GUIDEBOOK : Whistler’s Allure

Getting there: Air Canada, Alaska, American, Canadian, Delta, Northwest and United all fly round trip from LAX to Vancouver International Airport, with 14-day advance-purchase, round-trip fares starting at about $300. Some are non-refundable or require stopovers or changes of plane in other cities.

From Vancouver, you can rent a car or take a bus from Vancouver International Airport or the downtown bus depot to the Whistler Resort. It’s about a two-hour drive by car. There is also daily B.C. Rail service from North Vancouver. Private plane or chartered helicopter service can also be arranged.

If the airlines are offering steep discounts on domestic fares, as they were for a time this summer when we went, you may want to consider flying round trip in and out of Seattle, then renting a car for the approximately four-hour drive north to Whistler. Be prepared for traffic delays at the border.

The hotel: Chateau Whistler is a short drive east of Whistler Village proper. Contact Chateau Whistler, P.O. Box 100, 4599 Chateau Blvd., Whistler, British Columbia, Canada B0N 1B0, (604) 938-8000, fax (604) 938-2055.

Current summer rates until Dec. 18 range from about $123 for a room with a queen bed to about $405 for a two-bedroom suite. Tack on from $18 to $35 for a “ski view” of Blackcomb Mountain.

Ski-season rates, in effect Jan. 1-April 20 for these same rooms, are $172-$595, respectively. The rate remains unchanged year-round--about $750--for one of the executive suites in one of the towers, accessed by a private elevator. It includes a fireplace, Jacuzzi and floor-to-ceiling windows, with spectacular views of Blackcomb Mountain.

When booking, inquire about seasonal specials for further discounts on rooms.

For more information: Write Whistler Resort, 4010 Whistler Way, Whistler, British Columbia, Canada V0N 1B4, or call (800) 944-7853.