HI Banff Alpine Centre

This place is amazing if you’re cool with a dorm—think of it as the ultimate backpacker HQ. The shared kitchen? Honestly the best I’ve ever used: spotless, massive, and packed with everything you could need. Bonus: a free local bus pass makes exploring the area ridiculously easy. The free breakfast is a sweet perk, and the common area is basically a hangout paradise—perfect for swapping travel stories or just chilling. Planning a mountain adventure? Ask the front desk to borrow bear spray—they’ve got your back, literally. This spot makes you feel safe, comfortable, and ready for whatever adventure comes next.

I have been here a few days already and am so happy I went with this hostel. They have so many group activities you can sign up for, they have a cafe and bar, laundry and showers and bathrooms on every floor. I haven't had to wait for a shower once. They’re also so clean. Every 2 hours someone come in, cleans and replaces the shower curtain. This is my first time in a hostel and our room has 2 bunk beds with 4 big lockers, a desk and a toilet and sink. The staff is so friendly and chill. You also get a free bus pass for your entire stay. It says 3 days but once it expires, they’ll give you a fresh one . The closest bus stop is literally just down a tiny bit and across the street. I highly recommended this hostel if you need a budget friendly, safe and clean place to stay near downtown!!

Great hostel with friendly staff and fellow travelers. Lots offered with your stay: free bus pass in town, bear spray loan, luggage storage, Cafe and bar on site, group activities, shared full kitchen, several lounge areas, ample parking, water bottle refill station, free coffee in the morning. Cafe's food is delicious and so nice when you've had a busy day and don't want to get out for dinner. If you want undisturbed sleep, bring your ear plugs. Friday night activities go late and also if you're by the stairs you'll hear people going up and down. Enjoyed our stay here

Great experience here. Location is perfect, a little bit away from the town for some peace and quiet, but also not too far away. It's only a short 5-minute drive, but you can also choose to take the bus (with the free bus pass that comes with your stay). Just be wary of the bus schedule as it may take about 20-30 minutes to reach its way up to HI Banff during the later hours. I appreciated the shared kitchen, which made it easier for travelers with food to either keep it fresh in the fridges/freezers, heat it up on the stoves or microwaves, or add condiments from the shared items. They always have fun events going on. Unfortunately, we didn't have time to partake because of our shorter stay and being out all day. Beds are comfortable-- I knocked out within minutes of laying on the pillow. They give you a towel and blanket. We used a shared shower, which was like an individual pod. Heat and water pressure were perfect. For someone a bit taller, it might be difficult to squeeze in there.

Excellent place to stay in such a reasonable price! Staffs are nice and friendly. Been having so much fun and met excellent people from the world here. You also get to have free roam transit tickets here. Definitely recommend to everyone!

Good place. But, the bathrooms are a little dirty so make sure to bring bathroom shoes. The rooms are fine but the light switch was hidden for some reason. Service is excellent and the breakfast is tasty and affordable. Location is a bit out of the way but fine with nice views.

I’ve been traveling across Europe, North America and Asia for over six months, usually staying in highly rated hotels and Airbnbs with private rooms and bathrooms. Out of all the places I stayed, this hostel was the most expensive, at over CAD 100 per person per night. Needless to say, expectations were incredibly high. I found that this hostel had a good range of facilities. There was a bar, restaurant, and several common areas, including outdoor tables and hammocks. The kitchen was large with plenty of space, multiple appliances, a walk-in fridge, and a big freezer. Free parking was available for guests, and the hostel also provided a free unlimited local bus ticket for the duration of the stay. Activities were organized for guests to join, which added some variety. Check-in was easy, and the staff were very friendly. On the other hand, the rooms had some drawbacks. There was no air conditioning, which made it hot and uncomfortable to sleep, and the beds did not have curtains. The lights next to the beds were very dim, and the overall design of the rooms and bunks felt dated compared to other hostels I’ve stayed in, such as Canmore Downtown Hostel. Now I'm all for a good time, but karaoke on Friday night went on until after 1am, and because of the heat, I couldn’t close the windows. This meant that even the hostel’s own quiet hours weren’t respected.

Wow! My friends and I loved our experience at the HI Banff. Friendly staff. Clean rooms and bathrooms. Free bear spray you can rent from the front office. If you are looking to store your luggage after check out they have lockers you can store your stuff in. Either bring a lock from home or you can buy one from the front desk for a few bucks (~3). We didn’t get to try the food from the hostel but heard good things. Shuttle stop is 100 yards from the hostel and takes you right into town. Shuttle pass included with your stay! Such a great value and location!

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!