Banff Hotel Deals in September

For many Banff locals September is the best month of the summer. The weather is often quite settled, the crowds have died down, the mosquitoes have all but disappeared, and with some snow already falling on the high peaks, the mountain views seem more impressive than ever. Another reason why Banff is so attractive in September is the fact that there’s a good chance you’ll find a great hotel deal, and to help you find that deal we have scoured the websites of several Banff accommodations to see which hotels are offering special rates during September 2010:

Brewster’s Mountain Lodge is offering up to 40% off regular rates until September 30. You need to use their special discount code when making your reservation, and for the date we tested, it gave us a rate of $161 for a standard room when the full rate was $231, a saving of $70 per night! For details of the offer and the special discount code, click here.

For a limited time, the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel are offering a special deal on their Everyone’s An Original package. For bookings between Aug 23 and Sept 2 for stays between Aug 23 and Oct 15, they are offering the third night free, a saving of at least $299. Rates start at $299 per night and are based on double occupancy in a Fairmont Room. For full details of this package, click here.

The Ptarmigan Inn has some great deals on standard rooms at the moment, with rates as low as $129-$139 per night for a hotel in downtown Banff. For details of this and other last minute specials offered by the Banff Lodging Co, click here.

From September 6-30, the Rimrock Resort is offering a rate of $178 per night for Sun-Thurs, and $188 for Fridays and Saturdays, with blackouts on Sept 12-14 & Sept 21-25. They also have a special nightly rate of $169 for a minimum 3 night stay in September (blackout Sept 21-25), which includes free wireless internet and 15% off spa and food & beverage purchases. For details of these offers, click here.

And finally, the Red Carpet Inn has a web special of 25% off room rates for September 1, 6, 7, 8.

Of course, there is also great accommodation to be found at other Banff properties, and to see the full range of lodging in Banff, please visit the hotel, motel or condo sections of our website.

The above rates are mostly based on double occupancy, are subject to applicable taxes, subject to change without notice, subject to availability and blackout dates may apply. For full details of the offers, packages and discounts, please contact the respective Banff accommodation directly.

Rooms Available for August Long Weekend

The August Long Weekend is just around the corner and if you haven’t booked your Banff hotel yet, then you’d better hurry as availability is dwindling fast. We did some research ourselves and found a few Banff hotels that still had some vacancies for the long weekend, but be warned, rooms are being booked up quickly, especially for Saturday night.
Here is what we found today, July 28:

The Banff Park Lodge still had a limited number of rooms available for Saturday night, either a superior room for $279 or a Deluxe Jacuzzi Room for $339. These rooms were also available at the same rates for Friday and Sunday nights, although availability for Sunday was also limited.

The Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel still had a limited number of rooms available for Saturday night, for example a Fairmont Room for $379, a Deluxe Room for $439, or a Deluxe View Room for $479. These rooms were also available for Friday and Sunday at the same rate.

The Mount Royal Hotel was already fully booked for Saturday night but was able to offer a standard room on Friday night for $179 or on Sunday night for $199.

The Banff International Hotel only had single rooms available for Saturday night, but was able to offer a standard room on both Friday and Sunday nights for $169.

If you are looking for a suite with a kitchen, the Hidden Ridge Resort still had a limited number of one bedroom condos available for a minimum 2 night stay on Friday and Saturday night, starting at $219 per night.

Enjoy your weekend in the Canadian Rockies!

*The above rates are subject to applicable taxes, subject to availability and subject to change. In most cases the rate is based on 2 people sharing the room. To confirm rates and availability, please contact your Banff hotel or Banff condo directly. The August Long Weekend is sure to be busy in Banff National Park and early reservations are strongly recommended.

Get Away From It All

There is no doubt that all Banff hotels can offer a welcome change from city living, but if you really want to escape there are some fantastic resorts and chalets hidden away in their own quiet corner of Banff National Park. Each of the following properties has a unique location and charm, and they all offer a way to bring you closer to nature while providing the perfect base for discovering the rest of the Banff and Lake Louise area.

Johnston Canyon Resort is located west of Banff on Highway 1A, between Banff and Castle Junction, and offers cabins and chalets of various sizes. The resort has an idyllic location at the end of a picturesque canyon, which guests can walk up on a series of interpretive trails and bridges that take you past amazing waterfalls and geological formations.

Castle Mountain Chalets are located roughly half way between Banff and Lake Louise on Highway 1A not far from Castle Junction. The accommodation is in the form of log cabins or chalets of varying sizes, each with a kitchen or kitchenette.

Storm Mountain Lodge is found on Highway 93 south of Castle Junction, around 25 mins from Banff. Accommodation is in log cabins which are well appointed and charming, with the type of rustic feel only attainable in such a historic location. The fine dining restaurant is excellent and is well regarded throughout the area.

Baker Creek Chalets is a charming property located on Highway 1A, approx 15 minutes east of Lake Louise. Choose between 3 types of Lodge Suite or 3 sizes of chalet, each with kitchen or kitchentte. The locally sourced water is magical both for bathing and drinking, and the Baker Creek Bistro provides a fantastic dining experience.

