Buffalo Mountain Lodge: Hotel Review

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Buffalo Mountain Lodge is one of our top recommendations if you’re seeking a spot in Banff that perfectly balances the conveniences of town in a natural setting. The property sits up on Tunnel Mountain Road, which is a short walk or drive out of town. Because of this, it manages to escape the hustle of downtown Banff. This makes it a fantastic spot to enjoy its wonderful views out to Cascade Mountain.

Some of the highlights include The Prow, which is a wonderful on-site restaurant, and of course the outdoor hot tubs, cozy rooms with wood-burning fireplaces, and extraordinary views. It’s a great spot for those visiting Banff who want a mountain lodge experience without being too far away from the action of town.

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Buffalo Mountain Lodge

The property has a nice blend of rustic charm and modern design, which we appreciate. We love that all of the rooms have cozy wood-burning fireplaces. Which is a pretty rare find for most of the properties and hotels in Banff, at best you’ll find a gas fireplace.

Recently renovated rooms are comfortable and have everything we’d want from a stay. They’ve already completed over 60% of the rooms and should have the remainder finished soon. The interiors mix modern furniture with natural materials that retain the property’s original character. This made for a modern stay that still gave us those old-school Banff vibes we love.

Most notable are the views from the mountain view rooms that look out to Cascade Mountain. Our room 902 had an incredible porch view across the Bow Valley, where we appreciated a morning coffee or evening drink. If you’re after a mountain view, it’s definitely worth paying for the upgrade.

Views and room types vary widely across the property, so it’s worth paying attention to when you book. We really appreciate the Buffalo Mountain Lodge’s overall ambiance.

Set on Tunnel Mountain, it’s an idealistic escape for couples or families seeking a quieter, more nature-connected trip to Banff. On the property, you can find a hot tub, lawn games, and outdoor fire pits—ideal ways to enjoy your time on the property no matter the season.

We’d definitely want anyone thinking about booking to pay attention to the location. Its more natural location is set outside of town and the walk is around twenty minutes down and up a hill to reach the centre of town. If you’re hoping to enjoy more of the town amenities such as restaurants you may want to look elsewhere, but that will come at the expense of the more natural setting.

Nothing in Banff is cheap and prices vary widely throughout the season. That said it pays to book the right room category in advance, Buffalo Mountain Lodge can offer great value—especially when you compare to some of the “luxury” hotels in town.

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The Rooms

Buffalo Mountain Lodge has a wide range of rooms, but the standouts are the recently renovated rooms, such as their “Premier Plus Rooms.” We stayed in one of these during our stay at the property, and we found it to be the perfect blend of mountain ambiance with modern amenities.

Many of the rooms on the property feature wood-burning fireplaces, which really sets the mood after a day of exploring the great outdoors. We found the bed and bedding to be comfortable, which made for a good night’s sleep, especially given the property’s quiet location. The king-size bed was much appreciated, as, surprisingly, you can’t always get a king in the Rockies. All rooms have the basics such as coffee makers, television, hair dryers, toiletries, and even robes.

Other key features that are important to many travellers are the other rooms on offer at Buffalo Mountain Lodge such as ADA compliant rooms and pet-friendly rooms. Two particularly important features for many travellers. Families are large groups can also book the O’Connor House onsite with three bedrooms.

We should note that the rooms do not have air conditioning, which is pretty common for many hotels in Banff. However, Buffalo Mountain Lodge was less of a problem, as the property has a good breeze and rooms open up to the outside on both sides.

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The Location

There is no shortage of places to stay in Banff. However, it can be tough to strike the right balance between accessibility and nature. For this reason, we love the properties on Tunnel Mountain. They are a stone’s throw away from the center of town but still remain in a natural setting.

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The Prow Restaurant

The hotel’s on-site restaurant, The Prow, is a standout amenity. It offers some wonderful dishes throughout the day in a lovely environment. The interiors are rustic alpine chic, with lots of natural materials and modern furniture. It feels warm and upscale but not pretentious or fancy. This means it’s perfect for a couple or family, which is part of the reason it’s popular with locals.

The other reason is the hotel’s wonderful “Pasta Monday” deal in the shoulder and off season months. It has various pastas for around $14 a plate and deals on drinks such as cocktails, wine, and beer – an absolute steal in Banff! It’s perfect for those on a ski trip to Banff looking to refuel after a day on the slopes.