Waterton Hotels

Waterton has a limited number of hotels and lodges. Most start opening in May and by mid-October are closed, with only Crandell Mountain Lodge and Waterton Glacier Suites open year-round. All accommodations are within the town site, so walking to the marina and shops isn’t a problem.

Finding a room on short notice shouldn’t be too difficult in May, June, and September, but for July and August call as early as possible.

Bed and Breakfast

Northland Lodge

Northland Lodge is a converted house which backs onto wilderness. It was built in 1929 by Louis Hill, who also built the Prince of Wales Hotel. Cameron Falls and downtown Waterton are both just a short walk away. It features nine guest rooms, a large lounge with a TV and fireplace, wireless Internet, and a large balcony. The two rooms that share a bathroom are $135 s or d, while all others have en suites. Some have fridges; rates include tea, coffee, and muffins in the morning.

Hotels and Lodges

Crandell Mountain Lodge

Crandell Mountain Lodge is a centrally located country-style inn. The lodge has seen many changes since it first opened in 1940 with shared bathrooms and wood-heated water. Today each of the 17 rooms has a private bath and is beautifully finished with smart furnishings (no phones), and out back is a private garden area. Two rooms are wheelchair accessible. The smallest rooms are $145 s or d, most–with a choice of fireplace or kitchenette–are $175, and the largest suites are $240. Rates are reduced around 30 percent mid-September to early June.

Aspen Village Inn

For families, Aspen Village Inn is an excellent choice. For starters, the rooms are super spacious, but there’s also a playground and a picnic area. Grown-ups aren’t forgotten–the outdoor hot tub is the perfect place to soak weary bones. Accommodations are in two wings and multiroom cottages. The latter range from one bedroom, no kitchen to three bedrooms and a kitchen. Lodge rooms are also offered in different configurations, with, for example, a two-bedroom kitchen-equipped unit ($250).

Bayshore Inn

At the Bayshore Inn you’re paying for a prime waterfront location rather than a memorable room. On-site amenities include a hot tub, restaurant, cafe, and pub. For the first and last months of the season, the Bayshore offers excellent meal-inclusive packages for the same price as their summertime, room-only rates.

Waterton Glacier Suites

Waterton Glacier Suites is open year-round and provides excellent value. Each of 26 units features stylish, modern decor that hints at Western, is air-conditioned, and offers a fridge and microwave. Options include two-bedroom suites ($232), units with a jetted tub and fireplace ($272), and spacious loft units ($292). Off-season rates range $109 to 169.

Waterton Lakes Lodge

Modern Waterton Lakes Lodge is on a 1.5-hectare (3.7-acre) site in the heart of town. All 80 rooms are large and modern, and each has mountain-themed decor and mountain views. In-room amenities include air-conditioning, a TV/VCR combination, Internet access, and a coffeemaker. The complex also holds the Waterton Fitness Centre (free entry for guests), a tiered restaurant, a small cafe, and a lounge with big-screen TVs. Check the website for steeply discounted off-season rates.

Prince of Wales Hotel

Waterton’s best-known landmark is the Prince of Wales Hotel, a seven-story gabled structure built in 1927 on a hill overlooking Upper Waterton Lake. It was another grand mountain resort financed by the railway, except, unlike those in Banff and Jasper, it had no rail link and has always been U.S.-owned. It was built as part of a chain of first-class hotels in Glacier National Park and is still owned by the company that controls those south of the border. Early guests were transported to the hotel by bus from the Great Northern Railway in Montana. After extensive restoration inside and out, the hotel has been returned to its former splendor, best appreciated by standing in the lobby area and gazing out across the lake and up into the exposed timber-frame ceiling. Off the lobby you’ll find a restaurant, lounge, and gift shop. Rates for the smallest (and they’re small) value rooms are $235 s or d; standard rooms start at $290. The opulence and history of this hotel are unequaled in Waterton, but don’t expect the facilities of a similarly priced city hostelry: Rooms have no television, and value rooms on the upper floors have no elevator access.