This is no regular log cabin. The timber was reclaimed from a fire in the boreal forest. Using hand tools, the logs fit together so well as to appear as if they were melted into each other. The windows were recycled from an 1800's Hudson Bay Trading Post, and if you look closely, you'll see the characteristic wave of the old glass.
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Our experience at Lazy Bear Lodge from the moment we were met to board our plane to Churchill was great , Arriving at the airport in Churchill and being met by staff from Lazy Bear went so smoothly . Our overall experience was beyond expectations from the moment we checked in . We stayed on an all inclusive plan, including tours every day for four days and three meals included. The food was excellent , as good as any fine dining menu , great wonderful presentations , the serving staff are so personable . The rooms are small but cozy, with white linens on the bed which give it a more updated look . But it isn’t about the room as you will discover , as we did. The Tour guides work here and are not only friendly but so knowledgeable…On tour we saw great northern lights , beluga whales on a zodiac and polar bears by helicopter and a dog mushing tour. These were the highlights for us. Highly recommend. You won’t be disappointed ..
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Date of stay: September 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
It is a nice little cozy lodge. It felt like a cabin. Very clean and helpful accommodative staff. Things were a bit rusty after Covid. There was no room cleaning. No food was available after 8 pm. There were no other restaurants opened in town. Make sure you bring some fruit and food. You may buy stuff from Northern grocery store in town subject to the availability! Hotel has a small gift shop but probably they should have had a small vending machine for some drinks, snacks, first aid stuff as well. I liked our tours with Heino and Alexi. Kayak tour with Belugas are the must. Donovan was very friendly and helpful as well. The only negative points: because of COVID, they were short of staff so services at the restaurant and cafe were super slow. BTW coffee and tea was free and excellent coffee at the cafe. But overall an excellent experience. I suggest you arrange the trip with Lazy Bear themselves as you may get an excellent deal and our trip cost one third of average trips to Churchill! we all loved our trip to Churchill. Highly recommended and a lifetime experience
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Date of stay: August 2021
Location
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip:rooms with the view of the ocean and field s are better
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This place is a gem. It is constructed entirely of reclaimed timber and has the cosy feel of a giant log cabin. Staff are friendly and helpful, and I haven’t even gotten to the food yet! The menu has more options than anything else in town. Whether you want a tasty club sandwich or you want to try some Arctic Char or Elk, this is the place to eat. Lattes and expresso are also available. Most other restaurants in town just have burgers and pub grub. Rooms are comfortable and include fluffy bathrobes and an indigenous owned line of soap and bath products. They also offer many tours and activities for the local area. If in Churchill, this is the place to be!
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Date of stay: August 2021Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The rooms are comfortable and clean and probably the best in Churchill for lodging. The restaurant is good and the menu changes which is nice. You only get one dinner included and the hotel doesn't supply any alcohol, but that was known ahead of time. The other nights you pay normal restaurant prices, and they didn't have any Arctic Char (other restaurants did). Safety is a priority, activities are punctual and it was a nice trip overall. Also really enjoyed the dog sled trip.
We were disappointed on how so much emphasis was put on coffee breaks and taking pictures of birds and other random stops. Chit chat with guests which prolonged unnecessary stops and prevented a better bear experience. And the second guide, I think his name was Kent, was so keen on his camera that he often stood in front of paying guests on the viewing platform on the back of the buggy.
I also had numerous requests that were ignored ie- making dinner reservations at other restaurants, lighting up the fireplace. We stopped for a coffee break because it was 10:00. I asked if we could wait 5 minutes and drive up to the other buggies (from Great White Bear Tours) that were surrounded by bears in the distance. Still not sure why our father/son expedition team thought it was also a good idea to keep such a distance.
If you want a slow and relaxing trip with good food and a good lodge with predictable time schedules this is a good pick.
My wife and I put more attention in the bears so I would lean more towards Great White Bear Tours or Frontiers North. They were always in the middle of the action and it seemed were higher in the pecking order amongst the buggies. Our friend went with a private expedition and had a great time, for cheaper, and was brought to a yurt for a northern light show.
