Staying In North America’s Famous Mountain Hotel - Fairmont Banff Springs
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- Опубликовано: 18 май 2024
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Today i'm in Alberta, Canada, specifically in Banff National Park. I'm checking into one of the most iconic hotels in all of North America. It's castle like appearance has been baked into the iconography of the area and it's a resort so many wish to visit. Join me as I take an objective, honest and unbiased look to find out if it's worth your money! This is the Fairmont Banff Springs.
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Chapters:
Opening - 0:00
Getting There & History - 1:01
Room - 3:04
Gold Experience - 4:49
Bars & Food - 6:12
Activities - 7:22
The Price & Options - 9:13
Final Score - 12:50
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Bright Sun Films 2023
Presented in 4k
New video out on my main channel!
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Bright Sun Travels --- Important correction on this video at 2:50, I am a 20-year resident of Banff and a 50-year visitor to the region, and a life-long Western Canadian. The Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel is NOT a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is BANFF NATIONAL PARK which is the UNESCO World Heritage Site, along with its neighboring Parks of Kootenay, Yoho, Jasper, Mt Robson, Mt Assiniboine, and Hamber. There are many more parks in the region that may be added to the UNESCO designation and deserve to be, the Hotels and other human structures within the parks MIGHT be considered part of the UNESCO designation, but only in regard to their long history of providing unique accommodations to the park visitors, there are many more humble but culturally and historically significant cabin resorts in the Parks which can also lay claim to the designation if that is true.
I want to visit for three weeks
Maybe learn how to pronounce the name of the company?
Are there any restaurants in the town of Banff that serve elk meat; and wild boar meat?
If you’re going to review it you should learn how to pronounce it
"Fairmount"
Like wtf 😂
Came looking for this comment. 🙂
Lol, I was like, why can't he say the name of the hotel correctly?
I’ll take my rage out here : it’s fkn fairmoNt!
Ima Marriott guy and this still irked me
This is like Benedict Cumberbatch mispronouncing “penguins” over and over on TV. He kept saying “pengwengs”. Fairmount Fairmount Fairmount! So jarring.
Albertan here, who's stated at Banff Springs a few times...
They've massively increased prices after the pandemic to reflect the demand. I've stayed in nice rooms for $250 a night in pre-pandemic times.
I'm glad they're busy, because the whole town and park was nailed by the pandemic, but hopefully prices come back down next year, because yeh, $1200/night is madness
Also, the $16 sandwiches are $11.50 USD which doesn't seem quite so bad
Great to know that the cost is subject to trends that much! And a good reminder of the conversion - I forgot about that watching the video.
Nowadays is not so pretty expensive for a sandwich in Canada, specially when your buying it in one of the beautiful's places in the whole world and a great hotel like this one.
Pastrami was huge
Agree on the food prices being more than reasonable for today-
a semi-plump freshmade but average sized sandwich at the local good Italian deli here in Northern California is 12.99 now, more for the heavy on the meat options, and a large soup is pushing 10.
And those are USD prices!
Lol for real as a Canadian I’m like… this is expensive? I just expect to be gouged everywhere. Hence why all we ever really eat out is pizza these days ;/
We visited Banff last summer and couldn’t justify the prices to stay at the Fairmont. What we did instead was stayed at the Mount Royal, then we splurged for a day trip to the Fairmont on my birthday - doing their afternoon tea in the Rundle Bar and massages to get access to the spa facilities and hot springs. Totally worth it that way!!
So you do get access to hot springs, this guy mentioned pools but not the spa
Hi, I'm someone who grew up in the Arizona desert, and who's first experience of snow was at the Fairmount Banff hotel. I understand the outrage in it's overpricing, but as someone who has never seen a castle in his whole life before going to Alberta at age 15, it is a magnificently magical experience that I felt was worth the money.
The prices are slightly crazy, but to be honest, I think this is one of these rare hotels that is unique and historic enough to justify a substantial premium. It's good at least to see it delivering high quality, rather than just trading purely off faded glories.
the food prices Banff Fairmont seems to be on the lower side for a vacation spot. CHEAP Jake is who you are getting reviews from. My recent Hawaii vacay, sandwiches are $15-20 from big chain franchises and locals. Not 5-Star Hotels. If you see the foods Fairmont included in his GOLD package, then you know their foods are upper echelon quality
@@pixvuhobbyzone2814 A footlong at Subway is like $15 dollars where I live. You gotta be a special kind of cheap to think $16-20 for a sandwich is expensive at a world renowned luxury hotel.
Disney's kids are Special Breed ... HAAAAAA
There is nothing special about this hotel. It is old and outdated but fancy. But the charm can be experienced by exploring the hotel. So the question is, "why bother paying for an old room? There are much nicer places to stay and they are more convenient."
@@xjapan3 cool story bro
I think it’s worth mentioning that Banff is heavily protected by the federal government. They make it very difficult for companies to upgrade properties in the area. Also EVERYTHING in Banff is ridiculously expensive. With the Fairmont being the priciest.
The Canadian government is making it extremely difficult for all businesses to survive in parks that have been there for decades. Look what they are doing to Sunshine Village Ski resort. I don't think it be around much longer.
@@LGB007 nah cuz why though? it aint like we aint doing worse things for environment i am telling u man these fucking gov's are here not to protect rather to extort money from companies and after bit of corruption they allow shit to happen
For people in the rest of the world, remember all the prices are in Canadian Pesos.
@@davidduma7615 canadian pesos hahaha
@@LGB007What is happening there? my family went skiing in February to Sunshine. I believe it was 2022 and the only thing that was unpleasant was that it was very very cold- they were still open. There were lockers, adequate rentals with knowledgeable staff.
We had fun what was noticeable is apparently the suites that they used to have for the workers and the instructors were being rented out to other people and therefore those people that were working there had a little bit of trouble paying expenses that helped the business.
I didn’t agree with this. There was many families and even grandparents skiing. It was very cozy and fun experience. Affordable for a working family. ( maybe a once/ y event).
There were families from Saskatchewan skiing/ snowboarding on their winter break.
