Fairmont Banff Springs: Is Fairmont Gold Worth It?

After 16 years in Calgary, Banff remains my favourite place to disappear for a weekend. Last Halloween, Divine Offering and I had planned a stay at the Fairmont Banff Springs, but I had to cancel at the last minute. We finally made it out in late April. For this travel post, let’s listen to I Ain’t Worried by OneRepublic.

My sister-in-law suggested booking Fairmont Gold, the hotel-within-a-hotel upgrade. It gives you access to a dedicated lounge for breakfast, snacks, and evening canapés. There’s also a separate entrance and a team to help you with your stay.

With shoulder-season pricing, rooms were at their lowest of the year. A double queen-size Gold room was around $700 (Alberta resident rate) while a basic non-Gold room hovered around $400. In peak season, those rates easily triple. Daily charges also included the Resort Experience Fee ($65), the Room Tourism Fee ($15.29), valet parking ($60), and the Alberta Tourism Levy ($31.18).

The day before we left, a windstorm rolled into Calgary. The snow hadn’t started up yet, so we headed out early to stay ahead of it. If you’re driving to Banff, remember to pick up a Banff Pass ($49 for 2 days). You’ll need a pass even if your car stays parked at the hotel.

We arrived super early. The Fairmont Gold concierge team, Georgine and Katie, welcomed us and assured us they’d handle the luggage. Katie promised to text once the room was ready. When Georgine asked about our plans for the morning, I admitted I needed a moment to regroup before heading into town. She pointed us toward the Gold lounge and encouraged us to settle in with a bite to eat.

The Gold lounge is larger than I expected. A central kitchen anchors a table full of hot breakfast items. Separate stations offer coffee, tea, smoothies, and cold drinks. Breakfast spread across the central table includes eggs benny, hash browns, scrambled eggs, sausages, yogurt, oatmeal, bacon, baked goods, fruit, and smoked salmon. On the other side of the reception area, there’s an honour bar and more rooms to relax.

Just as we were about to leave, Katie texted to let us know they’d prioritized our room so I could rest before heading into town. She’d also moved us to a quieter section of the hotel for a better night’s sleep. It was a thoughtful touch that set the tone for the rest of the weekend.

Part of the appeal of staying at the Fairmont Banff Springs is getting to explore the historic castle itself. We started our morning with a wilderness walk alongside Lily, the hotel dog. She led us to Bow Falls, occasionally glancing back while I rested on a bench trying to catch my breath. I’ve never felt so judged by a dog. She was clearly unimpressed with my pace. After returning Lily, we headed into town for lunch.

I wanted to try Yama Onigiri, a small Japanese cafe. There are only two tables and a few stools to eat in. The majority of customers take out. I ordered the soup and onigiri combo ($14.99), which included a premium pork miso, a Hokkaido scallop onigiri, and a strawberry matcha with oat milk ($7.80). Divine Offering ordered the classic tuna onigiri ($7.50) and a mochi matcha tiramisu ($6.50).

The strawberry matcha is a must-order. The cool, jelly-like strawberry compote tasted like fresh, sweet strawberries. The matcha oat milk was grassy, clean and creamy. How good was this strawberry matcha? Better than a glass of wine. Coming from me, that’s high praise indeed.

The miso soup was served steaming hot. Though not large, it’s a hearty bowl, generously filled with firm white onions, bright orange carrots, and slices of stewed pork. I would order the soup again.

The warm rice in the Hokkaido scallop onigiri was perfectly chewy and buttery. The filling of dried scallops and bonito flakes was salty and deeply savoury. Despite its baseball size, I was still hungry and ordered a second one. I should have ordered a dessert instead. The rice in the second onigiri was noticeably mushier.

We spent the walk back browsing the shops along Banff Avenue, picking up small gifts for my parents, in-laws, nieces, and nephews. By the time we got back to the hotel, I was ready for a nap.

Our room was comfortable and, while not especially large, still felt spacious enough. I accidentally turned on the secondary shower spray and flooded part of the bathroom floor. One text from the Fairmont Gold team solved the problem almost immediately. Adam sent up a technician right away, and by the time we returned, the bathroom was spotless, stocked with fresh towels, and set up with a new bath mat.

That evening, we joined a history tour of the hotel led by Ben, a British expat. He walked us through the grand staircases, ballroom, and other historic spaces while explaining the hotel’s Scottish-inspired architecture. One of the most interesting parts of the tour was learning about the Canadian Pacific Railway and how the hotel was originally built to lure wealthy travellers west. There’s so much history tucked into the Banff Springs, and I liked that the hotel offered so many ways to experience it.

