The Ultimate Overview of Hotels in Banff National Park

Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel

If you want to go on vacation to Banff National Park, there are a lot of hotels where you can stay. In this article, you’ll find a comprehensive overview of most accommodations in the park and Canmore. This way you can easily compare them and quickly make the right choice.

Before you start comparing hotels at all (see the tables below), it’s good to know that you need to have quite a hefty budget if you want to spend your vacation in Banff National Park. Expect well over CAD 250 per night in summer. These kinds of prices even apply to simple hotels.

Because Banff National Park is very touristy, I recommend you book in time (months in advance). You usually still have plenty of choice and prices are sometimes a bit more favorable than if you book a few days or weeks in advance.

At the same time I can imagine that you don’t want to fix your whole vacation in advance. In that case, you will have to book a room on the spot. Keep in mind that your choice will be limited. You sometimes will have to spend more on a hotel than you would like.

Availability of Hotel Rooms

According to the Banff Municipal website, the townsite has approximately 3,700 hotel rooms. The occupancy rate is estimated at 2.1 to 2.9 people per room. So at a 90 percent occupancy rate, we are talking about a hotel population of 7,500 (!) guests.

In addition, Banff has a large campground on Tunnel Mountain. This is – of course – not included in the overview.

Cheap Accommodation

If your budget isn’t too big and you still want to stay overnight in the park, you can book a hostel. Although cheap may not be the right word here either. In high season, the prices for a hostel are easily equal to those of an average hotel outside the park. But you often pay considerably less than in the hotels in Banff. Click the link if you want to know why hotel rooms in Banff are so expensive.

Keep in mind that you share your room and bathroom with other guests in a hostel. Although in most hostels you can also book a private room and private bathroom for two people. In that case, the price you will pay will be close to that of a hotel room.

As far as hostels are concerned, you have quite a bit of choice. Even cheaper accommodation is also possible, but in that case you are dependent on a campground. If you want to know more about campgrounds, read this extensive post about campgrounds in Banff National Park.

The Hotel Overview

In the overview below, you’ll find comparisons of hotels in Banff, Lake Louise, Canmore and the other hotels in the park. In total, I have listed 165 accommodations. The overview is not complete but most of them have been included so you are guaranteed to find a place to stay that suits your needs.

The advantage of the overview is that you can make your choice based on average reviews. It also enables you to see at a glance whether the hotel has a swimming pool, air conditioning or a gym, to name but a few.

It would take me too far to list all hotel facilities. So the ones on the list are the facilities that many people will typically base their choice on.

Hotels in Harvie Heights, a hamlet on the Trans-Canada Highway, just north of Canmore, can be found in the list for Canmore. The same goes for the hotels in Dead Man’s Flats.

Findings from the Comparisons

By comparing the hotels in the survey, I can state that all hotels are smoke-free. All accommodations also have (usually free) parking facilities and (free) wifi. People who want to bring their pet have a reasonably wide range of choices and people with physical disabilities can go to quite a few places.

Accommodations for the Disabled

Visitors who have difficulty walking and/or use wheelchairs can stay at quite a few places, but this could be better.

One drawback, for example, is that many bed and breakfasts have stairs leading up to the front door. Many houses have basements with windows that protrude just above ground level in Canada. As a result, the first floor is built about a meter above ground level.

Unfortunately, in quite a few instances I have not been able to determine whether the accommodation is wheelchair-friendly. If that is the case for a particular accommodation, you will find it in the overview. It’s probably a good idea to contact the accommodation about this before booking.

If you want to read more about possibilities for disabled persons or persons who are physically challenged I recommend reading the post How accessible is Banff for Disabled Persons.

Staying in Luxury in Banff

If you want to stay in luxury in Banff, then the Fairmont Banff Springs, the Rimrock Resort and the Fairmont Château Lake Louise stand out. You’ll need a hefty budget for spending a night in one of these top level hotels. In addition, you also pay for parking. This is free at all other accommodations.

There are other luxury hotels, but the above three are the best-known and most prominent in the park.

Location of Accommodations

The vast majority of accommodations in the Banff townsite are located in the town center or at least within walking distance of the center. This is quite convenient, especially if you want to have a drink in a restaurant or bar in the evening.

The same applies to many hotels in Lake Louise and Canmore. This is different for the accommodations in the fourth overview, ‘remote accommodations’, because it is often the only accommodation in the area. If you book a room there, a car is more or less mandatory to be able to get there.