I saw a photo of the Banff Springs Hotel tucked into the hillside and surrounded by wilderness about 40 years ago as a child. The grandeur of what I saw has stayed with me to this day. I've never been there, but would like to one day.
Same here. I did make it to Calgary once as an adult but didn't have the leisure time to visit it, a big regret.
Please make time to go one day. Youll never regret it. Nothing is cheap up here but.....these things will live in your soul forever.
i was born and raised here, i reccomend you make a visit!
I dissociated when he said: "...much longer 1.5km hike".
It would be amazing to see you review European hotels and how those compare with Canada/USA in terms of amenities and hospitality. This one reminded me a lot of old school European resort hotels, ie the ones with Grand Budapest Hotel vibes. If you want a true price shock, try Switzerland in places like St Moritz or Gstaad. Austria is more affordable and there's a fascinating crumbling luxury spa town called Bad Gastein (half travel and half urbex).
In short I would say it massively depends on where and what purpose you’re staying at a hotel. Personally I think European hotels have nicer staff but not as many amenities that American hotels have. The US also has massive vacation spots with hundreds of resorts right next to each other think Miami, myrtle beach, Panama FL etc.
Yes, that would be very interesting. I'd say that European hotels feel more modern but are less luxurious than US hotels. But it varies massively from place to place, of course. I agree with Sean above about the staff but again it varies so much. Sheraton on Manhattan had terrible staff, while the Warwick a few blocks away had some of the best staff I've ever experienced.
I remember the room service at my hotels in Canada as ridiculously expensive and awful quality sorry 😅
It was built by people of European background and certainly not the indigenous. Of course, it's going to have that historic euro look.
I’ve been to St Moritz twice & both times I saw A list celebrities everywhere. It’s a unique place and is drop dead gorgeous. The best thing about European skiing is the altitude isn’t as high as it is in North America and is significantly more comfortable. It’s also cool how there are restaurants & places to go all over the mountains there whereas in the US the only places you can go are at the bottoms of the mountains. Plus you can ski wherever you want in Europe but can only ski specific trails in the US because of insurance purposes.
This hotel is in itself a destination. You could spend a whole week without ever leaving the property. I love walking through this beautiful place but likely wouldn't pay for a room at the prices they charge. Chateau Lake Louise is another extraordinary Fairmont property just up the road and is a bit more remote but the views are worth the drive.
We were able to stay at Chateau Lake Louise years ago. Decided to splurge and paid about $400 for a nights stay. The room was tiny but nicely decorated. We ordered room service for dinner
There's nothing worth 1000$ a night there at all, it's literally in middle of nowhere
@@shable1436I think this is the best part. But I would not spent so much money either. I dont have it anyway :D
@@shable1436 "it's literally in middle of nowhere"....that's what makes it so appealing. If you have never been to the Canadian Rocky mountains you are missing out on some incredible views. I've stayed at the Chateau many years ago. Also, been to Lake Louise in the winter which was an awesome experience.
In the summer you can hear the ice crashing off of the glaciers .
My husband & I stated at the Banff Springs Hotel for one week in January 1982. A beautiful hotel in a beautiful area. The hotel is located on the old railroad route, for travelers. When we stayed there, there were 500 rooms with 3 twin beds and 24 rooms with double beds. Glad the rooms have been upgraded. The food was excellent, too.
years ago, in the 60s, my family traveled to stay in the Banff area for a vacay (the campgrounds), we saw this hotel from a viewpoint--so stunning, we kids thot it was a castle lol. Such a beautiful area. Those mountains are stunning. Price wise, I think I would still be staying at the campgrounds today.
Awesome review as usual! FairMONT, not fairMOUNT! 😆
Thank God I'm not the only one who noticed. The thing is, he says it so many times that it's being hit with a hammer about 97 times. I couldn't watch it all. PLEASE, Jake, get it right next time! This was so obvious.
Yeah, that really really bugged me.
I stopped watching after two in the first minute.
Was genuinely baffled by how it's even possible to mess up such an incredibly obvious pronunciation. Like surely he's trolling right? It doesn't make sense that anyone could actually be this stupid, lol
@@baller7387 As a Canadian, I'm particularly disappointed that he wouldn't know how to pronounce the name of a legendary Canadian landmark. What if someone started calling him JACK? I wonder if he would notice/mind.
I have fond memories of this property.
My father and I stayed there in 1963.
It was the old hotel, not yet renovated. I was 15 years old. I remember how captivated I was by it’s beauty and location. I haven’t been back and often think about revisiting. That said at those prices perhaps a day visit would do.
I was going to point out the mis pronouncing but I see many already have so I won't bother.
As an native Albertan, the place is beautiful and I travel to rockies multiple times a year. Go on a weekday, much cheaper hotels, you don't have to stay at a resort, just a normal hotel will be fine, all the touristy things that have a resort have all the touristy things outside the resort, so most places you can still go to without breaking the bank. Hiking is great, scenery is amazing, would recommend everyone to go at least once.
Also, love to see content on Canadian resorts, it costs a lot more to leave the country so finding nice places to go in the borders is always welcoming.
As a fellow Canadian who has never gone beyond loitering in the Fairmont across from Union Station, it was cool to live vicariously through your stay at this location! Your unbiased opinions, transparency with prices, and deep dives into these companies' histories are what truly differentiate you from other channels. Love your stuff!
Thank you so much!
Agree with @Lauren Duncan. I grew up in Alberta and never saw even a photo of the inside of this hotel. Unlikely I'd stay there at those prices, but pretty fun to see. Thanks for a great vid!
The Royal York is an amazing hotel but completely overpriced. The only time it’s feasable to stay there is if you’re getting a procedure done at the cosmetic surgeon’s clinic on the premesis, and they get you a recovery room. Anything else is ridiculously overpriced.
His complaining about prices is ridiculous. It’s a hotel in the mountains, how does he think that food got there? Everything’s gonna be expensive af to get there. The video is good and enjoyable but his gripes are coming from an uneducated place imo.
@@gdog859 It's an hour away from Calgary, it's right on the edge of the mountains, on the main highway and the main rail line for the entire country. Supply costs are only cheaper if you literally live in a port city. Having a differing opinion on price is fair, but your logic for the reasoning is flawed, as someone who has been there a few times.
