Christmas in Banff is a truly magical experience for many reasons; the snow covered Canadian Rockies, warm hospitality, world class skiing, and a great selection of winter activities make Banff the perfect destination for your 2021 Christmas vacation. Although Christmas is much quieter than New Years in Banff, it is still advisable to book your hotel accommodation early.

Find a Room

Hotels in Banff know how to celebrate Christmas in style and although many Banff hotels do not offer specific Christmas packages, they are certainly open for business right through the Christmas period, with no shortage of festive dining and celebrations throughout the town.
To check availability and compare rates at several Banff hotels for the Christmas period, click here.

If you are looking for special Xmas packages offered by Banff accommodations, you may be interested in the following options, which will be updated for 2021 in the Fall:

Christmas at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel

It is difficult to imagine a more idyllic setting than the Banff Springs Hotel to celebrate the Christmas of your dreams with your family or loved ones. As soon as you arrive at the ‘Castle in the Rockies’ during the holiday period and see the enormous and lavishly decorated Christmas trees and hear the festive music you know you’re in for a truly memorable experience. Throughout the holiday period there is a whole host of fun and festive activities taking place at the hotel – in fact there is so much going on, they produce a special Xmas guide booklet to help you keep up with all the fun!
To check room only rates and availability at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel click here.

The Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel offers two Christmas packages for 2019:
Couples just looking for a room at a favourable rate should consider the Couples Holiday Getaway Package, which is basically a ‘stay 2 nights and get the 3rd night free’ deal. The package is based on double occupancy in a Fairmont Room for a minimum 3 night stay from December 20 2019 to January 1 2020, with rates starting at $325.
For families or couples who are looking for luxury accommodation with holiday ‘extras’ included, the Christmas at the Castle Package may be just the ticket. This package includes accommodation in a Fairmont Room, self parking, a decorated Christmas tree in your room, plus a whole host of festivities taking place over the holiday period. The package is valid from Dec 16 2019 to Jan 3 2020, with rates starting at $539 per night based on double occupancy in a Fairmont Room.

Once you have booked your room, you can look forward to taking part in Christmas activities such as the gingerbread house workshop, the great Santa send-off, Santa’s workshop, cookie decorating, curling, Christmas carols, ice skating, wilderness walks, teen games room and much much more.
For Christmas Eve and Christmas Day dining, there are a variety of options including:

Holiday Brunch at The Vermillion Room – Dec 21 & 22
A Christmas themed brunch buffet with festive flair in The Vermillion Room, the hotel’s newest brasserie style restaurant.
11am-3pm, Cost $75 adults, $35 kids 6-12 yrs, 5 and under free

Cascade Family Christmas Eve Buffet – Dec 24
Decadent Christmas Eve dinner buffet in the Cascade Ballroom.
5.00-9.30pm, Cost $89 adults, $55 kids 6-12 yrs, 5 and under free

Christmas Day Brunch – Dec 25
The Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel Christmas Day brunch in the Riverview Lounge, Alberta Room & Cascade Ballroom – sure to impress!
10.00am-1.30pm, Cost $110 adults, $55 kids 6-12 yrs, 5 and under free

Vermillion Room Christmas Dinner Buffet – Dec 25
The Banff Springs signature Christmas dinner buffet in the Vermillon Room with local and international holiday specialties.
5-10pm, Cost $110 adults, $55 kids 6-12 yrs, 5 and under free

Riverview Family Christmas Buffet – Dec 25
Family themed Xmas feast in the Riverview Lounge. A stunning setting for a very special evening with your loved ones.
5.30-8.30pm, Cost $125 adults, $60 kids 6-12 yrs, 5 and under free

Boxing Day Brunch – Dec 26
Continue the festivities on Boxing Day with a gourmet brunch buffet in The Vermillion Room.
11am-3pm, Cost $75 adults, $38 kids 6-12 yrs, 5 and under free

Christmas Afternoon Tea – Dec 24, 25 & 26
Traditional Afternoon Tea with a festive theme on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day or Boxing Day in the Rundle Lounge with some of the best views in the Canadian Rockies.
11am-5pm, Cost $65 adults, $35 kids 6-12 yrs, 5 and under free

For full information about Christmas activities and Christmas & Boxing Day dining at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, be sure to view the official Christmas at the Castle Guide which you will receive on check-in.