After our tour, we stopped by the Gold lounge for evening canapés. The spread included chicken wings, steak bites, salads, cheeses, and vegetables. The next evening featured pork ribs, shrimp skewers, and perogies with all the fixings. I also noticed my pinot noir ($14) from the honour bar cost two dollars less than the same glass at Rundle Bar, where we headed later for cocktails.

On Saturday, we signed up for a cocktail class ($60) on the second floor of Rundle Bar, led by Vincente. He taught us how to make three cocktails and shared practical techniques we could realistically use at home. At the end of the class, we were encouraged to sit back and finish our drinks beside the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Bow Valley and Mount Rundle. The views alone made the experience feel worth it.

Later that evening, we walked down the hill to Fire & Falls: Stories Around the Campfire, held outside the Waldhaus Pub. What a highlight. Ben was our guide again. While he took the other guests on a short wildlife walk, I stayed behind by the fire, wrapped in the smell of smoke, heat and cold mountain air. That’s when I spoke with Shawayne Dunston, an author and poet who kept me company beside the flames. At one point, he improvised a poem on the spot before recommending a stack of books he thought I’d enjoy reading.

When the group returned, we gathered around the crackling fire to roast marshmallows while Ben shared stories about wildlife in Banff. Long after the others drifted off for the evening, Divine Offering and I stayed behind beside the glowing embers and ended up in conversation with the CEO of Top Dish Inc. We had an interesting discussion on data, consumer behaviour, and customer service.

No stay at the Fairmont Banff Springs is complete without a visit to the hotel spa’s mineral pools ($125 for three hours). I could have booked a massage ($420 for 90 minutes), which would have included access to the pools, but since I already had one scheduled for the following Monday, I settled on the day pass instead.

Divine Offering and I spent Sunday morning moving between the indoor mineral pool, outdoor heated pool, whirlpools, sauna, and steam room. We finished the experience in the spa lounge, sipping tea and enjoying another sweeping view of the mountains. By the time we checked out, we both felt relaxed.

During the off-season, I think Fairmont Gold at the Fairmont Banff Springs is absolutely worth it. Between the lounge access, thoughtful service, and the chance to slow down and appreciate the history, architecture, and atmosphere of the iconic castle-like hotel, the experience felt restorative. A special thank you to Georgine, Katie, Adam, Ben, Shawayne, Vincente, and the rest of the Fairmont Gold team for making the weekend feel so welcoming from start to finish.

Want more travel recommendations? I keep a running collection of travel and restaurant guides organized by city.

Disclaimer: I paid for all my expenses at Fairmont Banff Springs.

Bars/Lounges · Mediterranean · Restaurants

The Sound Room and Turkish Kebab House: A Calgary night out

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On Friday, I was feeling spry and suggested to Chew Steel that we start at the Sound Room, then head to Turkish Kebab House in Calgary’s Manchester area. Let’s listen to Colours by Black Pumas for this post.

The Sound Room is my favourite place to decompress. I love the ritual of descending into the dimly lit basement, claiming an empty table, and heading to the bar for a cold beer. A vinyl record spins behind the bar, filling the room with music set just right, loud enough to enjoy every note, yet soft enough to engage in conversation.

Chew Steel ordered a glass of Okami Kasu ($8.50, 16 oz), a Japanese rice lager, while I chose the Honeybush Hard Ice Tea ($8.50, 16 oz). Ol’ Beautiful makes seasonal ice teas, but Honeybush is the only one for me. It’s dry, with subtle stone-fruit notes, refreshing and lightly effervescent with tiny bubbles. It’s so good I bought a six-pack ($16) to enjoy at home, for those times I can’t make it to the Sound Room.

We left soon after to make our reservation at Turkish Kebab. The restaurant is larger than it appears from the outside, filled with groups of all ages enjoying big meals. Without asking if we had a reservation, a manager quickly found us a table.

The service is calm and proficient. Soon after, our order was taken, and glasses of water and bread, hummus, and acili ezme, a spicy vegetable dip, were dropped off. We gobbled down the warm, chewy bread with hummus and tangy vegetable dip. I could really taste the bright red pepper characteristics in the acili ezeme. We didn’t have to wait long before our food arrived.

