Kootenay Park Lodge

My sister and I stayed at the Kootenay Park Lodge the night before starting a backcountry trip. Based on the photos on their website, we were very excited-- it looked great. When we arrived it was a very different story. The reception area felt abandoned. What was once likely an information hub/visitor centre for hikers embarking on the nearby Rockwall Trail, it now contained a disarray of boxes, garbage, empty shelves and display cases where brochures and maps would be. When we walked in there were no lights on and no staff, making us think we were at the wrong place. Eventually someone (who spoke little English) checked us in. We asked for a map of the area and were given a map of an entirely different park. When we expressed that we were seeking of a map of the park we were in, we were told they didn't have any. We were also told, when we asked where the restaurant was, that it was closed that day. We had intentionally not eaten dinner in Canmore because the Lodge's dining room looked great. Because I'm a celiac, we checked the menu on the website earlier that day to ensure there would be options for me. It listed the hours of operation (7 days a week) and did not indicate that it was closed. Based on the fact that the restaurant windows were boarded up and the front door was swinging open, exposed the interior to the elements, it was clear that it hadn't been in use in a while. When we asked the staff member about this, he claimed he didn't understand what we were asking. The lodge is remote and we didn't bring things for dinner which meant that the day before we embarked on a multi-day hike, my dinner consisted of potato chips and an apple. When we asked to speak to a manager, we were told that they weren't available. The room was dirty and in terrible repair which was sad because the structure itself was beautiful. Clearly there was no respect for the history of the site. All of the screens on the windows and door were torn, the curtains were filthy, the curtain rods were hilarious (some were hung upside down; others were simply nailed right into the wall, and mismatched), and there was no hot water. The renovations made to the bathroom were sloppy and embarrassing. In the middle of the night a mouse got into our room which meant we got little sleep. There was no use trying to shoo it out since the multiple gaps in the walls meant it would have come right back. When we checked out in the morning we again asked for the manager and were again told he wasn't available so we asked for a phone number so we could follow up later. When we got home, we called the number multiple times and left several messages. We also sent many emails and included photos of the state of our room and the property. There was no response. We then contacted Visa, BC Tourism, and the Better Business Bureau to file complaints. After the BBB was in touch with the manager, he finally got back to us and told us that he'd refund us 50% of our stay. Not surprisingly,

We didn't read the reviews before reserving. When I walked into the cabin, I immediately second guessed our choice. It is very rustic. The windows and coverings are old. The locks for the door are terrible. There are only 2 outlets in the whole cabin. The bathroom was long and skinny. We had to slide past the sink to get to the toilet and shower. There was maybe 1 1/2' between the sink and the wall! I woke up in the middle of the night to scratching. I turned the light on and saw a mouse come out of our bag on the table and run out the door (which is not sealed tightly). We went through the rest of our luggage and locked it securely. Before I could go back to sleep, I heard another noise. Turned on the light and saw another mouse run across the floor. We arrived on motorcycles, so we couldn't sleep in our car or head to another place...this place is about 30 miles from the next town! I haven't tried to get any refund, as past reviews state that they will not. We paid a lot of money to share a room with the wildlife!

The cabin was a cute as could be, but it was not very clean! Needs deep cleaning AND just a good day-to-day cleaning. The property was exceptionally beautiful and well cared for. I'd stay again in a heartbeat but for the cleanliness issue

No food, No staff, very very noisy and dirty.

The mice running around my room was the worst part of the experience! I had 2 nights booked but checked out after only one and they would not refund me. When I arrived in my cabin I first noticed that the light fixture was filled with hundreds dead bugs and looked like it had never been cleaned. I was sitting on my bed in the evening on my phone when I heard a rustling noise in the bathroom. I looked to see a mouse running along the brim of the garbage can. It then ran into my room towards my bed. I scared it and it hid in one of the many cracks in the cabin. The moment I turned out the light I heard the mouse running along the floor, I would turn the light back on and saw it scurry back to a crack. The thought of it climbing up on my bed while I slept was too much. I opted to sleep in my vehicle instead. But……. As I settled in my car at 1:00am, I heard a loud scratching sound under my hood and in my dash. No doubt the mice followed to my car as this is where I had my food stored. I turned on my vehicle and moved to sleep in the main parking lot away from the cabin. Needless to say I did not sleep much. When I returned to my room at sun up, there was indeed mouse droppings on my bed, yuck! Not only that but the restaurant was shut down. I was told in an email that upon check in that I could still order breakfast for the morning. But when I checked in the person behind the desk said they did not know anything of it.

Very nice place to stay.

The cabins are cute and it’s in a nice area. There is a lot of potential for this place, but it’s need some work. There were no dinning options, the door lock was questionable and the shower and toilet leaked. We also had a mouse in the cabin

On my way to Kootenay Park Lodge I received an email 1 hour prior to their office's closing hours. I was told to let them know when I would arrive, else I could knock on their doors. I arrived at late night and attempted to communicate with them with all the different channels they provided in their initial email, this website, and their website. I received nothing back then, and nothing back now. My partner and I attempted to locate their office of which was not marked on any sign. We opened the door of one building and found it to be the cafeteria. The office had nobody inside either. The creak of the door and the dark mildly dilapidated interior gave horror movie vibes so after a quick look we noped out. We went towards the gift shop as a last chance to locate someone and on the way there a random dog just started barking very aggressively. It lunged once but otherwise stayed in the corner and went back to sitting so maybe it was tied up or something. Nobody in that building either so after another attempt to get in contact with them, we just left and slept in the car down the road.