The Fox Hotel & Suites Banff

I spent 4 nights at the Fox Hotel & Suites in July 2009. It is located on Banff Ave, which is the main street running through Banff, but about 4 or 5 blocks from downtown. It seemed farther when I was drinking :) Being away from downtown is good because you don't have to deal with the traffic headaches but you're still close enough to walk. There is free parking for guests in the hotel's underground parking lot.

The hotel has a pool that is fed by a hot spring. But it's not like an ordinary pool - it is done up like an underground cave. It's an indoor pool but there is a big hole in the ceiling so you can see the sky above. Pretty cool feature. There is a small workout room with a few cardiac machines and free weights. Laundry facilities are also on the lower level. Ih the lobby of the hotel is a Chili's Restaurant & Bar. (For those of you not familiar, it's a family restaurant.) A complimentary continental breakfast is served there but it's rather weak. Muffins, toast, cereal, fruits.

The check in process was fast and friendly. The front desk person explained all of the hotel's amenities in clear detail. I asked about upgrading my room after the first night and they gave me an excellent deal on a loft suite for the remainder of my stay.

My first room was a standard room. It was clean and comfortable but I thought it was rather small. The bathroom contains the tub and toilet. The sink is outside of the bathroom. In addition to a queen sized bed the room has a sleeper sofa. The air conditioning wasn't very good but there was a plug-in fan that I used to help circulate the air. My main gripes were the small size and being on the ground floor.

For three nights I moved to a loft suite. The loft had a queen size bed, dresser and a flat screen tv. The bathroom was also located upstairs and as in the standard room, the sink was outside of the bathroom. The lower level had a queen size sleeper sofa, a small table and chairs, mini-refrigerator, microwave and a sink. An electric fireplace and another flat screen tv were on the lower level. The loft suite is on the top floor of the hotel and it has a private balcony with views of the mountains.

Overall, I liked the hotel and would consider staying there again.