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Blackstone Mountain Lodge – Canmore, Alberta

I got to stay at Bellstar’s Blackstone Mountain Lodge, and I absolutely loved it! We ended up in a 2 bedroom suite, which was quite exciting! The suite was bigger than my condo at the time, and I really could see people living there for a season! I wish I could.

The 2 bedroom suite that I stayed in had a master bedroom with a King bed, and an en-suite bathroom. The second room had a queen bed, and a general bathroom. The kitchen was fully equipped with the basic cooking/eating utensils, which makes it an ideal place if you’re looking to do some cooking while you’re away in Canmore.

With that said, these suites also have washer/dryers which add to the convenience, and the use of Aveda Bathroom amenities makes the stay extra special!

The lovely outdoor heated pool wasn’t enjoyed by me, but it was definitely enjoyed by a lot of other guests. There are also 2 hot tubs beside the pool. I think the layout is great!

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Chez Francois – Canmore, Alberta

We made it to Chez Francois one long weekend evening, and it turned out to be a fantastic place to eat!! We sat down, pretty late, and no one gave us any problems for coming in an hour and some before closing!

They started our evening with an awesome greeting from their friendly staff, and gave us some bread with duck pate. The bread was really fresh, and the pate was really tasty, smooth, and creamy! It was quite delicious.

We started off with Feuilleté d’Escargots which were escargots in puff pastry with a creamy herbs & garlic sauce, and it was really wonderful!! It’s been awhile since I had great escargot, and Chez Francois prepares it to perfection!

For the main, I enjoyed the Saumon Colbert which was poached salmon topped with shrimp and scallop mousse glazed with a Hollandaise sauce.

We also ordered the Poulet au Vinaigre de Framboise grain fed chicken breast light creamy raspberry vinegar sauce

With such a wonderful experience, we definitely will be returning, as we didn’t order a dessert since it was getting quite late. The best thing about Chez Francois, it’s opened for breakfast, lunch and dinner. We’ll find another opportunity to return again!

Chez Francois

1602 Bow Valley Trail
Canmore, AB
(403) 678-6111

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Rocky Mountain Bagel Company

We started the day dropping by the Rocky Mountain Bagel Company before our day hike as we were looking for something fast, filling, and delicious! We found ourselves stopping at the Rocky Mountain Bagel Co on Bow Valley Trail, and it was opened early enough to accommodate us!

I had that BCLT Bagel on Jalapeno Cheese Bagel and the filling inside the bagel was quite typical, as BCLT stands for bacon, cheese, lettuce and tomatoes. The ingredients used were really fresh so it was really good. I must say, I really enjoyed the jalapeno cheese bagel, as it looks like your typical cheese bagel with a nice kick once in awhile! The bagel was not only very flavourful, but it had a nice consistency, denseness and texture! Just the way I like my bagels!!

We also had the Amigo Bagel on Jalapeno Cheese Bagel and this bagel seemed to be an omelet with green peppers, and onions on the bagel with plain cream cheese, and topped with slices of tomato, salsa & cheddar.

The environment was small and intimate, yet very comfortable! Lots of room for a lazy morning, and since this locations isn’t in downtown Canmore, it’s not as busy either! In fact, it seemed like their customers were mostly taking their meals to go!

Rocky Mountain Bagel Company

6A-1306 Bow Valley Trail
Canmore, AB
(403) 678-9968

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Sage Bistro and Wine Lounge – Canmore, Alberta

Sage Bistro and Wine Lounge is a great place to go — whether you’re looking for a quiet place for dinner, and a nice place to gather and celebrate! It seems to have the ambiance to cover it all!!

We were lucky to be able to make reservations the same day, even though we had to compromise the time a little. I’m sure glad we did though! Our dinner here was really good, it’s always nice to have a great meal from start to finish.

I didn’t want an alcoholic drink, so I opted for Homemade Honey Thyme Lemonade which was really refreshing lemonade with a hint of honey and thyme. It was a perfect drink for the day as we spent the entire afternoon outdoors!

We started this great meal with duck rillettes, which was riesling braised duck confit, a small amount of lingonberry compote, topped with petite cornchon on grilled baguette. It was just amazing!! We piled a huge spoonful of duck confit on the tiny grilled baguette, then topped it off with the lingonberry compote (jam like) — and like a cherry on top, the little pickle! It was quite a memorable appetizer and one I’m still drooling over while thinking about it!

For the main, I had the special, which was a Maple Sockeye Salmon and that was excellent. The Salmon sat on top of a great chilled noodle salad filled with julienne vegetables. It was quite refreshing of a meal, and it tasted light! It’s something I wish I knew how to make!

The other dish we enjoyed thoroughly would be the Lamb Shank, where the lamb is braised in port & rosemary topped with gremolata with saffron risotto on the side.

Since everything has been so wonderful, we ordered a dessert to share as we were stuffed. We ordered the Neapolitan Tower which had layers of cinnamon phyllo squares, mixed berry compote and lemon custard cream. You really taste the great crisp texture of the phyllo squares which contracts really nicely with the lemon custard cream, which is probably mixed with the mixed berries as it tasted a lot like a raspberry mousse. Regardless, it was a wonderful dessert, and I wouldn’t mind to enjoy this meal again.

Sage Bistro

1712 Bow Valley Trail
Canmore, AB
(403) 678-4878

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Mystic Springs Chalets & Hot Pools – Canmore, Alberta

Who doesn’t like to travel well?? Traveling from your own house to another house is what Mystic Springs really feels like! These chalets are complete 2-story town homes with 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms!

This luxurious style of living is wonderful for families as it offers 2 double beds in the second bedroom — so kids don’t need to sleep on the same bed! On top of that, there is a pull out sofabed downstairs in the main living area. The master bedroom has an uber comfy king bed.

I found the space to be very comfortable, and with TV’s in each of the room, you’re always able to go find your own space if you need to step away for a bit inside the condo.

The bathrooms are full and complete with AVEDA bath amenities and quite satisfying for both guests who like soaking in a tub, or getting a quick shower. The master bathroom however is a walk in shower only.

The dining space as you enter the condo is a large comfortable table that looks into the kitchen. It is a very convenient set up for any meal if you were going to stay back and prepare your own meals! The kitchen comes completely stocked with all the cooking and eating utensils you would need to prepare, cook and eat your meals! On top of that, there is a dishwasher for you to clean up after yourself — as required!!

The living area is one of the highlights of the chalet for me. There is a door that opens straight back towards the pools, and it just looks great! The fireplace quickly fills the room with warmth, which is fantastic for those cold winter days when you come back from your cold adventures outdoors.

The outdoor heated pools are opened year round and even though I didn’t go out to enjoy either the pool or hot tub, lots of other guest were outside having a blast over the weekend! I was happy to hear them enjoy themselves! Outside in the courtyard where the pools are is a lot of common area amenities such as the barbeque area, the fitness machines, and even coin laundry! Other amenities the resort has to offer is a spa treatment room right behind the front desk agent, and there is also the Riverstone Hall, which is like a beautiful space you can rent with large windows and with a kitchenette and fireplace! Mystic Springs is truly a nice place to stay, and is pet friendly in most of their suites!

Mystic Springs Chalets & Hot Pools

140 Kananaskis Way
Canmore, AB