Thursday, July 18, 2013

THIS IS NOT A PAID ADVERTISMENT...

We fell in love with Many Glacier Hotel...a 98 year old chalet in Glacier National Park.  I had no idea when we planned this trip at the beginning of the year that people book this place 1-2 years in advance!  So we didn't get to stay here, but we were about 30 minutes away.  We spent two of our three days in this area, hanging around this hotel.

It's on the National Register of Historic places as the builder of the railroad built it to encourage wealthy people from the East Coast to come and visit "America's Alps"way back when.  So the whole place has a swiss chalet feel and has been restored back to original.


We hung out on the deck twice in the afternoons after hiking...
cool breezes and awesome views.

Mountain goats came by to visit!


During a thunderstorm, everyone went into the lobby and they started a fire in the fireplace.  They also have musical entertainment and a great gift shop.  This place has it all!  Old black & white photos line the halls.  Every day they have a hotel tour and they tell you and show all the history of the place.



We dressed up and ate in the Ptarmigan Dining Room and attended the 
entertainment the last night we were at Glacier.



David Walburn did the show - he played guitar and harmonica, all original songs, 
while telling us the story of Lewis & Clark.  



And finally, another reason to love Many Glacier Hotel:  Bellboys in lederhosen!

Unfortunately, one of the college kids who was working here this summer fell 1,000 ft. while hiking with other hotel employees and died the day we were there.  It happened near Appekunny Falls where we had hiked and eaten our lunch.  We couldn't figure out why a helicopter kept going over there, then heard from one of the hotel workers.  They couldn't find him for a long time and finally recovered his body 6 hours later - around the time when we had come back for dinner - so sad!  I'm still praying for Mike's family.  He was from Florida. Our hearts were heavy with the staff as the mood changed in the hotel that evening.  Mike was 21 years old, just like one of our sons.

I hope we get to come back here some day - as hotel guests!  I heard if you are persistent and call every day you might get in on a cancellation.  This place just oozes with charm!

4 comments:

Amy said...

Sounds like a perfect place. So sorry to hear about the young man. Tragedy happens so quickly. Your pics are great!

Lori said...

For one of our anniversaries we went back to Canada and stayed in two or three different lake lodges (like you said, you have to plan ahead and also save up your $$). Very fun. This looks like a great one too! Bet that took your breath away, hearing the hiker fell right where you'd been. So sad...

Unknown said...

What a neat place!! What a sad tragedy :(. That must have been a hard day and days after. Prayers for his family and friends.

The 5 Arbuckle's said...

The lodge looks amazing!

Sad about the young man that fell.