As I was riding my motorcycle down Bow Valley through the Rocky Mountains towards Canmore, Alberta, I began to wonder where I would spend the night. The city of Canmore boasts some 12,000 inhabitants and was built on a coal mining boom from the mid-20th century. Today Canmore is more famous for outdoor activities and every year hosts an ice-climbing festival, extreme mountain bike race, and ski challenge.
Canmore’s surroundings offer plenty of recreational opportunities, but sometimes it’s not always easy to find the best accommodations. That’s why this blog entry is meant to provide a little insight about the best five hotel options in the wonderful mountain town of Canmore, Alberta.
The next stop took me to the Silver Creek Lodge. Here I was told is the epicenter of Canadian Rocky Mountain Zen. Unsure whether to meditate or jump back on the motorcycle, this lodge is complete with what they call texture, warmth and tranquility. I quickly realized that Silver Creek caters to big city people with cosmopolitan needs in simple natural settings. Silver Creek also offers up its lodge grounds for weddings and corporate meetings.
Most of Canmore can actually be traversed within an hour on foot. So I parked the bike and set off to find more accommodation options following the tracks. On 2nd Avenue I came across the Canmore Mountain Lodge, where things were more simple, but still rugged enough to feel like a genuine lodge in the heart of the Rockies. This lodge pushes its romantic getaway offer, giving lovers a taste of the Rockies.
The main street in town is actually 8th street, where visitors can appreciate old-school architecture and browse shops and galleries. On Main Street I also found the Bow Valley Motel and their slogan “Live Like a Local.” While most of the people on Main Street in the summer are tourists, I was curious what Live Like a Local meant.
The motel owners, Elaine & Ray now consider themselves official “locals” even though they were not born and raised in Canmore. Arriving before the Olympics, they have been here more than 25 years.
Looking for something a bit more secretive, I found the Canmore Georgetown Inn, outside of town on the way to Banff National Park. The Georgetown complex is built in classic Tudor English style replete with English gardens and 20 unique guests rooms. The Inn has been around since 1993, and perhaps my favorite part is its Miner’s Lamp Pub, a throwback to the area’s recent coal industry.
I ended my mission overlooking Canmore town from the Three Sisters Mountains. I decided I couldn’t decide where to stay, so I’ll just let the Three Sisters decide.
