Bow View Lodge

Stay here if…
1. If you have a car and want included parking.
2. Want 5 minute walkability to the town.
3. Prefer to save money vs more amenities.
If you want those three things, stay here.
If you don't care or want amenities like included breakfast (I mean just go into town, get a muffin and coffee fo $12 USD) or room service. Go pay $200+ more a night and don't complain.
Our room was clean, bed, sheets, pillows are comfortable.
Each room has a mini fridge.
Microwave on each floor.
Water refill station in lobby.
Staff are super nice and friendly.
Water pressure in the shower is low, but again, this is a 2 star. We're more interested in saving money than high water pressure.

The house maid is the best employee in this place. You’re probably better off just going somewhere else but if you’re very specific about what room you want — before you get there — you could get lucky. Whilst it’s called “Bow view” and advertised views of the Bow River, unless you specifically ask for that you can instead get an entirely different view. Such as a construction site. There’s no A/C — so you have to open the door/window to get air. You then can just suck up on the noise from the construction 🦺 because they provide you with ear plugs! The reception staff are soul. Real are souls! Despite there being empty rooms away from the construction site — these are unavailable — unless you pay an extra $30 per night. Apparently it’s an upgrade to a) see Bow River at Bow View and b) not be subjected to Jackhammers for 12 hours a day! There’s no kettle in the room either to make a coffee. My complaint fell on deaf ears — It was my fault because I didn’t ask specifically if I wanted the river view and avoid the noise when I booked and if I did — well you have to pay more for common courtesy it seems.

Stayed for 8 days — with three of us sharing a double room — 2 queen beds—large well-designed rooms, central location, clean and comfortable. Eat breakfast in the next-door hotel for €27 and use their pool. Amazing location next door to Bear Street and along the river. Extremely good value the decor is dated as is the reception and the outside.

The value of this hotel is excellent. The staff are very friendly and helpful. I needed to store my luggage after checking out and they were more than happy to do so. It is not a fancy hotel, but the price and location are very good. It's within walking distance to ski shuttles, restaurants, and hiking trails.

A difficult hotel to review in my opinion because it was definitely a comfortable cosy retreat after a day out in the mountains but has it’s flaws.
The positives start with the staff who were lovely, my room 205 faced the river. A very large room with a big comfortable King bed a refrigerator and a couch. A relatively small bathroom tidy but small. The balcony overlooked the river though in January this was frozen and covered in snow so could have been a field. Still beautiful though.
Others have commented stains on carpets in what is truly a dated hotel but I think the hotel is fundamentally clean but just old in carpets, decor, and furniture much different to the Banff Park Lodge the sister hotel with spa and pool facilities.
The two hotels are night and day apart in decor. Room rates for the two hotels when I booked were comparable. The Bow View Lodge does need updating.
The bizarrely small television in 205 did not allow me to watch sport or have much of an idea what the score was. Plus I didn’t pack binoculars. Perhaps I could have requested a larger television but I guess I’m not in the mountains to watch television.
In summary I’d stay at the Bow View Lodge again for the staff and the cosy vibe. The location of both hotels is perfect for the center of Banff.

Overall Experience.
Bow View Lodge has a great location, the stay was disappointing for the price. At CAD 315 per night, the condition of the room and cleanliness were far below what should be expected in Banff. The hotel is clearly old, smells outdated, and shows visible wear, especially the carpets. If you are only looking for a place to sleep and leave early each day, spend a minimum time in the room, it may be acceptable, but paying slightly more for a better hotel would be a much wiser choice.
Location.
The location is the strongest aspect of Bow View Lodge. It is centrally located in Banff and convenient for walking to downtown, restaurants, and nearby attractions.
Atmosphere.
The overall atmosphere feels dated and tired. The building and interiors clearly show their age, which negatively impacts the stay, especially considering the price paid.
Rooms.
The room was old and poorly maintained. Furniture, carpet, and fixtures felt outdated, and the condition did not match expectations for a CAD 315 per night rate. The carpet was visibly dirty, and the room had a noticeable stale smell from old furnishings.
Value.
For the price, the value is poor. At this rate in Banff, the property should be in significantly better condition. This lodge only makes sense if you are very budget-conscious or have limited options.
Cleanliness.
Cleanliness was below standard. Dirt on the carpet was visible, and the room did not feel properly refreshed or well cared for.
Noise Level.

Great place, friendly staff, a bit outdated but very clean. Access to the neighboring hotel with sauna and pool was a plus. Very walkable location for banff downtown. They arranged an infant bed for us which was great. Only downside was the high temperature at night (26C) without being able to adjust the thermostat. It was December, so we could open the door. Would visit again!

