The recently renovated Mount Royal Hotel in Banff is a historic Banff hotel that dates back to 1908. It has an ideal location right on Banff Ave, so you have quick access to anything you could want in Banff. Inside modern interiors and amenities are certain to provide guests a comfortable stay.
It serves as one of our favorite hotels to stay at in the center of town. Which comes with a slew of perks such as easy access to transportation, shops, bars, and the best Banff restaurants.
Quick Details About the Mount Royal Hotel
- Address — 138 Banff Ave (GPS)
- Neighborhood — Downtown Banff
- Booking.com — Mount Royal Hotel
- Hotels.com — Mount Royal Hotel
What’s a Stay at the Mount Royal Hotel Like?
The Mount Royal Hotel in Banff makes an appearance in thousands of photographs every year as it’s located in the center of Banff Ave. It’s easy to see why as the views down the center street in Banff to Cascade mountain rank among the best in the world.
While the hotel dates back to 1908, it has plenty of stories and has served many travelers. Even though the building dates back over a century, the hotel interiors and facilities are up to date.
In 2018, the hotel underwent a renovation that modernized the interior. It is a part of Pursuit’s Banff Jasper Collection, which runs many of the top attractions around the parks, such as the Columbia Icefield Center, the Maligne Lake cruise, and the Banff Gondola.
Don’t worry, the renovation did manage to retain much of the original character. Halls in the hotel span across a collection of buildings that the hotel expanded to over the years, and they are adorned with dozens of historical images from around Banff.
Overall the interiors and common spaces are beautifully designed! Once you step into the lobby, you quickly realize the hotel feels very stylish and modern.
Rooms at the Mount Royal Hotel
As far as design touches go, the Mount Royal did a wonderful job with the rooms. They are fairly simple rooms with nice design choices that lend well to a comfortable stay. All of the rooms offer some sort of a view of the mountains surrounding the town of Banff. Our room was on the rear of the building, which gave us wonderful views of Mt. Rundle and a quiet parking lot.
Beds are luxurious with nice linens and the perfect way to recharge after a day tackling an awesome Banff hike. Inside the rooms are a large flat-screen TV, wardrobe, desk, mini-fridge, Nespresso machine, toiletries, and high-speed internet. The decor is fairly minimal, but it is tasteful with a nice headboard above the bed, prints on the wall, and chic lamps.
Bathrooms are a standout as they were quite sleek and spotless. Showers are cubicles with no swinging doors or shower curtains. This is something we prefer in hotels as it lends well to cleaning and ease of use. The white tile used throughout the bathroom and good lighting make the bathrooms feel fresh and inviting.
Several room options provide the option to select the room view and bed types that vary between one king or two queen beds.
Amenities at the Mount Royal Hotel
There are several great amenities at the hotel, with the most notable being the two rooftop hot tubs. Views from the hot tubs are sure to wow as they provide tremendous views of Cascade Mountain and Mt. Norquay. Guests can also enjoy the Cascade Lounge that serves drinks and small bites to relax and enjoy the views from the rooftop.
Guests can take advantage of the lobby that overlooks the library on the lower floors. We stayed over a Banff Christmas and the whole area was wonderfully decorated. In addition, the lobby features a large fireplace and seating in an intimate setting.
Guests can visit Tony Roma’s attached to the hotel that has a separate bar and dining area from the hotel lobby. Of course, the location of the hotel provides tremendous access to the numerous restaurants in Banff.
Mount Royal Hotel does not have a pool or gym facilities — granted the surrounding mountain lakes and hikes provide plenty of exercise in our opinion.
Service at the Mount Royal Hotel
As would be expected service was great at the hotel. The staff was kind and helpful with our brief interactions with them. We didn’t get the chance to put them through the wringer with questions about the area as we probably know it best.
Feel free to take a look around this site or sign up for our email list if you want to learn more!
Location of the Mount Royal Hotel
It’s near impossible to find a better location if you like to be in the center of everything. A few steps out of the hotel and you’re in the center of downtown Banff.
This provides great access to the tasty restaurants, shops, art galleries, bars, attractions, and cafes around town. We were so happy that we were only steps away from Farm and Fire Restaurant, where we decided to enjoy a meal for the night. Made walking in the cold that much easier.
Since the hotel location is right on Banff Ave, there is the possibility for some road noise on the rooms facing the street. However, soundproofing is well done in the hotel rooms, and you’re unlikely to notice after a long day in the mountains. It should also be noted Banff isn’t exactly a party town, and things generally wind down by 10:00 at night, especially outside of high season.
If you're wondering about the neighborhoods in Banff, see this guide!
Parking at the Mount Royal Hotel
Being in Downtown Banff, parking often poses a problem especially during peak summertime and around the holidays in the winter. We were pleased to find out that the Mount Royal Hotel offers free parking for hotel guests, which makes driving here with a rental car an absolute breeze.
The Best Things to do in Banff National Park
So you have your hotel sorted and now looking for the best things to do in Banff! Some of the best things to do within walking distance of the Mount Royal Hotel is check out Bow Falls, hike up Tunnel Mountain, or enjoy a soak in the Banff Hot Springs.
Of course there are tons of things to do all over Banff National Park, so we suggest taking a look at our epic guide to figure out what is right for you!
Book A Stay at the Mount Royal Hotel
Hopefully, this helped you determine if you want to stay at the Mount Royal Hotel in Banff!
If you have any other questions leave a comment or see our Canadian Rockies travel guide for more articles about photography spots, lakes, hikes, and everything else.
Plan Your Trip to the Canadian Rockies
- Tours (New in 2024): The Banff Blog is partnering with one of the leading tour companies in Western Canada so readers can experience the magic of the Rockies with other travelers – without having to think about a thing. See all our 2024 tour offerings here!
- Hotels in the Rockies: There are many places to stay, from luxury hotels to wilderness cabins. See all our favorites here.
- Get to Banff or Canmore Without a Car: The Banff Airporter provides fantastic service connecting you from the Calgary International Airport (YYC) to Banff or Canmore.
- Get Around: We suggest renting a car to get around. You can search for rental cars on Rentalcars.com. Or embark on an epic campervan trip. We like to compare prices on Motorhome Republic and Outdoorsy.
- Cheaper Airfare: We also use Going to watch for cheap airfare deals!
- Hop On, Hop Off: This tour is taking Banff by storm. It’s exactly what it sounds like, hop on and off a bus bound for all the best attractions at your own pace!
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