HI Banff Alpine Centre

About HI Banff Alpine Centre

The HI Banff Alpine Centre on Hidden Ridge Way is the best hostel in Banff and one of the better ones in Canada. The common areas are genuinely social and the mix of travellers from around the world creates the kind of atmosphere that only hostels produce.

The location is about a 20-minute walk from the town centre through the forest, which sounds like a trade-off until you have done it once and realized the walk is the point. Elk are common along the path. The dorm rooms are clean and the private rooms provide a hostel budget with a degree of privacy. The kitchen is fully equipped, which at Banff restaurant prices is not a trivial option.

The experience here is specifically for travellers who plan to spend most of their time in the mountains and want to come back in the evening to compare notes with people doing the same thing. Book well in advance for summer.