No matter what time of year you’re visiting Banff, the Mount Royal Hotel’s great location and cozy amenities make it ideal to hang your hat – or store your skis. Whether epic slopes and winter scenery tempt you, or you are energized by hiking, wildlife watching or scenic drives to explore the area’s many glacial lakes, your stay at the Banff’s Mount Royal Hotel in the Canadian Rockies will be as inspirational as mine was.
I’ve stayed at Banff’s Mount Royal Hotel twice—once in the dead of Canadian winter and once in late spring, which can still mean snow in this part of the world. I’m a big fan of the space and know the property well. Here’s everything you need to know.
Thinking about heading to Banff? Read more here:
- When is the Best Time to Visit Banff? Any Time of the Year!
- 16 Things to do in Banff National Park: Rejuvenate Your Mind & Body
Location, Location, Location
The hotel’s location on Banff Avenue makes walking to restaurants and shops easy. If you’re hitting the slopes, the ski shuttles pick up at Mount Royal, and most of the local tour operators will also provide front-door pickup service.
If you don’t want to rent a car, you can get around Banff without one. Shuttles from the Calgary Airport, such as Brewster Express, make getting to and from the airport seamless. There’s also a bus service in town that takes visitors to Lake Louise, which is about 45 minutes away.
On my most recent visit, I rented a car so I could drive to Jasper National Park. It’s easy to rent a car at the Calgary Airport or in downtown Banff. If you have a car, you’ll need a Parks Canada pass to park at Mount Royal, which is inside Banff National Park. Mount Royal also charges a $5 Canadian fee per night to park at the hotel. Parking in the main lot is limited, and there’s a small bit of nearby overflow parking.
The Cozy Lobby
There are comfortable leather couches near the reception desk. The ground-floor reception area also has a water station for refilling water bottles and guests can usually find some sort of snack, such as apples or cookies, to grab in the afternoon.
The second-floor lobby overlooks the first floor, and it offers coffee and hot water in the mornings, cozy couches, and books. Exhibits tell about the hotel’s history and the area. Once known as the Banff Hotel, Mount Royal is the perfect blend of history, modern amenities, and comfort.
Pro Tip: Most guests use the elevator directly across from the front desk, and there’s often a wait, especially when the hotel is busy. However, there’s a hidden elevator tucked just outside the glass doors across from the entrance near Caribou Street that is usually faster if you’re in a hurry to get up to your room.
On-Site Bites and Drinks
Although guests at the Mount Royal can easily walk to any of Banff’s restaurants, the on-site Brazen serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Brazen also has a bar with great happy hour specials.
The vibe at Brazen is both chic and rustic. The atmosphere has an upscale flavor that manages not to feel pretentious. Banff is a casual town, by the way. Even though the dishes at Brazen are elevated, you can be comfortable dining here in hiking clothes or athleisure.
I’ve eaten breakfast, lunch, and dinner at Brazen. My favorite breakfast is the vegan chia seed parfait with fresh fruit – I would eat this breakfast every day if I could, and it’s perfect for getting some energy for a busy day of hiking or snow sports. There are also heartier offerings like French toast or a selection of egg dishes. I also love the bison naan, which has tender bison folded in a piece of naan, like a taco, with red curry corn puree and arugula.
Dinner has a lovely mix of small plates ideal for sharing with the table. The menu is divided into “small, medium, and large” sections, but none of the portions are huge, so get a selection of dishes to share.
Dining is not included in the room rate.
The Cascade Rooftop Lounge
The Cascade Lounge on the hotel’s top floor can’t be beat for scenery. Check at the front desk to see what time the lounge begins service, but it’s usually 4:00 pm. The lounge serves a variety of cocktails, beer, and wine, as well as small plates. The glass windows offer stunning views of downtown, and the comfortable couches and chairs are a great place to unwind apres ski, or apres hiking.
Two outdoor hot tubs are open all year round, so if soaking while soaking up the mountain views sounds like your jam, this is the place to be. The vibe of the Cascade Lounge is light and airy, contrasting with the downstairs lobby’s darker decor.
To reach the Cascade Lounge, take the elevator to the hotel’s fourth floor and follow the signs.
Rooms at the Mount Royal Hotel
The rooms have fast, free WiFi and locally sourced bathroom amenities, such as shampoo, conditioner, body wash and lotion. The towels are extra plush and fluffy. There are bedside USB ports to connect phones and other devices and in-room coffee makers. The coffee wasn’t awesome, but the fresh-brewed coffee on the second floor was good.
If you want a more bougie cup of coffee, Brazen can fix you up with whatever you need to start your day – they did a perfect iced oat milk latte. If you are okay with a short walk, go a block from the hotel to Bear Street and check out Wild Flour Bakery for your morning coffee and breakfast.
Rooms have either two queen beds or one king bed. Summer room rates for a king or double queen room run between $550 and $650 Canadian. Pricing is dynamic, depending on the day of the week and the season. Hotel rooms in this area generally cost less in the fall and winter but may spike again during the Christmas holidays or peak ski season, so if you’re flexible, scope out different dates.
Check the website for deals + consider booking directly with the Mount Royal Hotel
Mount Royal Hotel has several specials listed on its website. Generally, staying three or four nights will snag you the best rate. Sometimes, contacting the hotel directly and asking for unadvertised specials or best rates pays off, but I’ve always found it more advantageous to deal directly with the hotel.
As with most hotels, you’ll pay more for a premium view. Although you won’t be in your room much, there is something pretty special about looking out your window at this majestic scenery. The first time I stayed at Mount Royal, I arrived at night and peeped out my window the next day. It was a pretty breathtaking introduction to Banff.
The rooms are modern and comfortable. There’s not much floor space, but the storage is adequate. There’s a freestanding wardrobe with places to hang clothing and drawers.
Mount Royal has no fitness center, but visitors to Banff will most likely do things that will keep their bodies moving. Despite my best efforts, I’m not a “work out on vacation” kind of traveler, so I didn’t miss this. There is also no pool, but a soak in the rooftop hot tub might compensate for this.
Pro tip: Elk + Avenue’s nightly rates are slightly less expensive. This is Mount Royal’s sister property and is also in a prime location in downtown Banff.
I’d stay here again…and I actually did
Both of my trips to Banff were solo travels, and I felt comfortable staying there. The desk is staffed 24 hours a day, and the lobby feels very safe. There are other places to stay in downtown Banff and further outside of the city, including the very posh Fairmont hotels in Banff and Lake Louise. However, neither beats Mount Royal for location. You can walk just about everywhere and feel like you’re in the center of it all—because you are.
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