Thanks for watching everyone! I am aware that there is a slight export error that snuck past me, so I am sorry about that! ALSO, yes I may or may not have been mispronouncing Fairmont for my entire life... but these things give this video character... (?). Anyways, expect a new video once a month. Cabana Bay in Orlando is next for a review and I am heading to Europe for the first time later this year, so you bet i'll film a review while i'm abroad.
I forgive you because I love your work!
Have fun in Europe! Looking forward to more of these videos :)
You are not allowed to fly drones in Banff.
Any chance we can get a video about an airline experience at some point?
Ya, I found that mispronunciation so annoying. Small detail but you said it soooo many times
I've had the pleasure of staying at Banff Springs a few times, starting in the early 1960's. It is truly magical, especially in the winter.
By far my favorite hotel in Alberta. Living in Calgary my wife and I go there often. What sets this hotel apart from the rest, besides being a gorgeous castle in the mountains, is the high level of service that you won't get anywhere else in Alberta. The spa pools are the best too, but not free, which is perhaps why it wasn't shown.
Absolutely stunning. Worked there back in the mid-80's. Best time of my life. To live and work in that castle with those views, awesome. That's why the staff is so happy. And, btw, you're not paying for the "room" you're paying for the "experience."
The reviewer doesn't get it. He can't even pronounce the name of the chain properly and he thinks a $16 sandwich in a premium resort is insane. That's cheap, compared to some places of lesser standards.
Is it true there’s a haunted room or floor?
Yeah a ghost dry humped me there
@OMGWTFLOLSMH seriously... he's surprised the cocktails cost money? The sandwiches are overpriced at $16 canadian?? I would be happy to find a decent sandwich at $12 US *anywhere* in my city, much less at a destination location like this one.
I went there with my dad for a business convention in the 1970s. What a place for a kid. While I ran around the grounds during the day, I would run into employees I recognized because they lived in an adjacent building. It was an incredibly friendly atmosphere. For conventions, they would hold a medieval banquet where the only utensil provided was a steak knife. It even included a soup course. What fun for a kid to watch a bunch of businessmen try to eat like this! You can take the train through the Rockies to get there, or Lake Louise, and have one of the greatest Canadian trips ever.
Very comprehensive review, wow you put so much hard work into it , congrats 😊loved❤ it , thank you 🙏
I went up there with a ski club in 2006 with 35 other people and the travel agent was able to get us a fantastic deal. We spent 4 nights at the Chateau Lake Louise and then 3 nights at the Banff Springs hotel. We received a complementary full breakfast at both places and there were enough other decent restaurants in the immediate areas of both hotels to make going out for dinner worthwhile. Lunch was on the slopes at the ski resorts. I'm not going to mention the price because you'll call me a liar if I do. The place was beautiful beyond words in the winter and it was a return visit to the area for me after I did a driving trip up to Jasper during the late summer of 1980. Although I saw the Banff Springs Hotel when I passed through Banff the first time, I had no idea that I might someday return and actually stay there for a few days. Your video here is quite good, BTW.
Fairmont, not Fairmount. I live in San Francisco where the Fairmont was a privately owned hotel until they sold out and then their name appeared all over luxury properties.
I was pretty shocked to hear a Canadian guy say it wrong!! It was pretty insulting to THIS Canadian. Never heard Jake screw up before.
Human beings do that sometimes.
@@ferociousgumby yah... and the clue was in the actual spelling of the name! Nice pictures tho. Looking forward to my stay there soon.
Is that the one where they filmed the tv series’Hotel’? I stayed there twice. Nice hotel.
@@loopyloo788 Correct, the Fairmont in San Francisco with it's name covered up.
Growing up in the Alberta and owning a time share in Banff I always laughed at these prices. Check in at 4pm and out by 11am. 19hrs, 8 of which are sleeping and lets be honest, you can only wonder around a castle for about an hour before you want to go sight seeing in the National Park. There are beautiful 2 bedroom Airbnb's where our time share is for under $250 CAD a night with free heated underground parking.
Know of any privately owned camp grounds in the general area?
I lived in Calgary most of my life and we would head to Banff for weekends away and stayed fairly often at this Hotel, views were wonderful and we would head down to watch the Golfers tee off from the balcony of the little restaurant overlooking the tee off area it was very enjoyable as you had to get across the river. Sounds like major changes have been made to the Hotel in 2021. Will have to check it out.
Only hotel i've ever passed that I needed to take a photo of. Banff is incredibly beautiful.
My wife and I decided to do a BC road trip in 2012 from Vancouver to Whistler, up north and across to Jasper then Banff to test-stay in each of the Fairmonts that we always had to drive by all our years of driving around BC on various oblivacations visiting family. The Fairmont Whistler was exceptional in every way, the Jasper Park Lodge was the quintessential Canadian experience, we felt like we were in a Canadian Pacific poster from the 1930s, and the Banff Springs Hotel was the best cream cheese icing on the Fairmont cake. I had joined the President’s Club the year before because it was free, and provided lots of unexpected perks, like a reasonable upgrade to the Gold Floor. We had a beautifully appointed room with that same south view and were greeted by twin rainbow over the valley when we arrived. The complimentary breakfast buffet and happy hour hors d’oeuvres were so generous that we only bought one meal per day. As stated in the video, the service was off the chart. EVERYone was happy, professional and genuinely made us feel that they were so happy we chose to stay there. Even housekeeping made us feel like royalty. If anyone was faking it, don’t care couldn’t tell. It wasn’t nearly as expensive as described here, but I’d save my pennies for another stay. No question.
I'm in Calgary and have always wondered what this hotel is like whenever I drive through the mountains, thanks for covering it! Not sure its for me given the price, but an amazing property and I'm sure it's popular. If anyone reading this wants to visit Banff one day, my tip is the drive from Calgary to Banff is only about an hour and a half and there are busses that go between the two frequently, so you can stay in town at a much cheaper rate if on a budget and still have pretty easy access to Banff. I think a lot of people don't realize how close it is to the city, though it definitely doesn't feel like it by about 30 minutes into the drive.
