Bighorn Meadows Resort — Hotel in Radium Hot Springs

Here is my honest review:

Overall, I recommend you read the reviews listing 1 or 2 stars, as this place may not be what you're looking for, as it is definitely not the vacation resort it promotes online.

We booked through expedia after contemplating many other options within Invermere and Radium Springs.

Before arriving, I received multiple texts/emails requiring an upload of my drivers license, which felt unsafe to me, so I opted to physically show it at check in, and I believe it was still scanned and kept on record. This seems odd, as we stay in international hotels all around the globe and have never been asked to share a DL digitally.

There is no "front desk" available 24/7 like you'd expect at an actual resort/hotel. This is a time share or privately owned townhouse complex adjacent to the golf course, and therefore, you are required to take out your garbage and wash your dishes, etc. It seemed a bit abandoned or under attended to during our stay. It really missed a vacation vibe. It felt more like staying in a residence where the neighbors were away.

Upon "check in" my room cards were set in an unattended basket for pick up, with both my name and room number written on the outside. This felt very odd, especially after the text they sent with instructions claimed that both pieces of information would not be on the outside of the envelope? Honestly, a passerby could have gained access to my room ahead of me. The front desk is self-serve and unattended after 5pm, leaving no one to watch it. A phone number is provided for after-hours issues but doesn't replace an actual human in this case.

Once in our room (down several sets of outdoor steps and landings), we had a shared entry to an actual basement suite. One large, fully carpeted room with a bed, next to a table, and a few utility closets. We had one egress window that looked out underground to a concrete box attached to the parking lot. We were very dissatisfied. The rooms online showed views of hills, patios, and natural light. Immediately, we started looking to leave and find a new place to stay. It felt oddly quiet, abandoned, and dark.

After reaching out by email to share our thoughts, we were offered an upgrade the next morning to an above ground unit in the same townhouse row. The new room provided a view and light, more space, and satisfied our needs for the second night.

There was plenty of parking during our stay, as mentioned, there was a lot of vacancy.

Although the hot tub was open, it is situated in the center of a parking lot, surrounded by metall railings and right next to a showroom/center. It's not scenic or appealing. The pool was out of season, surrounded by buckets and blue tarp. It looked very underwhelming and under maintenance.

Rachel was very helpful in moving our rooms, I really...

My family and I have owned a ¼ share property at Bighorn Meadows for over 10 years. I want to be very clear, we go regularly, the surroundings are beautiful, and we very much enjoy our holidays there. However we have noticed that, as the years go by, the complex has become more run-down, all while prices continue to increase. When we first purchased our unit, the cleaning fee was around $75. It has gradually increased to $136.50. This is nearly double the original price, which would be fine, except their current cleaning staff does not do anywhere near as thorough of a job as they used to. On our most recent visits we have routinely found food debris and dirty dishes in the kitchen, and hair in the bathrooms. We bring this to the attention of the front desk staff and/or the housekeeping manager every time we go, and yet nothing ever seems to be done. Additionally, the management board now requires that unit owners pay for extra Kleenex and toilet paper. This feels both petty and cheap, given the increases in cleaning fees. I am happy to pay for the cleaning, but the increase in price should also reflect an increase in the quality of service. My bigger problem is that management has continually refused to revisit the pet policy. We attend the AGM every year, and every year either we, or another owner, requests that the pet policy be updated so that owners can bring their furry family members with them. And every year we are told "no", with little to no discussion on the matter. It appears that Bighorn Meadows is more concerned with its transient hotel clientele than with owners who return year after year. Since we are continually rebuffed by repeated communications to management, and at the AGM, I must resort to online reviews such as this, because, sadly, this is more attention grabbing. It is time to modernize this policy, because there is a whole demographic untapped here. People WANT to travel with their pets! Bighorn Meadows is supposed to be my home away from home, and so I should be able to treat it as such. I would be happy to pay (another extra) cleaning fee, as I’m sure would other owners. This has become enough of a problem that if the board does not decide to update this long-outdated policy, then we will be looking to sell in the near future and purchase alternative, friendlier...

Stayed during the first week of October. Enjoyed the quiet grounds and well-maintained facilities, especially the hot tubs. The location is great by car, a perfect stop for a Rockies road trip or a longer stay for exploring the nearby Kootenay National Park or Banff. Wild deers and bighorn sheep can be found roaming around the grounds—while fantastic for wildlife viewing, be cautious walking at night as you can get a spook seeing a bighorn in the dark. The Radium Hot Springs town was foggy each morning of my stay, but cleared to blue skies and sunshine in the afternoon. A fantastic place to catch the Northern Lights if you're lucky, although it shows up clearer in photos than reality.

My room itself was cozy and had everything I needed, including an electric skillet and cookware. The décor was tastefully arranged, and the bathroom was large, about half the size of the room. I was lucky to get a king bed for my suite and a small circular dining table. The only complaints I have are that the soundproofing isn't great, so be prepared with earplugs as you can hear the murmur of conversation/coughs through the walls, or when someone drops something in the suite above you. As well, the heater fan activates randomly through the night, which I found annoying but later got used to. The bathroom temperature control didn't work when I checked in, but maintenance fixed that right away when I called to inquire.

If you're traveling alone, keep in mind that when you book the base room, you'll need to go through a locked door first, which then opens to your door and the door of the suite next to you (both locked to your specific key card access). While this arrangement is good for traveller safety, it can be surprising to hear the door to the neighboring suite open. I got spooked in the beginning thinking someone was trying to enter my room when they were going into theirs.

Other than those drawbacks, would recommend this resort, particularly for families....