The Fairmont Banff Springs - A Hotel Review

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Nestled in the heart of the breathtaking Canadian Rockies, a world of enchantment awaits at the iconic Banff Springs Hotel. With its towering spires, regal architecture, and a backdrop of majestic peaks, the Banff Springs Hotel is truly worth the visit. Whether you’re seeking outdoor adventures in the UNESCO World Heritage site of Banff National Park, or looking for a luxurious and relaxing experience at their award-winning spa, Banff Springs has it all.

BOOK THE BANFF SPRINGS HOTEL HERE

This post is sponsored by the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, but all thoughts and views are my own.

THE PROPERTY & ROOMS

Since it’s opening in 1888, Banff Springs has been aptly coined the “Castle in the Rockies.” This hotel boats 739 guest rooms and suites for both you and your fur babies! Keep in mind that the majority of the standard rooms fall between 250 to 350 square feet. On property, you’ll find beautiful ballrooms, delicious restaurants, and incredible amenities.

LOOKING FOR A BANFF ITINERARY? CLICK HERE

SPA & POOL FACILITIES

FAIRMONT SPA BANFF SPRINGS

Fairmont Spa Banff Springs is an award winning spa at Banff Springs Hotel. From 3 rushing waterfall treatment whirlpools to an indoor mineral pool and outdoor jacuzzi, you can get 3 hours of free access to the spa with the purchase of any spa service. The spa services vary from facial treatments, customized body massages, couple’s massages, and more. There’s also a Eucalyptus Inhalation Room, Sauna Rooms, fire place lounges, and terraces for guests visiting the spa.

THE POOL & FITNESS CENTER

The Banff Springs Hotel has an outdoor heated pool, as well as an indoor lap pool and whirlpool jacuzzi. The aquatic center is open from 6AM to 10PM. There’s also personal training and fitness classes available.

BANFFCHELLA

Every weekend for the duration of the summer season, Banff Springs hosts a party known as Banffchella. Yo’ll find art installations, lawn games, live DJ’s, and fun signature cocktails. This year’s theme (2023) is Barbiecore!

RESTAURANTS & DINING

The onsite dining at the Banff Springs Hotel is incredible, with a ton of options for everyone.

The Vermillion Room — all you can eat breakfast buffets in the morning and a delicious french inspired brasserie in the evening
1888 Chophouse — steakhouse restaurant
Castello Italiano — Italian restaurant
The Waldhaus — Bavarian Pub
Grapes — wine cellar (incredible charcuterie!!)
STOCK — quick grab & go and coffees
Rundle Bar — amazing bar for post-dinner cocktails & small bites. make sure you check out what’s behind the giant bookshelf!!

OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

FOREST BATHING

Shirin-Yoku, or forest bathing, is the Japanese practice of bathing in the forest atmosphere. It is a practice in mindfulness that is proven to help manage stress and anxiety. The practice is led by a local guide who is certified through the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy. They will guide you through a series of connective and grounding activities, with the session ending in personal reflections, and a nourishing tea ceremony using locally foraged ingredients. This is a great way to connect with nature and learn how you can incorporate it into your own wellness routine.

BANFF SPRINGS GOLF COURSE

The Banff Springs Golf Course is an award wining golf course, designed by Stanley Thompson. This 18 hole golf course runs May to October.

BANFF BY SCOOTER

You can rent scooters right in front of the hotel from Banff by Scooter. We got super cute Italian Vespas and drove them around for a couple hours around the Surprise Corner and Vermillion Lakes! You can rent them any time between 1 to 8 hours, and I would highly recommend doing this! It’s such a fun and unique way to explore the town of Banff and surrounding areas. Make sure you check out “Surprise Corner,” to get the most amazing views of the Banff Springs Hotel!

LEARN MORE ABOUT BANFF BY SCOOTER HERE

SURROUNDING AREAS

FAIRMONT CHATEAU LAKE LOUISE

Banff Springs has its’ own Adventure Centre, where you can book activities, and one of these is a half or full day tour to their sister property, the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. You can explore the property, kayak the lake, and enjoy a stunning view of Lake Louise from their infamous Fairview Bar.

MORAINE LAKE

Last year (2022), Moraine Lake closed its doors to private vehicles, and the only way in is to book a reservation and get shuttled in by the National Park. One of the amazing perks of staying at the Banff Springs Hotel is that they have their own private shuttle service that can take you in!

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

Best Time to Visit: Banff is honestly remarkable in every season– but there are pro’s and con’s to different times of year. It also boils down to what you personally enjoy! Spring & summer time for me is a must.
During the winter, temperatures are too cold for me to handle. The lakes are also frozen and the iconic Moraine Lake is closed off. However, if you like to ski, snowboard, or ice skate/ ice hockey, this is for you!! It also looks like you’re walking through a real life winter wonderland.
Just keep in mind that Banff is ALWAYS busy, at all times of year. But because Banff is all outside, even with huge crowds, there’s always fresh air, and it feels open.

Weather: Banff has one of the longest ski and snowboard seasons in the world — with snow on the mountains up to 8 months of the year. You can expect very mild summers and very cold winters. Summers (in Fahrenheit) averaging 70’s during the day and 40’s at night. Winters are 20’s during the day, and single digits at night.

Getting Around & Transportation: The great thing about Banff, is everything is on Highway One/Ice Fields Parkway, so if you start at the entrance of Banff, you will pretty much hit all of the major stops just by driving down this highway. But keep in mind, Lake Louise is about 2 hours away from Peyto Lake, and Peyto is about two hours from Athabasca Falls—so bring snacks, create an awesome playlist, and have a lot of water with you! Also, I highly advise you to pull over at as many of the the scenic overlooks as possible.

If you are meeting friends in Banff, don’t need/want a car rental, or are flying into Calgary Airport, you can take the Banff Airporter Shuttle into Canmore. The shuttle runs every hour or two hours depending on time of day and season, while costing about 75CAD one way. It also runs from Canmore back to the Calgary Airport.

Airport: The closest airport to fly into would be Calgary (YYC), and then driving roughly 90 minutes to Banff by car or shuttle

Currency: CAD (Canadian Dollars), most major credit cards widely accepted

Languages: English