Stunning view and even better service.My wife and I attended afternoon tea on Christmas Day during our Honeymoon. Marco hosted us and was an absolute pleasure, we could not have asked for a more friendly or attentive host.The tea and all its components were wonderful, the view alone was worth the trip, and the piano accompaniment was a lovely touch.Completely happy and looking forward to another visit. Thank you Marco et al!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Afternoon Tea Experience
marianne campos
Well, it's expensive “high tea” for a NOT “high tea” experience. Beautiful view, but it's not worth paying C$100 for one tea option (a big pot that cools off fast) and 11 canapes (6 savoury and 5 sweet). I called them canapes because they were small. So, plain flavour for the savoury ones. It feels like the canapes were sitting in the back of the chicken, and they bring it to us. Unseasoned and tasted not fresh. As much as I love their brunch, I do NOT recommend the high tea experience - food speaking, not location and ambience.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 1
Service: 2
Cazza1965
Stayed here for a couple of nights before heading off to Lake Louise . Great hotel , staff were very polite and helpful . Very clean rooms and amenities. Would definitely stay here again . There’s a local bus service just outside the hotel that takes you into Banff centre . We were greeted every morning by Elks absolutely gorgeous.
norman50
We enjoyed our stay at the Fairmont Hotel very much. The hotel was large but it had a small feel. The staff was extremely friendly and professional. We had an upgraded room to Gold Floor. The room was recently redecorated and the bathrooms were very modern. The concierge service was exceptional. The hotel had a very good restaurants and they had very good food. The pool area was very nice and they had a spa which we did not use. The hotel was in walking distance to town (15 min) or a shuttle was available. This hotel is a must when visiting Banff.
ClaremcDublin
I stayed at the Fairmont Banff Springs for two nights on my holiday in Canada before boarding the Rocky Mountaineer to Vancouver. I was unwell while there (I had a bad cold/flu) &, this, apart from a 3 hour tour on my first morning, was confined to my room. And what a very tiny room it was! I did, instead of paying exorbitant dining prices, avail of their Stock deli (still not cheap) for lunch & breakfast. My main reason for the 2 star review relates to my experience when leaving. I was taking the Rocky Mountaineer & being collected at 7am on my final morning. The Rocky Mountaineer arrange with hotels for baggage collection. I was told to have my bags ready, INSIDE my room at 6.15am. I checked with the bell desk the day before & was advised to have them ready from 6am, that they would be collected from my room. Nobody showed to collect my bags (I was up since 5.15 & the bags were ready at 5.45). I went down to reception at 6.20 (having put my bags outside the room) to check out an asked about the collection of my bags. The receptionist was extremely rude to me. She said I was meant to put my bags outside the room for a 6am collection. After I showed her my documents from the RM with baggage instructions, with very bad grace she went to enquire. She came back & said that someone was en route to get my bags. I went back to my floor & waited. Nobody showed. At this point I was getting worried as I had been advised that RM baggage goes on a different bus to passengers. I visited reception again & a different receptionist checked & apologised. Finally my bags were collected about 10 minutes before my coach departed. This hotel, for me, let down the Fairmont brand very badly.
Todd N
Adult family of four did a half day guided tour of the Banff National Park with Scott Berry from the Fairmont Banff Springs. Scott (the Grizzly) is a very experienced trail guide who took us to several iconic sites in the park for some hiking and picture taking. Truly breath taking and unforgettable scenery!! Scott’s knowledge of the park and terrain made for an interesting and fact filled adventure.
265lawrencem
We had booked a private guide to explore the area and cannot be more positive about the experience. Our guide was Scott Berry - who was utterly fabulous . His knowledge of the area was encyclopedic and his prior life experience and outlook on nature made this almost a spellbinding experience. He tailored the time very specifically to what my wife and I described. Kind, considerate, knowledgeable and interesting - absolutely would recommend spending some time with him.
