Fairmont Banff Springs – A Luxury Stay Worth the Splurge

The majestic Fairmont Banff Springs hotel, located in the heart of Banff National Park, has been welcoming guests since it was first established as one of Canada’s luxury railway hotels more than 130 years ago. The picturesque resort known as the Castle in the Rockies has more than 700 guest rooms and suites and features amenities such as a spa, golf course, aquatic centre, tennis courts, and a 5- pin bowling alley.

Staying at the Fairmont Banff Springs in Banff, Alberta is one of Canada’s best luxury hotel experiences. I fell in love with the Chateau-style hotel with its towers, steeply pitched rooves, and dormer windows when my husband and I stayed for three nights in the mid ’90s on a Thanksgiving weekend trip when it was still part of the Canadian Pacific group of hotels. I never imagined that it would be almost 30 years before we returned but we finally did with our young adult daughter on our recent Banff to Jasper road trip!

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click an affiliate link and make a purchase then we receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. As an Amazon affiliate I earn from qualifying purchases.

This year-round luxury mountain resort is in a beautiful location about a 15 minute walk from downtown Banff and is an ideal base for exploring Banff National Park. We debated whether or not to stay here for the two nights we planned to spend in Banff because of the cost but decided that it was worth the splurge to stay in one of my Canadian bucket list hotels! (I was able to justify it to myself because we missed our 25th anniversary trip in March 2020 and have travelled less since then than we typically would.)

Even if you’re not staying at the Fairmont Banff Springs, you should visit and see the grounds, the public areas of the hotel, dine at one of the restaurants or enjoy a drink at one of the bars.

History of the Fairmont Banff Springs

The luxury hotel located in the town of Banff was one of the original Canadian Pacific Railway hotels built along railway routes in Canada in the late 19th and early 20th centuries to encourage tourists to travel the intercontinental railway.

The original Banff Springs Hotel, opened in 1888 at the height of the Gilded Age, appealed to a wealthy clientele wanting a wilderness experience in opulent surroundings. The building was expanded over subsequent years including the addition of a tower and two new wings after a fire destroyed the original wooden part of the hotel in 1926. The hotel was originally open in the summer only but was winterized in 1968 so that it could remain open year-round.

Banff Springs was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1988 for its heritage value as a leading Canadian example of a large-scale, resort hotel in a natural setting. The hotel was renamed Fairmont Banff Springs when Canadian Pacific Hotels merged with Fairmont Hotels in 1999 and in 2016 the three prestigious luxury hotel brands of Fairmont Raffles Hotels International (FRHI) company was acquired by AccorHotels Group.

There have been several movies filmed at Banff Springs and many famous people have stayed at the hotel including celebrities, royals and dignitaries such as King George VI and his wife Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother during a Royal Tour of Canada in 1939, Winston Churchill, Margaret Thatcher, Mikhail Gorbachev, Robert Mitchum and Marilyn Monroe.

Accommodations at the Fairmont Banff Springs

The Fairmont Banff Springs has 739 rooms and suites ranging from cozy guest rooms to spacious suites located in the historic main hotel as well as the Gatehouse – a separate wing from the main hotel but with slightly larger rooms. The Fairmont Gold “hotel-within-a-hotel” experience offers exclusivity and personalized service with a separate floor and private check-in, a dedicated concierge and private lounges. Accessible accommodations are available as well and the hotel is also dog-friendly.

We booked a Deluxe Room with Two Queens in the main hotel which was an elegant, well-appointed room with a luxurious bathroom, a limited view of the Rocky Mountains (still breathtaking!) and spacious enough that the three of us weren’t tripping over each other. It was much larger than the room my husband and I stayed in almost 30 years earlier which we booked last minute for Thanksgiving weekend and it had to have been the smallest room in the hotel!

It’s worth becoming an Accor member before booking a stay at a Fairmont hotel as you will have access to member rates as soon as you join as well as free Wi-Fi, exclusive offers and partner benefits.

Check current rates and reviews for the Fairmont Banff Springs on TripAdvisor, Booking.com or Expedia Canada.

Dining at the Fairmont Banff Springs

There are numerous dining options to choose from at the Fairmont Banff Springs with 12 restaurants, pubs and bars as well as in-room dining available in the comfort of your guest room (daily from 6 am – 11 pm).

Restaurants include: 1888 Chop House serving the best of Alberta beef, sustainably sourced wild game, and oceanwise seafood; The Vermillion Room serving French classics with Canadian charm; Waldhaus Restaurant serving Bavarian favourites such as fondue and schnitzel, and Castello Italiana serving authentic, fresh Italian food. (When dining with a paying adult, children 5 and under eat free from the Kids Menu (with some exceptions) and children 6-12 can eat from the kids menu or eat a half-size adult portion at 50% off the menu price.)

If you enjoy taking tea then don’t miss the opportunity to indulge in a traditional Afternoon Tea at the Rundle Bar. The finest loose-leaf teas are accompanied by an assortment of Victorian scones, dainty finger sandwiches, and more. There’s also a special kid-friendly Junior Afternoon Tea menu available for 12 and unders at a reduced cost. (Daily 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm. Reservations required.)

When the weather is nice guests can enjoy a meal outdoors on the Rundle Patio with an incredible view of the Rockies and during the summer season there’s also an ice cream bar on the terrace.

Activities at the Fairmont Banff Springs

The Fairmont Banff Springs resort is a great choice for anyone who wants an active vacation enjoying the many organized outdoor activities offered including guided wilderness walks, bike tours, snowshoeing, stargazing and more depending on the time of year of your visit. There’s also Banff Upper Hot Springs and the Banff Gondola nearby and many beautiful day trip locations such as Lake Louise and the Columbia Icefields.

The hotel offers so many activities that it would be possible to keep busy without every leaving the resort. And therein lies the conundrum – you could easily spend a 2-3 day stay relaxing at the hotel and enjoying all of the activities available on the property but at the same time there’s so many activities to do nearby that you don’t want to stay on property.

I would have loved to have more time at Banff Springs to enjoy all the activities but we were limited to a 6 night getaway to the Canadian Rockies this time (dog sitters schedule)!

The outdoor swimming pool has the most gorgeous view of the mountains – there seriously can’t be many pools with a better view than this! If the weather isn’t cooperating then there’s also a lovely indoor swimming pool, a fitness centre (open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week) and the Fairmont Spa (open daily 8:00am to 8:00pm offering 40,000 square feet of total relaxation with 27 treatment rooms).

There are activities for every season in Banff National Park including outdoor tennis (lessons available), an 18 hole championship golf course and, of course, there’s world-class skiing and snowboarding available just a short drive from the resort.

Shopping at Fairmont Banff Springs

If you enjoy shopping then you will be happy to find several stylish boutiques on-site. My favourite is the Canadian Pacific Store which is stocked with lovely items to purchase as souvenirs. I particularly like the iconic Canadian Pacific Railway merchandise and purchased a Eurographics CP Rail in the Canadian Rockies puzzle that I enjoyed working on after returning home while reminiscing about our trip.

Things To Do Nearby

The Fairmont Banff Springs has a great location for exploring Banff National Park. The hotel is within walking distance of the shopping and dining in the downtown area of Banff as well as the Cascade Gardens and Bow Falls. It’s also only a short drive to visit the Cave and Basin National Historic Site, ride the Banff Gondola and access the Tunnel Mountain drive. We had a fabulous time enjoying all the area had to offer and my only regret was not having more time!

You could also manage day trips to visit Moraine Lake, Lake Louise and other attractions from here but we planned to spend just two nights and move on to stay at Lake Louise, Jasper and Glacier View Lodge.