Rimrock Resort Hotel

Yes, I understand that first impressions are lasting impressions. But an often frustrating thing about Unilocal reviews is that a momentary, negative encounter colors a review. A one-​star rating may reflect a small deficiency, with the reviewer ignoring the remaining, wonderful merits of the business. This hotel is elegant. The location, and views from most rooms, are gorgeous. Every staff member I encountered was warm, polite and helpful. Only ate at the Primrose, but the breakfast buffet was among the most sumptuous I have ever seen at a hotel and each breakfast entrée I had was exceptional. The concierge was invariably helpful and solicitous. For this price range, this property is definitely a 5 star hotel and the one or two star reviews, while understandable because of an individual experience, do not truly reflect the stature of this hotel. My only complaint is minuscule. The gift shop is apparently independently operated and was never open during my Sunday to Wednesday stay. For that reason, I couldn’t purchase a couple of Rimrock Resort t-​shirts to bring home and advertise this wonderful hotel!

I had 2 issues that come to mind with the Rimrock Resort.
Number 1 was the size of our bed. We tried to upgrade to a King but could not even after the resort calling asking if they could do anything to make our experience better. The queen seemed so small. I had the worst 2 nights sleep ever in this resort. Literally tossing and turning all night almost falling out of bed. I couldnt wait to get back home even though I should have been enjoying my trip.
Secondly, we paid to stay here and were charged an extra $ 18 – 32 per day for parking. Maybe it is normal in Banff but not typically anywhere else I have been and i’ve traveled all over the world. It seemed like a money grab to me and gave me a weird vibe. Normally if you book a room at a nice resort, parking is included in that reservation.
As far as the scenery and views from the resort and of Banff in general I cannot complain. Although I would probably would not stay here again in the future It is not that bad of a place.

We have stayed here numerous times and each time has been superb. We’ve had rooms all over the hotel and they have all been quiet and we’ve had a great sleep every night.
The service from the staff has always been super friendly and made us feel at home. The Rimrock has definitely become a second home to us. We don’t even consider any of the other hotels in the area.
The Primrose Dining Room is the place to eat for breakfast whether you do the buffet or order a la carte. They do a pasta Wednesday buffet (I think they also do this on Friday nights now) from October to March that you never leave hungry. Come with an appetite.
The only minor thing is I find the gym area too warm to workout in for long.
A great bonus especially in the summer months when it is hard to find parking downtown is the hotel gives you a free bus pass for the town bus. It picks you up right at the door and then drops you off downtown.

Having fond memories of this hotel from the Italian buffet of 15 years previous at the Primrose, I thought I would treat my family to a few days of pre-​Christmas relaxation at the Rimrock. However, despite the price tag, the Rimrock doesn’t match up to its competition, namely the local Fairmont properties. From the moment we drove up, the service was at the very least, curt and unpolished. The frowning valet to the gruff, unhelpful front desk reception, it seemed like there are some real gaps in training and management. That unfortunately, didn’t stop at housekeeping. Our room remained unmade late into the afternoon despite instructions as to when we would be returning. Further, beds were only half made. We observed firsthand, a nearby table of guests exasperated at having their meal arrive so late that they couldn’t stay to eat it. After this, we decided to skip dinner at the hotel. If you desire a higher end hotel experience, skip this place and head to the Springs or the Château Lake Louise.

If you’re going to spend money to be spoiled while staying in a fancy hotel this one certainly isn’t a bad option. The only complaint I might have is that the bed wasn’t the most comfortable one I’ve stayed in, but really what hotel can satisfy everyone’s tastes in bed comfort? The fitness facility and pool was wonderful, the restaurants were great, the conference center was wonderful when it came to the wedding I was attending, and the food was pretty darn good overall. Sure we temporarily broke an elevator at one point but what harm is a little bit of adventure? This hotel is gorgeous, the concierge staff are helpful (they provided great direction to set us off for a glorious sunrise hike for example), and the property is well maintained. Nestled among the mountains of Banff you can’t go far wrong staying here, unless of course you’re on a budget, in which case well, this is certainly not an inexpensive property — but sometimes one does need to have some quality space at which to stay with all of the creature comforts of good service.