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Date of stay: November 2021Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
First of all I read sone negative comments regarding Lazy Bear Expeditions which were written be A few unhappy travelers that expected a Marriott with all the amenities. Well, this not a Marriott it is a lodge built and owned by Wally Daudrich, a man born in Churchill who was a guide and built this business from scratch. He and his family have worked hard to build a fantastic operation that employs many from all over the world. His employees are hard working, courteous and friendly. His son, Deacon alias “muskrat king” as I called him is a terrific young man and was our guide; 17 years old and is years old and most knowledgeable and makes sure all tourists remain safe as this is polar bear country. Our trip was booked thru Lazy Bear and there Winnipeg contact, Sue, was terrific. Stayed at inn at the forks in Winnipeg; a terrific hotel at a great location. Our flight was delayed on first day by snowstorm in Churchill some 7 hours. Sue made arrangements to take the group to Winnipeg museum, and we finally arrived in snowy, clod Churchill late evening where they kept the restaurant open for us. Our rooms were small bit cozy. Hot shower and Keurig machine. Breakfast was great and they have the only espresso/ Cappucinno machine in Churchill. Which by the way is only aaccessible by train or plane. That’s why expensive. FYI, Wally just bought a 47’ catamaran boat foe beluga tours. A state of the art boat that was shipped up and will be ready for upcoming summer. We viewed many polar bears, red Fox during our trip. Remember, nothing is guaranteed in life, that means polar bear sighting is not guaranteed but our driver and guide found them. So prepare for an adventure with a terrific family owned tour operation and remember that you are in Churchill, CA, population of 950, three restaurants and no five star hotels. Oh, yes we saw northern lights, the front desk called us three times at night to let us know the northern lights were going on and what colors they were.
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Date of stay: October 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Our trip was amazing and over exceeded our expectations. Lazybear does everything possible to have you see the polar bears. The lodge is a lodge and you will hear noise and food was ok and a small lounge area, but they try to accommodate everyone as best they can. The people at the lodge go out of their way to make this a great trip for you. Our driver and tour guide Eric and Deacan were knowledgeable and passionate about making this the best trip possible. Please remember to tip (although they do not ask for a tip), they work hard long days for all of our enjoyment and although it is a lot of money for this trip we realized no one can control where the bears are and Lazybear does everything they can to make it possible. They only get to work 6 months of the year. The dog mushing experience and Northern lights were both amazing as well. The best place to shop for souvenirs is the gift shop beside the lodge. Flights will be delayed so plan for a delayed flight. Great experience and we will be back for Bulega Whale season at some point.
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Date of stay: October 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I'm reviewing the lodge only, not the restaurant or the travel packages they offer.
The lodge was the worst part of our stay, and disappointing to say the least. The rooms were very small - barely enough room for 2 small beds and a desk that came with stuff on it so there was no room for my stuff, and not much room to move around in, especially for 3 people. There is no fridge or microwave in room, but there is in the lobby that you can use; would've been nice to have an in-room fridge though. A tiny bathroom that barely had enough room to move around in, and a sink that had no room to put anything at all. A small window and no a/c. Most of the year I'm sure they do not need a/c, but for the couple weeks where it's hot & buggy out, a/c would make the guests a lot more comfortable. It was a hundred degrees the first couple days of our trip, and we were absolutely miserable in this tiny room together with no relief from the sweltering heat (there was no a/c anywhere in the lodge or restaurant, and even the vehicles we took on tours did not have a/c). A maintenance guy did come put a screen on our window, so we could open it part way, and there was a small fan in room, but neither did much to help. Housekeeping did come give us clean towels daily, but they didn't do anything else. Refreshing our bedding half way through our 4 days here, would've helped us feel more comfortable and probably made our room smell better after sweating in it and having no real air flow through here either. They recommended everyone prop their room doors open to try to get rid of the stuffiness, which we did do, but that didn't help either. Several others on our trip, said how just like us, they couldn't sleep being that hot & sweaty all night long.
Lastly, the walls are paper thin. If people are in the lobby playing charades late at night - you will here every detail from your room. Or they're walking in the halls, getting ice from the machine - anything - you will hear it as there's no sound barrier at all from your room. If people are outside your open window talking loudly for their tour to start at 8 am - that is what you'll wake up to. There is no elevator, so if you have mobility issues, note that, so you don't end up with a room upstairs. I was surprised this is a newer hotel because they seemed to scrimp on everything.
