Must-Try Lodging: 8 Best Places to Stay in Banff
I have good news if you’re wondering where to stay in Banff. It is much simpler to choose the best hotel in Banff and the surrounding area for you and your family to stay at than it is to find suitable housing in a big city. Even though Banff National Park is one of Canada’s biggest parks, there are only a few places to stay there, so it’s critical to know where the best accommodations in Banff are for you.
Since so much of Banff is under protection, the majority of the lodging options in Banff are located in the Town of Banff. In addition to that, we will focus on a few intriguing hubs. Do you want to find the best places to stay in Banff, Alberta? You don’t need to worry about a thing. Continue reading.
Banff offers a wide range of lodging options, from cozy bed & and breakfasts to five-star luxury hotels. A person is fortunate enough to stay in several different hotels in the Banff area, and it must say without a doubt that they will not be let down by any of the options on anyone’s list.
In addition to the Fairmont Banff Springs and Fairmont chateau lake Louise hotels, there are many more hotels from which to choose while looking for a place to stay in Banff. There is always going to be something extraordinary within easy reach, whether you are in the town of Banff itself or in one of the communities that are close by.
Banff Town is located inside Banff National Park and serves as a relaxing entryway and a comfort stop for those exploring the park. Although it is true that it contains high-quality restaurants, boutique stores, and even a nightclub and that some people do come for these things, the stunning mountain beauty of the National Park brings the majority of visitors.
There is no doubt that many of the best places to stay in Banff have breathtaking views of the park. However, the recommendations for the best places to stay in Banff take into account many other factors, such as comfort and service, to ensure that visitors do not feel like they are in a vast, untended wilderness.
People who want to stay active will find Banff a bit of a paradise. Its mountains and valleys fluctuate from high to low, creating a dramatic and exhilarating track for skiers and mountain bikers. At the same time, the peaceful, unsullied alpine lakes are perfect for boating, kayaking, canoeing, and other water sports.
The thick woods are home to elk, wolves, and bears, while the alpine meadows are filled with rich vegetation and flowers in the springtime. There are even hot springs; these springs were the impetus behind the park being designated as a protected area in the first place.
Discovered in 1883, at the height of the popularity of thermal bathing, it seemed as if the whole area would be inundated by private firms seeking to “sell” the new springs. However, the government in power at the time intervened and turned the whole region into a national park. It was Canada’s first national park and only the third park anywhere in the world.
However, Banff is not just known for its breathtaking natural scenery; the town also has several museums, most of which were established to enlighten tourists about the surrounding region.
Both the Banff Park Museum and the Buffalo National Luxton Museum are located in historic buildings; the former home of the Canadian Pacific Railway houses the Banff Park Museum, whilst the Buffalo National Luxton Museum is dedicated to telling the narrative of the region’s indigenous people.
Additionally, providing a one-of-a-kind historical perspective on the town, the old cemetery in Banff is another attraction that is well worth checking out while in the area.
1. Best Banff Hotels for First-Time Visitors
First-time visitors will find that the Town of Banff, situated inside Banff National Park in Alberta, makes for a fantastic home base.
You may discover a wide variety of lodging options, restaurants, spas, and pubs, in the town of Banff, and many things to do in Banff. Additionally, here is where you will discover other low-cost hotel alternatives in the Banff area. The following are some of the best hotels in Banff town.
1.1. Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel
Heaven is the place to be if you are seeking a place to stay in Banff that is well-known and luxurious at the same time. There is a good reason why Fairmont is often ranked as one of the top lodging options in the Banff area in moose hotel.
The Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel is the epitome of luxury and can be found in a place steeped in history. In addition to its proximity to the city center, which can be reached on foot in about 25 minutes, this hotel offers free shuttle service in that direction for its guests.
The hotel opened its doors in 1888 and has seen much remodelling work since then. The hotel is enormous, and among its many amenities are 11 restaurants, 14 shops, an indoor heated lap pool, and an outdoor heated pool.
