Lake Louise Chateua

Sarah Storey's holiday heaven and hell

Jade Mountain in St Lucia, which is set on a hillside with views of the Pitons. Every room has its own infinity pool and you have your own butler who unpacks for you. We had a corner room, which was larger than most apartments, with a 10-seater dining-room table, a four-poster bed and a shower big enough to accommodate 20 people.

The butler would bring us breakfast in the morning and if you put a flag in the sand on the beach, a butler would come and ask what you wanted. We were also given a telephone when we arrived. If we got to the beach and found we forgot something, we could ring the butler and he would bring it.

There was a plantation nearby that you could go mountain biking around and mangoes would fall from the trees and you could eat them off the ground.

What do you need for a perfect holiday?

A small, quiet hotel, no crowds and something to do – anything from a bit of mountain biking to hiking or sightseeing.

What do you always take with you?

I always take a pillow if it's a training or racing trip because of the importance of sleep quality and performance.

What's your best piece of travel advice?

Go during quiet times. We went to St Lucia in July, during the rainy season, and it was peaceful and quiet.

Where do you want to go next?

After the 2012 Olympics, the plan is to go somewhere like Jade Mountain for a complete chill-out. We know that we won't have to do anything; someone else will unpack and pack for us or bring our book if we forget to take it to the beach.

We won't get a holiday before then. After our cycling careers, we'd really like to go to Japan. We've never been and I'd really like to experience the food. I've heard that you can go skiing there. Lots of people have said it's just a great place, and I want to see Tokyo and go on a bullet train.

Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise Afternoon Tea « ourcherishedlife

Then we headed for the mountains for a day jam-packed with events! Living in Calgary may have its downsides but there definitely are some perks too ~ one of which includes being so close to the scenic mountains. We started off by going for a luxurious massage at a spa in Banff, then we drove to Lake Louise for afternoon tea at The Fairmont. The view was perfectly picturesque; high tea is a wonderful way to take in the serene lake that is nestled within the mountains.  After settling in and soaking up nature’s beauty, tea time began! It started off with Cointreau glazed fruit then the traditional 3-tiered platter of savory sandwiches, buttery scones and pretty desserts. I opted for a classic tea with orange pekoe while J tried the Fairmont special blend. Honestly, the tea was nothing special but the scones were soft, sweet and satisfying. Despite being bite-sized, I especially enjoyed the aesthetics of the pinwheel smoked salmon as well as the flavourful combination of the mango chutney & chicken sandwich. I initially thought I would remain hungry after the small portion of sandwiches but the scones and tea filled me up. As for the desserts, they looked good but tasted average.

The lake

The Lake

The poetical works of Sir Walter Scott

The Lake

The lake, an illustrated history of Manitobans' cottage country