This was my first Banff mountain to visit for 2024…read more When you arrive there is manually scanning at the lifts. The lines are pretty short- crowds were not bad on a Saturday. The runs were reasonable challenging and length was good for an intermediate skier. Disclosure, just accounting for the green and blue runs- was not able to visit the black diamond. We were able to get a close parking spot on a Saturday- so overall can't really complain. The only thing that may slow you down is the manual scanning but your aren't elbow to elbow waiting in line.

This family friendly and smaller ski resort is amazing to get away from the crowds. If you are…read morestaying in Banff downtown, grab the free Norquay shuttles it picked us up from Ptarmigan Inn. They are on time and extremely efficient, if one bus gets filled another one is called immediately. We didn't wait more than 5 min for the second bus. It takes about 15 min to get to the mountains depending on the traffic. The mountain only has a few lifts but it's a wonderful experience, the minimal crowds to the friendly atmosphere I don't think it gets better than this. The snow sport culture can sometimes have a very pretentious and obnoxious vibe but this place is the absolute opposite. The runs are steep with plenty of options for every level. The ski school was so good, my 5 yr old son was in the two hour 1pm time slot with Ryan and he did a fantastic job. The ratio was 1 teacher and two kids. The magic carpet is long and you can get a good run as it isn't too short. The school check in is next to the rental building, the lesson starts with the instructors meeting by the check in building. The main lodge is old school and homey. The staff are all sweet and relaxed. We had the chili and the smoked salmon to go sandwiches both are fairly priced and solid. Multiple lockers and a ton of shelves for bags etc. Small gift shop inside for some souvenirs. Parking is free if you decide to drive up yourself but I'd say take the shuttle, it's an easy and hassle free experience. Stay safe and have fun shredding!

Banff Sunshine Mountain resort is the mid size and mid distance one about a 20 minute bus ride From…read moreBanff. The base area is on top of the gondola although there is one narrow trail to ski all the way down (green/blue options). Gondola has a mid point stop before the top base area for the Goat's Eye lift. Fewer green and blue trails than lake Louise but has some very wide open areas with expansive rolling hills and easy tree skiing. Pretty good for beginner/intermediates. Snow condition seems to be better although on cloudy days with the vast white expanse everything could look really flat. Lodges can get very crowded during peak lunch hours. You can't carry backpacks into the lodges (smaller bags are probably ok although it's not clear). Mountain tour starts late here at 11:45 and takes 3 hours. Waiting for the bus is always a bit of a pain as they always get crowded and full and you have to wait for the next on even when arriving at the stop on time. The pick up times are far apart although sometimes on the return they do start loading 10-15 min before schedule and leave when full. Ski/board storage in luggage compartment under the bus, some have limited shelves some just in a crazy pile. On some smaller buses you just carry skis onto the bus. Might want to consider putting skis in a bag or get some protection for the bindings as they can get really tangled when loading and unloading as people don't seem to care about damaging anyone else's equipment. They still give out paper trail maps which is great as some map boards a too high up and difficult to see. Although doesn't seem to show how to ski all the way down. To do that you have to go past the gondola and ride the short Jack Rabbit lift up. The trail is 5 miles long and surface can be hard, bumpy and slick when cold and shaded.

We have been traveling to Banff to ski for 6 years from Texas and have used Ski Big 3 each year for…read moreski instructors. Anytime we bring newbies with us to Banff we have requested Mike and Maja for lessons. They are totally amazing how well they adapt their instruction style to each of the new skiers in our group. They have now taught each of our teenagers, adult children, and a couple of friends how to ski and feel confident on the slopes. The skills that they have learned in just 2 or 3 days each season has been great and will last a lifetime. The changes that I have seen in my youngest skier is invaluable. I would highly recommend lessons with Ski Big 3.

I had a blast doing the Via Ferrata here at Norquay. My running group company booked this adventure…read moreas an excursion on our trip to Banff. The Via Ferrata (Italian for the Iron Path) has five different types of adventure tours: Explorer, Ridgewalker, Alpinist, Skyline and Summiteer. Each of these trails cater to all different types of skill levels. My travel company booked the Explorer package for our group which is 1 km (3,280 feet) in distance and lasts just over 2 hours. The views are breathtaking and I really enjoyed doing my first Via Ferrata. You can see one of the coolest looking mountains Mount Rundle in the distance while on the trail. Mount Norquay has a rich ski culture that goes back to the early 1900s. It lies directly northwest of the Town of Banff and is one of Banff National Park's three major ski resorts. The mountain has a top elevation of 6,998 feet. The main chair lift is one of the oldest lifts in North America and has been providing riders with views of the Bow Valley since 1948. Mount Norquay Ski Resort is operated by Norquay Mystic Ridge Ltd. Norquay has a total of 60 runs and is a huge supporter of alpine ski racing. The Mount Norquay Via Ferrata is located in Banff National Park. We had a great guide that took us up the sheer rock wall and across the suspension bridge. I initially was a little nervous, but felt safe the whole time with the harness that attaches to the mountain's steel cable pathway. Those cables can hold a ton of weight. Anyone without rock climbing experience can do this. Before we started our climb, our guide went over all of the safety rules and let us do a practice run on a short wall before we headed up the chair lift. Norquay Via Ferrata offers complimentary hiking boots if you forgot to bring some and has a bistro and snack bar if you are hungry. The Norquay Via Ferrata is a must if visiting Banff National Park.