1.2. Buffalo Mountain Lodge
The Buffalo Mountain Lodge is an excellent option for a hotel in Banff to choose from if you want to be in the middle of all the excitement in the actual town of Banff. The Buffalo Mountain Lodge is located only a 15-minute walk from the center of town. It provides a complimentary shuttle service so visitors can quickly go out for dinner, cocktails, or shopping downtown.
People seemed to enjoy lighting fires in their rooms while gazing over the Rocky Mountains range from Tunnel Mountain. The employees provide you with kindling, newspaper, matches, and wood so that you may build the ideal fire to create a romantic or intimate ambiance.
A fantastic option for supper is the Sleeping Buffalo Dining Room, which serves locally sourced fruits, vegetables, and grains in addition to hormone- and antibiotic-free bison and elk produced on the restaurant’s game ranch.
1.3. Hi Banff, Alpine Centre
A tight-budget visitor may strongly consider staying at the Hi Banff Alpine Center. It offers shared and individual sleeping quarters and a kitchen and is within walking distance of a dining area.
It is about a twenty-minute walk away from the heart of Banff, juniper hotel. It is a short drive to prominent Banff attractions such as Cave and Basin National Historic Site and Banff Upper Hot Springs, and the hotel is conveniently located.
1.4. Basecamp Suites Banff
If you want to be close to all the action in Banff Town, the best place to stay is in the downtown area. There are a large number of hotels from which to choose in Banff caribou lodge; however, the following are those that we have used in the past and have found to be satisfactory for all of our requirements:
The Basecamp Suites Banff can be found right off Banff Avenue in the city area of Banff. This unique facility has 21 luxurious suites that may accommodate anywhere from two to ten people. Each unit is equipped with a kitchen and a living area.
You are just a few steps away from all the shopping and entertainment in downtown Banff when you stay in an accommodation in the Cascade Shops and Plaza. The facility has two hot tubs on the rooftop where visitors can soak in the breathtaking vistas of the Canadian Rockies. If they want to hit the slopes, the property provides complimentary shuttles to get them to the ski hill.
1.5. Fox Hotel and Suites – Town of Banff
Because of its location in the heart of Banff, the Fox Hotel and Suites puts guests within easy walking distance of the city’s most popular restaurants and nightlife venues.
The enormous hot pool of the Fox Hotel and Suites, designed after the hot pools at the Cave & Basin, separates this property from the other hotels in Banff. The first national park in Canada was the Cave and Basin National Historic Site.
1.6. Elk & Avenue
If you want to be right in the middle of everything, the intersection of Elk and Avenue is your best bet. The Elk & Avenue has a prime position in the heart of Banff, making it easy to explore on foot while also putting guests near everything the area offers.
In addition, it offers free parking, which enables you to take a car excursion over the whole of Banff National Park and the Islands Parkway.
This Banff hotel is a simple establishment with limited facilities (a rather uninviting hot tub in a concrete room), but its position is hard to top.
1.7. Sunshine Mountain Lodge
The Sunshine Mountain Lodge is the best option for those who take their skiing seriously. It is the only hotel in Banff that is located slope side. Because of its location at the top of the gondola, this five-star hotel offers visitors the extraordinary chance to be the first to arrive at the ski resort.
The Sunshine Mountain Lodge is a winter hideaway that offers full-service amenities, including a spa, ski, snowboard lockers, and the most prominent outdoor hot pool in Banff. The loft accommodations with views of the ski slope are spectacular, and the restaurant serves Alberta beef and vegetarian alternatives.
1.8. Lake Louise Hotels
Lake Louise is an excellent location to launch skiing and snowboarding excursions near Ski Louise. Many activities are also available throughout the warm summer months at Lake Louise. In addition, Lake Louise has abundant activities, such as hiking, ice skating, dog sledding, and dining at several excellent restaurants.