In the overview you will also find the (walking) distance to the center (in the overviews for Banff, Canmore and Lake Louise). This is useful if you want to make sure that your hotel of choice has a good location.

Fantastic Views when Waking up

Who wouldn’t want to wake up to a beautiful view? In Banff National Park you’re guaranteed to be able do just that. Of course, some hotels are better situated than others. If you want a nice view from your hotel room, check with your preferred hotel before booking.

You usually pay a premium for such a room. Still, in the park it is not that important. Nature in Banff is omnipresent. You only have to go outside to see and experience nature.

The Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel and the Rimrock Resort Hotel are highly recommended for the best views. In Banff town you can also expect to see a lot of beauty from the Juniper Hotel, the Bow View Lodge, the Banff Park Lodge Resort Hotel and the Hidden Ridge Resort.

The Château Lake Louise in Lake Louise stands out, but the Moraine Lake Lodge and Num-Ti-Jah Lodge also offer fantastic views, just to name a few.

If you’re planning to go to Banff for your honeymoon you should definitely check out the post Complete Guide to Planning an Extraordinary Honeymoon in Banff.

Well-Known Hotel Chains

If you like to know what to expect, then booking a hotel room in a hotel of a well-known hotel chain can be a good idea.You won’t find many famous (international) hotel chains in Banff National Park. There are four:

  • Best Western
  • Holiday Inn
  • Super 8
  • Fairmont

Explanation of the Tables

In the overviews below, you will find four comparison tables. Each table includes the same number of variables, eleven in total.

For the average rating, I used the information from Google. This is displayed on a scale from 1 to 5. I have used a lower limit of one hundred reviews for all hotels to give an actual average. If an accommodation has less than one hundred ratings, you will find a dash in the overview.

You also might want to check out this post about restaurants in Banff National Park. It provides a handy overview of most restaurants and fast food joints in Banff.

Abbreviations:
FP = Free Parking
FB = Free Breakfast
AC = Air Conditioning
HT = Hot Tub
SP = Swimming Pool
FN = Fitness
WA = Wheelchair accessible
PA = Pets Allowed
DC = Distance to the Center (in meters)
= No Data
* = On Request

