Moraine Lake Lodge

Ok... so I am torn on this review. I guess I will try and break it down into the Good , The bad and The Ugly.. First the good - LOCATION!!!! You can not say enough about the beauty of this lake. We rented one of the cabins near the lake and the cabin was wonderful. Comfortable and roomy. The only bad thing about teh room was the shade covering the sliding door to the balcony was very long and it never rolled up correctly and would go crocked and not be able to open the correct way no matter what we tried. It was very tall. I would have recommended some other type of door covering. We never grew tired of sitting on the balcony or in the room looking at the lake. Breathtaking!! Especially when the day visitors left and the view was unobscured without the people. The lodge gave us two metal water bottles and chocolate bars in teh room as a welcome gift which was a nice touch. The breakfast was included with the room and it was fantastic!! It changed daily and always had a breakfast meat, pastry choice and a carb like pancakes or toast with avocado and potatoes and juices...You have to sign up for what time you want it so that was a hassle as we didnt know if we were going to sleep in or get up early and head to the rock pile which I did. So now for the bad - The food choices for lunch and dinner! So there was a light lunch type set up for guests which we didnt get on the check in day since check in is later than the lunch. But the light lunch the next day was bread, soup and salad and it hit the spot!! We had hoped for something like that for dinner and would have paid for it.....For lunch there is a place open for guests and day guest but the selections were awful... The day we went there was pizza slices and calzones.. and that's it.. It would have been so much better to have fresh deli sandwiches or soups or salads. They had some chips and candy and muffins but such sparse choices.. and the calzones were not good... For dinner you have to make reservations which is fine, but the choices were so limited... I really just wanted something light, like a plain salad and a fresh grilled chicken breast without any sauces or thrills, just basic. I even went down to the dining room to see if we could request something simple and light. I was told the chef said no, that what the choices were is the only thing they would offer. I even asked if I could talk to the chef to see if there was anything simple and light I could ask for, even if it was just a grilled cheese. The lady said no.... So we left and made a sandwich in our cabin. and never ate dinner the entire 4 nights we stayed there. A chef should be willing to accommodate all their guests.. I know they are known for their elegant dinning but at least have something simple for guests who dont want something like that. Maybe it's just a personal choice but it seems like a great chef could whip up a simple something .....We were asking for much. So food choices for lunch and dinner are ONE STA

The Lodge was just fantastic! Everything about it, from the room to the food was 5 star. We stayed in a king room with a balcony overlooking the lake. The view was mind blowing. We canoed twice while there just to see every inch of this crystal clear beautiful lake and it's surroundings. The tourists that came to the lake each day were quiet and respectful, we hardly knew they were there. We felt like we were in a movie and at one point wondered if we had died and gone to heaven. We agonized over the cost of staying here and only stayed 2 nights but we certainly got our money's worth. The place was immaculate, service was top notch and food was wonderful. We left with memories and pictures we will treasure forever.

Traveling quality had been degraded due to tremendous tourists at daytime. Staying at this one and only lodge beside the lake is the best way to experience the true beauty at different time of a day. Enjoy a peaceful night and morning is a unofrgettable memory of a lifetime.

This is a beautiful lodge in an incredible location with great access to fantastic hiking trails right on the properly. The staff were friendly and tried to be helpful. However, it is also very expensive and so, when they told me at the time of my reservation that they would cater to my dietary restrictions (due to an intestinal disease), I believed them. Unfortunately, they did nothing to help me out and I inadvertently ate dairy (which does not agree with me) on multiple occasions because I didn't realize it was a part of the dish. On other occasions when I requested non-dairy alternatives to the offerings I was told there weren't any. And on each day's packed lunch, I sadly had to peel off the cheese they had added. Other issues - we stayed in one of the king cabins, the most expensive room they offer. The mattress quality was not good. On the last night, I threw the sofa cushion on the floor and slept much better there than I had on the bed. Also - when one hikes all day, a space to stretch would be very helpful. The room did not have enough floor space to throw down a towel or mat to stretch and there was no place to stretch in the main lodge. This would be a simple addition to their facility. I wish I could say that I will return. I'd love to, but only if I were to receive convincing reassurances that my dietary issues would be handled better in the future (but this seems unlikely given that management did not answer my email describing what happened to me).

We stayed at Moraine Lake Lodge in a Deluxe King lakeside cabin. We were in #14 just behind the canoes. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay although I agree with others who stated there are far too many day visitors. They have closed the road to private vehicles unless staying at the lodge. We found day visitors worse at The Chateau who sees 20,000 a day. We loved our cabin and the balcony. After the last bus leaves at 7sih pm it becomes the most magical beautiful place as only guests are there. We arrived in between lunch and tea and went to the cafe for a snack. It was so crowded! We were able to go to the gift shop early in the day when it opened and it wasn't too bad at that time. We found the food good, enjoyed breakfast, the light lunch and our dinners. The Minestrone soup is wonderful. Evening meals were fantastic! My husband loved the Pickerel and enjoyed the special of the day. I fell in love with the Braised beef gnocchi, and the wild mushroom pappardella. We enjoyed tea and cookies in the library and often sat on the balcony. We found the staff friendly and professional. Hiking and the trails were so lovely. Canoeing was not available as the lake was far too low. They were hoping for the glacier melt to fill the lake soon. If we return to Banff, we will stay at Moraine Lake Lodge.

Location, Location, Location. Says it all. A breathtaking location, and staying at the lodge the best way to access the Lake and the incredible views. Deluxe King cabin was great, all facilities and a fabulous view. BUT, the lodge itself does not come up to expectations in trying to be a "Luxury " experience. The food was very mediocre, breakfasts particularly, and very expensive for the standard you received. The lodge area is swamped with tourists arriving by bus transfer from early morning to late evening, always crowded, always aware of their presence. The gift shop & cafe for visiting tourists are physically linked to the lodge, so you are always aware of their presence. We tried to access the gift shop before it opened to tourists, but even as guests we were not allowed in - one of the thoughtful things that would have elevated the experience. A light lunch is provided, but when we asked for coffee to accompany the meal, we were told to go to the cafe and get our own, and wait in the considerable queue. Wouldn't have missed the experience of staying at Moraine lake, but could be so much better for the prices charged.