This is so helpful - I am just starting my trip planning. Thank you!!
Yes, I visited Calgary several years ago and it’s easy to go there for the day. We were able to poke around in the lobby and gift shop of this hotel.
My family lives there, we've gone a couple of times as a day trip, and like Jake said the drive up is genuinely beautiful and easy to sit through!
Is it easy to drive there in the winter? Are conditions usually dangerous?
@@NatureLover-qm3rr Snow and ice happen, but I imagine the ploughing is pretty well managed
Okay, now I’m OBSESSED with this place/hotel, the Fairmont Banff Springs. Never heard of it (or seen the ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS/STUNNING location) before this morning and prior to clicking on this video. I know it’s hyper expensive, but I simply must experience this as this castle looks breathtaking as does the scenery. And, I’d have to personally double the cost for a two-night stay because I would need one full day alone to probably take over 4,000 pictures as there are so many opportunities everywhere. If you were to ask me my IDEAL place to live/retire, this would be it.
Thanks to Jake for experiencing this and introducing this to me!!
Final Thoughts: Funny enough, I practically grew up on a street called Banff in Phoenix, Arizona. Being young, I would often mispronounce it as Ban-iff, as did other people when I spoke about it to them. I heard/thought it was a country (or area,) but never once in my 8ish years there bothered to explore/look it up. Now I wish I had. (In my defense, the internet hadn't been invented until nearly the end of my stay there. lol)
I just stayed there in March it was probably the most beautiful, well maintained hotel I’ve ever been to. The food was excellent. the staff were amazing, I would go back in a heartbeat
I've driven past this hotel several times and even done the recommended "walk around the grounds without buying anything" way of seeing it. As I finally get to a point where a couple nights here could be a highlight of a future roadtrip, I really appreciate the realistic review that appreciates the uniqueness and history of the place while still considering value for mere mortals. I can definitely see this becoming my favourite travel review channel as you branch out from Disney.
Travelled to Banff in 2018 and can say it is the best place I’ve ever visited. So beautiful and such a quiet peaceful corner of the world. I could quite happily live there one day. 16 year old me fell in love with the mountains, the beautiful design of the town and how friendly everyone there was. I hope I can make the 13 hour + trip there again someday.
late to the party here, but it's so funny you call it quiet because most Bow Valley locals avoid the hell out of Banff between May and October because it gets so outrageously busy lol
@@K.C-2049 ahaha wow thats so interesting! yeh tbf there were a few people but the atmosphere wasn't all bustling like the cities. but for sure thats interesting to learn :D
Definitely recommend visiting in summer. So many great hiking opportunities. I was there 20 years ago. Glad to hear they renovated the rooms. They really needed it as the rooms original 'rustic' attributes were not very welcoming.
I haven't stayed there in quite some time, since before the renos and Covid. You're correct in my mind about the service and the views. Also about the pricing, even then. But it was a once in a lifetime experience... and an upgraded suite, instead of a basic room. The most expensive golf I've played anywhere as well, but ah!! Thanks for this overview, it was great!
This hotel and whole surrounding area are even more stunning in person. Went there for a snowboarding trip for my 16th birthday 21 years ago and I’ll never forget it! Especially sitting in the hot spring across the road while it snowed!
I got married there in November! Stayed for a week and it was really great. Probably one of the best experiences ever! The staff there are also amazing, too, and because they knew we were getting married, they had a bottle of champagne and chocolates waiting in our room.
Banff and Canmore are the best for anyone that enjoys being surrounded by nature but still want access to salons/spas, shops, nice restaurants etc.
However, if you’re someone that gets acrylic/gel nails, get them done either before or get them done in Calgary. Neither Banff nor Canmore have actual nail salons that do much more than a simple manicure or shellac.
I think my main issue with this hotel is like... if I'm paying to stay in a 100+ year old hotel, why would I want a *modern* experience? If I'm paying that much and driving out to freaking Banff of all places, I want to feel like a wealthy victorian, not get the same experience I could get at any recently built luxury hotel. Giving the rooms a modern aesthetic instead of having antique styling is just lame.
Totally agree. It's such an extraordinary and beautiful building so it's really a shame.
Check out timberline lodge in Oregon (Place they filmed The Shining). The interior is still pretty true to the original 1930s style.
I’d rather stay at the Overlook. 😂
Exactly 💯 💯 💯 💯 💯 💯
@@kidkong637you have good taste despite being haunted its such a beautiful hotel that transition of different patterns and textures is perfectly done. Every inch feels like a different liminal space.
We have stayed at the Fairmount Chateau Lake Louise, in a suite, on two occasions which we found to be magnificent and beautifully decorated hotel along with the best staff! The wildlife surrounding the hotel will never leave you unhappy but simply wanting for more!!
I'd be interested to see Jake's opinion on Post Hotel in Leavenworth Washington. It's a very small, adult-only, luxury resort and spa nestled in the mountains much like the Fairmont Banff Springs. It's catered toward spas, saunas, relaxation pools, and hot tubes as well as massages, and included food. Having so few rooms, the relaxation area never feels crowded and the main pool is both indoor and outdoor, playing music under the water so you can listen while floating and looking up at the mountains.
It's well-centered in the town of Leavenworth, offering short walks to nearby attractions. However, due to the few rooms, it's challenging to get a reservation, and priced even more aggressively than the Fairmont Banff Springs resort. That being said, it's by far one of the most relaxing resorts I've ever stayed at, and would love to go again.
As someone who is doing their masters research on Banff, I love seeing a lot of historical photos in this video. One of my favourite photos has to be the picture of the Banff Highland Gathering and Scottish Music Festival at 2:35. I am currently researching and writing a paper on that event and it is fascinating. The hotel has an incredibly storied past and there are so many unique (and sometimes problematic) stories tied to the hotel.
I lived in Banff for more than 15 years...and learned a lot about the areas history from the local families like the Brewsters. The hotel also has some great stories....like the "missing" staircase. Enjoy your journey through Banff's history!
History masters?
