We did a little staycation in Banff from Calgary and overall had a great time.
The cave pool was a big hit, but just a heads up that it’s not really a “swimming pool.” It’s more like a large cave-style hot tub. It’s shallow, and the water is fairly hot, so the kids couldn’t really swim or put their faces under the water. The cave setup is very cool though, and the adults really enjoyed it for relaxing. The dry sauna was also great.
We stayed in a suite with two double beds, plus a living area with a sofa bed, a dining area, and a kitchenette. We were happy with the layout. The suite was clean, but it is definitely dated.
One downside was the TVs. I know you don’t go to Banff to sit and watch TV, but it would be nice if they updated to smart TVs. If you’re traveling with kids, I’d suggest bringing a Fire Stick or Chromecast. Even an HDMI cable to connect a laptop would work, but make sure you download movies ahead of time because the Wi-Fi in our area was pretty spotty and the kids kept losing connection.
The front desk staff were fantastic. Friendly, helpful, and efficient. They made parking easy, provided bus passes, and explained local info without us having to ask a bunch of questions.
We’d stay here again, and next time we’ll definitely bring something for the TV so we can do an easy movie night after a busy day.