June Hotel Specials in Banff

June is an excellent time to visit Banff National Park. Summer has started, the summer tours & activities are up and running, the Canadian Rockies are glorious with snow still lingering on the higher peaks, yet the area is still fairly quiet compared to the busier months of July and August. Although June can be considered ‘peak season’, there are still some fantastic hotel deals and cheap rates to be found if you know where to look. Here are some of the best Banff hotel deals we found for June 2010:

Banff Lodging Company is advertising several attractive last minute deals on its website. Depending on which accommodation you choose, rates range from $59 per night for the Driftwood Inn to $89 per night for the Ptarmigan Inn. The stay must be within a 2 week period after the reservation is made. Saturday’s are excluded from this deal, and being a last minute deal, the offer is obviously subject to availability. Also, throughout the month of June the Hidden Ridge Resort is offering 15% off their best rate for any room type on any day.
Until June 17th, Irwin’s Mountain Inn is offering a Banff Getaway Package which for $139 includes a one night stay and a $50 gift certificate for the El Toro restaurant.
The Red Carpet Inn is offering $99 room nights until June 16th, with June 11 and 12 as blackout dates.
The Juniper Hotel is featuring a Summer Solstice Getaway Sale which gives you 30% off your rate when you stay 2 or more nights. Rates start at $119 per night (extra charge for Fri and Sat), and the package is valid until June 24th.
At the luxury end of Banff hotels, the Rimrock Resort Hotel is offering a ‘3 for 2′ package which gives you the third night free when staying for 3 consecutive nights, plus you’ll get a 15% discount on food, beverage or spa and free wireless internet. Rates for June start at $270 per night.
Finally, the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel is having a Summer Sale. If you book their Everyone’s An Original package by June 14 you will receive your 3rd night free of charge. and rates start at $199 per night for June based on 2 people in a Fairmont room.

*The above offers are generally based on double occupancy, and are subject to taxes, subject to availability and subject to change without notice. In addition, certain blackout dates may apply. For full information about these offers, and to make a reservation, please contact your Banff hotel directly.

Wine Festival Hotel Packages

On May 1st and 2nd 2009 the Rocky Mountain Wine & Food Festival will take place in Banff Alberta, and several hotels are offering special lodging packages for the event.

Buffalo Mountain Lodge are tempting visitors with their Brunello in Banff package which includes one night’s accommodation for two, a Brunello di Montalcino guided wine tasting evening with game platter on May 1st, breakfast for two, and two tickets for the Grand Tasting Hall at the Food and Wine Festival on May 2nd.

The Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, where the main event at the Grand Tasting Hall will take place, is offering Festival rates starting at $179 for stays on May 1st and 2nd.

If you would like to take advantage of the fantastic spring skiing conditions in Banff, you should consider staying at Sunshine Mountain Lodge where they are offering an overnight stay and free shuttle to the Grand Tasting Hall on Saturday May 2nd, and free lift tickets for Sunday May 3rd starting at $199 per person.

For further details about these and other Wine & Food Festival packages, visit www.rockymountainwine.com.

Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel

So you’ve decided to stay at the Banff Springs Hotel but you’re overwhelmed with the selection of rooms, which means it’s time to read our bare bones guide to navigating the room types at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel.
To keep things simple, we have filtered the information down to room size, bed configuration and views, and we have only included rooms and have omitted all specialty suites.
Rooms at the Banff Springs either have a valley view or are on the mountain side of the hotel. The valley view, overlooking the Bow River, Spray Valley, or Tunnel Mountain, is the hotel’s premium view, and valley view rooms are more desirable and more expensive than the same room on the mountain side. We have also included room rates, as quoted on the Banff Springs website for a one night stay in peak season.*

Fairmont Room

This is the standard entry level room for the Banff Springs, with either one king, one queen or two twin beds. At around 250 sq ft, these rooms are fairly small by Canadian standards and you are really paying for the facilities of the hotel rather than for the room itself.
$429/night

Fairmont Viewside Room

Identical to the Fairmont Room but with valley view.
$489/night

Deluxe Room

At 385 sq ft, these rooms offer more space than the Fairmont Room, and come with either one king, one queen, two twins, two queens, or one queen plus one twin bed. This room type is an upgrade from the Fairmont Room, however at the time of writing it was surprisingly available at a lower price.
$419/night

Deluxe Premier Room

These rooms are bigger still at 400-500 sq ft and have the same bed configuration as the Deluxe Room above but offer the added comfort of a sitting area.
$549/night

Deluxe View Room

Identical to the Deluxe Room but with valley view.
$529/night

Deluxe Premier View Room

Identical to the Deluxe Premier Room but with valley view.
$589/night

Signature Room

These rooms are approx 450 sq ft, have a valley view, one king bed, and are more elegantly decorated and furnished than the rooms above.
$629/night

Fairmont Gold Room

The Fairmont Gold floor is like a boutique hotel within the Banff Springs, with a private reception, dedicated staff, and exclusive Fairmont Gold Lounge where complimentary breakfast and evening appetizers are served.
Fairmont Gold Rooms are 268 sq ft, exquisitely appointed, have one king bed and either mountain or valley view.
$589/night

Fairmont Gold Deluxe Room

At 306 sq ft, these are in a similar style but larger than the Fairmont Gold Room, with either one king or two queen beds, also with mountain or valley view.
$649/night

*The example date used for room rates was July 21st 2009. Please note that these rates can and probably will change, and are included purely for comparison purposes. For current room rates, please visit www.fairmont.com/banffsprings/.

For reservations at the Banff Springs, call 1-800-257-7544, or visit www.fairmont.com.