointment. The four staff that seemed to be "present" the entire time we were there were 20 something girls from foreign countries who did not seem to speak English very well and were extremely rude. They seemed annoyed at any request and when they were not working were hanging out in the common areas complaining about guests taking up common area space where guests could be hanging out, as you definitely did not want to be in your room. To forewarn you, there is no elevator, so if you are on the third floor, you or one of these poor young girls is hefting your luggage to your room. Now I had no expectation of the room, but when you brag that there is always a hot shower, make sure A- it is actually hot, and B- the water pressure is more than a drop per minute, and C- that you have more than a sheet for a shower curtain because it sprays water all over the place (hence the mold build up in the bathroom). The room was large, but let's get real people, can you call that a lake view? If you sit at the corner of the room desk in the one chair they provide you in the room, then yes you have a lakeview. Otherwise, you are staring at 100 year old wood panelling, noticing all the places it has been patched due to decay on the walls (I counted 15 total). To get a true lake view without the lodge in the picture, I had to open the window (which by the way has no screen and you are told not to open the windows) and crane my neck to get the picture I wanted. The latest dinner reservation is at 7:45 so we took that (much to the displeasure of the staff). Our waitress attempted to rush us through dinner in fifteen minutes, even after telling her we were celebrating our honeymoon she looked at us like "I don't care, eat!" We were so frustrated with her and the price of dinner there that we shared an entree, spaghetti (that was what enticed us on the menu- which says a lot to foodies like us) and left. Just an FYI as well, though this place has the most spectacular view of one of the most beautiful lakes, and it has placed its parking lot directly in front of the lake blocking any chance of a view while seated at dinner, the common area, or most rooms. Since staff was hanging out in the common areas and you cannot drink in common areas, my husband and I were forced to hang out in our room. My husband not being one for that, pulled our one chair out into the hallway (since we were at the end of the hallway on the top floor I could then sit on the landing- which led to a boarded up wall to some floor above us and him on the chair)....though I felt like Ann Frank banished to the attic- we made the most of it by drinking, playing cards, and listening to music. The next morning we came down for breakfast and were greeted by a new angry staff person that seemed annoyed we came in for breakfast at 9:20 when breakfast ended at 9:30. She refused to clean off a table by the window stating that she needed to keep that open for the lunch crowd. She rushed us through breakfast, my husband's potatoes were not even cooked, straight up still frozen out of the package hashbrowns. That day we had planned to trek up to Jasper and do some day hikes along the way. I ran upstairs to grab my camera battery as I had plugged it in the night before to get a full charge. Well half way through the day, my camera died. When I got back to the room, I checked the outlet and realized that it was not working. I was furious at this point as we saw several bears, other wildlife moments, oh and let's not forget stopping at Honeymoon Lake to capture our honeymoon with no ability to photograph ourselves there. It was a nice afternoon, so my husband and I decided to sit on the adirondack chairs in the parking lot overlooking the lake and play scrabble. Again, the staff not working the same four girls were hanging out there making it really uncomfortable. So we went back up to our attic to hang out for the evening. Also, there is no internet, so do not let them tell you there is, even the girl working, said her phone did not work, deal with it.

Historic, rustic building in beautiful location. Bedding seemed new. No screens on windows, very dusty and dirty. Bathroom was horrible. Mold along entire edge of ceiling, where it connects to the bathroom walls. Food was okay and wait staff very nice and accommodating. Probably would not stay there again. Needs a lot of updating. The walls are very thin. We slept okay, because we were so tired.

Located in between Banff and Jasper, this lodge gets less traffic than other high profile places in the area, which can feel like amusement parks with the throngs of people. It is comfortable and rustic, and not as fancy as somewhere like the Banff Springs. It used to be much more affordable, but the prices have gone up a lot recently. The setting is beautiful, on the edge of Bow lake with a nice hike around the lake and the opportunity to hike to the glacier on the other side. Given the huge price hike, I would only stay here now for a special occasion, but its still much less than other top lodges around.

Loved this place. Gave it 4 vs 5 because it could add a bit to rooms or up food server quality a bit. Lovely, lovely place. Loved the historic mountain retreat vibe. The food was delicious. Loved hanging out with the other guests. We were traveling in early May, so no tourist buses crowded us out in the parking areas or hike trails. I plan to visit again.

