Irwin's Mountain Inn

Terrible experience — unsafe, noisy, and falsely accused Our stay at this hotel was extremely disappointing and stressful from start to finish. I stayed here with my husband and two dogs for 2 nights. To begin with, we were placed in a corner room on the first floor, right beside an emergency exit, along with our dogs even though we had paid an additional dog accommodation fee (per dog per night). The emergency exit door was not locked and remained unlocked throughout the entire night. People were coming in and out at all hours, and the door would slam shut violently every time. Because the hotel is very old and the walls are extremely thin, the entire room would shake with a loud bang each time the door closed. This happened repeatedly all night. Our dogs were constantly startled and barking, and we would need to wake up and quiet them down as to not disturb other guests. As a result we got absolutely no sleep. The next morning, due to the disturbance, we requested a room change and were moved to the third floor, which we appreciated at the time. However, later that afternoon, when we returned from walking around town, we were aggressively accused by reception staff of covering the smoke detector in our previous room with a plastic bag. Instead of asking politely or investigating properly, the staff approached us saying: “Just to let you know we found the smoke detector covered and it’s illegal to do that and a serious offence.” We immediately denied this, as we absolutely did not do that, yet they continued to accuse us. One staff member even stated that the room had not been occupied for over 10 days prior to us, essentially calling us liars. At no point did they stop to consider basic logic — such as whether the room actually smelled like smoke or why would a couple with 2 dogs smoke in the room with their dogs present — before making such a serious accusation. If they had simply asked respectfully, we would have answered honestly and calmly. Instead, we were treated as if we were guilty without any evidence. We felt so embarrassed and humiliated as there were other guests present in the lobby. The presence of a covered smoke detector suggests only two possibilities: 1. it was missed during their inspection before our stay, or 2. it was placed there after we moved out, potentially to justify an unwarranted $500 fine for something we did not do. Between the unsafe emergency exit situation, constant noise, lack of sleep, and being falsely accused of a serious offence, this stay was unacceptable. We left feeling stressed, disrespected, and unfairly targeted. I would strongly caution others before booking here.

Don't let some of the poor reviews deter you. Not brand new, no but neither am I haha! Our room was clean and more than adequate with fridge, microwave, coffee, & tea. Rocky Mountain Soap Company shampoo, conditioner, body wash, lotion and hand soap is an upscale Canadian touch. The staff were lovely and when we found ourselves without a snowbrush, they quickly found us one. For the low price of $114 including taxes and fees, literally nothing to complain about.

I booked a room here for myself and three others on a budget, I didn't tell them about the bad reviews, but I was pleasantly surprised and nobody in our party had any complaints! We were in a "2 bedroom", yes, that title is a little misleading, but we had two beds, separated by a door, along with everything else we would need! The beds were comfortable and clean. We could hear noises in the hallway once in a while, but weren't bothered by noise coming from other rooms. We parked our car and walked everywhere the entire weekend because the hotel is close enough. I would not hesitate to stay here again.

I like the hotel. Very clean and comfortable to stay. The staff were friendly. It suited our need to ski. A great location. Great price . Walking distance to the town center. We would choose it in the future if we visit Banff again.

The staff were friendly and helpful, and found a snow brush for us when we realized we had left ours at home. The location is perfect, a straight 10 or so minute walk downtown so you avoid the hassles of trying to find parking downtown. If walking isn't an option for you ( physical limitations, lazy holiday...or hangover) there's a bus stop right outside. There's an attached restaurant if you just want to stay in once in. Our room was large and clean with microwave fridge and coffee. Was it brand new? No, (but neither am I) and at the price, absolutely fine!

The hotel is located in downtown Banff, which is very convenient and close to many shops and restaurants. Unfortunately, our stay was disappointing. The room was dusty. We found blood spots on both the pillow and the bedsheets. There were no staff available that day to assist us. Instead, spare bedsheets and pillowcases were left in the hallway for us to change ourselves, which was not acceptable. In addition, the room was quite noisy, making it difficult to rest. If cleanliness is a concern for you, I would not recommend booking the inn. P.S. The underground parking is very narrow with a low ceiling, so extra caution is needed.

This is my second time in this hotel with my wife, very nice to be back there. The receptionists are very attentive. I thank everyone there for their attention. Great location. Easy check-in effort with friendly staff. Room was clean and well-maintained.The experience at this establishment surpassed all our expectations! From the moment we walked in, we were greeted with an amazing atmosphere and warm hospitality. The staff was incredibly friendly and attentive, ensuring that our every need was met. The service was top-notch, with every detail carefully attended to. The food was simply outstanding, with each dish bursting with flavor and expertly prepared. Every bite was a delight to the senses! The professionalism displayed by the entire team was commendable, making our visit truly enjoyable. Without a doubt, we will be returning again and again, and we can't wait to bring the rest of our family along to share in the experience. This place has earned our highest recommendation, and we can't wait to come back for more unforgettable moments.

Kindly- this is a very outdated hotel. It seems that no money has been put into this place since it opened. The carpet in the rooms are very old and crunchy, and I did not trust to walk on them without shoes. The parking situation is a bit of a nightmare- 15 stalls in a small back alley for 65 rooms? The hot pool situation was very strange. There was no separate room. The pool area is directly behind reception/lobby, with nothing but a 6 foot glass wall in between to separate you. They can hear every splash you make, and there are gaps in between the wall so you can see guests…… unpleasant experience. Lastly, there was NO MICROWAVE. This really surprised us and threw a wrench in our plans. Every cheap motel comes with a microwave, so we never even thought to ask about it. Apparently paying for the standard rooms here is not enough for the grand luxury of a microwave…. Shows how cheap management is. My recommendation is to stay in Canmore- good deals for significant better experiences.

