The Best Pet-Friendly Hotels to Book in Banff, Canada

Bag a stay at the dog-friendly Fairmont Banff Springs for a wild getaway in Banff | Courtesy of Fairmont Banff Springs / Expedia

Johanna Read

10 December 2021

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Banff, the first and most famous national park in Canada, is welcoming of all animals, domestic or wild. Plenty of Banff hotels are pet-friendly and, if you’re lucky, you’ll see some of their wild relatives – bears, cougars – walk by when you’re safely behind a window. Leashes are mandatory in public areas, including within the Town of Banff, except for at the off-leash dog park. Choosing a hotel to suit you and your pet is a walk in the park with our recommendations. Read on and book with Culture Trip.

Fairmont Banff Springs, for luxury stays

A luxurious guestroom at Fairmont Banff Springs with a double bed and views onto forested slopes

Courtesy of Fairmont Banff Springs / Expedia

This luxe castle hotel is a favorite of royalty and celebrities, and of pets who are treated as such. Stays — the Fairmont policy is two pets per room — include a bed, bowls and a tasty treat. There’s a one-time cleaning fee of 50 Canadian dollars, $15 of which is donated to the local Bow Valley SPCA (no fee for service dogs). Should you want to soak in the spectacular mountain-view hot pools or dine at one of the restaurants, pet-sitting services are available. Patios are pet-friendly, yet only humans can dine in the outdoor clear 360-degree dome, bookable for private dining with unrivaled views. Miss the pooch you left at home? Book a walk with black lab Bear (the canine ambassador and resident good boy) on the dog-friendly trails around the property.

Rimrock Resort Hotel, for plenty of pooch treats

The impressive Rimrock Resort Hotel sits on the forested Sulphur Mountain

Courtesy of Rimrock Resort Hotel / Expedia

Here, next to the upper hot springs of Sulphur Mountain, a hotel has stood since 1895. Open since 1993, the Rimrock has 333 rooms, some with balconies providing spectacular views towards town. In addition to the hot springs, the Banff Gondola and plenty of hiking trails are directly outdoors. It’s a 10-minute drive (an hour on paws) to downtown Banff. Pet-friendly hotel rooms are on level 7 and pups will have a bed, bowls, waste bags for walks, and even a dog biscuit. There’s a max of two dogs per room, the first is charged 40 Canadian dollars per day and the second $20 per day.

Banff Ptarmigan Inn, for hot pools and sauna

A family-style room at Banff Ptarmigan Inn with two beds with patterned headboards

Courtesy of Banff Ptarmigan Inn / Expedia

The Banff Ptarmigan Inn (ptarmigans, by the way, are a type of grouse and the “p” is silent) is downtown on Banff Avenue. Like many hotels here, this 134-room inn is part of the Banff Lodging Company – most of its Banff hotels are pet-friendly and charge a $25 per night per pet fee, which means a bed and bowls. Dogs get treats and a take-home toy (we know cats would just turn their nose up at it anyway). The policy forbids leaving your pet unattended and reminds that “furniture is for humans”. Rates include a full breakfast and access to the indoor hot pools, a steam room and sauna.

Moose Hotel & Suites, for cool animal art

A steaming hot pool at Moose Hotel & Suites with mountain views

Courtesy of Moose Hotel & Suites / Expedia | Courtesy of Moose Hotel & Suites / Expedia

At this Banff Avenue four-star hotel, which opened in 2016, dogs and cats can join you under the Banff Lodging Company’s policy of $25 per night per pet. The only moose allowed are the ones in Jason Carter’s artwork; be forewarned: they’re cute, but large and have a tendency to stare at you. While leashed dogs are welcome on the restaurant patio, they can’t sit with you to enjoy the views from the outdoor and indoor pools on the rooftop or from the third-floor outdoor hot pool at the spa.

Banff Caribou Lodge & Spa, for peace beyond town

Banff Caribou Lodge & Spa at night, with an imposing, snow-covered mountain behind it

Courtesy of Banff Caribou Lodge & Spa / Expedia

Part of the Banff Lodging Company and its pet policy, this 184-room hotel has a Banff Avenue address but is a little further away from downtown in the Whiskey Creek neighborhood. Grab a leash and you and your pup can make it to the center of town in 15 minutes (four minutes by car); you’re three minutes’ drive and 20 by foot to the off-leash dog park. The pet-friendly rooms at the lodge are the standards and superiors, some with a balcony. Make friends with a fellow guest so someone can stay with your pet while you wallow in the generously sized indoor hot pool.

Fox Hotel & Suites, for a dash of history

The lights inside the Fox Hotel & Suites emit an inviting glow, with a mountain behind the hotel

Courtesy of Fox Hotel & Suites / Expedia | Courtesy of Fox Hotel & Suites / Expedia

This pet-friendly Banff hotel tempts guests with an included continental breakfast and a cave hot pool plus sauna. The pool is modeled after the original Cave and Basin hot springs, the birthplace of Banff National Park (sit in the right place and you might get snowflakes on your shoulders). This property is part of the Banff Lodging Company and its cross-hotel pet policy. Suites (loft, one- and two-bedroomed) have a living room and partially equipped kitchen.

Banff Rocky Mountain Resort, for a condo stay near elk country

Wolf pictures hang above two beds in a guestroom at Banff Rocky Mountain Resort

Courtesy of Banff Rocky Mountain Resort / Expedia

This Banff Lodging Company property, with its standard pet policy, is on the edge of town, where Banff Avenue and Tunnel Mountain Road intersect. You’re still less than 10 minutes by car from the center of town. Condos here have a full kitchen, fireplace and up to four bedrooms; the smallest rooms have a microwave and minifridge. The large wolf photos will make dogs feel at home in the wilderness (hope your cat isn’t startled by them). The main lodge has indoor and outdoor pools, a gym and squash courts; nearby are tennis and basketball courts, plus a kids’ play area. Elk are frequently seen nearby, so keep a hold of that leash.

Hidden Ridge Resort, for hot tubs and hearths

The chalet-style lodge at Hidden Ridge Resort is covered in snow

Courtesy of Hidden Ridge Resort / Expedia

This large, pet-friendly Banff resort, part of the Banff Lodging Company, is on Tunnel Mountain between the forest and the campground. It’s well placed, little more than a five-minute drive to the town center and along the Roam bus route (complimentary pass provided). Stays are condo-style with a full kitchen and living room; some units sleep up to 10 guests (plus two pets). You might have a wood-burning fireplace, hot tub and balcony. Outdoors, find bike rentals, a kids’ play area, a hot tub and wading pool, plus a (year-round – it’s Canada) barbecue and picnic area.

Looking for somewhere different to stay? Book into one of the best hotels in Banff, or, for somewhere more budget friendly, opt for a room at one of the best cheap hotels in town.

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