We shared two platters, the Adana Kebab ($24.95) and the Adana Mix ($24.95). The Adana kebabs contained minced lamb and beef. The latter had an adana kebab and one beef shish. The beef shish stood out for its deep charcoal-grilled aroma, crisp edges, and juicy interior. Each bite reminded me of eating yakitori late at night in Japan, intoxicatingly smoky.

The Adana kebab had a softer, tender texture, yet was rich in taste. I enjoyed the subtle grassy notes of the lamb. All the skewers were served piping hot and nicely seasoned by the BBQ’s char.

Both platters come with buttery rice, green salad and fries. The green salad was so large I couldn’t finish it all. The long, silky grains of rice were a simple foil to all the fire-kissed meats. The fries were battered, similar to those you find at the Costco food court.

I pulled a Peggy Hill social blunder. As we stood up to leave, I noticed the table next to us had ordered the karışık ızgara platter, a glorious mountain of grilled meats. Without thinking, I enthusiastically commented on the bounty. The entire table stared back at me with cautious suspicion. Especially the toddler.

Despite my faux pas, I’d happily return to Turkish Kebab House. Next time I’m ordering the massive platter of meats for two. And I’ll remember to admire with my inside voice.

Want more like this? Check out my running list of Calgary’s best restaurants, date nights, and cheap eats.

Bars/Lounges · French · Restaurants · Special Occasion · Steakhouse

Francine’s Calgary: A French Date Night Worth Booking

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August 2026 update: Francine’s was selected for the inaugural Canada’s 100 Best Recommends list, an unranked collection of exceptional casual restaurants chosen by the publication’s judges.

Divine Offering turned 31! To celebrate this occasion, we went to Francine’s in Calgary’s Chinatown district. Though it was a Tuesday night at 6:00 p.m., the restaurant was packed with customers celebrating, and staff hustling to keep up with the steady stream of drink orders. Let’s listen to Fight Song by Rachel Platten for this post.

When I arrived, a customer at a nearby table looked strangely familiar. I’m notorious for thinking I recognize people I actually don’t know and giving them awkward, puzzled stares. Before I could embarrass myself further, I broke eye contact and headed to my table.

The tables at Francine’s are New York tight. If you’re over a size six, take the outside chair; otherwise, you may find your seat uncomfortably close to the next table. The close quarters also make for good eavesdropping, if you’re into that sort of thing. A particularly loud group of Flames-jersey-wearing diners made it nearly impossible for me to hear Divine Offering. I had to shout several times just to get her to repeat herself.

Perhaps I am so hyper-observant because I’ve been off the sauce for more than half the month due to medical treatments, an adjustment I’m still getting used to. While the birthday girl gleefully nursed a Francine 75 (1.5 oz, $16), murmuring demurely about how strong it was, I, mournfully, made do with a house pineapple pulp soda ($6). I worked my way through the slightly tart, bubbly drink while enviously watching the tables around me happily lingering over their glasses of wine.

We shared the Tuna Tartare ($22.95), silky pink cubes of tuna tossed with bits of apple, crunchy potato chip sticks for texture, and calamansi, an Asian citrus, that reminded me of fresh grapefruit. I preferred the calamansi to lemon or yuzu as its flavour was brighter, slightly sweet, and fragrant. I would order this again.

For our main, we shared the Steak À La Francine for two ($78.95). The generous 14-oz confit Delmonico-style steak was served with potato purée and a little gem salad. I encouraged Divine Offering to order a glass of wine. She ordered Francine’s house red (6 oz, $13). I enjoyed the salad, crisp lettuce leaves lightly glossed with olive oil and brightened with fresh mint. The freshness helped balance the richness of the steak and potatoes. When I order the steak frites ($39.99) in the future, I’ll be adding a salad. It nicely cuts through the richness of all that steak and fries.

The purée was a welcome component for soaking up the saucy steak, though it wasn’t quite as mind-blowing as the ultra-crispy fries. I ordered French fries ($9.95) near the end of the meal because I was craving them. By that point, however, I was completely stuffed, so I brought the leftovers home to Chew Steel.

Our server told us the steak had been braised for three days. That evening, instead of the usual peppercorn sauce, it was prepared with an Asian spin. The meat was ridiculously tender, and the subtle sauce, with its faint hint of five-spice, reminded me of duck. Divine Offering loved the steak’s charred, crispy edges. For a few moments, we ate in silence, listening to the satisfying crackle of the fries.

