YWCA Banff Hotel

Getting to Banff AVE on foot took just a couple of minutes, so the location is excellent. The room, though, was extremely basic, just a bed for the night. There was no carpet, TV, or simple extra like a hairdryer. As another reviewer said, it felt like a prison cell. I found bed mites, and the sheets and room were only cleaned every two days. The shared bathroom smelled bad. It also felt eerie in the middle of the night when walking down the corridors to the shared toilet. I heard strange sounds and wondered if the place might be haunted, though I don’t know. I took pictures so people can judge for themselves. Guest service was very poor; staff seemed clueless and never interacted with guests. YWCA is misleading, in my view. It shouldn’t be advertised as a hotel on accommodation booking sites. Banff is beautiful, but I can’t say the same for YWCA Banff hotel.

The services offered are shaped around the needs of the local community, and it’s a brilliant social enterprise. The staff are kind, caring, genuine people, and the facility is unique and amazing. A great place to stay, visit, or support.

I was impressed on my first stay. It’s very clean and has a former-hospital look. The location is perfect, the staff are excellent, and it’s a good-value option in Banff.

The location is convenient, just a five-minute walk to Banff Ave for shopping, and I got a 20% discount when booking three or more evenings. Guests can use the kitchen in the basement, which is handy if you want to avoid the city’s tourist-priced restaurants. The heat couldn’t be controlled by the hotel staff for some reason, though. We had to leave the windows open to sleep and ask for a fan to cool down.