NPR Reviews Provided by
Banff Caribou Lodge & Spa
Yuck!
User:
rejenkins1991 from: Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Published Date: Oct, 21, 2024 Travel Date: Oct, 1, 2024 Rating: 2 This was booked for us through the Rocky Mountaineer, so we did not pick this hotel.
Starting off with something positive - if you're on a budget, this might be a good choice. The elevators worked well. The beds were comfortable, there were plenty of pillows, and there were ample plugs for electronics.
Maybe I was just exhausted by the time we got to the hotel, but this was NOT someplace I would book or ever stay again. It's quite a walk to get to the heart of Banff (15-20 min. depending on where you are going). There was a bus stop nearby, but after trying 3 times, we never saw an actual working public bus come by there - sorry, 1 bus came by, let someone out and then slammed the door in the face of the other folks trying to get on it. (This is not a hotel issue, but the taxi driver we eventually called told us the hotel staff had sent us to the wrong bus stop.) Yes, we could have walked as it's relatively flat, but one of us had a sprained ankle.
There is a restaurant in the hotel, but if you are with the Rocky Mountaineer and get there at 10 pm, the restaurant is closed (although online it says it's open until 11 pm). No room service after the restaurant closed. For breakfast, they have an expensive buffet. You can order off the menu, but it takes forever to even get coffee so can't imagine that would be quick.
The vending machines have the absolute cheapest snacks they could find, and the credit card swiper was hit or miss as to whether it would work.
The decor of the hotel and rooms hasn't been updated since the 90s. The bathtub wouldn't drain properly, so if you were taking a shower you had to stand in ice cold water. The bath gel dispenser either wasn't working or had nothing in it. I just couldn't get over the decor, though.
So, bottom line, if you just need a comfortable bed near Banff, this would work. Can't say much for it beyond that.
Subratings:
- Rooms: 2
- Value: 3
- Sleep Quality: 5
- Location: 2
- Cleanliness: 3
- Service: 2
Banff is great. Hotel let it down
User:
GarryReid from: Manchester, United Kingdom
Published Date: Oct, 9, 2024 Travel Date: Oct, 1, 2024 Rating: 1 The hotel is nice to look at and is clean. They were doing really well until i asked for a little milk to make a hot drink in my room at the supplied drinks station in the room (that had no milk).
I asked staff "could i have a drop of milk to make a hot drink in my room"
My reply...
Yes but i will have to charge you. I asked how much milk and she held her fingers about one inch apart. I asked "how much for the milk"
$4 plus tax!!
I didnt get the milk i didnt have a hot drink after coming in from the cold and i wont visit this hotel when I next vist Banff!
Subratings:
- Rooms: 2
- Value: 1
- Sleep Quality: 1
- Location: 5
- Cleanliness: 4
- Service: 1
Disappointed
User:
karenjG2649DT from: Nelson, New Zealand
Trip Type: Couples
Published Date: Sep, 30, 2024 Travel Date: Sep, 1, 2024 Rating: 2 Booked 12 months ago and very pleased to be in a Spa Lodge in Banff. What a contrast to other stays in Canada. Most staff very uninterested and no concept of customer service excellence. No assistance with luggage on arrival... saw elderly people with mobility issues left to struggle. Room very dark and very little daylight. No milk and limited choice of tea. Room not refreshed until later afternoon. No laundry service... just 2 washers and driers in a depressing room in the basement car park. Breakfast pastries dry and unappetising. Hot food ok just. Would not recommend.
Banff, so it was expensive but a comfortable stay.
User:
WokinghamWonderlust from: Berkshire
Published Date: Sep, 26, 2024 Travel Date: Sep, 1, 2024 Rating: 4 I had no real complaints about this hotel, the room was not huge but functional and clean. The Hot Pool was good after a long day walking. We din not use the restaurant even for breakfast as a little expensive but did have drinks in the bar and the staff were really good. Aircon didn't seem to be working but it was no problem at the time of year we were there.
Subratings:
- Rooms: 4
- Value: 3
- Sleep Quality: 4
- Location: 4
- Cleanliness: 4
- Service: 4
A lovely romantic hotel
User:
stephenlG4040UP from:
Published Date: Sep, 25, 2024 Travel Date: Sep, 1, 2024 Rating: 5 My wife and I stayed for a few nights as a part of our Titian travel, Rockies to Vancouver tour.
The hotel offers a charming and romantic oldy worldy feel about it. The rooms are very clean as is all the hotel. The staff were very friendly and breakfasts amazing.
The hotel is about a 10min walk from the centre of town but the hotel does provide complimentary ‘roam bus passes’ for those who don’t or can’t walk that far.
We loved every minute of our stay and hope to one day visit again.
Subratings:
- Rooms: 5
- Value: 5
- Sleep Quality: 5
- Location: 4
- Cleanliness: 5
- Service: 5