Last month we tagged a mini-vacation onto the end of a conference my husband was attending at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, nestled in Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada.

Surrounded by spectacular views of the mountains and the expansive lake, it’s no wonder it’s referred to as the “diamond in the wilderness.” This was my first stay at a Fairmont, and I was pleasantly surprised at the down-to-earth and friendly vibe of such a high class establishment.

I was intrigued to learn the history of the Fairmont Lake Louise, as it was first established as a resting place along the Canadian Pacific Railway for luxury passengers encouraged to travel out West. Secondly, as this area is renowned as the birthplace of Canadian mountaineering, it attracted Swiss mountaineers in the early 1900s and as a result influenced the Chateau’s charming architecture, cuisine (including fondue) and mountain activities still on offer today.

Highlights of our stay:

Activities abound at this outdoor retreat, and even if you’re not into skiing, there’s plenty to do right at your feet. We enjoyed exploring all the ice sculptures, walking out across the frozen lake and splashing in the swimming pool. There’s also ice skating on the lake, snowshoeing, cross country skiing, sleigh rides, dog sledding or snow mobile tours. I wasn’t very interested in shopping, but for those in need of retail therapy, there are around 20 small shops on site, including a cute bookshop.

We did ski Lake Louise and had a great time exploring the Rocky Mountain peaks. Our daughter enjoyed the friendly daycare and it was fairly priced: $52 CAD per day/$30.50 CAD per half day. We also put her on skis for the first time. Being under 3 years old, she was too young for ski school, so we just worked with her ourselves, going up and down the magic carpet. Although the temp was 18 degrees Fahrenheit, the sun shone and she had lots of fun lasting over two hours on the bunny slope! See our related article on teaching kids to ski.

The breakfast buffet in the Poppy Brasserie certainly set us up for the day. We didn’t hold back sampling everything from cereal, fruit, ham, sausages, eggs, waffles, pancakes, custom omelets, all enjoyed next to the gorgeous backdrop of the lake.

It was “Family Weekend” in Canada, and the hotel made a special effort with a full program of family events and a carefully planned kids’ dinner buffet, laid out on a table about two feet high. Our daughter was thrilled that she could help herself to the mac and cheese, pizza and deserts!

Among the fine dining restaurants, the Tom Wilson Steakhouse was recommended by the concierge. Not only did they cater to our toddler’s every need, they served up a spectacular dinner. Beginning with a selection of preset small plates, served with naan bread, the only real decision we had to make was the cut of meat!

I can thoroughly recommend Lake Louise as an ideal retreat to just get away from it all!

Check out their special family friendly Easter Package from April 10 to 13, where kids can take part in face painting, bouncy castles and an Easter egg hunt.

With the Dow at its lowest yesterday in 11 years, the economic prognosis in the United States may not look bright. What does this mean for travel? We know the industry is hurting and taking a huge hit on revenue, however, what we found in a survey (2009 Travel Trends) we conducted last month here at TravelMuse.com, was that the majority of travelers are actually still saying yay, not nay, to vacations in 2009.

Travelers Still Assert Their Right to Travel

A full 62.2 percent plan on taking the same number or more leisure trips in 2009 as they did in 2008, with 22 percent saying they will take more trips!

People Prefer to Cut Spending Rather Than Sacrifice Leisure Travel

Consumers will be more value-conscious than ever—but will still assert their right to travel: 77 percent of respondents said they were willing to cut spending in other areas to avoid having to cut back on travel. Travelers are making their own lunches and espresso; canceling the daily paper and cleaning services; driving less to save money for their vacations; forgoing tickets to events; and planning camping trips instead of staying in hotels or staying abroad fewer days to save money while they continue to travel.

One TravelMuse user said “I just gave myself a travel/expense test—and I have 1) curtailed going out to dinner (a lot) and 2) stopped shopping for clothes for a few months now, 3) but there is NO WAY that I would give up travel—even in a recession. It is tooooooooo important. I booked a trip to Chile for my family in August and to Maine/Boston in July … plus will book Mexico soon!”

Travel is Important, Especially in Tough Times

Nearly 65 percent of respondents said that vacations are very important. The benefits to health, wellness and state of mind can be greatly improved by taking a break, even if it’s a mini vacation, as highlighted by the U.S. Travel Association in its Benefits to Travel survey (2008)

Where are People Traveling in 2009?

There is still a healthy desire for travelers to travel: 68 percent of respondents said they planned to vacation in other U.S. states, with a staggering 52 percent still planning to travel internationally on a leisure/personal trip. So people are not just staying at home, or staying in their own state, for that matter.

Other Industry Research and Comments in Support of YAY to Travel in 2009

TravelMuse certainly is not alone in its belief that travelers will keep asserting their right to travel.

The U.S. Travel Association* showed that for 2009, consumers are pursuing “good values” in the trips they plan —76 percent of respondents expected to book a packaged vacation to save money, while 67 percent planned to stay fewer nights and/or spend less on food and entertainment when traveling.

Forrester vice president and principal analyst, airline and travel research, Henry Harteveldt, agrees that people would rather “trim around the edges,” and as a result, travel sellers need to “help travelers find ways to stick to their budgets.”

Peter Greenberg**, travel guru and New York Times bestselling author told us, “No matter what the economic conditions, there is something that transcends the current financial malaise—and that’s travel itself,” … “It’s part of our cultural DNA. We really can’t help ourselves. We will find a way to travel, no matter what. We may deny ourselves an expensive dinner or a new fashion purchase, but we will not deny ourselves the opportunities to travel. And where there’s a will—especially with travel—there are many ways.”

Say YAY to Vacations in 2009

Our CEO, Kevin Fliess said “There is strong data to support the notion that people are continuing to travel despite the challenging economic times,” … “While people are more focused on value, travel continues to play a vital role in our lives. Travel is rejuvenating—and people cherish this experience even more during tough times.”

Don’t deny yourself the right to travel, take a break and say YAY to vacations in 2009!

Tell is what you think? Yay or Nay to vacations in 2009? Are you cutting back on anything so you can take your vacation this year?

The full press release is available and for more information, including full survey results, email us at marketing@travelmuse.com.

*Ypartnership travelhorizons™ survey (October 2008)

**Peter Greenberg’s latest book, Tough Times, Great Travels: The Travel Detective’s Guide to Hidden Deals, Unadvertised Bargains, and Great Experiences, released today (March 3), features tips for today’s traveler, such as the best day to buy airline tickets, trips you can take on just one tank of gas and destinations where the dollar is still king.