Banff Park Lodge

Crave Mountain Grill will be presenting a traditional feast on the evening of December 25th with their Festive Christmas Dinner Buffet. You find roast turkey on the menu with all the trimmings, a carving station with Alberta striploin of beef and house made porchetta, maple soy cedar plank salmon filet, pan seared gnocchi with grilled vegetable ratatouille, roasted butternut squash soup, winter harvest vegetables, salads, charcuterie & seafood appetizers and festive desserts including a Crepe Suzette station with Grand Marnier flambéed oranges & ice cream, and a chocolate fountain. The price for adults is $75, with children 6-12yrs costing $45.
La Terrazza, an Italian restaurant at the Banff Park Lodge, will be offering a plated 5 course Christmas menu on the evening of December 25 with a choice of entrees including free range roasted turkey breast & confit turkey thigh with garlic whipped potato, OR seared organic B.C. king salmon & crispy pacific rock crab cake drenched in Prosecco tarragon cream sauce with rice pilaf, OR slow roasted AAA Alberta beef striploin medallions drizzled in horseradish Valpolicella jus with garlic whipped potato, OR grilled vegetables & mozzarella rolled in sheets of fresh pasta baked with fire roasted tomato basil sauce. Combined with an equally delicious roasted sweet potato soup, festive salad appetizer, cranberry lime granite palate cleanser and a choice of two decadent desserts, this special costs $84 per person.
To check room rates at the Banff Park Lodge click here.

Rimrock Resort Hotel

The Rimrock Resort Hotel has lots of fun activities taking place over the Holidays, such as children’s crafts, ice skating with hot chocolate, a Christmas Eve celebration, campfire singalong, a visit from Santa on the morning of December 25th, and a selection of venues to enjoy Xmas dinner.
To check rates for the 2019 Holiday Season click here.

Buffalo Mountain Lodge

Buffalo Mountain Lodge is offering a Christmas Package which includes one night’s accommodation on December 25th, gourmet Christmas dinner, plus a buffet breakfast on Boxing Day, December 26th.

**The above hotel rates are subject to applicable taxes, subject to availability, subject to change without notice, and generally based on double occupancy. To confirm details and availability for all hotel packages and Christmas dining, please use the links provided.
If you are going to be in Banff for New Year’s Eve, you may also be interested in seeing some Banff New Year hotel packages.

Whether you are travelling with your family or you simply like the taste of your own cooking, staying in a hotel, condo or suite with kitchen facilities can be a convenient and cost effective way to visit Banff. With two large grocery stores and a fantastic bakery in town, it is easy to be self sustaining and the following list of Banff hotels with kitchens gives you a wide selection of self catering accommodation to choose from:

Popular with families due to its waterslide, Douglas Fir Resort & Chalets offers a range of Banff accommodations with kitchens for various group sizes in a peaceful location on Tunnel Mountain. Each unit has a full kitchen with a cook-top, oven, fridge, microwave, pots, pans and utensils.

Surrounded by magnificent mountain views on the edge of the town of Banff, Banff Rocky Mountain Resort offers Banff lodging with cooking facilities. Their studio suites, one bedroom condos, two bedroom condos and loft suites each boast a kitchen with a stovetop, microwave and dishwasher, as well as pots, pans and utensils.

Charlton’s Cedar Court is a Banff hotel with a convenient location close to downtown. Their Kitchenette Suites offer two sleeping areas plus a kitchenette featuring a four burner stove top, microwave, mini-fridge, dishes, and cooking utensils.

With a quiet location on Tunnel Mountain, Hidden Ridge Resort offers a range of modern condo style accommodation in Banff, with one or two bedroom condos as well as some jacuzzi suites. Each unit offers a full kitchen including a stove, fridge, microwave, dishwasher, as well as stylish granite countertops.

Also located on Tunnel Mountain, Tunnel Mountain Resort offers cabins, chalets or suites for 2, 4, or 6 people. Their loft chalets, mountain cabins, one bedroom suites and loft suites each offer kitchen amenities which include a stove top, oven, dishwasher, microwave oven, full size refrigerator, toaster, coffee maker, pots, pans and utensils. If you do not require a full kitchen, their executive suite offers just a microwave, mini-fridge and coffee maker.

After a day in Banff National Park, what better way to unwind than a soak or a swim in your hotel pool, or if you are a family with kids, some of the indoor or outdoor pools can be a destination in their own right. Most hotels in Banff have some sort of hot tub or whirlpool, but several Banff accommodations offer a lot more than that, with some hotels offering swimming pools and others having larger hot pools with unique designs or in special locations. Below you will find a comprehensive list of hotels in Banff with pools that we regard to be a level above the average hot tub.

The Douglas Fir Resort & Chalets has one of the most popular swimming pools for families with 2 indoor waterslides plus whirlpools. This facility is free to hotel guests, and costs $12 for general admission.

As part of its impressive sports facilities the Banff Rocky Mountain Resort has a 15 metre indoor pool as well as an indoor and outdoor hot tub.

Guests at Best Western Siding 29 Lodge can do laps in the indoor swimming pool, or just relax in the hot tub.