Many hotels and other accommodations are available to select from in Lake Louise and are among the best places to stay in Banff.
2. Banff or Canmore?
If this is your first time visiting Banff, we recommend you book a room in the town. To get to the heart of Banff National Park from Canmore, which is just 20 minutes away, you may take the Banff Gondola. You’ll find yourself wanting to remain there.
Canmore and Banff are the best places to stay in Banff if you want to get a sense of the real Canmore and its inhabitants. Canmore is home to a diverse selection of restaurants and many outdoor recreation opportunities. Whether rock climbing or ice climbing, climbing is one of everyone’s favourite things in Canmore.
3. Lodging Options Available in Banff National Park
Looking for accommodations in the vicinity of Banff National Park? No need to look any further. It is included on the list of places to stay in Banff hotels, bed and breakfasts, hostels, and campsites that range in price and the number of services they provide.
This article can assist you in finding the ideal place to stay in the ideal location, whether you are coming here for a vacation with your significant other as a romantic getaway, to cross off this magnificent location from your bucket list, or to bring your family so that you can make memories that will last a lifetime.
Fairmont Banff Springs and Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise are two of the most well-known hotels in the surrounding area of Banff National Park and are among the best places to stay in Banff. Both feature famous chateau-style architecture, but one is set in the middle of breathtaking mountain scenery, while the other is on the shore of a beautiful lake.
These huge luxury resort hotels are noted for providing excellent, individualized care to their guests and providing various facilities, such as swimming pools, spas, several restaurants, and transportation services into the surrounding city.
Additional lodgings in Banff are on the smaller side but still have three or four stars, such as the Rimrock Resort Hotel and Fairmont chateau lake Louise. Guests staying in one of their more than three hundred pleasant and clean rooms can eat either on-site or in their rooms.
A health club and the Rimrock Spa are both on the premises, and guests can access both. If you are looking for hotels in Lake Louise, one option to consider is the Paradise Lodge, located only one kilometre from the lake, which is also among the best places to stay in Banff. The same family has run the establishment for the last 50 years, and it has won the Alberta Housekeeping Award 29 times. Guests can stay in lodge suites or cabins, with or without kitchens.
If, on the other hand, a more intimate setting is more to your liking, you may want to consider staying at the Banff Boutique Inn, which has just ten rooms and counts you as one of its guests, or the Post Hotel and Spa in Lake Louise, which has sixty rooms.
If you choose to stay at the Banff Boutique Inn, you will have access to the kitchen and can go downtown if you would rather dine at a restaurant than prepare your meals. This may be one of the top locations to stay in all of Banff. If you book a room at the Post Hotel and Spa, you won’t miss out on the beautiful dining experience, a wine cellar that has received several awards and is among the best places to stay in Banff.
In addition to hotels in Banff, Canada, we have compiled a list of campsites for those who like camping, take road trips in recreational vehicles (RVs), or are newcomers to the van lifestyle. Although most campsites don’t open until the warmer months, starting in the middle to the latter part of May and continuing through the late part of September and the beginning of October, Tunnel Mountain Village II is open every day of the year.
There are many campground amenities, some of which you may find at your campsite, such as power, showers, laundry facilities, food lockers, fire pits, cooking shelters, and even interpretive programs. You may find all these at a campground and among the best places to stay in Banff. It is essential to realize that not all campsites are wheelchair friendly.
Some campsites provide flush toilets, campgrounds only provide outhouses, and a select few campgrounds have sanitary dump stations for motor homes and vans. Connected to public transportation are the majority, but not all of them.
Although the summer months see the most fantastic visitors to Banff National Park, many tourists also arrive throughout the winter months. The park is open throughout the year so that visitors can enjoy the scenery and the natural surroundings anytime.
If you are interested in visiting a specific store or restaurant in the area but are worried that it could be closed for the winter, make advance plans. During the summer, many hotels and other accommodation facilities provide a variety of activities, and some of them even provide ski packages.