What are the problematic stories
I was very interested in seeing the old Congregation of the Sisters of St. Martha's convent, now a hospital I believe. My aunt, a CSM sister was placed there for a number of years. She loved it so much. When she went back East, she could never be satisfied, and eventually left the Congregation. It is a lovely town and has much to offer. The ambience of these old time hotels cannot be matched by today's Four Seasons, or the whatever. So, save your nichels and dimes and vacation at one of these grand old beauties every year.
@@Phlegethon There are several. Two of the main ones pertain to the forced labour Ukrainians who were interned at Castle Mountain internment were forced to undertake at the Banff Springs Hotel. This included rock crushing/working in a quarry (during which several internees died in explosions or accidents) for stone that was to be used at the Banff Springs Hotel. They were also forced to help expand the golf links at the Banff Springs Hotel. The story of the internment of Ukrainians at Castle Mountain in Banff is incredibly sad as the majority were targeted simply for being originally from “enemy” countries (principally the Austro-Hungarian Empire) during the First World War. Bill Waiser has an book on the subject titled “Park Prisoners: The Untold Story of Western Canada's National Parks, 1915-1946.” It is worth a read.
Comparing the price & the experience with Disney's make this ridiculously expensive hotel feels like a bargain.
So far you've helped me book a cruise and now a vacation here. Great new channel!
Really nice video. I would totally make a meal of those evening hors d'oeuvre. Wonderful views from your room. Stunning!
I haven't stayed at the Banff Fairmont but have to say that just LOOKING at it from across the river in Banff is by itself incredible.
I stayed 7 nights in November 2021. Just on the way out of lockdowns in Canada, so pricing wasn't crazy. Sent a nicely worded letter a week before asking if any upgrades were available and upon check-in were given a beautiful room, not Gold level. You are correct that the restaurants are very pricey. We didn't eat a single meal at the hotel. Plenty of local restaurants in the town. Since the convention level was not in use, we would purchase some coffees and sit at the huge windows alone. Included in the resort fee were activities such as painting and historical tours. We even booked a firepit (no extra fee) and brought our own marshmallows for roasting. The staff caught onto some of these "hacks" we were doing and loved us for it. Fabulous resort, in a beautiful park.
We got married here in 2022. Beautiful place. Got lost here when I was a child and envisioned getting married here. What grandeur and history.
Had the same Rolls Royce for our wedding day as the Queen visit. The best room for the price is the studio room on the 4th floor. Prices in the summer are $1200+ and winter about $500 every level.
The spa is pretty amazing. The breakfast buffet is well worth it. Do check out the restaurants.
I stayed there years ago in the early 80' s. The oil boom was thriving then, and my boyfriend's company footed the bill to have their Christmas party there. The room, meal, and breakfast provided, plus an open bar. Had a marvelous time(because I didn't have to pay for it). I will always think of it as a winter getaway. Sitting in the hotsprings in the crisp cold winter with the stars and beautiful snow capped mountains above and around you.
I stayed there 23 to check out 26 in 2019. A trip I'll never forget from what I call Baronial castle to the incredible staff. The concierge was incredible from the first inquiry phone where skiing SkiBig3 recommended was my main reason for staying in area. They managed 3 days including Christmas with an incredible instructor! My main contact for stay arrangements graced my room with a Christmas tree having paid attention when I'd laughingly mentioned rescued cats had ended that treat. Incredibly she also had put in my room a gorgeous rose bouquet! Food at all the places incredible. Salon staff have incredible skill. Sleigh ride booked, on and on the entire stay fantastic. Someday hope to go back.
My wife and I live 3 hours South of Banff and stay on the Gold Floor every year for our anniversary. There just isn't a better experience than this and I've been to Europe, US and China without finding anything nearly this nice.
Your experience says a lot; I haven’t stayed at the Banff Fairmont YET, but being an Albertan it makes me proud that our province can offer this type of wilderness luxury experience.
We do the same at the Fairmont Empress Victoria, BC amazing every time we go!
My favorite Hotel chain for sure. Too bad, they are located mostly in North America, have to searcha another china in Europe. Gold Floor worth every penny and the service is exceptional.
Try Fairmont Le Montreux Palace, Switzerland
Try the Grand Budapest Hotel - beautiful with ambience galore!
I stayed at the Banff springs hotel when it was run by the Canadian/Pacific Railroad. Back then it was still decorated in its 1930s era decor. It looked like a place the Vanderbilt's would have stayed in. The Waldhaus was an authentic German restaurant back along a snowy walk in the woods with the German style long tables and benches to seat guest parties shoulder to shoulder. My German wife absolutely loved it. It's rather sad to see it modernized Fairmont style. It was an absolute gem. Go for the experience you will remember a lifetime, do not expect to pinch pennies.
All the comments are going to be Fairmont vs Fairmount but I found this very useful for trip planning
It's Fairmont. I don't see a "mount" anywhere. I had to bail on this, honestly, as much as I love Jake. This was goofy.
Every time he said it I was thinking...."THERE'S NO U" 😂
@@ferociousgumby it didn’t bother me - I know people inadvertently mispronounce things all the time and I can roll with it to appreciate what they are saying. And I got a lot out of this video so I’m glad I got to enjoy it. But I knew there would be commenters clutching their pearls and unable to cope.
@@T_WC123 He's a Canadian, and this is an iconic Canadian landmark which has been world-famous for decades. He should have got it right.
@@ferociousgumby relax, it’s a hotel chain. And like I said, there will be people just clutching those pearls and screaming indignation over a mispronunciation. You’re nailing it.
I've had the pleasure of staying at the Fairmont in Austin, Texas a few times and completely agree that the staff is incredible. The hotel and rooms were gorgeous. The locations and view of the city is fantastic. The giant pool on the 7th floor is stunning. Free parking in the middle of a major city is a great bonus. But the staff is the main reason I returned to visit. I will say, that it looks like rates have risen 50% since my previous visits. So, we'll see when I visit again, but this is one of the best hotel experiences I've had anywhere.
