Accommodations and Camping

Kananaskis Village

Built for the 1988 Winter Olympic Games, Kananaskis Village is home to 412-room Delta Lodge at Kananaskis (1 Centennial Road, Kananaskis Village, off of Hwy. 40, 403/591-7711 or 866/432-4322, www.deltahotels.com; from $240 s or d), part of an upscale Canadian hotel chain. It offers three distinct types of rooms in three buildings surrounding a cobbled courtyard. In the main lodge are 251 moderately large Delta rooms, many with mountain views, balconies, and fireplaces.

Connected by a covered walkway are 70 Signature Club (a Delta designation) rooms, each boasting elegant Victorian-era charm, a mountain view, a luxurious bathroom complete with bathrobes, oversized beds, and many extras, such as CD players. Guests in this wing also enjoy a private lounge and continental breakfast.

Rooms in Mount Kidd Manor combine natural colors with dramatic contemporary styling; some are bedroom lofts with gas fireplaces, kitchenettes, large bathrooms, and sitting rooms. Outdoor seating from various eateries spills into the courtyard and biking and hiking trails radiate out in all directions. All in all, a good place to base yourself for an overnight hotel stay.

The Delta Lodge (403/591-7711) contains three restaurants, a deli, and two bars. For a warm, relaxed atmosphere, head to the Bighorn Lounge (daily from 11 a.m.), near the arcade’s main entrance. Obsessions Deli (daily from 8 a.m.) serves up light snacks, including healthy sandwiches and handmade truffles.

Also in the arcade is the Fireweed Grill (daily 6 a.m.–10 p.m., $17–31), with a casual Western-style atmosphere, floor-to-ceiling windows, and an adjoining outdoor patio used during summer. Seasons Steakhouse (June–Oct. Tues.–Sat. 6–9:30 p.m., $26–39), in the Signature Club wing, is the village’s most elegant restaurant.

Other Accommodations and Camping

A magnet for families, the privately owned Sundance Lodges (403/591-7122, www.sundancelodges.com [1], mid-May–Sept.) is a wonderful option for travelers looking to try camping or who want something a little more adventurous than a regular motel room. Campsites cost $28 per night, with rentals including tents, camp stoves, sleeping bags, and utensil kits available for minimal charge. Next up are the tepees ($57–77), 12 of them, each with colorfully painted canvas walls rising from wooden floors. Inside are mattresses, a heater, and a lantern.

Finally, you can stay in one of 18 Trapper Tents ($79 s or d), which are larger but have similar interior fittings and a canvas-covered awning over a picnic table. When you tire of hiking and biking on surrounding trails, return to the lodge for fishing in a man-made pond, horseshoes, badminton, and volleyball. Other amenities include a general store, hot showers, a laundry, and Internet access. Sundance sits beside the Kananaskis River, just off Highway 40, 22 kilometers (13.7 miles) south of the TransCanada Highway.

Mount Kidd RV Park (403/591-7700, www.mountkiddrv.com [2], unserviced sites $32.50, hookups $41–48, booking fee $8) is a commercial campground along Highway 40 south of Kananaskis Village and the golf course. The campground’s showpiece is the Campers Center, containing the main registration area and all the usual bathroom facilities as well as whirlpools, saunas, a wading pool, a game room, a lounge, groceries, a concession area, and a laundry room. Outside are two tennis courts, picnic areas by the river, and many paved biking and hiking trails.

Those who can survive without such luxuries should continue 6.5 kilometers (four miles) south to Eau Claire Campground (mid-May–early Sept., $20), operated by Kananaskis Camping (403/591-7226, www.kananaskiscamping.com [3]).