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Source:
Moon Handbooks Alberta, 5th Edition
"Businesses do not pay for inclusion in
these
books, nor they are listed on this website in exchange for reciprocal links. In
the course of updating my travel guides I have personally inspected each of
the recommended accommodations and in my unbiased opinion they offer the very best value
your traveling dollar can buy."
—Andrew
Hempstead
About this guidebook
Purchase
details
Summary and reviews
Chapter and map list
About the author
Highlights of Alberta
Introduction
Native
history
Calgary Stampede 2006
Dinosaur Provincial Park
West Edmonton
Mall
Tips for Travel to Canada
Getting to Canada
Getting around Canada
Where to Stay
Visas and Officialdom
The Seasons
Information and Services
Money
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Alberta Accommodation
The text on this page is from the printed version of Moon Handbooks Alberta.
It is just
a sampling of choices taken from chapters on Alberta's biggest cities and
most popular tourist destinations.
For general information on the various types of
accommodation in Canada, click through to the
Travel Tips section of this website.
Banff Accommodation
Finding a room in Banff in summer
is nearly as hard as trying to justify its price. By late afternoon just about
every room and campsite in the park will be occupied, and basic hotel rooms
begin at around $150. Fortunately, many alternatives are available. Rooms in
private homes begin at around $50 s, $60 d; HI-Banff Alpine Centre has
dormitory-style accommodations for under $30 per person per night; bungalows or
cabins can be rented, which can be cost-effective for families or small groups;
and around 2,400 campsites in 13 campgrounds accommodate campers. Wherever you
decide to stay, it is vital to book well ahead during summer and the Christmas
holidays. The park's off-season is from October to May, and hotels offer huge
rate reductions during this period. Shop around and you'll find many bargains.
Blue Mountain
Lodge
137 Muskrat Street
tel.: 403/762-5134
internet: www.bluemtnlodge.com
summer rates: $85-110 s, $90-110 d
Two blocks from the main street, this rambling older-style lodge has 10 guest
rooms, each with a private bath, TV, and telephone. Guests have use of shared
kitchen facilities, a lounge, and Internet access while enjoying an expansive
cold buffet breakfast for each morning.
Tarry-A-While
117 Grizzly Street
tel.: 403/762-0462
internet: www.tarry.ca
summer rates: $140 s, $150 d
Dating to 1917, Tarry-A-While was built for one of the Canadian Rockies’ most famous
residents, Mary Schaffer. Guests choose from three rooms, each with its own
character. The upstairs, simply furnished, Wild Horse Room is particularly
appealing. It features fir-paneled walls, a solid pine bed, and a claw-foot
tub in the ensuite bathroom. Rates include an expansive breakfast spread and
use of an upstairs sitting room piled high with local literature.
Brewster's Mountain Lodge
208 Caribou Street
tel.: 403/762-2900 or 888/762-2900
internet:
www.brewsteradventures.com
summer rates: from $220
More than 100 years since Jim and Bill Brewster guided their first guests
through the park, their descendants are still actively involved in the
tourist industry, opening Banff's most central and stylish accommodations in
1996. Brewster's Mountain Lodge features an eye-catching
log exterior with an equally impressive lobby in a prime downtown location.
The Western theme is continued in the 71 upstairs rooms. Superior rooms
feature two queen-size beds or one king-size bed ($220), deluxe rooms offer
a private balcony ($240), and Loft Suites have hot tubs (from $270). Rates
here in the off-season are slashed up to 50 percent.
Baker Creek Chalets
Bow Valley Parkway
tel.: 403/522-3761
internet: www.bakercreek.com
summer rates: from $185
Baker Creek Chalets lies along the Bow Valley Parkway, 43 km (27 miles)
northwest of Banff and just 12 km (7.5 miles) from Lake Louise. Each of the
25 log cabins has a kitchenette, fireplace, and outside deck (complete with
cute woodcarvings of bears climbing over the railings). Basic one-room
cabins are $165 for two; one-bedroom cabins with loft (sleeps six) are $185;
two bedroom cabins (sleeps six) are $240. A newer lodge wing has eight
luxurious suites, each with richly accented log work, a deck, a microwave
and fridge, and a deluxe bathroom; $195 s or d, $215 with a double
jetted-tub, and $275 with a loft. (Check the website for great off-season
deals). The restaurant here is highly recommended.
