The Ultimate Banff Ski Guide

This iconic national-park destination is full of winter pursuits such as ice-skating on frozen lakes and sleigh rides. Oh, and don’t forget three magnificent skis areas, all close to town.

Why it’s legendary

Banff is an Alberta wilderness town punching way above expectations, with all the creature comforts you need.

The town, with a population of only about 10,000 people, is filled with cafés, restaurants, galleries, shops and accommodation from castle-like hotels to affordable backpacker beds. Set in Banff National Park, it’s surrounded by pristine mountain terrain, where moose and elk roam. These ungulates can even be seen in town from time to time, so don’t be surprised if you’re suddenly sharing the footpath with one. Banff is also the gateway to Lake Louise, Sunshine Village and Mount Norquay ski areas, totalling more than 3000 hectares of terrain.

Who will love it

Anyone with a love of the outdoors will be in his or her element here, summer and winter. Skiers and snowboarders can choose from the three mountains, with frequent shuttles operating to each – Mount Norquay is six kilometres from Banff, Sunshine 15 kilometres, and Lake Louise 57 kilometres. Families wanting to mix some snow sports with non-ski activities will also find appeal in a Banff holiday.

Three things you must do

1. Stroll along Banff Avenue, the town’s main street, and enjoy the cafés, galleries and outdoor shops. Be sure to try poutine, a Canadian favourite of chips smothered in gravy and cheese curds, which appears on menus all over the place. Work it off with a good session on the ski slopes.

2. Take an ice walk in a frozen canyon (such as Johnston Canyon), where you’ll see icicles and frozen waterfalls.

3. Watch the Banff Mountain Film Festival, an annual collection of inspiring short stories about expeditions and adventures. It screens in Banff before the snow season; however, you can even see it in Australia during its world tour.

Local secrets you should know about

Wild Flour is an organic artisan bakery, in Bear Street, that opens at 7 AM. Have breakfast there or stock up for the day with delicious bread, pastries and sandwiches. Bread specials include beer and rye loaves, or walnut and cranberry rye, while the focaccia and soups are recommended for lunch.

The Banff Tea Co. in Caribou Street (gotta love the street names) stocks exclusive blends like ‘Black Bear’, a fruit-filled black tea, and gives 25 per cent of its profits to charity.

When travelling along the Trans Canada Highway, take note of the overpasses. Not many visitors realise they are for wildlife. The overpasses are paired with fencing so animals get funnelled across the highway safely.

Off the slopes

All the regular Canadian winter activities of snowshoeing, snowmobiling, dog sledding, wildlife viewing and ice-skating are available in abundance. Try ice-skating on the frozen lake outside Chateau Lake Louise – rental skates are available and the ice is groomed.

Soak your aches away in an outdoor pool at the Canadian Rockies Hot Springs.

Get your arts and culture fix at the Banff Centre, which is home to the annual film festival, as well as dance, music and theatre performances.

Mount Norquay’s Cliffhouse Bistro is a renovated 1950s teahouse, perfect for lunch in a retro setting with the best views of Banff. You’ll have to ride the chairlift to get to the bistro.

In town, go to the Maple Leaf Grill for a tasting tour of Canada that can include a platter of game, local salmon and Alberta bison tenderloin.

The café culture is alive and well; try the highly rated Whitebark Café for starters. Have a fun night out at High Rollers, a six-lane bowling alley with good pizzas and about 50 craft beers on tap.

Best après ski hotspots

If you have a tri-area ski ticket there are some good après deals for each day of the week, such as 20 per cent off food at the Banff Avenue Brewing Co. on Wednesdays (see skibig3.com for all the deals).

The Bear Street Tavern is excellent for beers and flatbread pizza, the Park Distillery has a a great vibe, and High Rollers, as above, are all good options to kick up your heels.