Now that I’ve tried both versions, the steak frites with peppercorn sauce and the Steak À La Francine with the Asian twist, here’s my advice. If it’s your first visit to Francine’s, go for the steak frites with peppercorn sauce. If you love duck or want something slightly lighter than the peppercorn version or something to think about, order the latter if it’s being featured. Both are excellent, and you really can’t go wrong.

For dessert, I suggested Divine Offering order the French Toast ($12.95). I raved about the soft, eggy toast, covered in honey caramel and topped with cold honey ice cream, and how the salty notes from the sauce and 14-month Comté cheese elevate this dessert to legendary status. Our server thoughtfully added a candle for the birthday girl. Divine Offering sat in quiet concentration, clearly delighted with each mouthful.

The next day, after finishing my workout at the Eau Claire Athletic Club, Robert Jewell, the food and beverage manager at the Exchange, came up to me and asked how I liked Francine’s. Small world! It turns out he was the mystery diner. It seems you never quite know who might be sitting at the next table at Francine’s.

Robert previously hosted TV’s A Is for Apple, worked with Chef Michael Allemeier, and oversaw several Concorde restaurants. I recognized Chef Allemeier’s name from my days in Vancouver, when he was the chef at Bishop’s, an upscale restaurant that was well out of my budget at the time. Robert also explained why I’m so obsessed with the Exchange’s chicken fingers and fries ($15 on the kids’ menu). He states the honey mustard poppyseed sauce is made from scratch, with all local ingredients. I also love the fries, which are clearly homemade and very potatoey.

Want more like this? Check out my running list of Calgary’s best restaurants, date nights, and cheap eats.

Bars/Lounges · Dessert · French · Restaurants · Special Occasion · Wine tasting

Varbar Wine Bar – Fondue and champagne in Calgary

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Lululemon treated me to a belated birthday dinner at Varbar with fondue and champagne. The evening struck a chord between indulgence and charm, securing its place on my list of must-try spots in Calgary when you’re in the mood to celebrate. For this post, let’s listen to Mykonos by Fleet Foxes.

The restaurant is tiny, even smaller than Bar Gigi. Four tables for two, a bar with four stools, it feels like someone carved out an attic or closet and turned it into a tiny, sparkly playground for unapologetic lushes.

I have limited experience with champagne, mostly through Juice Imports tastings and time spent with good neighbours, Quebecoise, Sirski, and Kournikova. What I do know is this: I don’t care for the yeasty styles, which thankfully, weren’t on the menu at Varbar.

Lululemon ordered us a champagne flight ($45), fondue for two ($65), kimchi brussels sprouts ($7), and a glass of Pommery Brut Ŕose ($28). Our flight came first, and I followed her lead, tasting each glass and deciding which one we wanted to save for last.

The first one we tried, Bolinger Champagne Special Cuvee ($34 glass), reminded Lululemon of autumn and pear cider. I noticed the tang at the end and then no aftertaste. The bubbles were fine and gentle on the tongue.

The second champagne was Charles Mignon Réserve Rosé ($25 per glass). I enjoyed the clean, bright bubbles and the way they sparkled on the palate. Lululemon noted hints of rose and lychee. I thought it was absolutely delicious.

The Billecart-Salmon Brut Réserve ($26 per glass) was equally impressive. Compared to the first two, it leaned softer and more toasty, with a gentle roundness that made it feel a little more unique.

Lululemon wanted us to try one more, so we landed on the Pommery Brut Rosé ($28). It ended up being her favourite, fresh, dry, with bright strawberry and raspberry notes, and the liveliest bubbles of the night.

Our fondue came with bread cubes, pickles, pickled white onions, baby potatoes, and green apples. Lululemon’s favourite were the in-house-made kimchi brussels sprouts, which were crunchy and tangy, and the apples.

I’ve had fondue three times before, once at a restaurant and twice at a friend’s house. Varbar’s gruyère and emmental fondue is the best I’ve had. The cheese itself was silky, nutty and savoury with a touch of sweetness.

I think one reason is that the cheese is served bubbling hot, which makes a big difference in its texture. It was stretchy and smooth, evenly coating each ingredient. I especially loved the acidity of the pickles cutting through the richness of the molten cheese, alongside the contrast between the cold, plain potatoes and the juicy green apples.

At the bottom of the pot, the cheese formed this golden, crispy crust that’s completely different from the silky fondue. It’s deeper, saltier, with a crunch that reminds me of the edges of a fancy grilled cheese sandwich.

Everything was so decadent, I wanted to weep with joy. Unfortunately, I was too dehydrated from treatment to shed a tear, so I did the only reasonable thing and kept eating.