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Calgary Accommodation
Inglewood B&B
1006 8th Avenue SE
tel.: 403/262-6570
summer rates: $85-$135 s or d
internet:
www.inglewoodbedandbreakfast.com
Inglewood B&B is named for the historic neighborhood in which it lies. Its
location is excellent—close to the river and Stampede Park, as well as a
10-minute stroll from downtown. The three rooms, each with private facilities,
range $85-$135 s or d, depending on the room configuration. Rates include a
cooked breakfast of your own choosing.
Holiday Inn Calgary Downtown
119 12th Avenue SW
tel.: 403/266-4611 or 800/661-9378
internet:
http://www.holiday-inn.com/calgary-dwntn
summer rates: $159 s or d
This newish 12-story, 188-room accommodation on the south side of the railway
tracks, is within easy walking distance of Stampede Park. Rooms are reliable and
practical, and each has a small balcony. Downstairs is a fitness room, an
outdoor heated pool, a restaurant, and a lounge. Summer rates are $159 s or d,
but rooms go for around $100 with 21-day advance purchase—an excellent deal.
Delta Calgary Airport Hotel
Calgary International Airport
tel.: 403/291-2600 or 877/814-7706
internet: www.deltahotels.com
summer rates: $199 s or d
Delta Calgary Airport Hotel is the only accommodation right at the airport. The
main terminal is linked to the hotel lobby by a walkway, which leads into a
expansive atrium and restaurant. The medium-sized rooms come with luxuries like
down duvets and plush bathrobes, each has a writing desk, and most importantly,
they are well sound-proofed. Half are sold as Premier Rooms, which are the same
size as regular rooms but come with upgraded furnishings for a few bucks extra.
Hotel amenities include two restaurants, a lounge, an indoor pool, and a
business center. Delta properties across Canada fill the upper niche of the
travel market, but they also offer some great bargains—this property is no
different, so check the website before being perturbed by the price tag.
Kensington Riverside Inn
1126 Memorial Drive NW, Kensington
tel.: 403/228-4442 or 877/313-3733
www.kensingtonriversideinn.com
summer rates: $259-319 s or d
This is my favorite Calgary accommodation. Why? From the moment I’m tempted by a
homemade cookie from the jar at the reception to the moment I slide under the
Egyptian cotton sheets that top out ultra-comfortable mattresses, the inn has a
captivating atmosphere that is unlike any other city accommodation. Each of the
19 guest rooms has a slightly different feel—from bold contemporary to warmly
inviting—and layout—some have a private balcony, others have a gas fireplace or
jetted tub, but it’s in-room niceties such as heated towel racks or a quiet hour
spent in the central living room with evening hor d’oeuvres that make the inn
super special. A coffee tray and morning paper left by your door, followed by a
gourmet breakfast served in the downstairs dining room are included in the
rates. The inn is across the Bow River from downtown in Kensington, one of
Calgary’s hippest neighborhoods.
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Canmore Accommodation
As you raise your eyebrows over hotel
pricing in Canmore, consider two things: many hotels discount rooms year-round
(use the websites listed below to find current deals and packages) and secondly,
room rates in Canmore are a relative bargain compared to Banff, just up the
road.
Riverview and Main
918 8th Street
tel.: 403/678-9777
internet: www.riverviewandmain.com
summer rates: $85-120 s or d
With around $100 budgeted for a room, it’s hard to go past Riverview and Main,
centrally located half a block beyond the end of the downtown core. The rooms
are decently sized and brightly decorated and each has access to a deck. The
guest lounge centers on a riverstone, wood-burning fireplace. Rates include a
selection of hot and cold breakfast items.
Georgetown Inn
1101 Bow Valley Trail
tel.: 403/678-3439 or 800/657-5955
internet: www.georgetowninn.ab.ca
summer rates: $129-189 s or d
Named for one of the valley's original coal-mining communities, the Georgetown
Inn is run by a friendly English couple who have set the place up as a
country inn of times gone by. Each of the 25 rooms has its own individual charm,
with a modern twist on décor that features lots of English antiques. Best value
are Superior Rooms, each with a separate sitting area and electric fireplace
($149). Complimentary nonalcoholic drinks and a delicious cooked breakfast are
included in rates ranging $129-189 s or d (from $89 in winter).
Creekside Country Inn
709 Benchlands Trail
tel.: 403/609-5522 or 866/609-552
internet:
www.creeksidecountryinn.com
summer rates: $159-179 s or d
The Creekside Country Inn is a modern, mountain-style lodge featuring lots of
exposed timber. The 12 rooms are elegant in their simplicity; eight have lofts.
Facilities include a lounge with roaring log fire, a small exercise room, a
whirlpool, and a steam room. Rates include a gourmet continental breakfast that
will set you up for a day of hiking.
