Fairmont Luxury in Downtown Calgary

The Fairmont Palliser in Calgary may not look like a castle but it is steeped in a history that is immediately obvious to guests who step into the incredibly luxurious lobby.  With features including a grand staircase, balcony and ballroom,  it isn’t hard to understand why so many couples choose to have their weddings at the picture perfect location.

If you’re choosing a time for a visit to the Fairmont Palliser, consider the weekends.  I was told this is their quietest time of the week, making it a perfect location and time for that little getaway you’ve been needing!

Arriving at the hotel is fairly straightforward and it is easy to find.  As with the Fairmont Hotel MacDonald, guests have the option of parking their vehicle themselves or handing their keys to the valet at a premium.  Since the entrance is on a busy downtown street, I would suggest making sure children are safely on the sidewalk before attempting to unload your luggage.

Guestrooms

I traveled with my husband and we stayed in traditional room with a king sized bed.  The first thing we noticed was how quiet the room was, despite being in the middle of busy downtown Calgary.  Although the room we stayed in was clean and comfortable, it’s time for some updating.  It felt a little under furnished and spartan, perhaps a bit tired and worn.

With large windows, including a nice one in the bathroom, there is plenty of sunlight to brighten the room.  At night, this is somewhat of a drawback if you are used to having a very dark room.  It can be difficult to block out all of the light sources, including what shines through the bottom of the door.  But if you like waking up to natural light, you’ll enjoy a perfect wake up with the sun.

Dining

The Rimrock is the main restaurant for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  The hours change throughout the week so it is best to check with the front desk for the schedule during your visit.  The restaurant offers a breakfast buffet and the dinner menu highlights AAA grilled beef selections.  Every Monday night, The Rimrock presents “Death By Chocolate,” a decadent buffet of incredible creations including chocolate pizza, chocolate cheesecake, chocolate pate and more.

The Oak Room Bar and Lobby Lounge is a great place to mingle, have a drink or grab a quick lunch.  Jazz lovers might want to visit in May or June when the Oak Room features live performances.

Enjoy the sounds of live piano music at the Palliser’s Sunday Brunch, voted Calgary’s Best Brunch.  The gorgeous lobby is transformed to accommodate the buffet featuring carved roasts, seafood, salads, made-to-order omelets, Belgian Waffles and pastries.

Located within the Calgary Tower on the same block as the Palliser is Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse.  Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse is a fine dining steakhouse chain with over 90 locations worldwide.  If you enjoy a good steak, chances are that you’ve heard of this restaurant.

Our meal there was flawless.  From being promptly seated, to the attentive servers eager to explain the history of the restaurant, to steaks coming out on a 500 degree plate to make sure that it’s kept warm, the meal was a treat from start to finish.  If you’re not a beef eater you can choose from the seafood poultry and vegetarian entrees.  Reservations are recommended, and dress to impress in semi-formal or business attire.  Price for dinner for two, not including cocktails, will run over $100.

Pool and Spa

The pool at the Fairmont Palliser is excellent.  Stylish modern tiling and contemporary pool chairs set the mood for a near beach experience.  The hot tube was located very close to the pool, making it easy to go back and forth based on your personal preferences.

The steam room was also very nice with tiling that mirrored that of the pool area.  Good planning is required, though, as it requires about 10 minutes to heat up — a little annoying if you get distracted in the pool and forget about it.  The adjacent health club was reasonably spacious with a nice area that could be used for stretching.

The spa offers a variety of massages but also provides manicures, pedicures, waxing, anti-aging and facials in addition to several other popular services.

Things to Do in the Area

The Calgary Tower (map) is within walking distance and features an observation deck where visitors can step out onto a glass floor and look down 565 feet to the ground below.  While it might not be for the faint of heart, each pane of the glass floor, which is 36 feet long and more than four feet wide, can hold the weight of a couple Hippos!  Aside from Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, the tower also houses the Sky 360 (map) restaurant which does a full rotation every hour.

Calgary hosted the 1988 Winter Olympic Games, resulting in the creation of Canada Olympic Park (map) on the western edge of the city.  Visitors can tour the museum but they can also engage in a number of seasonal activities.  In the summer, COP offers mountain biking, zip lining, mini golfing and more.  In the winter, visitors can hit the slopes, try the half pipe and even take a bobsleigh ride.

A very popular attraction is Heritage Park Historical Village (map).  Located in the south end of the city, it offers guests a glimpse into life for Calgary’s earliest citizens.  There is a lot to see and do including riding a street car, taking in a musical melodrama, touring the museum and playing old-fashioned games with the village townsfolk.  At Christmastime, the village is transformed into a wonderland of sorts and offers a Christmas Buffet!

Reservations and Travel Information

To book a room or obtain more information about current rates, special events and packages, visit the Fairmont Palliser Hotel website.  

Fairmont provided complimentary accommodations to the author for the purpose of a review; the opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author.