Overall, the lodge is not somewhere I'd want to stay again. We even discussed looking for another hotel in town because we were so uncomfortable here, even though this came with the package we paid a small fortune for. We ended up staying put, but I would absolutely look into staying somewhere else when I (hopefully) visit Churchill again. I loved the wildlife and people of Churchill, yet I was happy to be leaving this place and go back to Winnipeg to stay in a much more comfortable hotel.
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Date of stay: August 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
As each day goes by, I realize more and more just how special this adventure was. Every aspect of the tour was well organized and we were were given clear instructions about times and what to wear and expect for each segment
We were responsible for our flights in and out of Winnipeg, giving us the flexibility to add a day or two in Winnipeg before or after the Lazy Bear tour.
We were given a treat bag at the front desk of the Inn at the Forks when we checked in. It included instructions, lanyards, hot paws, name tags, polar bear candies and more.
Two personable representatives delivered us to the airport the next morning for our flight to Churchill where we met Kelli and Erik. Heino joined us the next day. Our fabulous guides worked as a team, safety always first, and shared many stories, background information, and our enthusiasm, patiently answering questions and gently reminding us to curb our enthusiasm and stay seated on the moving crawler!
The Lodge was welcoming: clean, comfortable and cozy and ALL staff were friendly and helpful. The food at the restaurant was excellent and whomever does the hiring chose the best of the best waitstaff from around the world.
Wildlife sighting and ideal weather cannot be guaranteed. But we saw polar bears. We saw ptarmigan. We saw more polar bears. One tried to eat our crawler.
On our last half day there was poor visibility and a polar bear was in town so we were unable to see or get out at the planned cultural spots. But a Parks Canada rep joined us onboard instead for a history of Fort Churchill and Q&A. Kyle is the grandson of Dave Daley with whom we had mushed dog sleds. Do not miss this amazing sledding activity if it is offered, as you will also be given a window into Métis culture.
The bear season is only 5 weeks long. The crawlers cost about $1 million each. Food, accommodation and fuel in the sub-Arctic are expensive. The only thing missing was the Aurora Borealis.
This is an expensive trip.
It is worth every penny.
Thank you Kelli, Eric & Heino and all of the staff at Lazy Bear. I learned so much about the north and had an unforgettable polar bear adventure.
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Date of stay: November 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I took my two sons to Churchill in hopes of seeing belugas, polar bears, and if we were lucky, the aurora. We saw all three and our trip was fantastic! Truly a trip of a lifetime! We enjoyed our tours and walking around the little town, including the museums and train station. We had Derek as our guide and he was really fun and had lots of interesting facts about the history of Churchill, since he used to live there. Katelyn was a great guide also and we really enjoyed being with her on our kayak trip! Wally, who built and owns the lodge, gave us our coastal tour on his boat. We saw many swimming bears and a mama and her cub, plus lots of whales. He was also a great source of information on the area. The restaurant has really good food and the most amazing vegetables you’ve ever had, courtesy of their own greenhouse. We found the serving staff to be very friendly and accommodating. They are usually bombarded with many guests all at once, (returning from tours) and did their best to keep us all happy. Overall a great experience and highly recommend the Lazy Bear Lodge!
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Date of stay: August 2022Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:Bring wipe on mosquito repellent and sunscreen. Also, quick stop to Northern to get some wine and...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We thoroughly enjoyed our stay in this family owned and run hotel. The staff were super helpful, going above and beyond when asked for tricky requests. The rooms are small, but have everything you need. There are communal areas which can be accessed at anytime. We were lucky to have a room that the windows opened to allow a cool breeze as it was hot. Cold water is freely available. Breakfast was basic help yourself, and the dinners were lovely with a good variety available. We would stay again.
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Date of stay: July 2024Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi
Please email info@lazybearexpeditions and our Arctic Specialist will send you all of your options for that time of year.
We are a fully integrated tour company. Our adventures get you up north and personal to the iconic wildlife of the north including the majestic Polar Bears all while being welcomed home at the only authentic northern wilderness lodge in Churchill.
Sincerely,
Lazy Bear Expeditions
I used a travel agency that booked the trip through a company that arranges flights, overnight hotel in Winnipeg and flight to Churchill. The staff at the lodge are very helpful so contacting them is a good idea
There are more places to choose from in the Churchill area.
ALSO KNOWN AS
lazy bear lodge hotel churchill, lazy bear hotel
LOCATION
CanadaManitobaChurchill
NUMBER OF ROOMS
33
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