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Drumheller
Accommodation
Heartwood Manor
320 N. Railway Avenue
tel.: 403/823-6495 or 888/823-6495
internet: www.innsatheartwood.com
summer rates: $110-180 s or d
Within walking distance of downtown is Heartwood Manor, a classic country inn
that looks a little out of place surrounded by older homes. You can splurge on
the Main Turret room with a carriage bed, a fireplace, a jetted tub, and
separate sitting area. Or chose one of six other rooms, all with a cozy
Victorian feel thanks to antiques and plush duvets. All rooms have ensuites, but
only some have televisions and phones. Rates include breakfast, served bedside
if requested.
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Edmonton Accommodation
Comfort Inn &
Suites
10425 100th Ave.
tel.: 780/423-5611 or 888/384-6835
internet: www.comfortinnedmonton.com
summer rates: $99 s or d
Sure, it’s a chain hotel, but the Comfort Inn & Suites is a good choice in
downtown Edmonton. The 108 rooms are sensibly furnished for both leisure and
business travelers. Parking, local calls, and in-room coffee are complimentary.
Rack rates are $99 s or d, but the hotel website offers some great overnight
packages.
Union Bank Inn
10053 Jasper Avenue
tel.: 780/423-3600 or 888/423-3601
internet: www.unionbankinn.com
summer rates: $150-269 s or d
If you're looking for accommodations in the mid- to high price range, it's very
hard to do better than the Union Bank Inn for value, charm, and location. The
inn is in a restored 1911 bank building in the heart of the city. The new owners
have transformed the historic building into a luxurious boutique hotel,
featuring a fireplace, down comforters, and bathrobes in each of 34 tastefully
decorated rooms spread through two wings. The rates also include a cooked
breakfast, a wine-and-cheese tray presented to guests each evening, and free
parking between 3 p.m. and 9 a.m.
The Varscona
8208 106th Street
tel.: 780/434-6111 or 888/515-3355
internet: www.varscona.com
summer rates: from $225 s or d
One of Edmonton's finest accommodations is The Varscona, situated in the heart
of Old Strathcona. The Varscona experience combines the personalized atmosphere
of a boutique hotel with all the amenities you’d expect of an upscale chain. The
89 guest rooms are spacious and elegantly furnished in one of three pleasing
styles. They all have king beds, large bathrooms, and niceties such as bathrobes
and gourmet in-room coffee. Casual l’attitude is the hotel's contribution to Old
Strathcona’s vibrant dining scene, while O’Byrne’s Irish Pub is the place to
relax with a pint. Midweek rates start at $225 s or d, weekend rates are
discounted to below $150. Either way, included is parking, a light breakfast, a
daily newspaper, and an evening wine and cheese tasting session.
Hotel Selkirk
Fort Edmonton Park
tel.: 780/496-7227 or 800/717-1277
internet: www.maclabhotels.com
summer rates: $180-200 s, $230-250 d
Look no further than the Hotel Selkirk for a unique overnight experience with a
historic twist. The original Hotel Selkirk along Jasper Avenue burnt down in
1962, but the historic property has been re-created in minute detail in Fort
Edmonton Park, off Whitemud Dr. southwest of downtown. The guest rooms have a
cozy, Victorian feel but enjoy modern conveniences such as air-conditioning and
Internet connections. Rates include breakfast and dinner in the downstairs
Johnson’s Café. Drinks in the Mahogany Room, at a replica of Canada’s longest
bar, are extra.
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Jasper Accommodation
Becker's Chalets
Icefields Parkway
tel.: 780/852-3779
internet: www.beckerschalets.com
open: May-early October
summer rates: $85-220 s or d
Becker's Chalets is spread along a picturesque bend on the Athabasca River six
km (3.7 miles) south of town. This historic lodging took its first guests over
50 years ago and continues to be a park favorite, with many guests coming back
year after year. The original cabins still stand. Moderately priced chalets each
with kitchenette, gas fireplace, and double bed ($125, or $155 for those on the
riverfront), are an excellent deal. Premium log duplexes featuring all the
modern conveniences, including color TV range $170-220. Also available are a
limited number of one-bed sleeping rooms ($85). Becker's also boasts one of the
park's finest restaurants.
Bear Hill Lodge
100 Bonhomme Street
tel.: 780/852-3209
internet: www.bearhilllodge.com
open mid-April to mid-Oct.
summer rates: $135-175 s or d
Bear Hill Lodge is the only “summer only” cabin accommodation right in the town
of Jasper. The original cabins are basic, but each has a TV, bathroom, gas
fireplace, and coffee-making facilities ($135 s or d; $155 with a kitchenette).