I found a bit difficult to find value for money in hotels and restaurants in my trip along the icefield parkway but my stay, and my dinner and my breakfast and the hike to the waterfalls near the lodge were by far the highlight of my week in Alberta. I never ever spend that much money on a hotel, not that often on a restaurant either but this was money well spent. After a divine meal, which they kindly and gracefully allowed us to have though we were a bit too late (to try to arrive before say 7.30pm), we had a lovely chat with the waiter who advised us of the great little hike you can do for 1h1/2 to Bow lake waterfalls and back, among other things. Then we stayed in the lounge area and had a good laugh and great conversations with 5 or 6 other people staying for the night. The historic lodge atmosphere with its pool and all the hunting trophies hung on the wall and the old furniture and detailed maps of the region, all that just creates a sensational atmosphere. Do not come there for a super comfortable stay though. It is quite quiet but that's as far as your neighbours are quiet, and the showers are camping quality :-D and the lamps are ancient and make noise hehe but it's part of the charms of this place. and it is at the doorsteps of Bow lake which is phenomenal.

If you are looking for luxurious pampered facilities then this is not the hotel for you. However if you are looking for a rustic experience with the best hospitality staff we have ever encountered, views that are beyond description and a menu that is varied and delicious as well as reasonably priced...then Num-Ti-Jah is perfect. The staff works very hard to ensure that your needs are met, everyone we spoke with was friendly, interesting and genuinely seemed to enjoy their role at the lodge. It was refreshing to get off the grid...no wifi, no televisions, no telephones. We weren't sure how that would feel. It felt great!!

Stayed here on the second day of a three day road trip in the Rockies. 4/5 for the room and views 2/5 for the wifi, and 4/5 for the restaurant. The wifi I can understand, it's not the city, connection is limited. The room is clean. There were 5 of us in total. Me, my mom, my kid brother and two cousins. We had two double beds and added on another cot for one of my cousins. Unfortunately there was no microwave in our room, none in the lobby either. There was one in the convenience store as my cousin found out the next day but I don't think we are allowed to use it unless we are purchasing food from there. Speaking of food, it was a bit surprising to find a high class restaurant in a three star hotel. I ate dinner and breakfast there during my stay. This being a high class restaurant the prices were quite high but the quality of the food was great. I can tell it is a high class restaurant even down to the drinks. My cousin and I got apple juice ( they have alcoholic drinks, and we are adults, but I prefer non alcoholic) We did not get the concentrated juice from grocery stores, but instead we got freshly pressed apple juice. Now, the main menu, as someone who never eats any wild game, I was in trouble, as the mains were mostly wild game. I kept thinking..do they have anything "ordinary" for me? Like there was duck leg, elk meat, bison etc. Therefore, as someone who never goes for vegetarian meals, I ended up ordering the lentil medallions with mashed potatoes and mushroom gravy and a side of asparagus . I didn't expect to really like a vegetarian meal but it was surprisingly good. Would recommend that, and let's save some animals shall we? My cousins also weren't interested in any of the wild game and they got salmon and fried chicken. We also got two desserts and I would recommend the sundae which is a hot cookie in a small cast iron pot, topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and whipped cream with a cherry on top. Very fancy sundae for someone who is used to DQ strawberry sundaes. We also got apple pie but I didn't have any because I am not a pie lover. Now the breakfast, it's a game of fortunately/ unfortunately. Unfortunately there was a power outage the next morning and when we went to the restaurant they only had the cold breakfast buffet for $14.50 per person. I didn't want a cold breakfast but at the same time I didn't want to starve( don't know when the power will be back on) so I poured myself a bowl of rice crispiest and a cup of tea. Fortunately , the power came back on about 15 min later so we ordered hot breakfast. On that day they only had eggs, bacon, sausage and potato wedges but that was decent enough for me, it's what I always order when I go out for breakfast anyway. The scrambled eggs were good, and bonus they had orange slices. Food took a bit long but I understand they just had a blackout. Unfortunately, despite not eating much from the cold breakfast buffet, we were still charged for 3 buffets plus the hot food which came to $100, and I think that's the most my family has ever spent on breakfast in the 23 years I've been alive. My advice is just to eat either the cold buffet or the hot food( I recommend the hot food) and not both.