A Very Prairie Autumn in the Rockies

We have been taking trips to Banff since we moved to Alberta. I can safely say that we’ve been there through every season and every mixture of weather that the changes in seasons bring. I have to say - this may be one of my favourite autumn/winter trips so far. It was picturesque with light snow on the ground covering everything and giving you winter vibes without the biting cold temperatures that come with winter in the Rockies. The roads were just lightly covered but not slippery and the evergreens were coated with snow piles that had you ALMOST humming Christmas carols (making the holiday season very confusing as we are just getting close to Halloween)! I had never been to Buffalo Mountain Lodge and had no idea that just weeks before when Hubs and I hiked up Tunnel Mountain that on the other side of where we were was this gorgeous gem in the Rockies.

We have been so lucky to have been able to visit so many beautiful places and hotels in the last few years and this is no exception! Driving up Tunnel Mountain with it covered in snow, we felt like we were escaping the hustle and bustle of Banff and we really got to enjoy the city without all the busyness. Hubs and I both came away feeling like we had just stayed at a resort as we arrived at the hotel and did not leave until we checked out. Driving up to the Lodge, as you can see from the above photo, is just the most beautiful view and what mountain escape dreams are made of. Icicles hang from the rooftop, snowflakes were falling and I felt like I entered a Christmas movie.

The lodge has a beautiful lounge area where you can cozy up with a beverage and also a large dining space with lots of windows to look outside and enjoy your mountain escape. Both the kids and I enjoyed a few meals from their restaurant and unlike many other places was actually very kid-friendly! They had a whole kids menu for all of the meals and the kids actually ATE! Maddox did order an adult sized breakfast but who is actually surprised by that?

We stayed in the one-bedroom suite with a full bathroom with a huge shower, a bedroom with two queen beds and an entire living room space to enjoy! Having the kitchen with all of the dishes and utensils we need makes travelling with kids so much easier, especially with kids like ours who snack constantly and eat meals at all different times of the day. The small table setup is perfect for families our size and having a wood-burning fireplace was my favourite thing!

We settled into our hotel and immediately went for lunch at the restaurant in the lobby of the Lodge! The food was delicious and we had a blast being the only people in the dining area (again, we eat at very odd times). We enjoyed our lunch with a delicious glass of wine while watching the snowfall outside.

The food coma was real by this point and we felt just so cozy that we decided to spend the afternoon and evening in our room enjoying some family downtime that we so desperately needed. We played games and enjoyed the hotel and each other's company all afternoon - it was just perfect.

We ordered dinner as room service to our room, lit the fire and enjoyed our food in the comfort of our room, had a family movie night and went to bed early!

The next day we woke up for breakfast at the restaurant and it was our favourite meal we had at the Lodge! The avocado toast is to die for and their breakfast sandwich comes highly recommended by hubs! We decided that a Sunday morning snowball fight was something that had to be done so we went behind our room and did just that, then a cozy warm up by the fire!

We had booked a time slot for the outdoor hot tub for 11am so we got changed and ready! Jackson was not so sure about being in a hot tub outside but was quickly surprised at how warm and gorgeous it was! The views from the hot tub are just stunning and were amazing with the fireplace right beside!

There is currently a maximum occupancy of 6 people so you do have to book in advance.

We finished off our one night trip at the cafe on the grounds with a snack and a coffee and headed home. It was such a beautiful trip, definitely one for the books and we will be back! I am not kidding - the entire time I just kept saying how beautiful this hotel would be for Christmas… definitely a contender this year!