We recently visited Mont-Tremblant for the first time as a family of five (we’ve actually never been there together even prior to having children).
How quickly this renowned ski village resort became one of our favourite places to vacation.
When we first thought about visiting a ski hill in the summer, we weren’t sure about it. What would we do with a teenager a toddler and a kindergarten aged child? Would there be enough to do over an entire weekend? Would we be able to take a stroller? Would it be too hot?
Although we created a blog post all about Mont-Tremblant for families, our stay at the Fairmont Tremblant deserves it’s own mention.
Finding a family-friendly hotel isn’t always easy. Will you have enough space? A kitchen(ette)? Will it be stroller-friendly? How about food options for young children? We’ve stayed at resorts that are designed for children and yet are awkwardly not appropriate (with breakfast only starting at 9:00am, no stroller access to certain areas and so on).
The Fairmont Tremblant is ideal for young children and here is why:
(1) Location, Location, Location!
You’re footsteps from everything, which makes it exceptionally convenient when you’re traveling with small children. We brought a double stroller with us, anticipating long walks, but since the hotel is in such a great spot on the mountain, we rarely used it (unless we were going for a lengthy explore).
The Virtual Reality Centre, Laser Tag, main stage (for performances) and luge/bungy/trampoline/rock climbing is all right outside the mountain-side entrance.
(2) Walls are thick enough that you don’t hear much external noise.
Any parent knows the importance of a relatively quiet hotel room at night. There’s nothing like young children being woken up in the middle of the night when bar crowds head home. We often worry about this in hotels…and the Fairmont Tremblant was no exception. Our room was the closest one to the elevator and, at first, the mom in me wanted to go ask to be moved. But, at the same time, we were all just excited to start exploring so I figured we would give it a try. Noise levels were decent. Not silent, but good enough that no one was disturbed late at night. So bonus points there.
(3) On-property restaurants offer kid-friendly (healthy) options and there’s a grab-and-go type cafe, which is ideal for young appetites.
The hotel is listed as offering the best culinary experiences on the mountain and there’s a good reason for that (if not many).
There are many different dining options directly on the hotel property, which is quite convenient if you’re traveling with young children. The convenience of good food can’t be overrated when on vacation (we’re even fond of room service at the end of tired days).
We really enjoyed the Ricochet Cafe and Terrace, which is located just inside the doors to the outdoor pool. For children, this cafe offers fresh-baked goods, salads, juices, grilled cheese, sandwiches, croissants, smoothie bowls, yogurt, veggies & dips, snacks and so on. We had two meals here within our two day stay. The staff were wonderful, the food fresh and bellies full. What more could a parent ask for?
The breakfast buffet at Le Comptoir is another must-do (if even just once during your stay) for the exceptionally diverse offerings and Candiana dishes.
For families, there are a lot of options for meals right at the hotel.
(4) Staff accommodate young children.
When we first boarded the shuttle bus to head back to the Tremblant airport, the bus broke down. The driver asked everyone to get off the bus and wait 45 minutes for a taxi. We loaded into the luggage area and by this time our two boys (aged 3 and 5) were getting a bit antsy because we had a night flight, so it was already bedtime or them. Staff recognized their irritability and knowing that we had to wait a while they went in the back and brought out some ride on toys for them. The boys rode through the halls of the conference area (which was unoccupied and had the best time). Staff encouraged them to enjoy themselves and reassured us that they were being great. It really helped put us at ease.
(5) Pools are perfect for little kids.
Not only does the Fairmont Tremblant offer a great indoor pool for the winter season, but there are three outdoor pools and a hot tub at the base of the mountain (as shown above). One pool is hot (103/104 degrees), one medium size one is 98 degrees, the largest pool is a normal pool temperature and there’s even a cool pool, which was so refreshing on hot summer days.
They’ve got puddle jumpers, small life jackets and pool noodles too.
(6) Rooms are large and spacious with options to combine and connect.
As a family of five with very diverse needs (our three-year-old still naps, our five-year-old needs quiet and co-sleeps with me and we have a teenager) we need a hotel room that accommodates everyone.
At the Fairmont Tremblant there are 314 rooms including 62 spacious suites. We connected two rooms so we had a standard room (with two doubles) attached to a larger master suite that had a large bed, living room area and fridge. We were able to have all the kids snug in their beds and stay up in the living room area without disturbing anyone. The standard room had a sitting area located next to the window so there was a lot of room to spread out too. Both rooms had spacious bathrooms with bath tubs.
(7) Spa services for Mom & Dad!
Let’s face it, sometimes mom and dad need some alone time on vacation. Finding a hotel that offers great spa services is always a bonus. I went for a body massage as a break amidst all of the activities and adventure and it totally relaxed yet invigorated my soul.
You can choose from various massages or manicure/pedicure services. It’s tucked away in a quiet little area overlooking the indoor pool. I met a few new women during my spa break who were all treating themselves to a little “me” time and everyone agreed that it was a perfect little break (two were on a work conference…I loved the spa idea as a break from that too).
Obviously, as a popular mountain resort village, there are a lot of options when it comes to lodging and hotels. For a family, this is definitely a good option. It’s truly a Canadian experience with personal touches all over the building. We explored the conference side and walked all around the property.
For more information on the Fairmont Tremblant, please click here.