February 2012
Heading out to Banff? The Douglas Fir Resort & Chalets is getting a reputation as THE place to take your kids for a weekend in Banff. After suffering through a nasty deep freeze in Calgary the cabin fever began to set in so I knew we needed to go away as a family and see what everyone has been talking about.
We stayed in a “Cascade Suite” which seemed huge compared to most hotel rooms I have stayed in lately. There was a fully equipped kitchen, two bathrooms and a living room separate from the bedroom with plenty of space for the kids to rattle around in. The Douglas Fir is completely teched out with two flat screen TV’s and a DVD player so bring your movies! WiFi was free and worked everywhere in the resort. We brought our Apple TV so the kids could enjoy Dora in the morning and we could catch up on some romantic comedies in the evening while the kiddies were asleep in the adjacent room, closed off by a sliding door. Fun day for the kids and a quiet evening for mom and dad!
The kids LOVED the Douglas Fir. In the morning, they spent hours exploring the indoor playplace which has a massive climbing structure that could rival most Calgary places on size and fun factor.
Everyday after some local sightseeing, they would clamor to go swimming in the water park with the “big kid” slides. My daughter loved the baby slides because she was allowed to go down them by herself. Independent little imp. There is also a steamroom and hot tub next to the slides. We took turns relaxing while one parent went down the slides with the kids. It was hard to decide which was more enjoyable, listening to the soft bubbles in the jetted hot tub or hearing my daughter’s ecstatic screeches while she experienced a waterslide for the first time.
One of the best things about our stay was that we only ate out once during our stay in Banff. Eating out is nice, but not always relaxing with a two year old in tow. There is a handy little grocery store attached to the resort, as well as a liquor store for some after dinner Merlot for mom and dad. We ate breakfast and dinner in our room so there was no need to bundle the kids up and take them out. The kitchen is fully equipped, which makes cooking a breeze.
I was worried how my 2 year old would react to being away from home. We went on a vacation last summer and the first night out she cried until 4am. I’m sure I don’t need to elaborate but it was hell. That’s why we were a little apprehensive to spend another couple nights in a hotel. My worries were ill founded. Swimming everyday, endless playtime in the PlayZone plus the fresh mountain air meant the poor thing passed out mid-sentence during bedtime stories. She slept great both nights. And our six year old? He whispered when we tucked him into bed, “you guys are the best mom and dad ever.”
Douglas Fir Resort & Chalet Contact Info:
Address: 525 Tunnel Mountain Road, Banff AB
Telephone: (403) 762-5591
Toll free: 1-800-661-9267
Email: stay@douglasfir.com
Website: www.douglasfir.com
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