Thank you for the review! My husband and I booked 2 nights here for special birthdays next month. I’m used to going to the Ahwahnee in Yosemite National Park. (Not for overnight stays, just for lunch with friends a few dozen times. I lived close for many years. In winter we‘d take the YARTS bus into the park). It’s a smaller hotel than the Fairmont, but also very expensive. The views are spectacular! So it looks to me like this is the Canadian Ahwahnee. So looking forward to our stay! Thanks again, well done review!
I can literally smell the crispy air just looking at this.
Hands down my favorite travel channel, thank you for all that you do.
Thank you for watching!
I live in Alberta and I've had the pleasure of staying at this magnificent hotel on a few occasions. Yes, it's expensive; however, it's quite an experience. The hotel is gorgeous. One time we were there, there was a deer lounging by the pool in the evening!! The Rundle Lounge with views of the Rockies is one of my favourites. We had high tea there and it was wonderful - expensive, but wonderful. The food there is also very good. One of my favourite restaurants is the Bow Valley Grill. I've never been disappointed by any meal I've had there. The rooms are nicely appointed, some of the bathrooms are very small. Three out of the 4 times we've stayed there, we've had a decent sized bathroom. Quite frankly, if you want to spoil yourself, enjoy a night at the castle!! Jake, I love your videos; however, for your information it's pronounced FairMONT, not FairMOUNT!!
We have stayed there 3 times when we have visited Banff. It never ever fails to bring the best experience and the winter/ fall views are something you will never forget. Can’t wait for our 4th visit and our Rm to table breakfast service👌🏽
Banff is one of my personal favorite places in the world. When living in Calgary we used to go for all types of activities at least once per month. The Fairmont is iconic. But the prices since AccorHotels aquired Fairmont has skyrocketed. Before 2016 we used to stay there several times a year when finding good deals for a normal room for under 200 a night. As an example we went for the Banff Graan Fondo in 2015 in August and stayed 3 nights over a weekend for under 600 CAD. Right now I usually stay in other hotels in Banff because the prices since then had double on average. The renovations are great but the prices for me need to be about 30% lower for the quality to value proposition to be correct in my opinion. Anyway The Fairmont Banff it's a true experience that if it's within your budget should be tried.
Love how coincise and detailed you are with your reviews, without flooding us with too much information. I enjoy your humor, and glad you got that free to use in room fridge. XD
Keep up the great work on this channel. It's always fun watching your videos.
I am literally sitting in the airport having just come from Banff. Its a beautiful place, regardless of where you stay. Just stunning
“That’s really neat and all, but what I care about is what’s free.”
Subbed
Thanks for the trip down memory lane! I was lucky enough to get to stay here in the early 90’s for free. 3 nights at Banff Springs Hotel and 3 nights at Lake Louise. It was beautiful and probably the most luxurious hotel experience I’ll ever have. It was fun to remember.
Nice :) working vacations are the best. I get to stay at the Rimrock twice a year for work. I love living in Calgary!
Nice video. Back in 1999 we visited the hotel with an old employee who was a concierge at another place were were staying at in Banff. She gave us a great tour. One thing that is not mentioned at the hotel is the actual ghost stories of this grand hotel. During this time the Japanese yen was collapsing but the years before Japanese came in droves and purchased many of the retail and restaurants up and down the Banff Strip. The exterior signage of the stores was in English and Japanese. The Japanese are very concerned about ghosts and since this was near the ending time due to the devaluation of the yen some old stories were getting out. The concern was if the Japanese knew about these ghost stories that maybe the occupation levels would drop. So lets start the stories. First one a bride was getting married and had her reception in the hotel. Not sure of the date but she tripped on her dress as she was going down the stairway and died during her grand opening prior to the wedding dance. It was the stone carved circular stairway. Her ghost was known to be seen at different times. One time someone saw ghosts in the wedding reception area where there was a dance hall, but could only see them from the knees up. Later the person found out that they added 24" - 30" to the height of the dance floor in later years. Another was about a porter. Some people were arriving and it was a busy summer day. All the porters were extremely busy. This family drove up and they were being helped by a porter with a very different looking outfit. The porter was extremely nice and brought their bags up to the room. Later the family went down to compliment the front desk on the porter and mentioned that the his outfit was different from all the rest and wondered why. It was an outfit that had not been used in decades. Was someone playing a prank with an old uniform? There was a porter that died on site and his apparition would appear when the staff was very busy. There were about seven ghost stories that we were told but have since forgotten the other four, but the place has some terrific history. The last story she told us unrelated to ghosts that the person told us was about a mother wanting a photo of her children with a bear. The woman that was giving the tour had worked for a time developing photos. Evidently the mother thought it was cute if she placed honey on her children's faces and the bear would lick it off. She took lots of photos. The mistake the mother made was having the photos developed at the local store. Our tour guide was obligated to turn in the photos into the canadian social services. Evidently the mother got into a little hot water. Hope you enjoyed the stories. They are true to the best of my acknowledge.
This is a great story thanks for sharing. We loved the Japanese tours at the Chateau LL - the two toonies perfectly placed on the pillows to say thank you to the chambermaids and men. It was very charming (and as a broke student very welcome!)
Old hotels and ghost stories never end. Colorado, again, a railroad hotel, frequented by the likes of Al Capone. Stayed there before surgery on my sinuses. When I got back from the Outpatient Dept., and went up to my room, I gave them (the presumed ghosts) a sad story. I was alone and need their help in looking after me. Afraid I couldn't sleep, I suddenly dropped off and didn't wake up until the following morning. What a great job they did! Tombstone old hotel - again ghosts. Our room had stories of a kid who would play tricks on guests. My husband had his shower and midway through the water urned to ice cold - he hadn't done anything with the taps, but when he looked down at them, the hot water was turned off and only the cold water flowed. Before I got in, I told this little guy "You listen to me buster, I have two little boys and when they are naughty I box their ears". I hd a wonderful shower, uninterrupted.
Born and Raised in Alberta. I used to work at the Chateau Lake Louise. Have been to Banff springs countless times. Back then we had a friends and family rate for about 125 Canadian dollars a night haha. And that was for premium suites.
