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THE FAIRMONT BANFF SPRINGS HOTEL
405 Spray Avenue
P.O. Box 960
Banff, Alberta, Canada T1L 1J4
Phone: (403) 762-2211
Reservations: 1 (800) 441-1414
Fax: (403) 762-5755
Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel Web site
In its contemporary reincarnation, The Fairmont Banff Springs, built by the CPR in 1888 to take advantage of the fairy-tale mountain setting, is a luxury hotel with 770 guest rooms and all modern amenities. The public areas, as well as many guest rooms, offer unique, breathtaking views of the mountains. Resembling a Scottish baronial castle in style and ambience, the hotel boasts a dozen restaurants, ranging from cafeteria to five-star, gourmet dining. Within the hotel there are also lounges and nightspots, the Willow Stream spa, swimming pools, a bowling alley, a document service centre, a state-of-the-art conference centre, 76,000 square feet of meeting space, and many quality retail outlets.
Hotel Reservations
Hotel arrangements can be made by contacting the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel at 1 (800) 441-1414. Please let them know you are attending the Canadian Geriatrics Society’s Annual Meeting starting on April 19th and give them the meeting code CAP7GR. Upon check-in at the hotel, you will be asked to present a credit card to cover any additional nights that you may be staying plus any incidentals. The sleeping room rate is $179.00 + tax for single/double occupancy. Please register with the hotel no later than March 20, 2007 to guarantee the room rate.
Banff Springs Hotel Restaurants/Meal Options
Hotel Restaurants. Among the dozen or so hotel restaurants are:
- the Banffshire Club for fine dining (reservations & jacket required);
- the Bow Valley Grill for Canadian fare in a relaxed setting (reservations recommended, resort casual dress);
- the Castle Pantry, open 24 hours with soups, salads, and sandwiches (the least expensive choice);
- venues that offer Italian cuisine, German/ Fondue, English afternoon tea; and
- more casual options like the Grapes Wine Bar and Bistro (no reservations, resort casual dress).
ABOUT BANFF
Banff, Alberta is located in Banff National Park in the Canadian Rockies, 80 miles/120 kilometres or a 1.5-hour drive west of Calgary via the 4-lane, all-weather Trans Canada Highway. Calgary is Canada’s fifth largest city with a population of approximately one million. The resort town of Banff has over 7,000 permanent residents, and hosts millions of visitors each year from all over the world. A cosmopolitan centre, Banff offers numerous restaurants and lounges, a range of cultural institutions and landmarks, and a variety of outdoor activities close at hand. One can walk everywhere in Banff, and the conference hotel, the Fairmont Banff Springs, is a 15-minute walk from downtown on a paved street. Or, for those who prefer, a shuttle bus departs from the Hotel every 30 minutes from 7 am until 11 pm daily. Taxis are also available and inexpensive since the distances are short.
There are numerous great Web sites for Banff and area, such as:
Visit TravelAlberta.com and read “Play Banff’s Culture Game” for information about local cultural attractions, museums, and activities.
Dining in Banff
Banff Weather and Climate
In April the days are usually sunny with an average daytime high of 9° Centigrade. Due to the high altitude (4,700 feet), nights are cooler — layered clothing and good walking shoes are recommended. Although it will be springtime in the Rockies, the major ski resorts, Lake Louise and Sunshine, will likely be open until the middle of May. For current weather in Banff see: www.weatheroffice.ec.gc.ca/city/pages/ab-49_metric_e.html
TRAVEL
Arrival by Air: Calgary International Airport
To get to Banff, flights should be booked to Calgary International Airport, the 3rd busiest airport in Canada.
At the Calgary Airport, all visitors are welcomed and provided directions to airport services by volunteers wearing ‘good guy’ white cowboy hats, Calgary’s symbol of hospitality.
Visitors to Banff are well served by frequent bus service between Calgary International Airport and hotels in Banff. The following Web site lists a number of the available bus and tour companies: www.calgaryairport.com/document.cfm?Dept=Internet&DID=1726.
Getting to Banff in the late afternoon or early evening should be easy for most people, especially people east of us as they will gain time.
Arrival by Car
Car rental companies have offices on the Arrivals Level at the airport. Because the airport is in the northeast of Calgary, the trip west to Banff takes close to 2 hours via the Trans Canada Highway.
Driving To Banff
Calgary International Airport is in the northeast of the city of Calgary.
- From the airport, drive south on Barlow Trail.
- Turn right, or West, onto 16th Avenue NE (it becomes 16th Ave. NW after Centre Street).
- 16th Ave. NW then becomes the Trans Canada Highway #1.
- Trans Canada Highway signs are green with a white maple leaf symbol and the number "1" inside it.
- At the Banff Park gates it will be necessary to stop to purchase a park pass.
- The Banff turn-off is approximately 20 minutes past the park gates. Take the 1st exit to the town site of Banff.
- Drive along Banff Avenue. Cross the bridge over the Bow River.
- Continue to the end of Banff Avenue. Turn left onto Spray Avenue.
- Continue on Spray Avenue until you reach the hotel at the end.
Additional travel expenses include national park entrance fees of CDN $8.90 a day www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/ab/banff/visit/tarifs-fees_E.asp?park=1 and parking at the Banff Springs Hotel. There is also limited (4 hours) on-street parking where signs permit.
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