Rimrock Banff, Emblems Collection

About Rimrock Banff, Emblems Collection

The Rimrock sits at 5,400 feet on the road to the Banff Upper Hot Springs, which means it is technically above the town it overlooks. That position is the entire point. The rooms facing the Bow Valley and looking back toward Cascade and Rundle give you the view that most people in Banff are paying for without getting. You are on a mountain road, not a commercial strip, and the difference registers immediately when you arrive.

The hotel is a full-service property with Parker's Table as the main dining room, which ranks among the more serious kitchens in Banff. The wine list is long. Divas is the late-night bar and draws a mix of hotel guests and locals who make the drive up. The spa is well-equipped. In winter, the road up from town is short but steep, and a car is useful though the hotel runs a shuttle.

What the Rimrock offers that the Fairmont cannot is a degree of remove from the town below and views that reward it. If you want to feel like you are staying in the mountains rather than in a mountain town, the Rimrock makes the argument better.