Not surprisingly, the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel has an excellent selection of pools, with a 20 metre outdoor heated pool (open year round), a 32 metre indoor pool, as well as a shallow indoor pool for small kids plus an indoor jetted hot tub. These pools in the Aquatic Centre are free of charge to hotel guests, while the mineral pool with waterfalls in the Willow Stream Spa as well an indoor and outdoor hot tub are available for an additional charge (currently $69 per day for hotel guests).

The Banff Park Lodge has an indoor heated swimming pool as well as a large Jacuzzi. Guests of the nearby Homestead Inn can also make use of these facilities.

The Banff High Country Inn offers an indoor heated pool plus hot tubs which guests at their sister property the Red Carpet Inn can also enjoy.

Guests at the Inns of Banff can enjoy a relaxing soak in the indoor pool after a day of skiing or hiking in the mountains.

The Rundlestone Lodge can offer its guests a 45 foot indoor lap pool plus a large whirlpool.

The Voyager Inn has a large outdoor heated pool which is open year-round, plus an indoor jacuzzi.

A unique hot pool can be found at the Fox Hotel & Suites, whose grotto-like appearance resembles the historic pools at the Cave & Basin.

The Grotto Spa mineral pool plus a whirlpool can be found at the Delta Banff Royal Canadian Lodge.

At the Banff Caribou Lodge & Spa you’ll find a large 26 person jetted hot pool which is part of their Red Earth Spa facility, but is free for all hotel guests to use.

The Rimrock Resort Hotel offers its guests an indoor pool as well as a whirlpool as part of their spa & leisure facilities.

The indoor pool, hot plunge pool, and hot tub at the Banff Park Lodge can be used by guests of sister hotel, the Bow View Lodge.

Guests at the Hidden Ridge Resort can enjoy magnificent mountain views from the two outdoor hot pools perched on a ridge looking west down the Bow Valley.

And finally, Tunnel Mountain Resort has an indoor heated pool and 2 indoor whirlpools for its guests to enjoy.

If you don’t stay at a Banff hotel with a pool, you can always make use of one the public pools in Banff Alberta, namely the 25 metre swimming pool at the Sally Borden Fitness & Recreation Centre (public swim price $5.50 adults, $3.50 5-15 yrs), or the pool with waterslides at the Douglas Fir Resort & Chalets ($12).

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.

Baker Creek Mountain Resort 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 kitchenette. The locally sourced water is magical both for bathing and drinking, and the Baker Creek Bistro provides a fantastic dining experience.

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.

Banff is a superb destination for celebrating New Years, where sophisticated New Year’s Eve parties, mouth watering New Year menus, and fun family activities, all combine to make 2019/20 New Years in Banff Alberta very difficult to beat.

Find a Room

For hotels in Banff, New Years is a much busier time than Christmas in Banff and early reservations are strongly recommended. Although many Banff accommodations do not offer specific packages for New Years, you can be sure that they are all open for business, and those with restaurants will generally have special dinners or festive menus available.
*Note that at this busy time you will generally find better availability for a 2 night stay or longer.
To check availability and rates at Banff hotels for New Years or other dates, click here.

NYE Party in Downtown Banff

To mark the start of 2020 there will be an outdoor family friendly party in downtown Banff between Caribou Street and Elk Street from 7pm to midnight on Dec 31 featuring an ice skating party, fire show, Indigenous stories and dance, live music, fat bike course, hot chocolate, and marshmallow roasting. The party will culminate with a countdown to 2020 and a Pyrotechnic Show at the Banff High School Field.

Alternatively, if you are looking for a special New Years hotel package or festive menu, we have featured some interesting options below.

New Years at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel

For years the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel has been renowned for hosting the biggest New Year’s Eve party in Banff, and December 31st 2019 will be no different. If you are thinking of visiting the Banff Springs for New Years, you should take a look at what they have planned for their New Years Gala, and indeed throughout the holiday period there is a whole host of exciting festive activities and events taking place at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, as well as several ways to spend New Years Eve itself:

New Year’s Gala – Dec 31 2019
This is Banff’s big New Years celebration – in the Van Horne Ballroom a wonderful 4 course dinner is served including wine service and a host bar, with live band, Barry Shaw and The Fairmont Banff Springs Orchestra, playing in the background. Following dinner the music becomes livelier and dancing begins for a fully fledged New Year’s Eve party until 1am, with a midnight snack buffet included. Children aged 3-12 yrs are invited to attend the New Year’s Kids Party.
6pm-1am
Cost for the whole evening $350 adults, $190 teenagers (13-17 yrs), $185 children (12 yrs and under)
Cost for dance only $185 adults, $105 teenagers (13-17 yrs)
Cost for kids party only $95 – 6pm-12.30am (3-12 yrs)

