Youth Hostels in Banff
Banff National Park, Alberta
Banff is full of young people who come here for various reasons. Whether it be to spend a season working in the tourism industry and snow boarding every day off there is or just taking a vacation, it is an ideal place. The first problem any traveller on a budget faces is where to stay when you first arrive. Hotels can be expensive, camping during winter will probably turn you into an ice block and couch surfing is relatively unheard of. Well there are two main hostels that are not just the cheapest option but also the ones that will help you get your feet on the ground.
The HI Banff Alpine Centre Hostel – Hostelling International
In my opinion, this is the better of the two hostels. It is cleaner, in a much nicer location, the staff are much friendlier and if you are looking for a job, they go out of their way to help you out. It really is one of the nicest hostels I have been too and the bar downstairs is always lively with drinks specials and live music. It used to have one down side which was that it is quite a bit of Tunnel Mountain Drive and out of town but they now offer a free bus pass to anyone staying. Considering the buses are extremely reliable and frequent, this aint a bad deal at all!
The Samesun Hostel
The main advantage to the Samesun Hostel is its closeness to the centre of Banff. It is only a short walk away. It is a lot of fun and probably the best option is you are just going to be staying for a fun weekend. However, there have been complaints that it is just too noisy despite restrictions and the rooms and bathrooms aren’t cleaned sufficiently. The Beaver bar and restaurant however has some of the cheapest meals and drinks in Banff. The YWCA on Spray Avenue, though more of a hotel than hostel, is always a good option and cheap as chips too!
HI Banff Alpine Centre Hostel – Hostelling International