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The Best Areas to Stay in Banff
Banff is a compact town located in a spectacular alpine setting, encircled by rugged mountains, and boasts a wide selection of hotels and restaurants. It is very touristy and buzzes with travelers from worldwide, providing it a vibrant international flavor, with the peak season from late June through to late September and during Christmas. Traffic can be congested, so itβs frequently preferable to park and walk, when possible, as itβs a very pedestrian-friendly town. There are excellent hiking opportunities, world-class downhill skiing at three resorts in the area, and golfingβjust to name a few.
During the summer months, activities and crowds can be found throughout downtown Banff, as the area hosts numerous restaurants, shops, bars, visitors, vehicles, and recreational vehicles. In the winter season, the pace is much slower. The local mountains welcome skiers and snowboarders to three resorts – Mount Norquay, Banff Sunshine Village, and Lake Louise Ski Resort. Banff is approximately a 40-minute drive from Lake Louise and around 1.5 hours by car from the Calgary International Airport. Some of the finest hiking paths are located near Lake Louise, though Banff National Park offers many other excellent outdoor options as well.
- Best Boutique Hotels: Fener Hotel CafΓ© & Kahvalti β’ ΓeΕme Marina Konukevi β’ Bellapais 58 Luxury ΓeΕme β’ Marissa Boutique Hotel β’ Destina Boutique Hotel
The Best Places to Stay in Banff
- Best Luxury Hotels in Banff
The Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel and the Rimrock Resort Hotel - Best Luxury Hotels in Lake Louise
Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise – Moraine Lake Lodge – Post Hotel - Best Boutique Hotel in Banff
An accommodation known as Beaujolais Boutique B&B at Theaβs House.
The 6 Best Neighborhoods in Banff for Tourists
1. Downtown District (100-400 blocks of Banff Avenue)
I tend to utilize these websites to find lodging with the most affordable rates and then phone or email them directly to see if they`ll match the cost discovered online. Roughly half the time they`ll offer the identical rate. Even when they don`t you can ask detailed questions about any worries you may have which can be beneficial if traveling with children or a large group. Also, if you`re a member of a hotel rewards program then you`re more likely to earn points if booking straight rather than through Booking.com or Hotelscombined (though whether that`s worth paying a little more obviously depends on the specifics).
Pros: Very little walking required to access a wide selection of restaurants, shops, and its extremely convenient after a long day of outdoor activities like hiking or skiing.
Cons: Street noise from traffic, abundance of tourists, late-night revelers on Banff Avenue may be loud at times.
- Highest Quality Accommodations: Banff Aspen Lodge – Beaujolais Boutique B&B at Theaβs House – Moose Hotel – Mount Royal Hotel
2. The Uptown District (400β600 blocks of Banff Avenue)
The Uptown District area extends further in all directions from downtown. It has fewer buildings, with most hotels being older properties, and only a handful of restaurants. However, it is along the public transit route and within walking distance to downtown.
Staying in uptown provides smooth access to Rotary Recreation area which has a little play area for youthful children.
- Top Accommodations: Canalta Lodge β’ Fox Hotel
3. Sulphur Mountain Area (on the lower end of Banff Avenue and across the Bow River Bridge)
This area features two noteworthy attractions – Banff Upper Hot Springs with an outdoor pool offering beautiful views of the landscape, and the Banff Gondola, a cable car accessing the summit of Sulphur Mountain. Two of the most luxurious and expansive hotels in Banff – the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel and the Rimrock Resort Hotel – are also situated here. It should be noted that while the Rimrock Hotel is just over 2 miles from downtown, walking is not advised for parts of the route as some sections lack sidewalks. Virtually all restaurants and bars in the vicinity are located within either the Banff Springs Hotel or the Rimrock Hotel.
- Top Hotels Include: The Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel and the Rimrock Resort Hotel
4. Outskirts of Banff
- Top Hotels: Juniper Hotel β’ Sunshine Mountain Lodge
5. Lake Louise / Moraine Lake
Lake Louise is renowned worldwide for its magnificent scenery, turquoise lakes, the Victoria Glacier, towering mountain peaks, incredible hiking and skiing, and the iconic Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise hotel. It is a small, tranquil village (hamlet) and has only about a thousand inhabitants, perfect for relaxation and serenity. The road to Moraine Lake and the Valley of the Ten Peaks branches off from the main road. Many types of shuttles are available, however, so reaching there is never an issue. Note: If you are staying at either of the hotels (the Chateau Lake Louise or Moraine Lake Lodge) guest parking is provided and access to the two roads is never impeded. The village of Lake Louise has approximately a dozen restaurants, ranging from casual to fine dining, and a handful of these are first-class. The allure of Lake Louise and Moraine Lake is that it`s in the heart of amazing scenery and surrounded by extraordinary hiking trails, including Larch Valley. Unique to the area are two Tea Houses that can only be accessed on foot (hiking): the popular Lake Agnes Tea House and the Plain of Six Glaciers Tea House. In both summer and winter, you can feel closer to nature here than in the Banff town center. Lake Louise/Moraine Lake is a 45-minute drive from Banff and 2.5 hours from Calgary International Airport. Situated very close to Lake Louise Ski Resort and their summer gondola, which is a great spot to see wild grizzly bears in their natural habitat. Non-skiers have the option to rollerblade, snowshoe, cross-country ski, sightsee, ride a horse-drawn sleigh, go dogsledding, and take in special events such as the Ice Magic Festival (ice carving competition) held every January at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise.
- Highly Recommended Accommodations:Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise – Post Hotel – Moraine Lake Lodge
6. Canmore
This small mountain town is less commercial when compared to Banff. It is surrounded by towering peaks and is home to the majestic Three Sisters Mountains, which stands as the focal point of Canmore, and is situated 5 minutes east of the entrance to Banff National Park, and 15 minutes from the community of Banff. The eateries and other companies have a genuine down-home feeling. There are some fantastic dining establishments and microbrew pubs, and with far fewer visitors than Banff, it does not have the identical international buzz that Banff offers. One of Canmoreβs newest attractions is Legacy Trail, a 22-km cycling path running from Canmore to Banff. Tip: if you pedal one way and donβt want to pedal back, just hop on the local ROAM bus with your bicycle. Buses run every 30-60 minutes in summer. Not as touristy as Banff, it has a more neighborly ambiance and provides many superb dining choices. Also, lodging tends to be less expensive than Banff and Lake Louise. However, there is no ski resort in Canmore, but they do boast the Canmore Nordic Centre which offers world-class cross-country skiing in the winter and over 60 miles of trails for mountain biking and trail running in the summer.
- Top Hotel:Paintbox Lodge