364roberto
This was a great old hotel in a wonderful location with gorgeous views that we went to for the wedding of a friend, and staff were friendly. However, that is where the positives end and, for over $1, 000/night, there were many, many service issues, including: 1. The room was small, the minibar was empty, and though we had bathrobes there were no slippers (despite asking housekeeping) 2. Prices at STOCK Food & Drink were exorbitant ($9 for two cans of soda) and service was slow at The Vermillion Room (3 hours for dinner) 3. Our concierge arranged one nice trip to Lakes Louise & Moraine, but then had to go pick up her child and handed us off to another concierge who arranged a second trip but without a full return journey 4. Drinks at the wedding were watered down and service was so slow (with only one bartender per station) that lines got very long and we could only get 1 drink over the 2 hour cocktail event, and another couple who came 10 minutes early were told they couldn't have drinks 5. After the wedding cake was cut it was whisked away and even the bride didn't know where it had gotten to, and it turned out it was sent to the after party venue meaning that if you traveled for 2, 000 miles for the wedding and had to get up early the next day for a return flight and couldn't stay up until 1 am you got no cake 6. Finally, the biggest joke was that on checkout we had a daily "Resort Experience Fee" added to the bill and, on inquiring, were told that this was so we could get "complimentary access" to the resort amenities, so they not only overcharge you for everything but even bill for things that are supposed to be "complimentary" All in all, we would not have stayed here and gone elsewhere and saved our money, and will not stay here in the future.
MikcherL
A wonderful experience. We were there as part of a tour group for 2 days. Besides the views/and surroundings the staff was very friendly, and approachable. Two particular wait staff need extra mentioning. Julie at the German restaurant Waldhaus was so gracious at our groups lack of ability to pronounce german words. She offered suggestions when asked and just so friendly! Breagh, our waitress at the Breakfast buffet for 2 days was so lovely. She was full of information about the surrounding areas, informative about the Fairmont Brand and spoke very highly of her employment there. Both ladies were great waitresses. Breagh even answered our questions about how she ended up at Fairmont Banff Springs and a little about her family. Both waitress are great examples of what we would imagine you expect of your staff. Kudos to both and to you for employing them!
Keepsmiling84
Great historic hotel. We stayed on the gold level and the concierges were so helpful. The breakfast and snacks were great. We went on a nature hike with Ewen which was funny and informative. The walk was beautiful. The rooms are small but very nice. The pillows and bedding were soft and wonderful. I would suggest putting more shelves in the closet for people who do not wish to live out of a suit case. This hotel is a 20 minute walk into town. But what a beautiful walk. A side note the hotel reminds me of the tower of terror in Disney but in a good way
We had an amazing stay at the Banff Springs Hotel. We stayed in a Gold Level Suite, the private entrance and check-in process was very efficient and everything thereafter was perfect. We stayed in a 2 bedroom suite, which was beautifully decorated, had breathtaking views and plenty amenities to make our stay comfortable. The Gold Concierge were very helpfully and went out of their way to make our stay enjoyable. The food and drink on offer in the lounge was excellent. We visited Rundle Bar during our stay. The waiting staff were knowledgable and friendly, our orders arrived promptly. Overall a perfect stay in an exceptional hotel!
BDR
"Iconic afternoon tea", with the spectacular Banff views, has made this a family favorite for years.
