Review: Glacier View Lodge in Jasper National Park, Alberta

Just when I thought it couldn’t get better, it did. 

I was traveling through Alberta, Canada, on my way to see the Athabasca Glacier in Jasper National Park and stay at Glacier View Lodge. To get there, you have to drive from the town of Banff along the Icefields Parkway — and, very quickly, I saw why the parkway is considered one of the most scenic drives in the world. 

At every turn, ascent and descent through Banff National Park and into Jasper National Park, our drive showcased nonstop natural beauty. Green pines blanketed the Rocky Mountains while sapphire-blue lakes — set into the scenery like jewels — dotted slopes and sparkled in the sun. Happy to be a passenger in the car, I swiveled my neck back and forth to take in the panoramic views until we saw a black bear cross the road in front of us. Getting to my destination was turning out to be enormously entertaining, and I wondered whether anything could top this journey along the Icefields Parkway. (The short answer: Yes.) 

This 2.5-hour drive from Banff set the stage for my visit to the vast Columbia Icefield and Glacier View Lodge, both of which left me in awe. How many places in the world can a traveler access a glacier from the road? And how many of these precious locations have a top-rated hotel located directly across from the glacier? 

Review: Glacier View Lodge

Fully renovated in 2019, the 32-room Glacier View Lodge is the only hotel in Canada overlooking a massive glacier. Owned and operated by Pursuit Collection, the upscale, resort-style lodge is set in the pristine wilderness between Banff and Jasper national parks and is the only outpost for miles. According to Brent Malley, the hotel’s general manager, there are no plans to expand beyond the 32 rooms because “we want to keep it a boutique and special hotel.”

And special barely begins to cover it. Set on the top floor of Columbia Icefield Glacier Discovery Center, the property offers rooms overlooking either the Athabasca Glacier or the surrounding mountains. I spent mornings and evenings peering out of my king guestroom at the ancient finger of ice bathed in various degrees of light. Early mornings, I was mesmerized by the bluish color of the ice, while during sunsets, I watched the fading light cast long, darkening shadows. I felt lucky to have the chance to see a glacier in changing light conditions from my room; it was my own private observation lounge.

Guests can choose to stay at the lodge in two ways: They can just book a Glacier View or Mountain View room, or they can book the Columbia Icefield Guided Experience, which includes lodging and a welcome reception, an evening tour on the Columbia Icefield Skywalk and a morning walking tour on the Athabasca Glacier. Malley told me that most guests stay one to two nights.  

At Glacier View Lodge, clients have the opportunity to not only learn more about the unique glacial destination, but also relax and enjoy the scenic natural beauty. From the moment they step out of the elevator into the Moraine Lounge and hotel lobby area, guests are greeted with glacier views through the enormous window that spans the room. Designed in contemporary-chic Scandinavian-Alpine style, the space is set with sofas and chairs for lodgers to gather for evening talks by the guides, listen to music, play games or read by the fireplace. 

In late afternoon, clients are treated to complimentary appetizers and specialty drinks in the lounge, and there’s a European coffee machine for making coffee drinks and tea at any time. All guestrooms include complimentary Wi-Fi, televisions, Nespresso machines and homemade, natural eco-friendly bath and body products. I particularly liked how the rooms embraced the Scandi-Alpine design, and my favorite touch was the artwork displaying glaciers.

Food at Glacier View Lodge

More in-your-face views can be found on the second floor of the building, where two restaurants and an outdoor terrace are located. For an upscale dining experience, Altitude Restaurant specializes in locally sourced Canadian cuisine and offers creative cocktails, a full bar and a wine menu. 

This is not your usual big-park restaurant fare — think: elevated dinner dishes such as rosemary-rubbed Alberta lamb sirloin with white beans, Thai basil and cashew pesto. Or, for breakfast, there's the tempting brioche French toast with whipped molasses nutella cream, coffee drizzle and apple compote. For breakfast and lunch, there's also grab-and-go service from Chalet, along with plenty of booths and tables for families and friends to gather for a meal. A hot station provides burgers, pizza, soup and other fare, and there’s a section with premade sandwiches and salads, too. There’s even a Starbucks located on the first floor of the Discovery Center. 

If clients somehow tire of the views, they can wait a few hours for evening, where dark skies bring the stars out in full display. Jasper National Park is one of the world’s largest Dark Sky Preserves, and because of the lack of pollution in the area, stargazing is especially spectacular at Glacier View Lodge — the celestial celebrities of the sky may just compete with the glacier performance of the day. Some nights, the property offers special stargazing programs, with a chance to look through the hotel’s telescope.