Great Banff Accommodations on a Budget
Banff National Park, Alberta
Last week I was on a vacation within a vacation in Banff and Jasper and had the pleasure to try seemingly very different hotels. While in Jasper, I stayed in the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, which has a big reputation and deservedly so. In Banff, I stayed in the HI Banff Alpine. Being a hostel, my expectations weren’t sky high but after my two day stay, I couldn’t help but put both accommodations on a par and considering the usual expense of staying in a Banff hotel and the fact that the HI Banff Alpine is almost a third the price of its more luxurious Jasper cousin – this is impressive.
Now, don’t get me wrong. There are no butlers at the door to carry your luggage and fluff your pillow but the first thing that grabs you is the setting. The hostel is hidden away on Tunnel Mountain Drive as close as you can get to the Rocky Mountains. Elk and deer are grazing everywhere and all the amenities you might need are on your doorstep. Check in was a simple process with an extremely friendly member of staff. We were told about the entertainment for that night which was Margarita Monday and live music. First impressions were excellent and when we got into the cabin, I was fully won over.
Perhaps hostels have changed considerably since I used to frequent them but this was really similar to the cabin I stayed in Jasper. Everything was spotless, the room was flooded with sunlight, and there were a ton of towels, complimentary coffee and tea and two comfortable big beds. There was a heater as well as an electric fire and cable TV. Quite different to the hostel experience I was expecting! We enjoyed the music and margaritas immensely in the evening before making the short walk back to the perfectly heated cabin by the edge of the woods. The HI Banff Alpine is very much a hidden secret of Banff and particularly if you are travelling on a budget, I could not recommend this enough.
Banff Alpine Centre HI Hostel
Address:
801 Hidden Ridge Way
Banff
Alberta
T1L1B3
Telephone
1.866.762.4122 (Toll Free)
1.403.762.4123