Upslope & Downslope - Finding a Room in Fernie

Fernie from the Air

Fernie is coming into its own, and vaulting into the ranks with other world-class destinations. Skiers have discovered the thrill of vast amounts of powder with temperatures that stay considerably warmer than rival resorts, and they're not about to turn back. In summer, golfers are returning again and again to Fernie's temperate climate, green fairways and clear skies, while rafters and kayakers explore the area's fast rivers.

Much of the newfound recognition stems from a surge in regional accommodation. In recent years, townsite B&Bs and roadside motels have been supplemented with luxury resorts and mountainside chalets catering to skiers.

In terms of choice there's very little a traveller won't find in Fernie. One noticeable theme throughout most of Fernie's accommodation is an emphasis on a woodsy-style architecture and decoration. Pine and stone are the accents which distinguish nearly all accommodation here from larger lodgements in Calgary and Vancouver.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT ACCOMMODATION

Fernie is a year-round resort town so rates stay fairly constant. The exceptions are spring and autumn when there may be a chance to grab a deal. Within those bounds the average traveller has a broad range of choices to suit their needs. To help pick just the right place, the WorldWeb.com Travel Guide has all the information needed confined on a pair of pages.

1) Accommodation Directory — This is a complete accommodation directory containing detailed listings for hotels, bed & breakfasts, luxury resorts, campgrounds and more. With links to accommodation websites and interactive maps, these directories are designed to help find the right place based on budget, personal preferences and desired activities.

2) Online Room Reservations — A convenient online room search and reservation page, this link checks for room availability and then makes a secure online room reservation. Although this is a useful feature anytime of year, the online Secure Room Reservations page is particularly helpful during peak seasons when finding accommodation in popular properties can be difficult.

	Fernie's Main Street

FERNIE TOWNSITE

As the town bulges with newfound popularity, its charm has stayed relatively intact. The main street is a quaint route flanked by brick buildings. Walking down these streets is a stroll into a quieter time, and the recent addition of award-wining restaurants only adds flavour to the streetscape.

Like the number of luxury rooms in town, Fernie's cuisine has been on a tear. The culinary breadth of the town now includes everything from curries to ribs, and the quality is just getting better. Restaurants such as the Old Elevator have been winning awards, and serve some of the best wines available. For guests in Fernie's B&Bs, hostels, motels and hotels, a new taste for every evening is well within grasp, and reflects the wide range of accommodation within the town itself.

Haute Cuisine and Fine Wine

From a quick roadside stop in a motel to a quaint homey B&B, Fernie has a room and price to match most any need. But the townsite's strength is on the more economical end of the spectrum. In particular, Fernie has several downtown hotels that are unrivalled for their handy location. Housed in some of the town's oldest buildings these remodelled hotels are within steps of restaurants, coffee houses and pubs. Relatively inexpensive, comfortable, and offering a terrific location—for a lively mix of night time fun and day time excursions, these hotels may fit the bill.

Deeper still into the value market, Fernie's hostels are a steal, and they're far from just being a bunk in a packed dorm. Most have saunas, a choice of rooms and for skiers, there's often a morning bus going straight to the hill. Located dowtown, hostels offer more Fernie for the dollar than any other accommodation. Not quite as light on the wallet, but with some truly unique advantages, B&Bs are a choice well worth considering.

B&Bs are a good deal cheaper than a comparable hotel room and have the invaluable bonus of a resident's knowledge. Chatting over morning coffee with the host can often be a direct link to the local community's character, special events and favourite sites. And while a B&B may not have the same privacy as an upscale hotel, it makes up for it with intimacy and a sense of place. Fortunately, Fernie has a small constellation of bed and breakfasts. Most are in town, but a few log homes lie deep in the woods.

	Trout Swim the Streams and Rivers Near Fernie

OUTSIDE THE TOWNSITE

The southern BC Rockies crown Fernie's skyline and feed the fast mountain streams and swift valley rivers of the region. These thin ribbons of blue cut through immense forests on mountain slopes then descend into fertile valleys.

For a rafter, it doesn't get much better than this—an exhilarating rush down a beautiful mountain river. The cool waters happen to be a trout's delight as well, and the graceful lines of a fly rod are common along the banks of local rivers.

In winter, the vibrant colours of summer are overtaken by the constancy of silvery snow, and there's definitely no shortage. The white stuff is plentiful here, a distinction reflected in the Golden Ski Award's decision to name Fernie Alpine Resort 2004 “Resort of the Year.” For a quieter experience, cross country skiers can explore the labyrinth of trails in and around Fernie.

To fully appreciate this winter wonderland, many visitors forgo the town of Fernie altogether and stay right on the ski hill in hotels that are often quite luxurious. At the very top end, suites are more reminiscent of a luxury villa than a hotel. From expansive living rooms, guests can sit in front of the fireplace and settle down to watch the clouds pass above the valley after skiing straight to the front door. In more traditional hotels, the opulence is only slightly less grand.

Relaxing After Skiing can be Nearly as Enjoyable

Hot tubs have become mandatory in the upper-echelon hotels beneath the ski slopes. For a skier fresh off the slopes and suffering from stretched muscles, very little tops a glass of champagne while deeply submerged in soothing water. And when that sort of pampering doesn't relieve sore calves many hotels offer massage therapy. By the time dinner rolls around guests should be relaxed and in the mood for some of the region's best food.

While the mountainside hotels may not have the wealth of culinary choices available in Fernie itself, what they do have is superb. From breakfast buffets to dinner, chefs serve exceptional cuisine.

	Powder: Common on Fernie Slopes

Certainly, these hotels can be delightful, carefree and downright luxurious, but they can be expensive. For a longer stay on the slopes renting a vacation home or condominium is emerging as a popular choice. Just beneath the ski runs, chalets are cropping up by the dozen, and for many they are an ideal solution.

When split between half a dozen guests, vacation homes can be exceptionally reasonable, and there's no second guessing the company. Amongst friends and in a self-contained home, they are often just the right mix of comfort, intimacy and practicality. While it is unlikely many of these chalets would have seen the light of day without the local ski hill, it doesn't mean they hibernate through the summer. From the comfort of a chalet not only are the bugs at bay, but it really is a home-away-from-home. More often, however, visitors to the region bring their own tents and RVs to enjoy the warm months.

Once the robins come back, the region begins to perculate with life. As spring ebbs into the heat and long days of summer, recreational options multiply quickly: hiking, kayaking, canoeing and horseback riding under the sun all overtake Fernie and the region. For campers it's a wide-ranging playground and there are no shortage of campgrounds to chose from.

Camping, A Popular Summer Activity

For one, there are the semi-wilderness sites deep inside provincial parks, often only accessible with high-clearance vehicles. With no electricity, and only rudimentary services, visitors should be aware of what they're getting into before setting off to these remote sites. However, in exchange for no hot water there are deep nights in the woods when the Milky Way is as clear as a plasma screen. A little farther down the gravel road, camping sites are a tad more civilized, and probably a good deal better for the kids.

Playgrounds are endemic to the larger RV-accessible sites in the valley, and with power, showers and sani-stations, there are few amenities missing. An RV can pull-up, plug-in and tune-out echoes of the city in a matter of minutes, all within a short drive of Fernie.

WHEN TO GO

Winter used to be a relatively quiet time in Fernie. Now its prime season and travellers should be careful to book ahead. In particular, the chalets and hotels near the ski hill can get booked solid quickly.

In summer, the emphasis switches to the region's campgrounds, but even with a few hundred campsites on the market don't count on a weekend site without advance warning. No matter the season, a midweek traveller stands a much better chance of finding what they want on short notice.