This stately palace is a jewel. Banff is a favourite spot of ours, being only a bit over an hour from home. I love the way the city turns to prairie, then foothill and suddenly one is in the mountains and all within 45 minutes of driving. Surprisingly, to me anyway, we have never stayed here. We will have to make a point of changing that. Banff, in itself, is very commercialized. If you like to shop, then you will love this place. Having said that, if you like to ski, eat or commune with nature, you will love it here as well. I don’t wish to completely compartmentalize this as a shoppers paradise only. We have eaten at several places, but our favourite is the Grizzly House Restaurant . Food is good, but the atmosphere is wild. Phoning the next table is a fun thing to do, not to mention the 600 degree block of granite put in front of you to cook your supper fondue style. Be careful, it can get pretty drunk out by the end of the meal.
Links
http://www.fairmont.com/banffsprings/