I stayed there almost 50 years ago as a youngster before it was renovated but it was still magnificant
My family and I visited Banff over the summer. We stayed in Canmore, which was likely cheaper and less touristy which I enjoyed. We did walk to this hotel and browse the common areas, but the price is so expensive! If you're celebrating something special and want to splurge, sure... but it's crazy expensive
We went to Banff nine years ago, also stayed in Canmore. It was the best of both worlds, and definitely worth the trip.
I’ve always though Banff was overpriced but have come to respect the cost for the high service levels you receive all over the town. It’s great to interact with staff as a lot of them are from all over the world and are living their own adventures.
For any of you that dont know or havent been through Banff before, it is ABSOLUTELY worth the trip. One of the most naturally gorgeous places ive ever been. And the "highway" leading there from like BC to Banff is incredible. Sheer cliffs on side the road for a bit. Beautiful.
I just found your channel, I love your videos! - incredibly informative and insightful accompanied by an amazing narration. Subscribed!
One of my goals is to stay in each of the iconic Canadian railway hotels. I was lucky enough to be able to stay at the Banff Springs in the fall of 2020. Loved it. We had a room way up in the tower along a narrow hallway with the outside wall slanted in at us.
One of our favorite places is the Fairmont at YVR airport particularly if we have an early flight out. A gold room with runway view is far and away the best way to start a holiday.
Yes it’s pricey but what are your com-parables ? A 5 star hotel in London, Rome, Berlin or even at Wynn’s in Vegas will cost you much more. The service is first class as is the dining experience. You needn’t be a hotel guest to dine or experience the hotels history and amazing views. You can stay at a more affordable hotel in Banff or Canmore and still book a dinner reservation and be treated to a very memorable experience.
I stayed at the Fairmont Lake Louise and the Banff Springs. In January 2019 Glad to see they remodeled. Our stay at Lake Louise was superior to the Banff springs hotel. I would highly recommend the trip. We had an amazing time!
Loved the video. Extremely well done. As a former employee here, i really appreciated it. Now, someone in the comments mentioned this hotel being haunted. The story is that the architect who designed this iconic structure hung himself in room 873 due the hotel being built backwards to his plans with some of the best views being on the back side of the hotel. (Kitchens had incredible views)
From what I can see, it doesn't look like there is a bad view.
No bad views but some are just better then others
Wow, the food at the buffet looks really impressive! I think it's worth the price in that location,with the history and the size of the hotel. It costs a fortune to maintain it. Expecially older buildings have their extra needs.
It was one of the best buffet food I had
I have watched this video four times. It is. Testament to the beauty of the hotel and to your incredible detail and narration. “I want to go to there.”
I was lucky enough to spend 4 nights here for a work conference in January 2020, right before COVID hit, so my work paid for the trip. It was incredible, and I was surprised how it didn't feel that busy. There are amazing views from every room. Great ski valet (and rental shop right on property), and hiking/running/mountain bike trails right from the hotel. One thing I think you missed is that they have outdoor ice skating on property, which I believe is free?
I had previously gone to a conference at the Fairmont Montreal (the conference company has a contract with them), and I really enjoyed that property as well.
Jake, you need to travel more. Your Disney Wish review was one of the best 'honest' cruise ship reviews I have watched. I look forward to your next video...
ive visited BSH twice (Mid Summer & mid Winter). Im booked to actually stay in October in a mountain view room at CAD920/night. That's a whisker dearer than Lake Louise but i am on a trip of a lifetime and decided to just go for it and do both. Celebrate a birthday in style because life IS way too short. Great vid and beaut photography!
I have the chance to stay at this hotel15- 20 yrs ago when I was invited by a pharmaceutical company to speak at a conference being held there. Unfortunately it was a quick in/out trip, but it was in February and was gorgeous in the snow. One of the things I remember about a meal was grapes that have been soaked in calvados ( apple brandy) and sugar and then frozen.. Simply amazing. The group dinner event involved a recreation as though we were on a train, with individuals dressed up as conductors, etc and gave a history of the property. The best part was that I was paid to stay there, rather than having to foot the bill myself. But the Canadian Rockies are nothing short of spectacular.
I went on a ski trip to Alberta in 1986 and we stayed at the (then) Banff Springs Hotel. It was amazing. One of the guys on the trip spent an obscene amount of money on a cashmere sweater there.
We got a normal room but it was really nice.
I've gone through the hotel about 20 years ago, it really looks like it's an entirely new interior from what I can see! Banff is just gorgeous and the hot springs are a real treat to enjoy in addition to the sights and places to go in and around town. :3
That's around when I stayed there for my parents anniversary and I specifically remember my room feeling like something out of an H.P Lovecraft novel. Gave it a ton of character though.
An alternative to the fairmont is the rimrock hotel it’s way less money but still a comparable experience. Additionally if you’re in the area you have to go to lake moraine it can be a little crowded at times but the views are 100% worth it.
Stayed there for a week of skiing many, many years ago. It was incredible back then - I can imagine how much nicer it is now. Nice thing back then was our room had 4 single beds for 4 college guys. No sharing beds!
When Canadian Pacific ran the Banff Springs, the food was absolutely outstanding. A very memorable stay.
I feel so lucky to live in Alberta and have been able to stay at the Fairmont Banff several times over the years.