Banff

HOTEL NAMESCORESTARSTYPEFPFBACHTSPFNWAPFDC
A Banff Boutique Inn4.6***Hotel✓✓✓✗✗✗✗0.9
A Good Nites Rest4.2B&B✓✓✓✗✗✗✗0.6
At Wits End Bed & Breakfast4.9B&B✓✓✓✗✗✗✗1.0
Banff Aspen Lodge4.2***Hotel✓✓✓✓✗✗✓✗0.4
Banff Avenue Bed & Breakfast4.5B&B✓✓✗✗✗0.5
Banff Bear Bed And Breakfast5.0 B&B✓✓✗✗✗✗✓✗0.5
Banff Beaver Cabins Inc.4.4**Hotel✓✗✗✗✗✗✗0.3
Banff Boutique Inn4.6***House✓✓✓✗✗✗✗✗0.9
Banff Caribou Lodge & Spa4.0***Hotel✓✗✗✓✓✓✓✓1.0
Banff Inn4.2***Hotel✓✗✓✓✓✗✓✗0.9
Banff International Hostel4.1*Hostel✓✓✓✗✗✗✗✗0.7
Banff Log Cabin Guesthouse**B&B✓✗✗✗1.9
Banff Mountain Home4.5House✓✗✓✗✗✗✗✗0.3
Banff Park Lodge Resort Hotel4.2***Hotel✓✗✗✓✓✓✓✗0.2
Banff Ptarmigan Inn4.0***Hotel✓✓✗✓✗✗✓✓0.2
Banff Rocky Mountain HouseHouse✓✗✓✗✗✗✗✗0.3
Banff Rocky Mountain Resort4.1***Hotel✓✗✗✓✗✓✗✓*3.4
Banff Squirrels Nest B&B4.2B&B✓✓✗✗✗✗✗0.3
Banff Voyager Inn3.3**Hotel✓✓✗✓✓✗✓1.3
Beautiful Banff B&BB&B ✓✓✗✗✗✗✗1.2
Best Western Plus Siding 29 Lodge4.0***Hotel✓✓✓✓✓✗✓✓*0.7
Blue Mountain Lodge3.8***B&B✓✓✓✗✗✓✗0.3
Bow View Lodge3.6***Hotel✓✗✓✓✓✗✓✗0.3
Brewster’s Mountain Lodge4.2***Hotel✓✓✗✗✗✓✓✗0.2
Buffaloberry B&B4.2****B&B✓✓✗✗✗✗✗0.5
Buffalo Mountain Lodge4.2***Hotel✓✓✗✓✓✓✓✓1.6
Cabins at Douglas Fir Resort and Chalets***Hotel✓✗✓✗✗✗✗1.7
Canalta Lodge4.3***Hotel✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓1.2
Cascade Court Bed and Breakfast4.8B&B✓✓✓✗✗✗1.2
Charltons Banff4.0***Hotel✓✗✓✓✓✗✓✗0.9
Cottage B&B5.0B&B✓✗✗✗✗✗✗0.4
Dorothy Motel4.7**Motel✓✗✓✗✗✗✗✓*1.3
Douglas Fir Resorts & Chalets4.0***Hotel✓✗✓✓✓✓✓✓1.7
Elkhorn Lodge3.9*Hotel✓✗✗✗✗✗✗1.0
Elk + Avenue Hotel4.3***Hotel✓✗✓✓✓✗✓✓*0.2
Fairmont Banff Springs4.7****Hotel✗✗✓✓✓✓✓✓1.7
Fox Hotel & Suites4.2***Hotel✓✓✓✓✗✓✓✓0.8
HI Banff Alpine Centre4.3 **Hostel✓✗✗✗✗✗✓✗1.8
Hidden Ridge Resort4.2***Hotel✓✗✓✓✓✗✓2.0
High Country Inn4.2***Hotel✓✗✓✓✓✗✓✗0.5
Hillside Bungalows4.5**Hotel✓✗✗✗✗✗✓*0.8
Holiday Lodge Bed And Breakfast4.8***B&B✓✓✓✗✗✗✓0.2
Irwin’s Mountain Inn4.0***Hotel✓✗✓✓✗✓✓✓0.5
Juniper Hotel4.4***Hotel✓✗✓✗✗✗✓✓1.6
King Edward Hotel3.9**Hotel✓✗✓✗✗✗✗0.2
Moose Hotel & Suites4.6****Hotel✓✗✓✗✗✗✓✓0.3
Mount Royal Hotel4.3***Hotel✓✗✓✓✗✗✓✗0.2
Mountain View Bed & Breakfast4.6B&B✓✓✓✗✗✗✗0.5
Peaks Hotel & Suites4.7Hotel✓✗✓✗✗✗✓✗0.2
Poplar Inn4.0***B&B✓✓✓✗✗✗✗0.3
Professional Develop- ment Centre Hotel4.7Hotel✓✗✗✓✓✓✗2.0
Red Carpet Inn3.9**Hotel✓✗✓✓✗✗✓✓*0.5
Rimrock Resort Hotel4.5****Hotel✗✗✓✓✓✓✓✓3.1
Riverfront Estate4.6B&B✓✓✓✗✗✗✗0.3
Royal Canadian Lodge4.0****Hotel✓✗✓✓✓✓✓✗0.7
Rundlestone Lodge4.2***Hotel✓✗✓✓✓✓✗1.1
Samesun Banff4.3*Hostel✓✗✗✗✗✗✗0.6
Sunshine Mountain Lodge4.5***Hotel✓✗✗✓✓✓✗24
Tan-Y-Bryn4.8B&B✓✓✓✗✗✗✗0.6
Thea’s House5.0**B&B✓✓✓✗✓✗✓0.4
Tunnel Mountain Resort4.3***Hotel✓✗✓✗✗✓✓✓1.6
Lodging in the Town of Banff