Lululemon’s birthday is coming up, and I’ll need to come up with something spectacular. She’s a vegetarian, which makes this a tough act to follow. Best case, I take her back to VarBar and try to recreate the magic. Thank you, Lululemon, for such a thoughtful and memorable night.

Want more like this? Check out my running list of Calgary’s best restaurants, date nights, and cheap eats.

Bars/Lounges · Chinatown · French · Restaurants · Seafood · Special Occasion · Steakhouse · Wine tasting

Francine’s Calgary: Canada’s 100 Best Recommends 2026

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August 2026 update: Francine’s was selected for the inaugural Canada’s 100 Best Recommends list, an unranked collection of exceptional casual restaurants chosen by the publication’s judges.

For my birthday, Chew Steel and I checked out Francine’s, a new French restaurant that opened up in Calgary’s Chinatown district. I’ve eaten at Francine’s before at a pop-up and a special event dinner, so I knew we were in for a treat. Let’s listen to Paradise by Sade for this post.

I made reservations at the last minute, so I was only able to secure bar seats at 5:15 p.m. As it was so early in the evening, we weren’t super hungry and just ordered two mains, the Steak Frites ($39.95) and the Smoky Trout and Crepes ($42.95). I wanted to try the trout dish because I read an Instagram post by the chef/owner, Garrett Martin, about his creative process for creating some of the dishes.

We started with a cocktail, a Francine’s martini ($17) for me and a Crepe Suzette Old-Fashioned ($16) for Chew Steel. The ice-cold gin-forward martini was aromatic and herby, marked with a distinct note of fennel. As we sipped, I noticed how quickly the room filled on a Tuesday evening. An older Asian couple sat beside us. It was cute to watch him, intently absorbed watching a YouTube video on his phone while his partner quietly ate, content in her own private little world.

The steak frites were among the best I’ve ever had. I don’t want to be dramatic, but the steak here is a must-eat-before-you-die type of experience. The bavette butcher’s steak was beautifully textured, sliced thin yet generously wide, with a charred, rugged exterior and a ruby-red interior that offered a juicy chew. The peppercorn glaze was rich and smooth, with a peppery bite that cut through the steak.

The fries were ridiculously delicious, golden and light, with an ultra-crunchy shell giving way to a whipped potatoey centre. Jordan, our bartender, nailed the wine pairings. For the steak, he paired it with a glass of Cabernet Franc (Domaine La Paleine, $10, 3oz).

The trout was soft and smoky, with a flavour profile reminiscent of salmon. We tore off a piece of crepe and wrapped it around a piece of trout, two types of pickled onion, cucumber, bright green spinach and chives. Each bite was decadent, drippy and messy.

The trout reminded me of Neptune’s famous johnny cakes, but the flavours were more refined. There wasn’t anything fishy or overly sweet. The combination of what I thought were unusual ingredients blew me away. The flavours were rounded and worked so well together that it made me think of head chef Koji Kobayashi’s fine-dining creations at Sukiyaki House. Jordan selected a bright white wine (Juste Le Blanc, Jurancon Sec $8.50, 3 oz) that cut through the smokiness and the decadent white sauce.

The mains are a generous portion, but I still wanted dessert. We shared the French Toast ($12.95) with honey-caramel, honey ice cream, and 15-month Comte cheese, paired with a glass of sherry (Moscatel Peromesa Jerez Valdespino, $13).

The dessert is worthy of Michelin recognition. The thick-cut bread was warm and eggy, layered with sweet, cold ice cream and topped with salty flakes of cheese. This dish, as well as the two before, had us licking our lips and scraping the plate for every last drop of caramel.

How good was the food? So damn fine, I sent Lovegastro, Quebecoise, Betty, Kournikova, Juliejuliehu and Divine Offering text messages raving about Francine’s and making future plans to revisit.

How indulgent was the food? I had a chemo follow-up appointment the very next day and had gained two pounds. I’m not sure whether that jump was due to fluid and inflammation or to the peppercorn glaze, but I choose to believe it was the sauce doing the heavy lifting.

The crowning glory is the value. For this level of cooking, the prices make Francine’s an easy choice any night of the week, not just for special occasions. Wines matched to each course are $6–10, and the steak frites is priced below lower than chains like The Keg and Cactus Club. Francine’s is one of the best restaurants in Calgary right now, and I’m looking forward to my next visit. Go, you won’t regret it!