HI - Banff - Alpine Centre Hostel

Like a hotel!
Really like a good hotel! Looks very nice and modern. there are only two drawbacks -- the hostel is little bit remote located (fifteen minutes' walking distance of town) and the price is relatively high (around $32 with HI-card during summer) -- if that's no problem for you, it is absolutely recommendable!

It's like a four-star hotel, with dorms.
This place is immaculate! The new building (Mary Belle Building?) has a massive atrium with a gas fireplace and the older building has a massive lobby area as well. There is a restaurant and a bar on site as well as big well equipped kitchens. Being an HI, it's a bit sterile and is not the place for partying, but with the bar downstairs it's still possible to meet people. The location is a bit out of town but no so far it can't be walked to (or staggered, if you're inebriated). I found the electronic door locks to be fussy and they seemed to require a bit of practice to get the hang of. Something else about this hostel (and other HIs) is the large number of older (forty-plus) non-english speaking travelers staying here. I find it messes up the vibe a bit. Overall, worth the stay but if you're looking for a raging party (and less than ideal cleanliness) then stay somewhere in town.

It's the best hostel in Canada
I stayed here for five days first time round, then went back from edmonton there for another three days. Its the best hostel i have stayed in on my travels. It's clean, friendly, great place to meet people as they have a bar, and the walks and rockies are just behind the hostel.

a pretty decent hostel. good rooms and all that. 2 problems - was way out in the sticks and cost was way 2 much - the other hostels are cheaper. they also made me have to wait hours to check in (i arrived at 11:30) which i thought was a bit rough, its not a hotel! kitchen and eating area was decent though so thats a good point

This hostel was a great place to stay. The dorm rooms are ok, four or six beds in a room. No lockers in the rooms though, only drawers under the beds which you could put a lock on. The kitchen was excellent, really big and kept clean, with an adjoining area to eat. However this room contained the only tv in the hostel, and was also the main communal area during the day which wasnt that comfortable. A few lounges were upstairs in the lobby around a fireplace but no really great communal area to sit and chat. The bar at night was great, internet access was good and on-site cafe handy when you can't be bothered to cook. The hostel is located fifteen-minutes walk out of town, so end up paying for return for the bus which is a little annoying. However I would stay at it again as everyone was really friendly, staff and other guests.

This is one of the best hostels I've stayed at. Other than the bunk beds and shared shower facilities, it's more like a nice hotel with an easy-going vibe than a hostel. The staff are friendly, the rooms are clean, the showers and bathrooms are clean and new, the furniture is new, the coffee shop has good coffee and tasty treats, and the hostel itself is in a beautiful, safe area. I would definitely stay here again.

This is a great hostel. The staff are friendly and accommodating, and it's very clean. There are lots of places to relax and chat and activities are organized every night. It is quite a walk from downtown Banff, but it's not so bad on a nice day. The walk is only bad when you're walking home from the bar at 3 in the morning.

I lived at this hostel for a few months when I worked at Sunshine Village in Banff. It is the BEST. It's not institution-like at all, like most other HI hostels tend to be. It's a cozy, log cabin like place with the best staff and friendly people. It is about a twenty-minute uphill walk from town, but on the way back after a night of partying it just sobers you up for the next day! Highly recommend this place.

This place is a little expensive, but it's probably one of the cheapest places to stay in Banff. The kitchen is huge and has everything you could possibly need and the new pub downstairs makes for a great time. It has an awesome atmosphere and people. Try to get a room in the new building to get your money's worth. The Web site photos are a little deceiving because they are not of the rooms in the main building.

This is the nicest hostel I've ever been to, and it's an HI that for once isn't just geared towards families. They even have packages to help you look for work. There's no need for more of a description, just book it...in advance!

This place lives up to its reputation as "top ten in the world"--it's the best I've ever been to, and I've been all over Europe and North America! The restaurant has big huge meals for a decent price, and the new pub they've opened is FANTASTIC. It's just the kind of place to meet other backpackers, with a good atmosphere, but not too crazy, and FREE pool and foosball! The first night, I stayed in the main building, but for an extra two bucks a night you can stay in their new building, which has bathrooms in every room, and all the beds have duvets and brand-new mattresses--it was fantastic! The staff ROCK; they know everything about the town and what to do, and they're all a bunch of backpackers, too, so they won't steer you wrong. This place was the high point of my trip in Canada, and I'm coming back in November when they build an ice wall you can climb on!!

Hubby and I paid $100 for a private room...toilet down the hall...shower down the hall...two showers on the floor. The $83 CDN had GST tax and a new hotel tax added. Well--it is not bad, but the bed was crappy and we woke up with a headache. The cafe looked fine but don't expect a deal--two coffees were $3.50. We could have stayed at a Best Western for the same or slightly less. And I think we will next time.

This place is like staying at a nice hotel. It's the nicest hostel I ever stayed at. Very new modern showers and a large nice clean cafe/patio/commons area make this place CHOICE.

I stayed there for the past two winters and it is a very good hostel.

Super. If you're thinking of going skiing in Banff (maybe even more generally Canada since Banff is very easy to get from Calgary) this is the place to stay. Its abit out of Banff town but there's a wee bus (the Happy Bus) that comes round every half hour mountain time. It's a nice walk anyway. The staff are friendly, the accomodation is great (much better than some chalets I've stayed in in France!) and you can get some food at it too if you can't be bothered cooking in the huge kitchen. Hard to beat the price.