I also got married there! (We got a steal of a deal during the summer of 2020, where we had a small outdoor ceremony on the hotel terrace overlooking the mountains and bow river for a cost of $1,500 CAD. Now they charge $10,000 lol ….)😅
I literally can’t tell you how excited I am when you put out a new video
banff is my favorite town ever ♥️ i went there in 2018 and i’ve been dreaming of going back ever since
We've had a couple of conferences at this property. The whole area is absolutely beautiful and the hotel is very special with it's beautiful design and rich history. We hosted Summer conferences so the weather was perfect and everything was green and lush. The downside of Summer is that they bring in a lot of college kids from other places to handle the extra occupancy and many are not experienced in hospitality industry. They are there to finance their Summer trip and go hiking or rafting, which I wish I would have thought of in my younger days! Even with somewhat less than ideal service levels, the destination makes it a bucket list entry for anyone. We stayed a few extra days after the conference and moved into a smaller hotel in town that was much cheaper. Once the conference ended and the company wasn't paying for the room, we went to the cheaper option. We didn't go there to sit in the room, so we just needed a decent place to sleep in between adventures. We drove to Lake Louise for some hiking, the glacier, the gondola and also spent a night at Fairmont Jasper. The drive up to it was amazing, like better than the most beautiful mountain view postcard you've ever seen! It cost a pretty penny (that's like 1.33 pretty Canadian pennies) but the experience and memories made will last for life. Someday laying on my death bed, I won't care about the money I spent or remember what I spent most of it on over the years, but I'll remember my travels🙂
As a local, and someone who's worked in Banff. I fully agree with your assessment. The Banff Springs is a experience, however it is far to overpriced and only for those that want the prestige of staying there, once is usually enough for most. In my Opinion the Juniper Hotel is always just the best option for a simple and cheap stay. With all the things to do, you rarely spend time in the hotels. I've probably hiked each of those peaks a few dozen times over the last decade and they never get old. Tunnel is the warm up run for anyone, an "easy" for the fit 30-45 min hike. While my personal favourite is the Cascade Amphitheatre when you can line it up with the wild flowers in summer. Or the Ink Pots, both of which can be half-day to whole day trips depending on your personal fitness level. And in Louis my favourite thing is the St Agnes tea house hike, nothing better than a morning hike along that trail and having a lunchtime or afternoon tea at the end before returning back. Also one IMPORTANT thing, and it is plastered everywhere, but Banff is a national Park and wild life live everywhere. Simply respect their space for the love of what ever you consider holy, for even a simple mule deer can put the hurt on. AND Never leave your vehicle to get a closer look, not only are you invading the animal's space, but humans and cars can also have a bad time when meeting. Take pictures with zoom, slow down, but don't stop and don't try and shake hands with a bear. Finally, Banff can get very crowded in summer, if crowds are not your thing, and you just want nature, I recommend Jasper National Park just north of Banff, equally if not more lovely. Waterton Park is also a wonderful place that is somewhere between Banff and Jasper for visitors, but also has the Prince of Wales hotel, like the Banff Springs is a historical hotel with amazing views but a little less pricy than Banff Springs. What ever the stay, Alberta is always welcoming. :)
I've read about this area for years. Definitely on the bucket list. I'll have to keep your suggestions in mind when I go (hopefully in a few years).
@@Schwertsan Well, I hope when you finally get a chance to come see this part of the world you have a wonderful experience and grand time!
Adding a separate comment regarding the Fairmount: I’ve been to only one mountain-area resort - and it was desperately in need of renovation. It’s tragic to see once-beautiful destinations that were enjoyed by generations past fall into ruin. The updated Fairmount is exactly what I’d have been thrilled to see achieved with the resort I visited.
Yes, maintaining an old grand dame like Fairmount takes a lot of money - but that’s only one part of their overhead. It must be astronomically expensive to truck high-end construction supplies and manpower up a mountain - which I think is very much reflected in the pricing. Given the choice, I’d prefer to see a unique, historic vacation destination charging what’s necessary to keep it operating optimally than see it fall into disrepair, lose clientele and end up closing - which is what happened to many Adirondack resorts.
Is it worth the price to stay there? Let me ask: Short of flying to Europe, how else would you be able to experience what Fairmount has to offer? Given the spectacular views, sophisticated public spaces, available amenities - and the fact that it’s an ENESCO World Heritage Site - I’d say it is very much worth the price.
Just a point to add- the Fairmount is just off Banff's main drag on a paved road, it really isn't up a mountain per se. Plus a massive amount of stuff is trucked on the TransCanada- it's the main trucking route between BC and Alberta. It's more expensive to build due to National Park rules and restrictions more than anything else.
Yes this it’s a stones throw from Calgary with big city amenities
How much a night ? That's funny !
The hotel and the setting are fabulous. I would love to visit it. This is the second of your videos that I watched, the editing and the photography are beautiful! 10 out of 10!
I live in Calgary and I am proud that the staff are amazing!
I would love to see you visit Mackinac Island. The Grand Hotel is an experience (albeit an expensive one and was under different ownership when I stayed there). It has a very unique interior and an interesting history. The gardens are beautiful and the front porch is iconic. Also the island is beautiful and so unique since vehicles are not permitted (with a few exceptions) so it is all horses, bicycles, and your own two feet.
You would definitely want to visit during the summer as the only way to and from the island is ferry or tiny plane. Also there are very few people on the island in the winter as most go back to the mainland.
Anyway this is just a suggestion for a unique location and a historic hotel. Can’t wait to see what other places you visit!
Agree. Flew in and stayed at a bnb but want to see the rooms of the big hotel.
The lounges look awesome, specially for reading. I do not mind the small room, as long as looks nice / comfortable and with modern connections. The bathroom door is really something that they should fix, it is not expensive and it helps a lot. It feels like a lot of hotels make the same mistake with the bathroom door, it seems to be a feature that is overlooked in most places
Went there for drinks not long ago, the atmosphere was amazing.
Imagine paying 1000 dollars a day for reading somewhere...
It does look nice tho, if I was a billionaire's child, who is into reading, I could spend a lot of time there. 😅
I was lucky to spend three nights at the Banfield Springs. Beautiful, magical and very memorable
My great grandfather was one of the original carpenters of this amazing hotel, according to my family it was his last job before he retired and returned to his family near Kenora Ontario
Kid you not, a few weeks ago I was looking at this exact hotel. I’m thinking of doing a road trip to Banff this summer. I saw this hotel’s prices and almost crapped myself. THEN checked neighboring hotels and spat my drink out. I mostly tent camp on my road trips and even those were kinda expensive but not off the charts like this hotel and others in the area.
Jake, been watching your channel grow for well... Since you guys were a bunch of kids trying out RUclips. Love your stuff, my only suggestion is please stay for 2 nights so you can spend a whole day at a resort. Hard to get the whole picture if you are only there for 12 hours, keep up the good work... I'll be watching.
Thanks so much matthew, that’s really awesome to hear. I agree though and I think going forward I’ll spend at least one full day at the property. To be fair though, we did arrive here at around 10am and left the following day at around 1pm. So we got our 24 hours