Downtown, Banff Avenue
The walkable centre. Hotels are on or just off Banff Avenue, close to restaurants and shops. Roam buses serve the town and some trailheads. See downtown Banff hotels.
Home / Where to stay
Downtown is for walking. Tunnel Mountain is quieter. Lake Louise is a separate stay, a 45-minute drive west. Canmore is the town just outside the park.
Spray Avenue
Just across the Bow River from the town centre. Fairmont Banff Springs is here, at 405 Spray Avenue, a short walk from Banff Avenue. Bow Falls is nearby.
Sulphur Mountain
Above the town, on Mountain Avenue. Rimrock Banff is here, near the Banff Gondola and the Upper Hot Springs. You will want a car or the bus. It is not a walk to Banff Avenue.
Tunnel Mountain
A quieter ridge just east of downtown. Lodges and condo resorts such as Buffalo Mountain Lodge, Hidden Ridge Resort and Tunnel Mountain Resort are in the trees, a short drive or bus ride from Banff Avenue.
West of town
The Juniper Hotel is at 1 Juniper Way, just west of the centre, on the road to Mount Norquay.
East Banff Avenue
Farther along Banff Avenue, toward the highway, hotels such as Hotel Canoe & Suites and Banff Rocky Mountain Resort are a kilometre or more from the town centre. They often have more parking and more suite-style rooms.
Lake Louise
About 55 kilometres and 45 minutes west of Banff. Stay on the lakeshore (the Chateau) or in the village below. See Lake Louise hotels.
Canmore
About 25 kilometres east, just outside the park. A larger hotel supply, and often a lower rate, for the same Bow Valley trip. You still need a park pass to enter Banff National Park. See Canmore hotels.
Bow Valley Parkway
The cabins at Johnston Canyon, Baker Creek, Castle Mountain and Storm Mountain are on or near this quieter road between Banff and Lake Louise. Several are seasonal. See cabins and lodges.
The map shows the Bow Valley, from Canmore through Banff to Lake Louise.
Where should I stay in Banff?
Downtown Banff, on and just off Banff Avenue, is the walkable base. Tunnel Mountain is quieter, a short drive or bus ride from town. Stay in Lake Louise if the lake is the point of the trip, about 45 minutes west. Canmore, just outside the park, is often used as a less expensive base. See downtown Banff, Lake Louise hotels, and Canmore hotels.
Is Banff walkable?
Yes. Downtown Banff is walkable, with hotels on and just off Banff Avenue. Tunnel Mountain and Sulphur Mountain are a short drive or bus ride from town. Lake Louise is not a walk from Banff; it is a 45-minute drive west. See downtown Banff hotels.