Review: Fairmont Chateau Whistler

Why did this hotel catch your attention? What's the vibe? At the foot of North America's largest ski resort, a majestic chateau rises out of a forest of snow-capped trees. Steps from the new Blackcomb Gondola, it's hard to imagine a better location for skiers.

What's the backstory? There's something very storybook and old school about Fairmonts, but also something that feels very now. For a ski trip to Whistler, it's a luxury in its own right to have this many amenities at your fingertips.

Tell us all about the accommodations. Any tips on what to book? So, the hotel is in the multi-year process of renovating rooms. The entry level rooms are a bit dated, though the addition of Alpine Suites in 2017 brought a sexy and spacious room category to the premises—each of them comes with spa showers, a fireplace, and sprawling mountain views. A complete overhaul of the Fairmont Gold floor will be completed in December 2020. That's their “hotel within a hotel” concept, with 94 dedicated rooms and suites, an exclusive lounge, and a dedicated concierge.

Is there a charge for Wi-Fi? Unfortunately, there is a charge for Wi-Fi for standard rooms. But on the Gold level it's included in your rate.

Drinking and dining—what are we looking at? We hope you're hungry. The award-winning culinary team is led by executive chef Isabel Chung, under whose leadership The Grill Room has received accolades from the Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards. For a hotel this size, it's refreshing to see such passion for detail. Chung also has developed a signature chocolate for the hotel, and even maintains beehives on the hotel's roof in the warmer months.

And the service? It's amazing how such a hotel of more than 500 rooms can communicate so quickly internally. Check-in was smooth, getting to our room was smooth, and finding someone to ask about lift passes and ski trails was a seamless experience.

What type of travelers will you find here? With a hotel this size, you get a bit of everything: honeymooners; four ski bums sharing a single room; families; and lots of business travelers squeezing in virtual meetings between runs.

What about the neighborhood? Does the hotel fit in, make itself part of the scene? The hotel sits on a primo spot in Upper Village—footsteps away from everything convenient, but far enough away from the notoriously rowdy après ski scene in the main part of the village. There are tons of shuttles running all day long if you don't feel like walking.

Is there anything you'd change? Make Wi-Fi free for all!

Any other hotel features worth noting? Whistler can be an overwhelming place for first-timers. Sign up for a Whistler Experience Guide tour—available for hotel guests seven days a week—and you'll be selecting trails and finding après ski spots in no time. It's also worth noting that the hotel offers complimentary yoga classes daily at 7 a.m. so you can get nice and stretched before a day on the slopes; and on Saturdays and Sundays there's an additional yoga class at 8:30am so you don't have to wake up quite so early.

Bottom line: Worth it? Why? The location, the amenities, the food, the service—this is a grand example of a ski hotel.