4. Make a Reservation at Hotels in Banff National Park
When preparing for a vacation to Banff National Park, visitors have their pick of several different hotels located inside the park itself. You may choose a hotel that will meet your demands and satisfy your tastes, regardless of how much money you have to spend.
The Banff Springs Hotel and the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel are fantastic options for vacationers seeking opulent lodging in Banff National Park. The Banff Rocky Mountain Resort and the Tunnel Mountain Resort offer more reasonable room prices for vacationers looking to keep their spending under control.
And these are among the best places to stay in Banff. There is a hotel in Banff National Park that will be ideal for you, regardless of your tastes or how much money you have to spend.
5. Some Highly Recommended Hotels
Days Inn by Wyndham in the city of Golden, the Days Inn by Wyndham is a no-frills motel found on Golden View Road. The Days Inn is an excellent choice since it provides vacationers with all the conveniences of home and reasonable room prices throughout the year. A kitchenette is available in each room, ideal for preparing quick meals and scrumptious snacks.
River to Peaks Inn – The River to Peaks Inn is located on River Glen Drive and provides guests with a taste of luxury at an affordable price. River to Peaks Inn is an excellent option for lodging in Golden. No of the weather outside, the rooms have the quaint atmosphere of a country home and are toasty and inviting. Every private bathroom has a stall or walk-in shower and complimentary amenities.
The Deer Ridge Bed & Breakfast is a beautiful place to stay if you are searching for a place in the heart of Golden. In the beautiful province of British Columbia, you will find a natural home away from home, considered the best place to stay in Banff. Both these hotels are among the best places to stay in Banff. The guests get the whole suite to themselves, which comes replete with a high-end coffee maker and a fully stocked kitchen with all of the necessary appliances. In addition, there is a patio area and an outdoor hot tub.
6. Things That You Should Not Miss
It is taking a tour of the magnificent Icefields and Glaciers, called “one of the best mountain drives in the world.” Take the Banff Gondola up Sulphur Mountain to an altitude of 2281 meters, where you will be treated to incredible vistas of the mountain ranges in the surrounding area. You can even have dinner at the top restaurant while enjoying the panoramic views. Both are the best places to stay in Banff.
As you drive down the Bow Valley Parkway, you will see a breathtaking landscape dotted with wild animals native to Canada, such as bears, moose, and elk, all of which are found in their natural environment.
Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies is a fascinating institution that focuses on educating visitors about the cultural importance of the Canadian Rockies via various displays and programs which can be considered as the best places to stay in Banff.
If you want to stay in one of the top places in Banff in the summer or winter, don’t forget to make your reservation plenty of time. This is because Banff is a trendy destination in both seasons.
Suggesting Reading: best places to stay in Banff
7. Conclusion
The picturesque mountain town of Banff, surrounded by steep mountains, is home to a diverse collection of lodging options and dining establishments are the best places to stay in Banff. During the months of late June through late September and during the holiday season, it is pretty touristic and is bustling with tourists from over the globe, giving it a vibrant international feel.
Because of the potential for traffic jams, it is often more convenient to park and strolls through this town, designed with pedestrians’ needs in mind. Golfing, downhill skiing of a world-class standard at three of the area’s resorts, and fantastic hiking are just a few activities that can be enjoyed here.
Downtown Banff is the epicentre of activity during the summer months, and it is packed with eateries, stores, pubs, visitors, automobiles, and many motorhomes. When winter arrives, things become noticeably more peaceful. Mount Norquay, Banff Sunshine Village, and Lake Louise Ski Resort are the three ski destinations in the surrounding region.
The journey from Lake Louise to Banff is around 40 minutes, while the distance from Calgary International Airport to Banff is approximately 1.5 hours. There are many fantastic hiking choices in and around Banff, besides some of the best places to stay in Banff for hiking and being found close to Lake Louise, which is located nearby.
Suggested Reads:
8 Awesome Music Stores in Calgary to Check Out