Skiers will love

Delirium Dive at Sunshine, which provides some of the most challenging inbounds terrain available. It requires an expert skill set and, before you’re even allowed to go into this vast freeride area, you’ll need an avalanche transceiver, a shovel and a buddy. Once you’ve passed the rope line, there’s a 40-degree lip to negotiate before you get going in the double-black-diamond terrain.

Delirium Dive, Banff — Delirium Dive is considered Canada’s most extreme resort terrain.

There’s easier going at Sunshine’s South Divide, a corduroy cruiser that will have you zigzagging between Alberta and British Columbia.

At Lake Louise, cruiser heaven is found on the Larch run. Mount Norquay is smaller than its sister resorts, however its Lone Pine run is a leg-burner that is one of the best bumps runs around.

Snowboarders will love

The Lake Louise Showtime Terrain Park is one of the largest in western Canada. It has jumps, rails, boxes and distinct lines for beginners, intermediates and experts. It usually opens in December or January, on Easy Street. If you’re there ahead of opening, the resort sets up temporary smaller terrain parks.

At Sunshine, Rogers Terrain Park has more than 50 features when fully operational.

Recommended places to stay

Budget

The Banff International Hostel

One of the cheapest deals you’ll find, and there’s even free wi-fi.

Address: 449 Banff Avenue

Banff Caribou Lodge and Spa

Moves up the scale, but is still affordable.

Address: 521 Banff Avenue

Inns of Banff

Choose from hotel rooms, condo-style units and some cottages.

Address: 600 Banff Avenue

Weekly travel news, experiences
insider tips, offers, and more.

Midrange

The Rimrock Resort Hotel

A comfy choice, with 343 cosy rooms.

Address: 300 Mountain Avenue

Delta Banff Royal Canadian Lodge

Enjoy a great spot right in the middle of town.

Address: 459 Banff Avenue

Family

Douglas Fir Resort and Chalets

In a quiet spot on Tunnel Mountain, close to downtown, with indoor and outdoor hot tubs.

Address: 525 Tunnel Mountain Drive

Fox Hotel and Suites

They throw in breakfast and local calls, heated underground parking, wi-fi, and access to the fitness room and hot pool.

Address: 461 Banff Avenue

Hidden Ridge Resort

Every self-catering condo has a fireplace, and the outdoor hot tubs sit on the ridge for a great view.

Address: 901 Hidden Ridge Way

Why not keep the ball rolling and head to our guide to exploring Canada?

Wellbeing means different things to different travellers. Here’s how to pick a hotel that gets it right for you.

The best wellness holidays aren’t necessarily spent wrapped in a spa robe. Sometimes they’re found around a dinner table in Cambodia, on a hiking trail in New Zealand or after finally beating jet lag on the other side of the world. The hotel you choose is what makes them happen.

1. Easy access to good food

meals from Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20 — Taste delicious meals at Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20.

One of the quickest ways to derail healthy habits on holiday is to spend half of it working out where to eat instead of digging into the culture around you. Thankfully, Novotel has done much of the hard work already, with chefs building menus that lean into the flavours, ingredients and traditions of each destination.

In Sihanoukville, Cambodia, Korkor soup – often dubbed ‘Cambodian ratatouille’ – sits alongside raw blue crab dressed with lime and chilli, best enjoyed with views across the Gulf of Thailand.

In the lovingly chaotic city of Bangkok, the presence of food cranks up the sociability. At Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20, you can settle in with mango sticky rice and stranger-turned-friends beside the pool at Sky on 20 rooftop bar, or bring them along to tackle river prawns and stir-fried crab with holy basil at the buzzing Crab Paradise Dinner Buffet.

Then Novotel Dubai Al Barsha welcomes you with a laidback twist on the level of indulgence the Middle Eastern city is best known for up on Deck Se7en. Looking towards Burj Al Arab, the rooftop lounge has everything from Mediterranean-style dishes like seabass ceviche to Italian prosecco sundowners.

At the other end of the scale, in the hills that surround the Novotel Bali Ubud Resort, calm comes from nature. At Siralada restaurant, Balinese traditions shape the menu while thunder rumbles over the surrounding jungle – proving the setting is as nourishing as the food itself.

