Recently, I had the opportunity to adventure down to southern Alberta with two friends. Who doesn’t love a girls trip getaway? We focused our trip around visiting local distilleries and wineries. Upon researching places to stay in the area with easy access to where we wanted to visit I stumbled upon the Riverside Chateau in Bragg Creek, Alberta.

Location

The gated Chateau is beautifully located on the edge of the hamlet of Bragg Creek alongside the Elbow River . A quaint and quiet setting perfect for an adult getaway. A well maintained walking path runs between the Chateau and the river which made enjoying the serenity of the water very accessible. I enjoyed walking along the river while the sun was setting.

The Gateway to Kananaskis Country

Picturesque Bragg Creek is a hamlet community located about 25 minutes west of Calgary. Bragg Creek Provincial Park is a short 10 minutes away on the eastern edge of Kananaskis country. It is perfectly situated where the mountains, foothills and grasslands meet. Many distilleries and wineries located a short driving distance away made this the best choice in location for us to stay.

The Hosts

Upon arrival we were graciously welcomed and greeted by Marek Grzesiak. He and his lovely wife are the owners and hosts of the Riverside Chateau. They are proud of its 5 star achievement. With every possible detail attended to, the beautiful log home lives up to its designation.

Marek is happy to share the interesting history of the Chateau. Including the 2013 Elbow River flood that devastated the Bragg Creek area including his yard. He shared how they woke up in the morning to a flooded property and how they escaped from harm. It took about four years to clean up all the deposited debris. As you walk along the River some evidence of the flood remains. This year marks the 10th Anniversary since the flood occurred.

Originally from Poland, Marek has been living in Canada for several years now. He transitioned careers from being a software engineer in the information technology field to managing the bed and breakfast while his wife continues her career in the medical field. He stated that the change has been a good one. He “meets interesting people,” and that they are able to share the expansive space of their home with others.

He has a wealth of knowledge about the Bragg Creek area and willingly shared many tips and tricks that made our travels extra enjoyable. For example, he recommended a more scenic route to one of our destinations by showing us the way using google maps.

The Chateau

There are 5 rooms available for reservation in the Chateau. Each beautiful with their own rustic log cabin charm. The rooms are beautifully appointed and designed to fit the mountain, forest, country setting. Marek shared they comfortably host a maximum of 3 guests in the larger rooms. We were three, and had decided to share a room for an additional fee.

The Oakroom

Marek voluntarily upgraded us to the welcoming and spotless Oakroom. A 400 square foot log room with vaulted ceilings and adjacent ensuite. From the second story of the Chateau the room overlooks the Elbow River. The windows had been opened allowing the sound of the rushing river to envelope the space. The room, as well as all other spaces in the Chateau smelled fresh and clean.

Closer to bedtime, while we were having a delicious supper at the nearby Bav Tav restaurant, Marek turned down the beds, preparing them for us upon our return. Three of us shared the space. A comfortable pullout futon as well as the king sized bed were prepared. He definitely went out of his way to make us feel comfortable and spoiled throughout our stay!

The Grand Room

Guests are welcome to share all common spaces of the lodge. One such space is the Grand Room. Beautifully appointed and welcoming it lives up to its name boasting a floor to ceiling stone fireplace. Alexa also welcomed us with charming background music and timed lighting that added to the ambience and lit our paths around the space in the evening.

An open, private kitchen space is located in the Grand Room. This is where Marek chefs up breakfast. A sign placed on the counter shares that guests are not allowed to use the kitchen but can easily see it is kept immaculately clean.

Veranda

Another common area for guests is the enormous wrap around Veranda. In the evenings, we enjoyed sitting in the rocking chairs facing the river chatting with a glass of wine. A stone fire place and hot tub could be seen on the veranda but were closed for use at the time of our visit.

Breakfast

Included with the room reservation is a homemade, hot, seated breakfast. Guests are asked to reserve a sitting time allowing Marek to cater to guest scheduling needs. There are two lovely areas in the Chateau Grand Room where guests are seated for meals.

Coffee or tea, ice water and a hot breakfast are served promptly at the reserved time. I must highlight the French toast served on our first morning. It was delectable in taste and plating!We knew there was no way we could get the treasured recipe when Marek’s wife happily stated it is an “old family recipe that hasn’t been shared with anyone; not even our children! If the children want French toast they have to come home and visit to get some.” Served garnished with fresh blueberries, strawberries and a light dusting of icing sugar the dish melted in our mouths. We added fresh maple syrup to our liking.

Return Guests

The Chateau welcomes 80% of its guests from nearby Calgary. Returning guests are valued and encouraged with early check-in and later check-out times. The reservation process was seem-less with all stipulations explained very clearly by telephone conversation and also by email.

Our hosts went out of their way to make us feel welcomed and comfortable in this beautiful space. We plan to return again soon!

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Be well!