The Juniper Hotel & Bistro

Highly praised Banff hotel a 5 min drive to town, with well loved restaurant & scenic views

Pros

Free amenities: Wi-Fi, parking, local calls
Rooms were clean, comfortable and well maintained said guests
Staff considered excellent and super friendly by many
Location was excellent near the forest and trails but still walkable to downtown Banff
Juniper Bistro was highly acclaimed by guests
Views were highly enjoyed by guests from their rooms, balconies, hot tub and restaurant
Good value according to many guests
Wi-Fi was rated as good in online surveys

Cons

No elevator to second floor
Decor a little dated, according to a few
Some guests could hear the highway and guests in nearby or overhead rooms

Freebies

Free Wi-Fi

Free Parking

Editor's Review

Updated May 31, 2017

Overview

This hotel is located just off the Trans-Canada Hwy, near forested hiking trails at the foot of Mount Norquay and a 5-minute drive or 24-minute walk to downtown Banff.

The smoke-free hotel offers 52 rooms over 2 floors with no elevator, plus two cabins.

All rooms include free Wi-Fi, free local calls, a flat screen HDTV with cable, a coffeemaker, a mini-fridge, a desk, a hair dryer, windows that open and air conditioning.

Suites may feature separate bedrooms, a balcony, a panoramic mountain view, a rain shower, a 2-person hot tub, a full kitchen, lounge and dining area with sofa and gas fireplace.

Cabins feature a separate bedroom with 1 queen bed, a loft bedroom with 2 queen beds, a living room with wood-burning fireplace, a dining area and lounge, a kitchen and a private deck.

Rooms are furnished with 2 double beds, 1 or 2 queen beds or 1 king bed. The hotel offers accessible rooms.

Free outdoor parking is available on site.

Pets are welcome for $25 each, per night. Pet stays must be arranged at the time of booking directly with hotel. Pet amenities include bed, water bowl, treats and waste bags.

Restaurant on site: Juniper Bistro offers breakfast and dinner on site with seasonal patio. Room service is available during restaurant hours.

Hotel amenities include an outdoor covered hot tub, a picnic area, ski and bike storage, a bike tuning station, bike rentals, a 24-hour front desk, and meeting rooms.

What’s nearby? This hotel is an 8-minute drive from the Mount Norquay ski area. Cave and Basin National Historic Site is an 8-minute drive from the hotel. Banff Gondola and Banff Upper Hot Springs can each be reached in 11 minutes by car. Sunshine Village is a 16-minute drive. Lake Minnewanka is a 10-minute drive away. Calgary International Airport (YYC) is 1.5 hours away by car. (All travel times: Google Maps)

Confirmed with the front desk on July 27, 2016: some rooms have safes and a balcony, there are flat screen HDTVs in the rooms with some HD cable channels, all windows open and all rooms have a mini-fridge, no safety deposit at front desk

The Good

This hotel was well pleasing to many guests, with lots of perfect scores in the reviews posted online.

Guests liked the rooms. The basic rooms were often described as small with small bathrooms, but they were also clean, cozy, well maintained and updated. Guests often found the beds comfy and also appreciated having a mini-fridge and working air conditioning. The larger suites were well equipped and offered more space.

Guests liked the location. It felt secluded amid the trees but it was still close to town and guests said it was a nice walk. Elk, caribou, deer and other wildlife were readily seen near the hotel, and on occasion bear have been spotted as well. The highway was nearby and easy to access.

The food was awesome. Juniper Bistro offered great food and great views. One recent guest wrote, "Make sure you try the restaurant, it was fantastic." And another, "The restaurant has a great menu...it's reasonably priced with fantastic views of Vermillion Lakes and Mt Rundle."

The views were amazing and this was a highlight for many guests. They posted pictures of panoramic mountain views plus stunning views of Mount Rundle, Sulphur Mountain, the Banff Springs Hotel in the valley and the Banff town site. Guests said that there were beautiful views from either side of the hotel--from their rooms, balconies, the hot tub and the restaurant's patio.

The staff were great. Guests found them kind, sincere and helpful. They were informed and knowledgeable of the area and able to provide travel and tour suggestions.

Pet owners loved this hotel. They were well treated by staff and there was direct outdoor access from certain rooms with nearby trails to walk the dogs.

Many guests enjoyed the outdoor hot tub with spectacular mountain views and many guests felt the hotel provided good value.

The Bad

Negative comments in the reviews shone a spotlight on the age of the building and noise transfer.

This was an older structure and built without an elevator. Usually guests reported that staff helped them carry luggage up the stairs.

Noise was an issue for some. Guests complained of hearing footsteps from above, neighbours through the adjoining doors and in the hallways, music from the bistro, the sound of the hotel's air conditioner (near a guest room) and the sound of traffic on the highway.

Other comments, complaints or nitpicks found were: need more hangers and hooks for coats in the room, can't see view when seated on the balcony, rooms were small, hotel needs new armchairs, new beds and new decks, prices were high for a small room with a tiny bathroom, room was dusty, not enough electrical outlets and they are not well placed for charging devices, and not enough counter space in the bathroom for two people.

Guests sometimes had difficulties with the Wi-Fi at this location, but overall it was rated as good and some guests reported good Wi-Fi in their reviews.

Show Sources

Sources

TripAdvisor.com ranked this hotel #10 out of 31 hotels and rated it 4 out of 5, based on 682 guest reviews.

Expedia.ca rated this hotel 4.1 out of 5 based on 917 guest reviews.

Booking.com rated this hotel 8.5 out of 10 based on 696 guest reviews.

This hotel is an Editor's Pick for...

Banff

Guest Reviews

Rated by Guests

8.2 / out of 10

"Very Good"

Ranked by Guests

11 / out of 36

hotels in Banff

The average guest rating for The Juniper Hotel & Bistro is 8.2 out of 10 based on 2957 reviews from past guests. This average guest rating ranks The Juniper Hotel & Bistro at #11 out of 36 hotels in Banff.

Location

The Juniper Hotel & Bistro
1 Timberline Way, Banff, AB

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The Juniper Hotel & Bistro

1 Timberline Way, Banff, AB