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Concierge.com's insider take:
For more than a century, this opulent, immense (778 rooms!) hotel has sat on its own plot of forested land, just outside of downtown Banff, proving that, sometimes, manmade beauty can almost match nature's. Styled after a Scottish baronial castle, the imposing structure has had a long history: It opened in 1888, was rebuilt in 1920 after a fire, and most recently underwent a massive remodeling in 2001 under the management of Fairmont. Improvements include a less cramped arrival area: Now a seamless roundabout takes guests and their luggage right to the doors and soaring ceilings of a grand lobby, where staffers can easily accommodate check-ins even if slack-jawed tourists are aimlessly wandering around, ogling. Service is efficient, but nobody is likely to remember your name. Remodeling of the rooms has affected some more than others: Be wary of getting stuck in the smallest rooms in the older castle portion. If you're looking to truly live it up, there's always the Presidential Suite (accessed via private elevator), with 1,500 square feet and panoramic views of the Spray and Bow River valleys. The Willow Stream Spa has also been renovated, and now has 29 treatment areas, mineral pools, and waterfall-fed whirlpools.
From the readers of Condé Nast Traveler:
(768 rooms)
—2011 Gold List
Overall Score: 87.9
- Activities: 88.8
- Design: 91.7
- Food: 85.8
- Location: 95.5
- Rooms: 78.8
- Service: 86.8
View the entire 2011 Gold List of the world's best places to stay ›
Also appeared in the Gold List in 2007, 2006, 2005
Amenities: Game drives, Golf, Pool, Skiing, Spa, Tennis
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