The Fox Hotel and Suites is a fantastic hotel located on the main street of Banff, with a lot of benefits for families. It’s within walking distance of downtown Banff, so a particularly good option if you don’t plan to hire a car, and there’s a ski shuttle stop right outside the hotel.
There’s nothing overly luxurious about this hotel, as evidenced by the Chili’s restaurant off to the side of the lobby (which is where breakfast is served). But it’s a down-to-earth relaxing hotel with decent sized rooms and comfortable mountain style furnishings. It is definitely worth paying more for a Suite room since these rooms are larger. Additionally, they include a living area with a sleeper sofa, and a small kitchenette, so ideal for small families. Their location (on the outside of the hotel) is also better because it’s quieter – whereas the Standard rooms that face the courtyard can get quite noisy with foot traffic. Better yet are the Premium lofts, which give you high ceilings, fireplaces and balconies.
But regardless of which type of room you choose, the Fox Hotel has a lot of nice little extra benefits, including free breakfast and Wi-Fi, the coin-operated laundry and the discount book that’s given to all guests. Plus the ski shuttle stops right outside the hotel, so it’s easy to get to the slopes each morning.
All of this is great, but the true star of this hotel is the grotto-like hot pool. It’s modeled off the historic Cave & Basin National historic springs, and creates an interesting focal point to the courtyard – with steam rising up from the tub. It’s more like a large soaking hot tub than a pool, and it’s the perfect place to soak those aching ski muscles.
The Fox Hotel & Suites in Banff is a wonderful mid-range hotel option for families and couples, with an easy stroll to the local restaurants and bars and great on-site amenities that truly add to your stay.