Jillian O'Bryant
I find myself quite disappointed in the vast majority of reviews for high tea at Fairmont Banff Springs. I for one, had an absolutely exquisite time and LOVED every second of this unique afternoon tradition. In my book it’s a bucket list item! Like what the hell people?!Who could say no to spending a few hours in an ungodly fortress surrounded by massive, looming rock giants shrouded in soft pine trees? Where your actual seat overlooks a vast canyon worn away by a vast, sleeping, frozen river; as you clutch a delicate, warm tea cup?!Now I may be more inclined to rate higher than others for a few reasons: I’ve never had tea in England, I’m not picky in the slightest, and I’m honestly just an Average Joe. I wouldn’t say I eat out a lot, wouldn’t say I own a lot of nice/pricy things, and I certainly don’t get to visit castles very often. But come on! The views I got from this experience were absolutely impecable! I’ve never seen mountains so beautiful, nor do I get many opportunities to enjoy such ridiculous pots of tea! The silver needle was heaven and the creamy earl grey was a work of art! It’s so good I ordered some off their website. The interior was also extremely classy and fancy. I felt like a princess - thin and fragile tea cups, dainty silverware, elegant marble table tops, feminine tea timers, linen menus, intricately decorated morsels. Honestly, I walked in and felt like walking right out; ???? my first thoughts were something like: "I shouldn’t be here… too fancy for me." So I’m confused with the reviews. It’s up to the reader to decide if they want to take the chance, but I’m telling you it’s great! ????If one decides to go, I strongly recommend the orange drink offered with the tea. It was divine!I did have one minor detail to be improved upon. As everyone knows it’s very expensive; so what’s with the packet sugar? I once had a far less expensive service that offered little sugar cubes with their tea; these cute cubes made that whole experience. So consequently, I thought the sugar bags didn’t quite match the aesthetic of Fairmont Banff Springs.
Recommended dishes: Afternoon Tea Experience
Skye Cameron
I've been here twice, both on a week day and a weekend visit, once in fall and once in Spring and I love that the menu changes. Great service, unique food, beautiful atmosphere.Vegetarian options: They do their best to accommodate dietary restrictions, I've seen vegetarian tea service, shellfish allergy tea service, and gluten free tea service all with delicious alternatives that don't seem like a downgrade at all. Also they checked twice before we got there and once after to ensure there are no mistakes or missed information.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Afternoon Tea Experience
Belinda M. Austin
Overall: An amazing and unforgettable experience - thank you so much!Afternoon Tea: A culinary delight and artistic creation - composition, variety, flavor combinations, and presentation (individual items and collectively, on the modern metal tiered tower).Our Hostess: Sarah is a treasure! She established quick rapport while being professional; made us feel very welcomed and special, paced our tea beautifully, answered our questions, took pictures of us... perfect in every way!The Ambiance: A great view from a table by the large picture window, beautiful room, and superb background music (playlist was excellent). Nice gesture from management to check in with us as to how our experience had been.Highly recommend this experience!
Stunning view and even better service.My wife and I attended afternoon tea on Christmas Day during our Honeymoon. Marco hosted us and was an absolute pleasure, we could not have asked for a more friendly or attentive host.The tea and all its components were wonderful, the view alone was worth the trip, and the piano accompaniment was a lovely touch.Completely happy and looking forward to another visit. Thank you Marco et al!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Afternoon Tea Experience
Well, it's expensive “high tea” for a NOT “high tea” experience. Beautiful view, but it's not worth paying C$100 for one tea option (a big pot that cools off fast) and 11 canapes (6 savoury and 5 sweet). I called them canapes because they were small. So, plain flavour for the savoury ones. It feels like the canapes were sitting in the back of the chicken, and they bring it to us. Unseasoned and tasted not fresh. As much as I love their brunch, I do NOT recommend the high tea experience - food speaking, not location and ambience.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 1
Service: 2
Stayed here for a couple of nights before heading off to Lake Louise . Great hotel , staff were very polite and helpful . Very clean rooms and amenities. Would definitely stay here again . There’s a local bus service just outside the hotel that takes you into Banff centre . We were greeted every morning by Elks absolutely gorgeous.
We enjoyed our stay at the Fairmont Hotel very much. The hotel was large but it had a small feel. The staff was extremely friendly and professional. We had an upgraded room to Gold Floor. The room was recently redecorated and the bathrooms were very modern. The concierge service was exceptional. The hotel had a very good restaurants and they had very good food. The pool area was very nice and they had a spa which we did not use. The hotel was in walking distance to town (15 min) or a shuttle was available. This hotel is a must when visiting Banff.