🌟🌟 Affordable price / Cozy rooms /
Sweetest staff / A view that feels unreal — there’s absolutely no reason not to stay here! 🌟🌟
** I have stayed 2025/11/2~2025/11/4 **
Matthew and the Indian girl I mentioned below —
Please give them a raise or promote them, seriously!
1. Staff.
There was only one front desk staff when I first arrived — the Indian girl.
Check-in time is 4 pm, but I showed up around 2 pm.
Some staff might seem annoyed when guests arrive early,
But she didn’t show even a hint of discomfort.
She was pure hospitality.
You could feel her “I’m here to help you” attitude right away.
Even when she was putting a luggage tag on my bags, she was incredibly sweet.
Thanks to her, my first impression of Banff started off perfectly.
—
When I came back at 4 pm for the actual check-in, Matthew helped me.
He immediately carried my suitcase and explained everything clearly —
The sauna service, the purpose of the deposit, the refund timeline, and more.
He was incredibly professional, and on top of that, he was very good-looking.
With the warmest, sweetest smile.
It instantly made me feel comfortable and welcomed.
I experienced racial discrimination at another well-known hotel in Niagara just last week,
So the kindness of the staff here felt genuinely healing.
Every time I passed by, and even during my early morning checkout,
Matthew was warm, friendly, and always made small talk.
Because of him, not only Banff but my overall impression of Canada.
Became much more positive.

This hotel in Banff is simply unbeatable! Why would you stay anywhere else? My husband surprised me with a weekend getaway for my birthday, and I must admit, I wasn't initially excited. However, I fell in love with this hotel—especially their staff to name a few. Jasmine, Effie, and Matthew went above and beyond, making my stay truly memorable. When they discovered it was my birthday, they surprised me with wine, a heartfelt birthday card, and arranged for housekeeping to fold my towels into the shape of a birthday cake. Such genuine kindness is rare in other hotels. And of course, the stunning views, prime location, and cozy rooms make this place my top choice in Banff.

While a little dated the Bow View Lodge is comfortable and clean. The location is fantastic. We had elk walk under our balcony. The beds are comfortable and the rooms a nice size. Overall I’d recommend it if you are looking for a deal in a great location.

I really enjoyed my one-night stay at Bow View Lodge in Banff. The room was spotless and had everything I needed. The staff were so kind and helpful, which made my stay even better. The location is excellent — just steps away from shops, restaurants, and the beautiful scenery of Banff. I’d happily stay here again!

The price for one night was very affordable and happy with the price compared to other hotels in Banff. The only big issue we had was the carpet in the room was dirty. The carpet needs to be REPLACED ASAP! Other than that, we do recommend for the price it offers.

We were so pleased we chose the Bow View Lodge for a four night stay. Room was well equipped with a lovely mountain view from the balcony. The hotel is well placed for walk into Banff with a wide selection of shops and restaurants. We enjoyed the riverside walk which is right next to the hotel. Hotel communicated well before our stay and highlighted the lack of aircon. Although weather was good when we were there it was not really hot so this was not a problem for us. A fan was available in the room.

We stayed in this hotel for 3 nights. A nice hotel with good service. The price is reasonable. You can also use the Gym and swimming pool at the next door building " The Banff Park Lodge Resort and Hotel ". You can enjoy a special price breakfast there too. Nice view from the room, can enjoy the beautiful sunset view. It's easy to get around to downtown area, no need to drive. Parking is not easy at the Banff downtown area. Also, walking along the Bow River Trail can see the beautiful Bow river. The Banff Canoe Club is just across the road, you can rent a canoe and enjoy the Bow River in another way.

We had a great stay here! Please do not pay attention to the negative reviews, this is an excellent, affordable option for a great stay in Banff NP! Rooms are comfortable and clean, parking is super easy and the shared amenities (pool, hot tub, steam room) with the neighboring Banff Park Lodge are wonderful! Will for sure stay here again!

Visited in May 2025 — Room looks a bit dated, but was clean and spacious and had a nice little balcony. Nice sized TV and tea & coffee making facilities.
Location is excellent — just off the main street and right on the beautiful Bow river.
Was also able to store my rental bicycle for a few hours in a designated area.
Didn't need much interaction with staff, but when I arrived and was told my room wasn't ready, they looked after my luggage at the desk so I could explore freely until it was.
Great value.

Room and hotel in need of an update. Everything old and a bit shabby. No AC but they do provide a fan. Biggest complaint is about customer service. We checked out and moved to our next hotel where we realized we had forgotten a computer charging cord. Called and was never able to get through to an actual person. Decided to drive the 50 minutes back and check with the front desk. This is on the same day we checked out. We were told that the cord was not in lost and found and the man at the front desk refused to call the room to ask the guest if it still might be plugged into the socket. Instead he suggested we order a new one from Amazon! If you are going to Banff, you have lots of options — don’t choose this one.