Canmore

HOTEL NAMESCORESTARSTYPEFPFBACHTSPFNWAPFDC
A Bear & Bison Canadian Country In4.8****Hotel✓✓✓✓✗✗✗1.4
Ambleside Lodge B&B***B&B✓✗✗✗✗✗1.5
A Room With A ViewB&B✓✓✗2.7
Avens ReNaissance B&BB&B✓✓✗✗✗✓✗2.4
Banff Boundary Lodge4.3**Hotel✓✗✗✓✗✗✓5.0
Banff Gate Mountain Resort4.4Hotel✓✗✗✓✓✓✗9.6
Banff Woods Lodge4.9Hotel✓✗✓✓✓5.3
Basecamp Lodge4.2Hotel✓✓✓✗✗✗✗✗0.3
Basecamp Resorts Canmore4.3Hotel✓✓✓✓✓✗0.3
Basecamp Suites CanmoreMotel✓✗✓✓✗✗✗0.9
Beautiful Canmore Mountain GetawayHotel✓✗✗✓✓✓✓✗0.5
Bighorn Inn & Suites2.9**Hotel✓✗✗✗✗✗✗7.9
Bill’s Place in Canmore DowntownHotel✓✗✓✗✗✗2.0
Blackstone Mountain Lodge4.5***Hotel✓✗✓✓✓✓✓✗1.5
B&B MonarchB&B✓✓✗✗✗✓✗2.8
Canadian Artisans Bed and BreakfastB&B✓✓✗✗✗0.3
Canadian Rockies Chalets4.2**Hotel✓✗✗✗✗✗✓✓0.5
Canmore Basecamp SuitesHotel✓✗✗✗✗✗✗✗0.2
Canmore Bow Valley HomeB&B✓✗✗✗✗1.0
Canmore Crossing***Hotel✓✗✓✓✓✗✓✓0.4
Canmore Downtown HostelHostel✓✗✓✗✗✗✓✗0.2
Canmore Hotel Hostel3.8Hostel✓✗✗✗✗✗✗✓0.9
Canmore Inn & Suites3.9***Hotel✓✗✓✓✓✓✗✓0.8
Canmore Rocky Mountain Inn4.0***Hotel✓✗✓✗✗✗✓✓1.6
Cat’s Meow Bed And BreakfastB&B✓✓✓✓✗✗✗1.8
Chickadee Pines B&BB&B✓✓✗✗✗2.9
Coast Canmore Hotel & Conference Centre4.1***Hotel✓✗✓✓✓✓✓✓0.2
Copperstone Resort4.4***Hotel✓✗✓✓✗✓✓✓2.4
Cozy Mountain View CondoHouse✓✗✓✓✗✓✗1.4
Creekside Villa4.5***Hotel✓✗✓✗✗✗✗✗1.5
Days Inn by Wyndham Canmore4.0**Hotel✓✗✓✗✗✓✓✓1.1
Drake Inn3.7**Motel✓✗✗✗✗✗✓✓0.5
Elkhorn Ranch Spa Ltd***Hotel✓✗✓✓✗✗✗1.6
Falcon Crest Lodge4.6***Hotel✓✓✓✓✓✗0.7
Fenwick Vacation RentalsHotel✓✓✓✓✗✓0.4
Fire Mountain Lodge4.3***Hotel✓✗✓✓✗✓✗✓0.3
Georgetown Inn4.4***Hotel✓✗✓✗✗✗✓✓0.3
Grande Rockies Resort4.0****Hotel✓✗✓✓✓✓✗✗0.3
Grand Canadian Resort3.9Hotel✓✗✓✓✓✓✓3.1
Grandview ChaletB&B✓✓✗✗✗✗2.3
Holiday Inn Canmore3.9***Hotel✓✗✓✗✓✓✓✗0.6
Homestead Break & BreakfastB&B✓✓✗✗✗✗2.2
HI – Canmore Clubhouse***Hostel✗✗✗✗2.9
Hidden Falls Bed and BreakfastB&B✓✗✗✗✗1.7
Inn of the Rockies3.9***Hotel✓✗✓✓✓✓✓5.2
Lady DeVine Bed and BreakfastB&B✓✗✗✗✓3.4
Lady Macdonald Country Inn4.8***Hotel✓✓✓✗✗✗✓✗0.4
Lamphouse Hotel4.3***Hotel✓✗✓✗✗✗✗✗0.7
Lodges at Canmore4.3***Hotel✓✗✓✓✓✓✓✓0.6
Malcolm Hotel by Clique4.5****Hotel✓✗✓✓✓✓✓✓9.6
Mountain Fun***Hotel✓✓✓✓✓✓✗0.8
Mountain Lily Bed & BreakfastB&B✓✓✗✗✗2.8
Mountain View GetawayHotel✓✗✓✗✗✓✓✓5.2
Mountain View Inn4.5**Hotel✓✗✓✗✗✗✗0.3
Mystic Springs Chalets & Hot Pools4.3***Hotel✓✗✓✓✓✗✓0.4
Off Our Rockies Bed and BreakfastB&B✓✓✓✗✗✗✗✗2.7
Paintbox Lodge***Hotel✓✓✗✗✗✗✗0.2
Paradise Resort Club***Hotel✓✗✓✓✓✓✓✗0.4
Park Gate ChaletsHotel✓✗✗✗✗✗✓5.1
Platinum Suites Resort****Hotel✓✗✓✓✓✓✗2.2
Pocaterra Inn and Waterslide4.4***Hotel✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓1.8
PRC Annex****Hotel✓✗✓✓✓✓✓✓*0.4
Quality Resort Château Canmore3.9***Hote✓✗✓✓✓✓✓✓1.6
Revel Guest House by Bow Vacation Property***Hotel✓✓✓✗✓✗0.3
Rocky Mountain Getaway****Hotel✓✗✓✗✗✓5.3
Rocky Mountain GrottoB&B✓✗✗✗✗✗2.8
Rocky Mountain Ski Lodge4.3**Hotel✓✗✓✓✗✗✓✓1.3
Rundle Chalets3.1**Hotel✓✗✗✗✗✗✗✓4.4
Rundle Mountain Lodge3.5**Hotel✓✓✓✓✗✗1.7
Silver Creek Lodge / Rundle Cliff Lodge4.4***Hotel✓✓✗✗✓✓1.6
Solara Resort & Spa4.4****Hotel✓✗✓✓✓✗✓0.7
Spring Creek Vacations4.6****Hotel✓✗✓✓✗✓✓✗0.3
Stella Alpina Bed and BreakfastB&B✓✓✗✓✗✗✗0.6
SSR Property ManagementHotel✓✗✓✓✗✗✗1.5
Stoneridge Mountain Resort4.6****Hotel✓✓✓✓✓✓✗0.9
Summit at Grande Rockies****Hotel✓✗✓✓✓✓✓✗0.3
Sunset Resorts Canmore / Sunset Mountain Inn3.7***Hotel✓✗✓✓✓✓✓✗0.4
Super 8 by Wyndham Canmore4.5**Hotel✓✓✓✓✗✓✓✗1.0
Upscale Chalet, Mystic Springs****Hotel✓✗✗✓✓✗✓✓*0.4
Waypoint by BOW Vacation Property ManagementHotel✓✓✗✓✗0.4
Windtower Lodge & Suites / Windtower Resort3.5***Hotel✓✗✗✗✗✓✓✓0.5
WorldMark Canmore-Banff4.5***Hotel✓✓✓✓✓✓✗2.2
Yamnuka Suite***Motel✓✗✓✗✗✗1.4
Lodging in Canmore