I stayed at the Fairmont Banff Springs for two nights on my holiday in Canada before boarding the Rocky Mountaineer to Vancouver. I was unwell while there (I had a bad cold/flu) &, this, apart from a 3 hour tour on my first morning, was confined to my room. And what a very tiny room it was! I did, instead of paying exorbitant dining prices, avail of their Stock deli (still not cheap) for lunch & breakfast. My main reason for the 2 star review relates to my experience when leaving. I was taking the Rocky Mountaineer & being collected at 7am on my final morning. The Rocky Mountaineer arrange with hotels for baggage collection. I was told to have my bags ready, INSIDE my room at 6.15am. I checked with the bell desk the day before & was advised to have them ready from 6am, that they would be collected from my room. Nobody showed to collect my bags (I was up since 5.15 & the bags were ready at 5.45). I went down to reception at 6.20 (having put my bags outside the room) to check out an asked about the collection of my bags. The receptionist was extremely rude to me. She said I was meant to put my bags outside the room for a 6am collection. After I showed her my documents from the RM with baggage instructions, with very bad grace she went to enquire. She came back & said that someone was en route to get my bags. I went back to my floor & waited. Nobody showed. At this point I was getting worried as I had been advised that RM baggage goes on a different bus to passengers. I visited reception again & a different receptionist checked & apologised. Finally my bags were collected about 10 minutes before my coach departed. This hotel, for me, let down the Fairmont brand very badly.
Adult family of four did a half day guided tour of the Banff National Park with Scott Berry from the Fairmont Banff Springs. Scott (the Grizzly) is a very experienced trail guide who took us to several iconic sites in the park for some hiking and picture taking. Truly breath taking and unforgettable scenery!! Scott’s knowledge of the park and terrain made for an interesting and fact filled adventure.
We had booked a private guide to explore the area and cannot be more positive about the experience. Our guide was Scott Berry - who was utterly fabulous . His knowledge of the area was encyclopedic and his prior life experience and outlook on nature made this almost a spellbinding experience. He tailored the time very specifically to what my wife and I described. Kind, considerate, knowledgeable and interesting - absolutely would recommend spending some time with him.
This was a great old hotel in a wonderful location with gorgeous views that we went to for the wedding of a friend, and staff were friendly. However, that is where the positives end and, for over $1, 000/night, there were many, many service issues, including: 1. The room was small, the minibar was empty, and though we had bathrobes there were no slippers (despite asking housekeeping) 2. Prices at STOCK Food & Drink were exorbitant ($9 for two cans of soda) and service was slow at The Vermillion Room (3 hours for dinner) 3. Our concierge arranged one nice trip to Lakes Louise & Moraine, but then had to go pick up her child and handed us off to another concierge who arranged a second trip but without a full return journey 4. Drinks at the wedding were watered down and service was so slow (with only one bartender per station) that lines got very long and we could only get 1 drink over the 2 hour cocktail event, and another couple who came 10 minutes early were told they couldn't have drinks 5. After the wedding cake was cut it was whisked away and even the bride didn't know where it had gotten to, and it turned out it was sent to the after party venue meaning that if you traveled for 2, 000 miles for the wedding and had to get up early the next day for a return flight and couldn't stay up until 1 am you got no cake 6. Finally, the biggest joke was that on checkout we had a daily "Resort Experience Fee" added to the bill and, on inquiring, were told that this was so we could get "complimentary access" to the resort amenities, so they not only overcharge you for everything but even bill for things that are supposed to be "complimentary" All in all, we would not have stayed here and gone elsewhere and saved our money, and will not stay here in the future.
A wonderful experience. We were there as part of a tour group for 2 days. Besides the views/and surroundings the staff was very friendly, and approachable. Two particular wait staff need extra mentioning. Julie at the German restaurant Waldhaus was so gracious at our groups lack of ability to pronounce german words. She offered suggestions when asked and just so friendly! Breagh, our waitress at the Breakfast buffet for 2 days was so lovely. She was full of information about the surrounding areas, informative about the Fairmont Brand and spoke very highly of her employment there. Both ladies were great waitresses. Breagh even answered our questions about how she ended up at Fairmont Banff Springs and a little about her family. Both waitress are great examples of what we would imagine you expect of your staff. Kudos to both and to you for employing them!
