Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel

Fairmont Banff Springs rises beneath Mount Rundle inside Banff National Park, its stone towers and steep roofs giving the resort the appearance of a European castle transplanted into the Canadian Rockies.

The hotel is enormous and historic, with 724 rooms and suites ranging from compact heritage rooms tucked into older sections to broad mountain-view suites and Fairmont Gold accommodations.

Room layouts vary considerably because of the age and scale of the building, but the best categories use the surrounding peaks as the central design feature through large windows and elevated views.

The 40,000-square-foot Fairmont Spa is one of the resort’s defining amenities, built around an indoor mineral pool, waterfall plunge pools, outdoor hot tub, saunas and steam rooms. Golf, pools and year-round mountain activities add further depth.

Fairmont Banff Springs is best for travelers who want Banff as a grand destination-resort experience, combining history, scenery, spa and outdoor access in one of Canada’s most iconic hotels.