Chalet Rooms are larger and more modern, and each has a wood-burning fireplace,
but no kitchen ($155). Colin Rooms are more spacious still; each has a jetted
tub, gas fireplace, and limited cooking facilities ($175). All units discounted
40% during the first and last month of operation.
Tekarra Lodge
Hwy. 93A
tel.: 780/852-3058 or 888/404-4540
internet: www.tekarralodge.com
open: May-early October
summer rates: from $154 s or d
Appealing Tekarra Lodge is on a
plateau above the confluence of the Miette and Athabasca Rivers, 1.5 km (0.9
miles) south of downtown Jasper. Ensuite rooms in the main lodge are $154 s or
d, but it’s with the historic self-contained cabins that Tekarra really shines.
Each has been totally modernized yet retains a cozy charm, with comfortable
beds, fully equipped kitchenettes, wood-burning fireplaces, and smallish but
adequate bathrooms. Also on site is a restaurant open for breakfast and dinner,
bike rentals, and a laundry.
Jasper Park Lodge
tel.: 780/852-3301 or 800/257-7544
internet: www.fairmont.com
summer rates: from $549 s or d
Historic Jasper Park Lodge lies along the shore of Lac Beauvert across the Athabasca River from downtown. It has four restaurants,
three lounges, horseback riding, tennis courts, a championship golf course, and
Jasper's only covered shopping arcade. The 446 rooms vary in configuration and
are spread out over the expansive property. The least expensive units ($549 s or
d) are smallish, hold two twin beds, and offer no views. Fairmont Deluxe Rooms
($559 s or d) have water views while Jasper Premier Rooms ($629 s or d) have a
distinct country charm, each with either a sitting room or patio and lake views.
Moving up to the more expensive options, Lakeview Suites ($759 s or d) overlook
Lac Beauvert and are backed by the 18th fairway of the golf course.
Each features a patio or balcony, fireplace, and two TVs. The vast majority of
guests don’t pay the summer rack rates quoted above. Most often the cost of
lodging is included in one of the plethora of packages offered, such as the
Grand Canadian Lodge Experience, which includes golf, meals, taxes, and
gratuities and brings the cost of a room standard down to well under $400 per
night (click on the “Packages and Promotions” link on the Fairmont website for
all the options).
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Lake Louise
Accommodation
HI-Lake Louise Alpine Centre
Village Road
tel.: 403/522-2200 or 866/762-4122
internet: www.hihostels.ca
summer rates: $34-112
With beds for $100 less than anyplace else in the village, the HI-Lake Louise
Alpine Centre is understandably popular. Of log construction, with large windows
and high vaulted ceilings, the lodge is a joint venture between the Alpine Club
of Canada and the Southern Alberta Hostelling Association. Downstairs is a large
reception area and <B>Bill Peyto's Café;<P> Upstairs is a large lounge area and
guide's room--a quiet place to plan your next hike or browse through the large
collection of mountain literature. Daily guided hikes through summer ($25) are a
great introduction to the area. Members of Hostelling International pay $34 per
person per night (nonmembers $38) for a dorm bed or $99 s or d ($112 for
nonmembers) in a private room. Rates are discounted to $24 for a dorm and $75 s
or d for a private room ($28 and $83, respectively for nonmembers) outside of
summer, including through the extremely busy winter season. The hostel is open
year-round, with check-in after 3 <H>p.m.<P> In summer and on weekends during
the winter season, advance bookings (up to six months) are essential.
Paradise Lodge and Bungalows
Lake Louise Drive
tel.: 403/522-3595
internet: www.paradiselodge.com
open: mid-May to mid-Oct.
summer rates: $185-285 s or d
Not right in the village, but a good deal for families, small groups, and those
who like privacy, Paradise Lodge and Bungalows provides excellent value in a
wonderfully tranquil setting. Spread out around well-manicured gardens are 21
attractive cabins. Each has a rustic, yet warm and inviting interior, with
comfortable beds, separate sitting areas, and well-appointed bathrooms. The
least expensive cabins are $165, or pay just $10 extra for a one-bedroom cabin
with a fully equipped kitchen ($185 for two bedrooms). A self-contained two-room
bungalow, with a large balcony and views across the Bow Valley, is $195.
Twenty-four newly built suites, each with a fireplace, TV, one or two bedrooms,
and fabulous mountain views start at $235, or $255 with a kitchen. The Honeymoon
Suite, with all of the above as well as a large hot tub, is $285.
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