Great historic hotel. We stayed on the gold level and the concierges were so helpful. The breakfast and snacks were great. We went on a nature hike with Ewen which was funny and informative. The walk was beautiful. The rooms are small but very nice. The pillows and bedding were soft and wonderful. I would suggest putting more shelves in the closet for people who do not wish to live out of a suit case. This hotel is a 20 minute walk into town. But what a beautiful walk. A side note the hotel reminds me of the tower of terror in Disney but in a good way
Restaurantji Recommends
We had an amazing stay at the Banff Springs Hotel. We stayed in a Gold Level Suite, the private entrance and check-in process was very efficient and everything thereafter was perfect. We stayed in a 2 bedroom suite, which was beautifully decorated, had breathtaking views and plenty amenities to make our stay comfortable. The Gold Concierge were very helpfully and went out of their way to make our stay enjoyable. The food and drink on offer in the lounge was excellent. We visited Rundle Bar during our stay. The waiting staff were knowledgable and friendly, our orders arrived promptly. Overall a perfect stay in an exceptional hotel!
"Iconic afternoon tea", with the spectacular Banff views, has made this a family favorite for years.
I find myself quite disappointed in the vast majority of reviews for high tea at Fairmont Banff Springs. I for one, had an absolutely exquisite time and LOVED every second of this unique afternoon tradition. In my book it’s a bucket list item! Like what the hell people?!Who could say no to spending a few hours in an ungodly fortress surrounded by massive, looming rock giants shrouded in soft pine trees? Where your actual seat overlooks a vast canyon worn away by a vast, sleeping, frozen river; as you clutch a delicate, warm tea cup?!Now I may be more inclined to rate higher than others for a few reasons: I’ve never had tea in England, I’m not picky in the slightest, and I’m honestly just an Average Joe. I wouldn’t say I eat out a lot, wouldn’t say I own a lot of nice/pricy things, and I certainly don’t get to visit castles very often. But come on! The views I got from this experience were absolutely impecable! I’ve never seen mountains so beautiful, nor do I get many opportunities to enjoy such ridiculous pots of tea! The silver needle was heaven and the creamy earl grey was a work of art! It’s so good I ordered some off their website. The interior was also extremely classy and fancy. I felt like a princess - thin and fragile tea cups, dainty silverware, elegant marble table tops, feminine tea timers, linen menus, intricately decorated morsels. Honestly, I walked in and felt like walking right out; ???? my first thoughts were something like: "I shouldn’t be here… too fancy for me." So I’m confused with the reviews. It’s up to the reader to decide if they want to take the chance, but I’m telling you it’s great! ????If one decides to go, I strongly recommend the orange drink offered with the tea. It was divine!I did have one minor detail to be improved upon. As everyone knows it’s very expensive; so what’s with the packet sugar? I once had a far less expensive service that offered little sugar cubes with their tea; these cute cubes made that whole experience. So consequently, I thought the sugar bags didn’t quite match the aesthetic of Fairmont Banff Springs.
Recommended dishes: Afternoon Tea Experience
I've been here twice, both on a week day and a weekend visit, once in fall and once in Spring and I love that the menu changes. Great service, unique food, beautiful atmosphere.Vegetarian options: They do their best to accommodate dietary restrictions, I've seen vegetarian tea service, shellfish allergy tea service, and gluten free tea service all with delicious alternatives that don't seem like a downgrade at all. Also they checked twice before we got there and once after to ensure there are no mistakes or missed information.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Afternoon Tea Experience
Overall: An amazing and unforgettable experience - thank you so much!Afternoon Tea: A culinary delight and artistic creation - composition, variety, flavor combinations, and presentation (individual items and collectively, on the modern metal tiered tower).Our Hostess: Sarah is a treasure! She established quick rapport while being professional; made us feel very welcomed and special, paced our tea beautifully, answered our questions, took pictures of us... perfect in every way!The Ambiance: A great view from a table by the large picture window, beautiful room, and superb background music (playlist was excellent). Nice gesture from management to check in with us as to how our experience had been.Highly recommend this experience!