HI Banff Alpine Centre

Stayed here 4 times- 2x on a group trip, one time solo, other time with friends. The time with friends, we went for a private room so we were in the second building. This building is nice. The other 3 times was in the dorm rooms. A tiny bit too small but not horrendous. Bunk beds were nice and you have a locker each and a plug/light each as well. Showers and bathrooms are nice. Kitchen is large, fridge scares me a bit though. Location is outskirts of the village but there's a bus that runs there. You can also get a free bus pass as well from reception. Hammocks, BBQ and balcony as well as the bar and cafe. Nice hostel, and worth the price.

Service was great, location was not so great as you need to take a bus or walk approximately 20mins to get into the main part of town, but the hostel gives you a free pass to get on the bus so it's not so bad (there's usually 2 buses every hour). Rooms were clean and so were the showers- my bed was made up with a fresh towel for each morning I was there. They have events/activities you can join during the evening which was nice. I stayed in October and it was warm inside which was perfect as it was cold outside. Would definitely stay again.

Had a great experience at the HI Banff Alpine Center. While it is a bit further from Banff town itself, they do provide a bus pass while you are staying at the hostel. The pass offers transit within Banff and so it makes it easy for getting around. The building is nice and clean as well. Overall a great stay!

I love the place, very strategic. Need to take bus to the downtown & they gave us 3 days local bus pass for route number 1 and number 2. The view was amazing! This was our first time staying in a hostel and got amazed by the community, especially at the kitchen when we met all the people.

Loved this hostel and my stay. The staff Ky and Jimmy were awesome and helped me from day 1! And remembered my face every time I came to the front. You both made my stay awesome as soon as I arrived, big hugs to you. The views are ridiculous, to have food at their cafe, or to just sit and read in the top library. They have a few social hikes and activities too. The free bus pass is the best and takes 5 minutes to get downtown via the 2 outside. Will stay here every time I'm in Banff!

When looking at hostels in the area, each one will have good and bad reviews. I chose this hostel for a couple of reasons. I like the look of it, I like the cabin look. I also chose this hostel due to it being set back from the main hustle of busy Banff. If transportation is an issue. The town is probably a 30 min walk with incline on the return. However, upon check-in, you are given a 3 day Roam bus transit pass free. There is plenty of free parking on site. ||I stayed in a 6 bed all female room with a bathroom. |The shower is a communal shower, but it has a lock. You have a shower stall with a bench. It was always clean when I used it. |I lucked out and got a bottom bunk upon check-in. My bed was comfy. Just bring ear plugs and an eye mask. Each bed has a light and plug-in.||I can't atest to the kitchen or bar. I never used those facilities. ||However, I did eat from the cafe a few times. Service was good. The food was good. The price was reasonable compared to downtown Banff. ||Overall, I would stay here again if in the area. You can't beat the cost compared to hotels in the area. ||I highly recommend this hostel

One of the best hostels I've stayed in. In the sense that the staff are looking out for you. The bar is awesome and the bathrooms are clean. Jasmine was awesome and let me grab my hummus, super accommodating when she didnt have to! Lewis was also a G when I was locked out and let me in my room! trying to find an actual apartment which has been difficult with the nature of Banff, however the kindness of the staff and the facilities had made living in a 6 bed dorm more than enjoyable. Thank you to all the staff that have been awesome!! It's been so appreciated!!

I stayed at Hi Banff for 7 nights in mid-August and was very pleased with my stay. The rooms were clean and the atmosphere in the hostel is great. I particularly liked the activities on offer and the free bus tickets. Harry was amazing and the hikes and bike tour with him were definitely a highlight. The food in the restaurant is very good and Tommy was always very nice. I would recommend the hostel to everyone and would definitely stay here again!

Overall, I had a nice stay. When planning my trip to Banff, I wasn't sure where to stay. I compared hostels, and all had good and bad reviews. I chose this hostel for the fact that it was set back from the main busy town of Banff and the look of it. I like the cabin look and the fact it sits back with the trees. I understand that some may or not have means of transportation, which can be a deciding factor, but upon check-in, you are given a three day roam transit pass. Town is probably a good 30 min walk with Incline coming back. I stayed in a 6 bed all female dorm room w/bathroom. Showers are shared but not like it sounds. It is basically a room with one shower stall and a bench. The showers had hot water and were clean each time I used them. Shared just means others can use the same shower. My room was clean, and the bed was comfy. Just a couple of tips for a shared room. Bring a face mask for the light and ear plugs. I kept anything of value in my rental car, but there are lockers provided. Just bring a lock. I ate at the cafe a few times. Food is good and reasonably priced. Service is good. There is indoor and outside seating. I did not go to the bar or use the kitchen, so I can't say how they are. I would stay here again if in the area

Highly recommend this hostel! The staff were SUPER friendly and helpful and accommodating. Everyone is very nice and they have great and fun group activities to do during your stay! Clean kitchen and rooms. Great vibes to talk to people and meet everyone. Insanely perfect location, too. Go there!! Lais was the staff who was amazing

This is a big, comfortable hostel that was full of skiers and snowboarders in mid-February when I was there. There is the main building,an auxiliary building for additional dormitories,and other buildings with more private quarters (that cost more). There's a big, industrial kitchen and a large dining room the fridge is a walk-in cooler with shelving and plastic bins for your perishables. There's a bar and billiards basement pub run by the hostel staff. The common lounge area of the auxiliary building is spacious and impressive! It's a beautiful, cozy zone for hanging out with a fireplace and hot cocoa. The dorm rooms have metal bunks and large, lockable closets for storage of gear and personal.

