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"A hotel for the outdoor adventurer and alpinist" was the vision Cornelius Van Horne, General Manager of Canadian Pacific Railway, had in mind for the chalet on the shores of Lake Louise. Built in 1890, two years after its sister hotel The Fairmont Banff Springs, the chalet was a simple structure in contrast. A single level wooden structure consisting of a veranda, sitting room, kitchen and a bedroom. Visitors to Lake Louise numbered no more than one hundred in a summer season and were mainly climbers, artists and scenery photographers.
In the early 1900s, visitors to the area increased to more than 5,000 and this was considered enough to demand an expansion of the chalet. Two Tudor-style, half-timbered wings were added and increased its capacity from a dozen guests to 240. In 1913, a concrete wing was completed, adding the grand Victoria Dining room and new bedrooms.
On July 3, 1924, a fire of undetermined cause destroyed the wooden structure of the hotel. Within a year Canadian Pacific Railway rebuilt a new eight-story brick wing to join the Painter wing of 1913, and changed the hotel name to Chateau Lake Louise.
Up until 1982, the Chateau operated only as a summer resort. The transformation to a four-season resort prompted the need for a large upgrade program. In 1990, after a $65 million investment, the restoration and expansion was completed. The new Glacier Wing added 140 guest rooms, all original guest rooms have been refurbished, a Western Saloon has been added, as well as new dining outlets and shopping facilities. The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise is beautifully suited for a second century of elegant hospitality in extraordinary surroundings.
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