Exhale in Banff

The patio outside the front of the hotel has been cleared off, and there are only a few people sitting outside. Itʼs early, and a cup of hot chocolate keeps my hands warm as I walk outside to find a seat. The Banff Springs Hotel, which resembles a Scottish Baronial Castle, looms up behind me as I sit down. The air is crisp and cool. The Rocky Mountains are dusted with snow and tower over the Bow River, which snakes through the valley below. Some days, deer or elk can be seen wandering the grounds of the hotel, on other days only the birds are around for company. Either way, itʼs a perfect way to sit back and relax.

Weʼve all heard of ʻa room with a viewʼ. This is a hotel with a view — the best view in Banff. There are no buildings in the way, no roads, nothing. The scene is pristine and inspiring. This is the scene that inspired the building of the Banff Springs Hotel in the late 1800s. This is why the Banff Springs Hotel was built backwards.

The ground crunches under your feet as you walk among the evergreens, the branches and trunks covered with white frost. The snow is pristine and white. You can see your breath, and within 15 minutes the fresh cold air has seeped through the outer layer of your gloves and you fingers start to feel cold and stiff. Youʼre only a short distance from the hotel, but it feels like youʼre in the middle of the nowhere. Itʼs just you and Mother Nature. Itʼs a hauntingly beautiful scene.

The frosty days are even more captivating than snowy ones, but they are also a lot cooler. This is when, sitting on the patio of the Banff Springs Hotel is not enough. This is when youʼll want to bundle up and go for a walk on the hotel grounds. Sure, it sounds crazy, but the scenery around you is too beautiful to ignore. In a way, itʼs like a recovering shopaholic avoiding a 75% off sale at their favourite store. In the summer, the patio is packed with hotel guests and tourists who have decided to spend a few hours exploring the castle. In the winter the patio is quiet and the perfect retreat for nature lovers.

Winter in Banff is a magical time of year. In November and December, the snow slowly takes over the town, locals start to bundle up and everyone is excited to go hiking, skiing, and snowboarding. In January and February the mountain air drops drastically in temperature. The cold weather keeps most people inside or on the slopes. The winter hiking trails are almost bare and from time to time Banff is covered in a layer white shimmering frost.

Whatever you choose, the patio or a short walk among the frost-covered trees, the scenery surrounding the Banff Springs Hotel is like no other. Early mornings are a great time for sitting on the patio with a coffee or hot chocolate. Mid-afternoon, when the sun is high, is a great time for a short walk around the grounds. Evening, when the sun has disappeared below the horizon, and the sky is dominated by the moon and stars is when youʼre love affair with scenery around you becomes complete.

Whether youʼre staying at the Banff Springs Hotel, or just visiting the grounds for a few hours, take time to stand on the patio and look at the scene in front of you. This is what started it all, the national park, the hotel and the town. This is Banff.