The best experience we have ever gone into blindly. Very well curated guided experience, great…read morecondition equipment, amazing and funniest guide. We had lot of fun with the Ridgewalker hike/climbing we did. Worth every dollar we spent on it. It was safe and the instructions were clear, concise and easy to follow. The work that goes into maintaining those trails is very much unknown and underappreciated. So thank you!

I was originally going to give 2 stars, but honestly, based on comfort level and the convenience of…read morethe location, it brought the rating up to a 3. It is close to downtown and grants access to many different trails that are great for biking, walking, hiking, running. The resort is a bit outdated and could benefit from renovations, but tbh, you spend most of the time outside of the resort, so as long as there's a place to sleep and a bathroom, that's the only thing that matters lol. It's nice to have a kitchen as well. The sofa bed is very uncomfortable and creaks a lot. When we pulled the mattress out, it looked so dirty, so we double layered the sheets. The bed inside the room is pretty comfortable and clean though. No major complaints about the bathroom, other than the toilet running like all night. They have a shuttle that runs on a schedule and transports people to and from downtown which is awesome. The amenities, like the gym, conference center, and pool are super old-fashioned. The gym was really interesting. I've never seen such old equipment before. I only worked out there once. I felt like I couldn't do much, but gotta work with what's available. We got to see elk around the resort on many occasions, and everyday, it was wonderful walking out and seeing the mountain views. Also, epic pickleball views. Everyone working here was kind and friendly.

I've stayed at this hotel a few times and have been really impressed with the wonderful service!…read more All the staff are really friendly and willing to help make your stay enjoyable. The condos are great for us with our baby because of the separate bedrooms and full kitchens. I love that I can make meals to save money on food. I also absolutely love the wood burning fireplace. It makes it so cozy after a long day out exploring Banff. The location is outside the main town site however it is quiet the views are incredible. It's also dog friendly! There's plenty of parking and pretty well maintained. We will definitely be returning again! It's not a 5-star hotel but it's comfortable and they are renovating and updating them.

Adventure Hub in Banff was AWESOME! Team was so helpful and kind and professional, and we cannot…read morerecommend them highly enough. We were visiting Banff as a family, eager to ski at Sunshine and the team helped equip us and gave us great advice and helped make sure we received excellent value. In addition, sadly we had a family emergency during our trip and had to cut our trip short, and the team at Adventure Hub was so helpful, understanding, and humane - they helped credit us for some unused days of equipment and could not have been more kind and caring and communicative. Everyone we worked with was friendly, knowledgeable, efficient, a great listener and knew how to resolve all of our issues. Banff was great, Sunshine Village was fun and challenging to ski at, and we cannot thank the team at Adventure Hub enough! 5-star experience.

Wasn't too crowded when I stopped in. Didn't buy anything- just came to redeem my trifecta award…read morefor hitting all three mountains. Great person at the til. Right to the point, was in the store and pulled out my helmet sticker gift. Yay!

I stayed here for a few nights and it was my first time in Banff so I wanted an affordable hotel in…read morea good location. The hotel was convenient to town and close to the bus stop. They also provided a bus pass for the local routes (1, 2, 4, 6). The hot tub was large and not crowded at all. The room was a bit old and could be updated. The wifi was also spotty but it was fine for me since I ignore work emails on vacation (as it should be haha). It was a decent hotel but probably book a better hotel next time.

We needed a central and comfortable place to stay for our week visiting Banff National Park…read more First, the positives. We liked the location as it was central and walkable to downtown without being right in the heart of all the activity. The bed was firm and comfortable. There was good shower pressure. The staff was friendly. Now, the negatives. A very old and dated hotel. The bathrooms are barely functional. The toilet was very low to the ground and not even flat but sloping ever so slightly. There was no AC but luckily we could feel a breeze when we left our window open. The gym and pool are really dated and not particularly enticing to use. The parking structure is problematic to get in and out and very narrow around the turns. We got a good rate through Expedia but would likely not stay here again.

We planned our Banff trip a bit late for July and didn't realize it would coincide with the Canada…read moreDay holiday, so accommodations were limited. Hidden Ridge Resort was one of the only options left within our budget. After arriving in town by bus from Calgary, we took the Roam bus to the resort. Luckily, a Roam bus pass is included with your stay, and the stop is conveniently just steps away. Although on the return trip, you'll need to get off at the nearby Douglas Fir Resort. Hidden Ridge is located a bit farther from town, so if you don't have a rental car like us, you'll be relying on the bus system. The resort doesn't have an on-site restaurant but does offer a full kitchen, which was useful for storing leftovers and quick snacks thanks to the fridge and microwave. Our room was on the lower level, which made it feel a bit dark, it could definitely use more lighting. Also, Wi-Fi was nearly nonexistent due to the remote mountain location, so make sure to download your movies or shows in advance if you plan to unwind offline. The outdoor pool and hot tub boast a beautiful mountain view, but they were often filled with loud children, making it less relaxing than we'd hoped. Housekeeping came daily to tidy up, replace towels, and empty the trash, which we appreciated. Overall, it's an older resort, and the photos online look a bit nicer than what you get in person. Still, it served its purpose well enough for our 4-night stay in Banff.