This is a good place, especially for those of us on a budget. The staff is friendly and the facilities are nice, on par with better hostels. I had one issue, a misunderstanding over pricing of a private room. The manager was understanding and even made things right with refunding the amount in question. This is my second time at HI Banff and both times have been an overall positive experience.

On a roadtrip through west canada, i booked two nights in this hostel. What i liked: - good internet - each dormroom bed has own light and electricitybsocket - free parking and buscard to get into town - nice and clean - friendly staff For "light sleepers" maybe not so good as the hostel is next to a road and it is possible to literally follow conversations in other rooms (little noise reduction). On the 1st level, the kitchen area and laundry room are used up to 23pm adding some extra noise.

+ very clean + very nice building + very friendly staff + cheap boarding! + bar on site - Banff is a very small town, yet this hostel manages to be as far from the city center as you can get while still having an address with Banff in it - Bar is kind of pricey but you won't care because it is quite a hike into town - a little expensive for a hostel, especially when many hotels in Banff can be had for cheap. The other hostel (I've never been) is also cheaper.

By far the best hostel I have ever stayed in. This is even nicer than the HI in Munich.That's right, it that great. Huge, clean, fun and safe. It helped that we had a car though as it's kind of off the beaten track. Regardless though, my friend who has been to way more hostels than even I was amazed. Clean rooms with lofts that allow for some privacy. In-room toilets (no showers). A clean and well supplied kitchen (kitchen supplies I should say). We all wished we could stay an extra day in Banff just for the hostel. It really was that great. The best part? They provide sheets AND put them on your bed for you. I know. I know.

This is definitely the best hostel I've stayed at in about 20 that I have been to. It's huge. It's clean. They have a bar with food down stairs. It's scenic, from what I remember. I can't wait to go back in a couple weeks. Love Banff!

Very clean and unique hostel. The building we stayed in was a neat timber lodge-style structure. For close groceries, go to the Safeway down the hill in town.

Amazing location in an equally amazing tourist destination. Located on Banff's main street, the stay comes with a complimentary view of the mountains. The building has a rustic feeling, more reminiscent of a cottage made of wood logs than budget-friendly lodging. Albeit a litte more expensive than other HI Hostels locations I've been to, it's still a good deal for Banff, especially given the proximity to destinations, sights and amenities. Depending on the season, the other hostellers can be quite rowdy, especially during summer time. The large fireplace, complete with a few seats and a ceiling-high living room, offers a nice retreat from the dormitories to meet other fellow travelers... and maybe hiking partners! Don't forget to get the HI Hostelling membership for a 15% discount!

Had the worst stay of my life at this hostel. The hostel is extremely noisy. Full of drunk young people who are obnoxious and yell in the hallways after 10 pm at night. People don't clean up after themselves in the kitchen. My girlfriend went to use the bathroom upstairs near the check in desk and there appeared to be puke in the bathroom sink. People were also smoking marijuana in the rooms. The staff don't really seem to care. One thing this place is lacking entirely, amongst the guests anyway, is respect. They just don't have any. The place has a bar which they shouldn't because when we were there most of the guests aren't mature enough to drink responsibly. I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone.

Not a great stay; I was disappointed by this hostal. Pros: -it is in Banff, a charming city -clean -free wireless -nice little cafe -helpful staff (mostly) Cons: -very, very noisy environment - even the staff plays loud music and slams doors. The "quiet time 11PM-7AM" rule is not enforced. After a day of hiking, one just want to get some sleep/rest and not to be woken up every two hours. -Breakfast not included (add an additional 10-15 dollars) -a bit pricey for a hostal -quite a hike from the city center

this hostel is the bomb! gorgeous view. super well maintain, freshly renovated. pleinty of storage, awesome kitchen. very cool people and hot chicks.

My girl and I stayed here for one night in Banff and I have to say, it was an evening to remember. All the hostel staff were incredibly helpful and had amazing customer service. We got free buss passes for the transit bus that goes around banff, the hostel had an on-site bar (with great prices for that night, 2.75 for a rum and coke!) and an amazing kitchen facility! That night there was a kareoke event in the bar, and the amount of people there, all from different places and coutries, made for one of the funnest nights of my life! Although the hostel was a little expensive (40$ per person, per night) they do have volunteer programs in effect, wherein you can work off your stay for that time period.

Walked in at 630 am, asked if there is available, Andrew ( the front desk agent) said yes. Willing to pay extra money to check in early, then he was being unprofessional by telling me that the system didn't let him check in early. Rude, discrimination and prejudice. Beware!!! The guest agent didn't have "above and beyond attitude" Big lawsuit against your business. Call other two Hi nearby, they said its ok to check I early. Few months ago one of the front desk agent was willing to let me check in early, " big lies going on " I want you to deal with this situation You are ruin your reputation!!!!!

we stayed here for one night and had a whole room with washroom for our-self's, what was really nice- no plastic-bags-horror in the morning! ;) All amenities are clean and the beds where warm and cozy! the staff was very friendly and helpful, the only downside (and in this case it upset us a lot) was the fact, that for the free bus ticket, you need to leave a 5$ cash deposit- and CASH only! so either you are willing to pay a fee at the ATM to get some cash, walk down to the city center or take the car. As we were lucky enough to have a car, we went downtown by car- meaning: no beer for the driver! And this was a bit frustrating, as if you want to meet up with friends for drinks, you don't wanne go there by car and just drink water!!! So make sure you got some cash with you!