Banff, Alberta

Lodgings are abundant in Banff. The winter season is quite busy however, so it is best to make reservations at least a month in advance. Accommodation choices run the gamut from the famous Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel penthouse, which has been sheltering royalty and celebrities beneath its spired pillars for over a century, to a local hostel, where you might share your room with a rowdy crowd of drunken Australian surfers.

For the very best in Banff living quarters, the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel has been around longer than the park or even the town itself, and has played a crucial role in the development of both. The Springs is quite expensive and always in high demand; reservations should be made up to six months in advance. With several restaurants and lounges, ballrooms, a spa, and many other entertainment choices, it is possible to stay quite busy in Banff and never leave the hotel. Perched on the lower slopes of Sulphur Mountain, the hotel is also very close to the Upper Hot Springs and commands a magnificent view of Mount Rundle.

If you don't have CAD600 to spend on a bed for the night, one of the downtown hotels might suit you well. Lining Banff Avenue for almost a kilometer, the hotel strip represents most upper-end chains, as well as a host of independent local operators. Most of these hotels have rooms in the CAD150-CAD250 price range. There are also a couple of inexpensive motels tucked away in the woods at the very north end of town, where a room can be had for less than CAD90 per night.

If you want to get away from the bright lights of the city, the Norquay's Timberline Inn offers one of the best views in the park from its perch on the lower slopes of Banff Mount Norquay. You can ski to your doorstep, and with the attached restaurant and lounge, you need not descend into the valley at all. The beautiful Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise is located about 50 kilometers north of Banff, on the banks of Lake Louise, a UNESCO Heritage Site, which sits on the edge of the dozen jagged mountains featured on Canadian dollar 20 bills. The Chateau is comparable in luxury and grandeur to the Fairmont Banff Springs, but receives less attention due to its isolated location.

If you want to be near town while still remaining close to nature, the Tunnel Mountain Chalets may be the answer. Located on the flank of Tunnel Mountain about three kilometres from downtown, these hotels have an excellent view of the Bow River Valley and peaks that loom over the neighboring town of Canmore. The Buffalo Mountain Lodge and the Banff Alpine Center share a clearing along the Tunnel Mountain Road, close to easy hiking trails and spectacular views. These hotels are much less expensive than their downtown brethren, and offer shuttle services to most downtown attractions and local ski hills.

For those with shallower pockets, Banff's sister town of Canmore, a 10-minute drive to the east, has a number of exceptional accommodation choices available at a fraction of Banff prices. Most of the Canmore hotels have shuttle services which transport guests into Banff for the nightlife, as well as out to the ski hills during the winter.

While harder to find than the big hotels, there are dozens of bed and breakfasts and small lodges scattered throughout the residential districts of Banff and Canmore. These run the gauntlet from one-bedroom units to fully appointed luxury suites. Depending on the location and quality of service, they can either be very expensive (up to CAD300 per night,) or very reasonable (less than CAD50 per night) in the off season. Staying at a B&B also has its advantages in that you get to personally know your hosts, who will give you advice on the best deals and entertainment options available in town. If you find yourself strapped for cash or cannot get a reservation in time, there are two hostels in town. The Banff Y Mountain Lodge at the south end of the bridge over the Bow River has 300 beds available to all manner of travellers. The Banff Alpine Center has 260 beds, as well as an excellent restaurant and information center.

There are several government and privately-operated campgrounds in the park as well. If you plan on staying in a campground, make sure to visit the Banff Information Center, which is located half-way down Banff Avenue, to inquire as to the latest campground conditions and to reserve a space.

Banff is a town centered around the art of hospitality, and nowhere is it more apparent than in their hotels. They take great pains to ensure that every guest is well taken care of, and the Banff Chamber of Commerce regularly inspects every place of lodging to ensure that it meets their stringent standards. Wherever you stay, you can be assured of a fine night's rest and exceptional service.

Drinking and dining are two very different activities in Banff. Well known as both a party town and a seat of haute couture, the town boasts raucous bars, but also gourmet eateries. From the starched linens of the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel's banquet hall to the grimy oaken tables of the Pump and Tap Tavern, your search for sustenance can show you the many sides of Banff.

Dining With hundreds of restaurants scattered throughout the town, it can be hard to choose one. Almost every hotel has a restaurant or two, most of which specialize in steak, which is eaten almost as commonly as breakfast cereal in Alberta. Vegetarian diners may struggle as it is nearly impossibly to find a meal without meat hidden in it somewhere.

The hotel restaurants typically are quite nice, though their menus are often limited. Most feature a casual dress code and meals in the CAD 10-20 range. Wine is a point of pride amongst Banff restaurateurs, and many of the hotels have cellars with hundreds of different varieties. Independent restaurants have flourished, particularly along Banff Avenue, and here you'll find greater variety, including foods from the Mediterranean, Asia, South America and Mexico. As Banff is particularly popular with visitors from Japan, sushi bars and noodle houses abound. For Greek cuisine, Caramba! and the Balkan can whip up a savory batch of calamari at a moment's notice. The Magpie and Stump serves huge helpings of fine Mexican food in a rather eccentric atmosphere, and the Saki House will have a steaming bowl of fresh noodles ready for you in seconds. 

If you are looking to dine while still drinking in the spectacular view of the Rockies, many restaurants have expansive patios and glassed in dining areas. Two of the best mountain views can be had at the Big Horn Steakhouse and the Eden. One nice thing about Banff is that there are very few fast-food outlets. Aside from a McDonald's and a Subway, the town is free from franchised chains. This allows for a great variety of food, and makes for some surprisingly good lunches and snacks. Aardvark Pizza and Sub is Banff's undisputed late-night snacking locale, with fast and healthy pizzas, wraps, donairs and sandwiches.

And then to drinking Drinking is a very serious affair in Banff, and an activity that the denizens of the town approach with a great deal of enthusiasm. Nearly every hotel has a venue of some sort, whether a quiet martini bar or a feverishly loud nightclub. Banff is almost as famous for its nightlife as it is for its skiing. Should you arrive in Banff at any time of night, on any night of the year you are guaranteed to see Banff Avenue teeming with carousers. Braving subzero cold in nothing but t-shirts, revelers hop from bar to bar along the Avenue, sampling the specials that each has to offer.

The Aurora Nightclub is the classiest of the clubs, with purple neon fuzzing the distinction between the doors of the maze-like interior and the mirrors scatted about the walls. The Rose and Crown Banff is a little more laid-back and serves as a family restaurant during the daylight hours. After dark, however, it fills with resort workers dancing to the live music.

For those who don't need many distractions to enjoy their drink, the Pump and Tap Tavern is a faux-Irish pub with a half-dozen tables and nightly showings of British soccer and rugby matches. Wild Bill's Saloon is a more Western bar, with hand-hewn wooden railings and a reputation for serving huge steaks and oversized draughts of beer. The clientele is unpredictable, as the band on stage may play anything from Country & Western to punk rock. For a more sedate drinking experience, wander into any hotel lobby and ask for the cocktail lounge. Almost all of the downtown hotels have specialty lounges, which are quieter and serve a wider variety of exotic drinks than the clubs. If you are in the mood for a forty-year old Scotch or wine of similarly ancient vintage, pull the bartender aside and ask to see their private stock, which is usually kept separate from the main bar.

Whatever your taste in apres-ski entertainment, you are sure to find it somewhere along Banff Avenue. Simply walk along the sidewalk and listen for music pulsing out of the open doors. Select your preferred scene, wander in and have a great time.