We stayed here for two nights. We were in the lodge right next to the pool so it was very…read moreconvenient. I liked the pool and the small flower garden near by. The front desk staff was very helpful. We borrowed the bear spray - so that saved us $30. They also had a kindling kit which was necessary. They also had a smores kit but we didn't avail ourself of that offer. I liked also that you could get freshly made coffee in the front office as well as actual creamer. Our room was on the bottom. I liked that there was some privacy - you just look out the window and see trees. However, because of the direction it is facing, it's a very dark room. I think the room can benefit from more lighting, like some overhead lighting. The window in the bedroom looks out to the car tires. There was also some weeds growing there. However, the hanging baskets were some of the best I saw - even better than some of the Fairmonts we visited. Other members in our party had the room above the front office with a hot tub that we used. It was pretty nice - very good view. There are some trails nearby that we drove to. We mostly drove into town, but there is a shuttle that you can use although it can get very crowded. We often would drive in late and have to park further away, but we always found parking. There is also a parkade somewhere below, but we never needed it.

Excellent location, friendly staff, great rooftop hot pools! Free parking and ski storage. If you…read morewant to take the ski shuttles the shuttle stop is only steps away.

Wonderful rooms right on the main hotel region. Absolutely wonderful spa and rooftop hot tub…read more Would stay here again for sure. 2 (very small) reasons it's not 5 star amazing: 1) Walking to and from hot tub outside was a bit challenging in frigid weather. I guess I'm not Canadian, and I got used to it, but having a bit more wind protection on the exterior walkways would have been nice - or warmer robes.... Not an issue in summer and not a huge deal in winter but worth knowing. 2) Restaurant isn't great. Mid level chain place. Much better options in town. Staff great loved the spacious rooms and ski lockers.

4.5 stars. I really enjoyed my stay at Rundlestone Lodge. I booked my hotel through hotels.com…read more They upgraded my room to street view (instead of the indoor pool view) and gave me $15 CAD food credit everyday to use at associated hotel restaurants. My room had two queens, a TV, a mini fridge, and shower/bathtub. The bed was comfortable. The sink was outside the bathroom, right next to front door. The hotel is old, but the rooms seem to have been renovated in recent years. The indoor pool was being renovated, but they said they could let me use the indoor pool at associated hotels, but I didn't need it. I used the hot tub every night though. Most of the time it was just me. Other times there was two other people. The hot tub was pretty hot. It felt very nice after snowboarding. You get to the hot tub through the fitness center with your keycard. The fitness center has a few typical workout machines. There are showers in the bathoom. There is an underground heated garage. The garage has a height limit. If you have an SUV with a cargo box or a high car, you won't make it into the garage. I never had trouble finding space during my stay. The garage has lockers to store your ski gear. The hotel was about a 5 minute drive from the downtown area. The front desk has bus passes, if you don't want to park in town.

I stayed at the Rundlestone Lodge at the end of December 2024…read more While the rooms weren't the most up-to-date in terms of decor and design, I had a room at the back of the hotel with a fantastic mountain view. Exactly what you want on a trip to Banff! The swimming pool was closed for renovations during my stay (and boarded off, which subtracted from the look a bit) but the hot tub and gym were open. The fireplace in the lobby was kept well-fueled, and sitting in front of it and listening to the crackling was a highlight. There was also coffee and tea available in the lobby (in addition to the in-room supplies). The hotel is located just outside of the main downtown area past several other hotels and lodges, which is nice for anyone catching the ski shuttles since it gets you and your gear on just before most of the other hotel guests, but still keeping you in easy walking distance to downtown - it's only 1km to the shopping area and less than 2km to the Museum, for example. The parking is underground, although it's worth noting that getting into the parkade requires a tight turn and the ceiling is quite low. Larger vehicles (and especially ones with cargo on the roof) might have difficulty getting in. Overall a great option!

Absolutely gorgeous falls! A must-see while visiting the town of Banff. The parking lot is decent…read moresize, and well maintained. You can see the falls from the area right across the parking lot. If you want a view from above, you can take the stairs trail up to the top. Such beautiful scenery and the sound of the waterfall is therapeutic. There are places to sit and eat and enjoy the waterfall at the base and riverbank. Such an awesome viewpoint. Would highly recommend!

Great parking space. It got chilly and windy but the falls was so far the widest though shortest…read moreI've seen. The sound of the falls just couldn't be beat regardless! Great stop!