Canmore / Spring Creek

The Malcolm Hotel

★★★★★

The Malcolm Hotel is the best-known upscale hotel in Canmore, the mountain town just outside the eastern gate of Banff National Park, and it is a smart choice for travellers who want to explore Banff while enjoying lower prices, more space and a more local atmosphere. The hotel stands in the Spring Creek area near downtown Canmore and its main street of cafés, galleries and shops, with views of the surrounding peaks including the Three Sisters. Rooms range from double queens to king rooms such as the Malcolm Royal King, decorated in a polished, slightly traditional style. The headline amenity is the heated rooftop outdoor pool and hot tubs, open daily from 8am to 10pm and closed only in extreme cold (when the temperature, including wind chill, reaches minus 24°C). On a clear winter evening, soaking under the stars with snow-covered mountains around you is a highlight of a Rockies trip. The Stirling Grill and Lounge, led by Chef Graham Smith, offers an upscale menu including a special Kings Table menu, along with a more relaxed dining room and lounge. Underground parking is a practical advantage in winter. Packages include bed-and-breakfast and romance offers. From Canmore, the town of Banff is about a twenty-minute drive, and Roam Route 3 connects the two; the Canmore Nordic Centre and Kananaskis Country are nearby (the Grassi Lakes trail has been closed by a rockslide since June 2026). Note that Canmore is outside the national park, so you need a park pass only when you drive into Banff.

Why stay in Canmore? Canmore is a real town with year-round residents, and it often offers better value and more space than Banff, along with a more relaxed dining scene and fewer crowds. It is also the gateway to Kananaskis Country, where a Kananaskis Conservation Pass is required for parking at many sites, including the Canmore Nordic Centre and Grotto Canyon. Staying here lets you split your time between Banff National Park and the quieter trails and ski areas of Kananaskis. Downtown Canmore has galleries, shops and cafés, and the Canmore Nordic Centre, built for the 1988 Winter Olympics, offers more than 65 kilometres of groomed cross-country trails.

Living at the Malcolm. Mornings start with breakfast at the hotel or a café in town, followed by a drive into Banff for the gondola or a ski day at Sunshine, Norquay or Lake Louise. Back in Canmore, the rooftop pool and hot tubs are the perfect way to unwind, followed by dinner at the Stirling Grill or a walk to restaurants on Main Street. In winter, try the Grotto Canyon icewalk or a guided tour of Rat's Nest Cave.

Who should stay. Couples, families and friends who want an upscale hotel with a rooftop pool at better value than Banff, and who do not mind a short drive into the park each day. The trade-offs are the commute to Lake Louise and the Icefields Parkway, which adds about twenty minutes compared with staying in Banff, and Canmore is quieter at night. If you want to walk to Banff Avenue, stay in Banff; if you want space, views and a great hot tub, the Malcolm is an excellent choice.