New Year’s Eve Dinner Buffet at the Vermillion Room – Dec 31
A worthy feast to celebrate the last day of the year featuring local cuisine.
5-10pm in the Vermillion Room
Adults $105, Children 6-12 yrs $48

New Year’s Day Brunch – Jan 1 2020
What better way to start off 2020 than to enjoy the New Year’s day brunch buffet in the Vermillion Room? A veritable feast and, for many, a New Years institution.
11am-3pm, Adults $75, Children 6-12 yrs $38

To check room rates and availability at the Banff Springs Hotel for the holiday period click here.
For further details of all the festive activities and dining events taking place over New Years, take at look at the Banff Springs Hotel’s Christmas at the Castle Guide which you will receive when you check in.

Rimrock Resort Hotel

The Rimrock Hotel has several dining options for New Year’s Eve, including a 7 course gourmet dinner in the 5 Diamond Eden Restaurant, a five course New Years Eve menu in the Primrose Dining Room, and a family friendly Alice in Wonderland Gala including buffet dinner plus fabulous music from Duelling Pianos, sure to get you in the party spirit.

Banff Park Lodge

The Banff Park Lodge has a tradition of celebrating the Holiday Season in style, and the last day of the year will be no different:

New Year’s Eve Dinner Buffet – Dec 31 2019
Your last meal of 2019, so make it a good one! Gourmet buffet in Crave Mountain Grill which the whole family will enjoy, including salads, smoked salmon, seafood platter, jumbo shrimp, charcuterie, assorted Canadian cheeses, grilled pork tenderloin medallions with wild mushroom sauce, seared chicken breast supreme filled with prosciutto & goats cheese, pan seared gnocchi with grilled vegetable ratatouille, carving station with Alberta prime rib and roast veal shoulder, plus a flambé dessert station and a chocolate fountain!
6pm-9.30pm, Adults $75, Children 6-12 yrs $45

*The above rates are subject to applicable taxes, subject to availability, subject to change without notice, and hotel room rates are generally based on double occupancy. For current information, please contact the Banff accommodations directly using the links provided.
If you are spending Xmas in Banff, you may be interested in reading our article about accommodation packages in Banff at Christmas.
If you are looking at various options in the Rockies for New Years, you may also wish to consider New Year’s Eve in Lake Louise.
If you cannot find a vacancy at a hotel in Banff for December 31, you may wish to consider spending New Year’s Eve in Canmore, just 20 minutes drive east of Banff, where room availability can often be better.

If you are coming to the 2019 Banff Mountain Festival and are planning to book a hotel in Banff, you could save money by taking advantage of one of the special Film Festival rates offered by several Banff hotels:

For absolute convenience and the shortest possible walk from your hotel room to Festival events, you can’t beat staying at the Banff Centre itself. Their newly renovated rooms are being offered at the Mountain Festival rate from $146 per night which includes access to the impressive fitness and recreation facilites, including climbing gym.

On your visit to the Mountain Film & Book Festival, why not stay in the heart of downtown Banff at the Mount Royal Hotel, with its contemporary mountain inspired design. Midweek rates start at $139 per night for stays from October 26th to November 4th 2019 and breakfast is included.

A rate of $99 midweek and $129 at weekends can be found at Brewster’s Mountain Lodge. The special rate includes a continental breakfast and is valid from October 14 to November 30 2019, using Promo Code: FILM.

Douglas Fir Resort & Chalets is offering festival guests a discount of 15% off selected rooms for stays from October 25 to November 3. Use Promo Code FFB19.

Buffalo Mountain Lodge is offering 15% off the regular rate for Sunday-Thursday stays throughout the 2019 film festival.

At the world famous Fairmont Banff Springs Albertans can treat themselves to a luxury hotel experience by taking advantage of the special Alberta Residents Rate. Valid during the festival, this locals’ special gets you a discount of up to 30% off the best available rate.

Located close to the river in downtown Banff, the Banff Park Lodge is offering 15% off the best available rate, subject to availability, from October 25 to November 3. Use Promo Code: BMFF2019.

Charltons Banff is featuring a special rate of $134 per night from Sun-Thurs and $154 per night for Fri & Sat, which includes a continental breakfast, free parking and WiFi. Valid Oct 25 to Nov 3. Use Promo Code: FILM.

Banff Lodging Company properties the Banff Caribou Lodge & Spa, Fox Hotel & Suites and the Moose Hotel & Suites are offering a 20% discount to festival goers using the Promo Code: MTNFILMFEST.

* The above rates are generally based on double or single occupancy and are subject to applicable taxes, subject to availability, and subject to change without notice. For current information and for reservations, please contact the Banff hotels directly.