While at Novotel Nha Trang, chef Kieu Thi My Hanh and her team showcase Vietnam’s knack for balancing freshness, texture and fragrant herbs. Pho remains a favourite, while seafood salad with pomelo and mango brings those flavours together in one bright dish.

It’s all an approach backed by partnerships with expert food creators such as Alfie Steiner, whose plant-forward recipes prove healthy food should never taste plain.

2. Better sleep options

Novotel Bali Ubud Resort room — Sleep deeply with Novotel.

There are few travel experiences more disappointing than arriving in a new country, determined to seize the day, only to fall asleep fully clothed by 3pm.

For Australian travellers, jet lag is often an unavoidable part of the journey. That’s one reason Novotel runs sleep-focused initiatives that help guests adjust quickly without compromising on health. We’re talking partnerships with Sydney-based sleep specialist Olivia Arezzolo, known for her advice on everything from better sleep habits to beating jet lag, alongside features like pillow menus, in-room yoga content and tailored sleep guidance.

The sooner you’re operating on local time, the sooner you can get back to more pressing matters – like deciding which spa treatment to book.

3. More ways to move

woman hiking around queenstown new zealand — Stay at Novotel Queenstown Lakeside and explore local hiking trails. (Credit: GettyI mages/ naruedom)

Every place in the world has its own way of getting you moving: whether that’s hiking up ice-bitten mountains before a sauna or gentle stretching by the pool before a facial. From fitness centres to spas, Novotel recognises that wellbeing rarely looks the same.

At Novotel Queenstown Lakeside, activity is inescapable. Here, hiking trails, ski fields, bungee jumps, and white-water rafting have made the region famous. The hotel’s location on the shores of Lake Wakatipu means less time spent organising yourself and more time out there experiencing them. To top it all off, you can book a private hot tub for the evening before heading back into the wilderness tomorrow.

Bali, of course, takes a softer approach. At Novotel Bali Ubud Resort or Novotel Bali Nusa Dua, movement is less about conquering a mountain and more about a dance class between the tropical gardens and lagoon pools. Afterwards, the spa takes over, with traditional treatments like a Lulur body scrub: a combination of rice, turmeric, sandalwood, ginger and jasmine that’ll soothe muscles already relaxed by the Balinese heat.

4. Better connections

Kids will love a stay at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh.

One of the best things about travel is that it gives your family stories you’ll be telling for years. Novotel helps create them with activities that bring everyone together, whether that’s trying something new, learning a local skill, or simply spending more time together.

Go for a distinctly Thai twist at Novotel Phuket Vintage Park, where many of the family activities draw on local culture. Kids can try everything from beginner Thai boxing and language lessons to umbrella painting and – a pastime beloved by children the world over – pool foam parties. Everyone is welcome to join in, whether that’s getting splashed, covered in paint, or simply watching their children discover a new side of Thailand during the dedicated Family & Kids Day.

A different adventure awaits at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh. Kids could be perfectly content with discos, drawing classes and new holiday friends, but the Red Sea has other ideas. Sitting on the edge of Naama Bay, days here might involve snorkelling colourful reefs, taking a boat trip to Ras Mohammed National Park or heading into the desert by quad bike or camel for a Bedouin-style dinner beneath the stars.

5. Location is everything

Surin Beach, Choeng Thale, Thalang District, Phuket, Thaiföld — Explore Phuket’s gorgeous beaches. (Credit: Bence Biczo)

Everyone’s idea of wellness looks a little different. With more than 600 hotels across 65 countries, Novotel gives guests the freedom to choose the destination that suits them best. Whether that’s a beachside escape in Phuket, an alpine expedition in Queenstown or a city break in Bangkok, there’s a good chance a Novotel isn’t far away.

All that’s left? Choosing your version of wellbeing.

Discover stays to inspire your everyday at novotel.accor.com.