In my latest travel adventure, I was off to Banff for 3 nights and 4 days. Visiting as @Foodologyca’s proxy and travel correspondence writer. The visit was designed to showcase Pursuit travel and their accommodations within Banff including hotel, restaurants, and excursions.
The flight was a quick one from Vancouver to Calgary. Although the need to arrive 2 hours before your flight for domestic travel was where time slowed. Then once in Calgary it was a 1.5-hour bus ride from the airport to my cited accommodations in Banff.
The bus travel was also sponsored by Pursuit. The Brewster Express shuttles travellers from the airport to their Pursuit hotels. At this point it was clear that Pursuit focuses on the whole travel experience, removing all the hard work of planning from your trip.
I would be staying at Elk & Avenue Hotel, a modern boutique property in the heart of Banff, bringing an upscale twist to mountain life.
My double Queen bedroom overlooked the local elementary school, with the mountains in the distance. Although, every direction you look there are mountains, and the view is set to awe.
With 2 beds for one, it allowed me the opportunity to switch between the two for a new and clean bed feel in between sleeps. The firm bed and hotel quality sheets engulfed in comfort as I slept restfully in my perfectly air-conditioned suite.
The room was also outfitted with a desk space and side table, plus couch allowing versatility in my lounging.
Amenities included a mini fridge, Nespresso coffee machine and hot water kettle for tea. I brought my laptop so need not even turn on the television or the stereo alarm on the nightstand for entertainment or music.
The bathroom was modern with a wide sink and spacious shower stall, including removable shower head. All in all, a comfortable and clean suite for a multiple night stay.
As a hotel guest you are given access to their spa, provided you can find it. Without directions or signage, you need ask the hotel concierge for directions. Although on the bright side, this means the space is often not occupied and you have the hot tub with massaging jets and the wood pine sauna all to yourself. Worth noting is that they do not have robes or slippers available, but there are extra towels within the spa space.
On top of a full restaurant, cafe, and gift shop, the hotel had plenty of shared space to sprawl across. Including one area with table games to keep hands going as conversation flowed.
At the hotel’s cafe: Good Earth Coffee House guests can enjoy an assortment of hot beverages and smoothies, on top of a showcase of baked goods and pastries to grab and go. Premade sandwiches and soups were heated to order, if you were looking for something heartier.
During my morning visit I had one of their strawberry banana smoothies paired with Mac and cheese. And would eventually return for a citrus smoothie given some health properties and colour through powdered greens.
We would also get to dine at the hotel’s restaurant Farm + Fire for 2 separate meals: dinner and lunch. Farm + Fire is Elk & Ave’s wood-fire restaurant, focused on bringing guests all things local. Transforming simple, Canadian-grown ingredients into inventive dishes boasting big, bold flavours. For the full review of the multiple plates we had, visit the link below.
Although I did not stay there, I would get to frequent Pursuit’s other hotel property within Banff: Mount Royal.
This one is much older and comes with history. The hotel has been rebuilt, refurbished, and renovated from its original conception as Cascade Hotel Banff 1885. From the exterior of the property, you can see the sectional upgrades. And within, as a nod to this process, certain wings are marked and coloured to correspond to their era or the decade they were reconstructed in. This includes the Cascade wing in red, a 1940’s wing coloured in navy blue, and the 1950’s in an amber-gold.
For those in the know, if you continue down the halls and find yourself in the Cascade wing, there is a hidden lounge adjacent to the hotel’s roof top hot tub spa.
The lounge was serviced by a single bartender offering local beverages including canned cocktails, beers, and wine. We would indulge in the former most by Eau Claire Distillery, as well as Pursuit’s own brand of wine.
But their in-property Restaurant Brazen is the one to write about. We would dine there for dinner, breakfast and lunch. For the full review of all the sharable plates, dinner classics with a modern-day twist, and cocktails inspired by Banff’s bold characters and days gone by, visit the link below.
On top of all the eating we did there was plenty to see and do. And for a first timer, the best way to do all that is via one of Pursuit’s many tours, or simply take a walk and explore Banff’s wilderness within walking distance from downtown. For a list of the sights we saw and the excursions we took, visit the separate link below.
This year’s getaway to Banff covered a lot that I missed travelling out here via RV the previous year. I preferred this experience done alone, with planned activities in conjunction with other travel writers. Those who share similar hobbies and mindsets, fully committed to capturing and experiencing all that Banff has to offer. I hope this blog recaps the time well and helps in planning your next trip out to the other side of the Rockies.
