Location Matters

When looking for a hotel in Banff, one thing you should consider is where that hotel is located. There are several Banff hotels in the downtown area, and staying in the centre of Banff has the advantage of being close to all the usual amenities, such as restaurants, shopping and nightlife. Some popular downtown hotels are the Mount Royal Hotel, Brewster’s Mountain Lodge, and the Banff Park Lodge.
Many hotels are just a short walk from the centre along Banff Ave, such as the the Rundlestone Lodge, the Royal Canadian Lodge, and the Caribou Lodge. While staying out of the centre may involve walking into town for dinner, it is a pleasant walk and these hotels are normally quieter.
No matter where you are staying in Banff, you will not be far from the Town of Banff’s hybrid-electric public transit bus service. These environmentally friendly buses are easily recognized by the wonderful wildlife depicted on the exterior, and just cost $2 for a ride!

Lake Louise

Lake Louise is a destination in its own right with a good range of hotels and a small village centre with shops and a small number of restaurants. The lake itself is 3km from the village and is one of the most stunning sites in the Canadian Rockies. The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise lies on the lakeshore and is a magnificent place to stay or dine.
Lake Louise is home to some of the best hiking in Banff National Park and several days can be spent in the area by keen walkers or climbers.

Banff Springs Hotel

It is difficult to plan a visit to Banff without coming across some reference of the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel. The sheer grandeur of the building and its stunning setting have been enticing visitors to Banff for over 100 years.
For skiers and snowboarders it may be difficult to believe that the Banff Springs Hotel used to close its doors for the winter until the 1970s when it finally became a year round resort. If you ever get the chance to spend Christmas or New Year in Banff, you will see that the Banff Springs now captures the holiday spirit better than most people can imagine.
For many lucky visitors to Banff, the Fairmont Banff Springs will provide a temporary home, but if you are staying at another hotel in town, you should certainly make the effort to visit the Castle in the Rockies.

Fun, Fun, Fun

So you’ve taken in the sights and done a couple of hikes, and now you just want to have some fun? The following tips should help you do just that…

For breakfast, slip into a booth at Brunos, right downtown. Then for a fun, yet relaxing activity you can’t beat floating along the Bow River courtesy of Blue Canoe Rentals. Shopping for treats at Mountain Chocolates or Cows is hard to beat, and fashion and beauty lovers will adore 3 Wild Women and Smashing Cosmetica.

For lunch, you could try the Sushi Train or Timbers Patio, and then relax in the afternoon with a couple’s massage at Mountain Spa.
Earls or Chilis both offer great food and a fun atmosphere for dinner, and then work off the food by dancing at Banff’s best night club, Aurora. If all that boogying has built up an appetite, then a late night pizza at Aardvarks is the perfect way to round off the night.
For this fun filled schedule, the best place to stay is the Mount Royal Hotel, right in the heart of the action.

Enjoy!

Getting from Calgary to Banff

Banff is located just 135km from the city of Calgary, and approximately 1.5 hours from Calgary Airport.
Airport shuttles are reliable, comfortable and frequent and the main two operators are Brewster and Banff Airporter.
Car rental companies are also well represented at Calgary Airport, and renting a car can offer more independence, especially if you plan to tour around during your stay.
Driving to Banff is straightforward - almost the whole journey is west on Highway 1, also known as the Trans Canada Highway, and the route from Calgary to Banff is usually fairly quiet, especially compared to driving in Europe. However in winter the road can be covered in snow and ice and extra care should be taken, especially if you are not used to winter driving.
If you have extra time before or after your visit to Banff, you should consider spending some time in Calgary, a modern city with interesting attractions, and a good selection of restaurants and shopping. To find out more, visit the online guide to Calgary at www.calgaryalberta.com.

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