Consider booking a hotel in Canmore? In that case I recommend reading the post about everything Canmore has to offer and why it’s a good choice to book your hotel there.

Lake Louise

HOTEL NAMESCORESTARSTYPEFPFBACHTSPFNWAPFDC
Baker Creek Mountain Resort4.6***Hotel✓✗✓✓✗✗✓11.3
Deer Lodge3.5***Hotel✓✗✓✓✗✗✗2.4
Fairmont Château Lake Louise4.6*****Hotel✗✗✓✓✓✓✓✓2.8
HI Lake Louise Alpine Centre4.4*Hostel✓✗✗✗✗✗✓✗0.5
Lake Louise Inn4.1***Hotel✓✗✓✓✓✓✗✓0.5
Mountaineer Lodge3.9**Hotel✓✓✓✓✗✗✓✓0.1
Paradise Lodge & Bungalows4.6***Hotel✓✗✗✗✗✗✓✗1.6
Post Hotel & Spa4.6****Hotel✓✗✓✓✓✗✓✗0.3
Lodging in Lake Louise

Backcountry Lodges

HOTEL NAMESCORESTARSTYPEFPFBACHTSPFNWAPF
Baker Creek Mountain Resort4.6***Hotel✓✗✓✓✗✓✗✓
Castle Mountain Chalets4.4***Hotel✓✗✗✓✗✗✓✓
HI Castle Mountain Wilderness Hostel*Hostel✓✗✓✗✗✗✗✗
Crossing Resort3.7**Hotel✓✗✗✗✗✗✓✓
David Thompson Resort3.4**Hotel✓✗✗✗✗✗✓✓
HI Mosquito Creek Hostel*Hostel✓✗✓✗✗✗✗
HI Rampart Creek Hostel*Hostel✓✗✓✗✗✗✗
Johnston Canyon Lodge & Bungalows4.2*Hotel✓✗✗✗✗✗✓
Moraine Lake Lodge4.6***Hotel✓✓✗✗✗✗✗
Num-Ti-Jah Lodge4.3***Hotel✓✗✗✗✗✗✗✗
Backcountry lodges in Banff National Park

If you want to get an idea of Banff hotel prices, I recommend reading the post I wrote about how much a hotel in Banff costs on average at different times of the year.

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