This Banff hotel just got a major makeover and here’s a look inside

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Millions of tourists flock to Banff National Park every year chasing the same thing: a glimpse of those majestic Rockies and glacier-fed lakes so impossibly turquoise they hardly seem real. Most pitch a tent or scramble to book any room they can find in Canada’s most visited national park.

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I did neither. Sometimes, an inspiring view lends itself more to a luxurious stay, where access to the great outdoors doesn’t come at the expense of comfort.

Fresh from a top-to-bottom renovation, the Rimrock Banff is the first North American property in Accor’s new Emblems Collection. Despite its luxury credentials, it doesn’t scream for attention. From the road, it’s surprisingly low profile. You could easily miss it on the way to the Banff Gondola.

That’s because much of the resort is built terraced into the steep slopes of Sulphur Mountain. It’s the architectural equivalent of quiet luxury — confident enough not to show off. Step inside, however, and any sense of understatement disappears. Soaring double-height windows create a dramatic sense of arrival, putting the Rockies front and centre.

Banff is arguably at capacity each summer. Yet from the Rimrock, the bustle feels worlds away, with not a souvenir shop in sight.

A fresh take on alpine style

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Too many Rocky Mountain resorts embrace a classic cabin aesthetic — dark wood, heavy drapes and the inevitable antlers. The Rimrock heads in the opposite direction.

Guest rooms feel light and contemporary, with pale wood, soft gold accents and muted greens borrowed from the surrounding forests. More importantly, they’re significantly larger than most luxury accommodations in Banff.

Turndown service includes cookies and tea, plus a sleep kit with a silky eye mask, pillow mist and lavender ylang-ylang balm.

A taste of place

Eventually, most guests end up at Rimrock Social, a beverage-forward gathering space, where floor-to-ceiling windows frame the Rundle Range, and the buzz builds as hikers drift in for a post-trail drink.

The view may be the draw, but the bar holds its own. Each cocktail features a local spirit or ingredient. My pick, the Field Sketch, was a crisp and herbaceous elderflower liqueur and yellow chartreuse concoction, exactly what’s called for after a sweaty summer hike.

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Parker’s Table, the hotel’s signature restaurant, leans into seasonal Canadian ingredients without seeming preachy about it. The room is polished yet relaxed, all warm wood, soft lighting and another wall of mountain views. Still, it’s the kind of spot that rolls out a bread trolley complete with a mountain of cultured butter and a lineup of foraged Canadian salts. Landlocked Alberta is the last place I expected a Dungeness crab standout, yet here it was, hundreds of kilometres from the coast.

Then again, you could skip the restaurant altogether. Fine dining usually calls for dressing up. Rimrock rewards dressing down. Thanks to the property’s in-robe dining experience, I lingered over four courses with wine pairings from the comfort of a housecoat, impressed that the duck breast remained perfectly pink and juicy inside the room service cart while I leisurely polished off the first two courses.

Adventures made easy

The 9,600-square-foot Bathhouse opens this fall with a hydrothermal circuit, climbing wall and an outdoor infinity pool facing the mountains. Until then, guests can unwind with in-room massages. But if you want to work up a sweat, the fitness centre features a bouldering wall, Technogym and Peloton equipment.

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I took what I expected to be a basic yoga class, only to discover it included a sound bath and optional Reiki (which I gladly accepted), all led by one of those gifted instructors you’d happily follow to another studio.

Rather than a traditional concierge, the Rimrock offers Pathfinders — equal parts adventure guide and trip planner. They’ll book dinner reservations as easily as handing you complimentary hiking poles, bear spray, backpacks and bikes, saving guests the hassle of buying or packing gear.

One of the best perks the resort offers is access. While Banff’s summer visitors look to public transit to Lake Louise and Moraine Lake, the Rimrock’s daily shuttle gets guests there and back before lunch. Private tours on your own schedule are available, too.

More than 50 guided expeditions are offered, from biking and wildlife tours to heli-hiking. I explored the quieter side of Sulphur Mountain with master guide Ronna Schneberger. Remarkably close to the upper station of Banff Gondola, a hidden trail was revealed, where the crowds vanished and an unexpected tea ceremony — rooted in forest bathing practices — unfolded. Discovering that kind of solitude while sipping spruce tip tea during Banff’s busy summer season was a rare treat.

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A quieter side of Banff

The Rimrock sits less than five minutes from downtown Banff, close enough for convenience, far enough away that you wouldn’t guess its popularity. Guests step straight onto national park trails from the property, with forest and mountain views uninterrupted by traffic lights or tour buses. A complimentary shuttle covers the short run into town, while the Banff Gondola and Banff Upper Hot Springs are steps away from reception.

Families are welcome, though the atmosphere is decidedly adult.

Luxury in Banff doesn’t come cheap. Rimrock Banff earns its price through removing the most tedious parts of a mountain vacation — other tourists, logistical hassles and excursion planning. Layer that with thoughtful service, generous rooms and a setting few other hotels can match, and travellers will find value in their splurge.

In a destination that’s busier than ever, the Rimrock delivers something increasingly hard to find: a little breathing room. That is perhaps the greatest luxury.

Jody Robbins travelled as a guest of Rimrock Banff, which did not review this article before publication.

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