Bow View Lodge

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 The hotel is clearly old, smells outdated, and shows visible wear, especially the carpets.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.

No air conditioner and the fans were mediocre. The temperature did cool down but due to mosquitoes we had to keep the net door shut and curtains drawn as one can see in each others rooms. Close to downtown and good amount of parking so we didn’t have to park in downtown thanks to that. Doors creak and shower was ok not great.

First off, I did not see the disclaimer when I booked that the pool was in an adjacent hotel. BUT, was not far AND the pool was very nice! It had a fireplace, and two hot tins at different temperatures. One hot, one semi hot. We really appreciated this gesture a lot. Plus there were locker rooms/bathrooms/ showers. So you could adjust convention if you needed to. We stayed in a balcony room with a view of the Bow River. This was excellent for so many reasons. This hotel does not have AC. We were there during a break of nature heat wave. But, having that door open for air was perfect for sleeping at night. This hotel is not fancy, know that going in. But it is clean and well cared for. Beds were comfortable, including the couch pull out. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay here. Also the restaurant at the adjacent hotel was really good. Breakfast better than supper. However, both were good. Would decently stay here again. Location to everything was also amazing. Easy walking anywhere and pickups for tours were accessible at sister hotel. Loved our stay!

I had a good weeklong stay at the Bow View Lodge. The location is perfect for walking around Banff — it's just steps away from all of the restaurants and shops, and it's alongside a nice walking trail on the Bow River. The hotel itself is nothing fancy, but it is good value, especially considering the location in downtown Banff. We enjoyed the complementary parking in the sister hotel, and the discount in La Terraza for breakfast/dinner. I also loved the complimentary tea and coffee in the lobby. The room was overall comfortable, except for one night when the heat was on too high. Otherwise, no complaints about the room, and the terrace with river views was nice. I would definitely recommend this hotel to travelers looking for the best deals in downtown Banff.