Sunshine Mountain Lodge

Very good, almost great

8.0

Sunshine Meadows is a really magical place, in the summer. If you love hiking, add this spot to your list. The hotel was quite nice, too. Top to bottom, the experience felt luxurious, pampering, and (most importantly) quiet. Our room was gorgeous, with a waterfall outside the window and spectacular views of the mountainside. The only thing we would like to see is…more availability! During our stay, the hours for the gondola to the base station AND the chairlift to the meadow were shut down from 5pm to 9am, making it hard to get out during prime wildlife viewing hours. Amenities like the hot tub, shops, and restaurants also had quite restricted hours. The two restaurants open for the summer were good, but not the quality you can expect in downtown Banff. We enjoyed our stay, but given the restrictions, we were ultimately glad we were only there for two nights.

Memorable experience

8.0

The 20 minute gondola ride from the base to the lodge was an excellent start to the experience. Chairlift service to hiking areas was great.

− Restaurant staff needs training on how to provide proper service. Their were nice and friendly but missed basic things like cutlery, pouring water not just dropping a bottle off, checking in periodically

Fantastic

10.0

We stayed four nights on a Vancouver to Calgary road trip and this was a major highlight of the trip. The location of the hotel is perfect, yes is takes half an hour to get to Banff but waking up in the mountains and all the fabulous hiking is sunshine meadows is well worth it. The hot tub was also a welcome addition after long hot hikes. Staff were lovely.

− Nothing

Peaceful mountain retreat

10.0

Excellent customer service from even before we arrived, when we received a phone call a couple of days before our trip to answer any questions and let us know about the gondola hours, verify room arrangements, etc. Next, every staff member at the resort, including dining wait staff, was super friendly and helpful. The location was idyllic, sitting halfway up a mountain with ski lifts right next to the door. The room reminded us of a Swiss chalet, with warm wood tones.

− Dining options were somewhat limited, since only two of the three restaurants connected with the lodge were open when we visited.

What a great place to stay! I would like to go back again with my family.

10.0

The Lodge's location near the top of a mountain is what makes staying there so remarkable. You take a 15 -20 minute gondola ride to get to the lodge! Tourists pay $80 just to ride the gondola one day to reach the Sunshine Village, where the Lodge is located. There is a most remarkable view of the mountains available by simply taking an Express Chair Lift (no charge) up another 800 feet in elevation to a spot that is literally on top of the mountain. There is an observation deck that is a very short hike from where you get off the chair lift that provides a 270-degree view of the surrounding mountains. If you like hiking, you can follow trails for several miles down to the edge of large lakes and meadows; these are superb trails that, in effect, are right at the doorstep of the Lodge. And when you get back from your hike, there is a huge outdoor hot tub, as well as a cedar-lined sauna available. If you are a skier, come back in the winter, and you can find all different levels of ski runs. You can ski to your room. Banff is a fun tourist town, too, and you can take the gondola down to the car lot anytime you wish. We spent a morning at nearby hot springs on Sulfur Mountain, which has an outdoor pool with another superb view. It is less expensive than staying at some of the hotels in Banff, while providing a completely different level of experience and fun. Highly recommended!

− There was a minor inconvenience that the thermostats in the rooms could not be adjusted because of some construction going on. However, the temperatures were never uncomfortable, and if the sun heated the room, you could open the balcony door to provide fresh cool air.