I've stayed here twice and it's a very convenient place to stay. It's close to town and the rooms are simple but clean. We parked out back and that was easy enough. The price was great for my visit in late October, and I'd definitely stay here again.

A bit pricey but here on Canada day and maybe that's the reason? Clean room. Large size of the room. Good location. Parking available. One significant criticism we did have is we could not open the windows as the screens did not fit and kept falling out of the windows and had big gaps at the contact points. Very hard to regulate temperature in the room with the the one window AC(and wasteful).

We booked the place online and deeply regret the decision! Here is why: ~ The place was not fully occupied when we checked in. We requested for a room with a view facing the main street. They denied that claiming the hotel was 'almost' booked. So hoping that we would get a decent view at least, we entered the room. But alas, our room was on floor 2 and from the window all we could see was the roof of a tour bus parked in the lot! ~ The inn claims to have 'limited' parking, but the basement parking has only a few spots (about 14-15) for 65 rooms! They are marked randomly in all directions and it is really difficult to get your car in and out. ~ The place has a spa and sauna. They also have a board outside 'food and drinks not allowed'. We went in to find four people enjoying beer there! We left and returned when the spa was not occupied. The purpose was to relax, but that was not to be. In a few minutes 7 kids ages 1 to 10 were in the spa. They were there unattended by any adult, splashing water, diving and shouting on top of their voices. We felt like we were babysitting them for over 10-15 minutes before their mothers arrived. All this was happening in a spa that has only a glass wall to separate it from the reception, with two inn employees sitting right there! ~ The inn also claims a no smoking policy. And has multiple posters all around the property. However, we spotted a person smoking in the patio facing the main street. To sum it up, the rooms here are not worth the price you pay, the staff is not concerned, rules made to be broken and overall a sad state of affairs. That probably explains why they had a VACANCY board on a long weekend when most other neighbors were fully occupied. Save yourself from this overpriced property and book one of their neighbors on the street.

This was a great little find on my overnight trip to Banff. Reasonable in the price, outstanding service from the ladies at the front desk, excellent location. Free parking, quick internet, and all the amenities a ski town should have--equipment storage, fireplace, and a cool vibe. Loved my time here.

We got a deal and only stayed for one night. The room overlooked the entrance and was very clean. Beds were very comfy and there were a good number of outlets throughout the room. Room included a sink, fridge, microwave, and coffee-maker which we also used to boil water for some instant noodles~! Four of us stayed in one room and it didn't feel cramped at all (and we're used to spacious living). Our room faced the front of the hotel but it was away from the main areas so it wasn't noisy. Underground parking was a bit cramped but useable and when we came back at night it wasn't full. We were always able to get the parking spot right next to the elevator so that was cool. Staff were very nice. Would definitely stay again!

Overall: Budget option but some major maintenance issues in room Irwin's Mountain Inn has a great location - it is on Banff Avenue and a short walk to the restaurants and shops, yet far enough away to not have to deal with the noise. This also allows for a lot of overnight parking options behind the hotel and easy access to the highway to get in and out of town without having to drive through the pedestrian madness of Banff Avenue. There is also a Safeway a block away for your groceries. Check-in was quick and easy, and they allowed an extra hour to check-out without issue. The property itself was clean and the WiFi worked flawlessly. We had one of the suites because the pricing of their suites was less than many hotels charged for their basic rooms so I would recommend checking their actual website if Banff is busy and appears sold-out because those rooms may be available and surprisingly affordable, yet not advertised on third party sites. There is some onsite underground parking, however it is a little misleading to even call it "limited" as their website does. There are 65 guest rooms and what appear to be a dozen or so parking stalls underground in an extremely tight configuration. Also, if you are driving a larger vehicle you should check the height restrictions as larger trucks and SUVs will most likely not fit. The room itself was clean but there were definitely some major maintenance issues. We turned on the air conditioning because the room was about 28 degrees Celsius (82 degrees Farenheit), yet the temperature was between 0 and 5 degrees Celsius (32 to 41 degrees Farenheit). The air conditioner could not cool the room more than a couple degrees, even if we let it run for hours. Being an older unit it was noisy so we could not leave it on overnight. We did not take advantage of the amenities such as the hot tub, sauna and ski lockers. When we walked by the hot tub was always empty and looked to be large compared to other hotels, however because it is not fully enclosed you can smell the chlorine in the lobby. The El Toro restaurant is opened for breakfast and dinner, and when we had our breakfast there it was average and priced in line with other Banff breakfast places. I would recommend going into town to a place like Coyotes or Melissa's if you have time because they are much better, however El Toro is a nice solution when you do not want to leave the immediate area for breakfast. Irwin's is priced at the low-end of the market, and as such offers a great value. While there were some major maintenance issues with our room and the underground parking leaves something to be desired, it is a place we would potentially stay at again if it was the cheapest option with the understanding with the cheapest price may come some problems (such as our 28 degree room).

Pretty solid location, just a little walk to the hot spots in town. I never like being "in" the hot spot since that means too much noise, but close by is what I like. Spacious, accommodating, safe.

Friendly staff. Allowed us to lock up our mountain bikes indoors. 10 min walk to city center. Clean rooms and bathroom, moderately priced compared to nearby hotels.

Room was clean. Just a small window with not much of a view but we were upgraded to a spacious room with a jacuzzi hot tub in the middle of the room. Close to downtown. Underground parking. Small gym. Overall enjoyed our stay here, reasonably priced especially for location.

Great hotel in Banff right down town. Had everything we needed. The staff was super accommodating and stored our bags for us for 5 days while we hiked through the backcountry. The rooms were super spacious and very nice. Highly recommend this place