DON’T STAY HERE! NOISE POLLUTION. Yes it is a prime location and a pretty nice property EXCEPT for the noise ²⁴⁄₇ from a giant roof top mechanical room. Whatever is up there cycles on and off constantly starting with a screeching sound followed by near jet engine turbine noise. The hotel was completely indifferent and responded to my credit card disputed charge with «he could have asked for another room». The only «other room» would be at another resort miles away because YOU AREN“T ESCAPING THE NOISE IF YOU STAY AT THE RIMROCK! These people are a rip off. They know they have the noise but they gladly take your money.

We stayed at the Rimrock resort on 6÷26÷15. Upon arrival to the hotel we pulled up and asked where the self park facilities were located, that’s where we meet the front person for the hotel Mr. Jeff Albert. When asked were the self parking facilities were located he replied in a very was RUDE and NASTY manner and basically did not want to help us.
We found the hotel to be very nice, the check in staff were very friendly and fast. Our room was nice and the view was fantastic.
The hotel is a little ways out of the downtown so they provide a free shuttle which was great. We check the times and proceeded to the waiting area for the shuttles. A bus pulled up close to the listed departure time for our shuttle. We asked Mr. Jeff Albert (unlucky for us he was the only one around) if this was the correct bus … and again he was extremely condescending and rude.
This hotel is wonderful but their choice for a valet and spokesperson for the hotel leaves me… well speechless. We travel all the time and this gem was by far the rudest person we have had to deal with at this caliber of a hotel in my entire life.
Other than that, the hotel itself was amazing.

This place was a great hotel and we had an incredible view. The service of the staff and the special we got with the breakfast included were both fantastic. The items keeping them from a 5 star were minor, but it is a four star hotel, so we were hoping for access to a fire (as the room was without one), a little more than a couple green floodlights for ambient lighting and better availability in the spa. great hotel though, the room was nice, food was great and the view was insane.

Stayed for a week and really enjoyed the place. It is a quantum leap in quality from the usual places on Banff avenue: beautiful views, great amenities, quality service. The rooms were suprisingly large (we basically had a full on seating area in addition to a large king). I unfortunately had a bunch of work to do when I was there, and working in the spectacular lobby bar was a gift. You are in Banff in minutes, but when you are at the hotel it feels a world away (in a good way). There bad been some chatter about parking issues, but we didnt experience any issues (on one of the busiest weekends of the year).
Service at the Primrose restaurant was not commensurate with the price point, but that is about the only thing I could complain about.
I will definitely stay here again the next time I come to Banff.

Just got back from a lovely long weekend at the Rimrock. It’s a beautiful hotel in a beautiful spot up in the mountains. The staff were very friendly and helpful — most notably the excellent concierge staff.
A few notables:
— We were a bit nervous about travelling with our baby, but the Rimrock was very accommodating. They set us up with a travel cot (which could have been better, but hey) and diaper pail, and helped warm baby food when needed.
— The lobby bar, with its big fireplace and view of the Rockies, will be missed.
Would definitely stay here again.

The hotel was beautiful, the room was nice, however when you end up having to take a Luke warm to cold shower because there is no hot water and considering the amount it costs to stay here, this hotel does not rate more than one.
Stay at your own risk.

We stayed here back in the first week of September after an incredibly straining back country hike through the Icefield. It felt amazing to set my head on this comfortable pillow and to walk up to the Banff hotsprings and soak my tired bones:)
The front desk was extremely helpful and welcoming. When we checked in and went up to our room, it was not quite as grand as we had hoped so we called down to see if there were any other possibilities. After a few minutes and before unpacking and settling in, they came back and informed us that there was indeed a room with a better view! Woohoo! This made our stay that much more spectacular. How amazing.
Wish we had more time here to explore and eat at the dining room –it looks beautiful and ornate. We would stay here again in a heartbeat.

this hotel is great. I really enjoyed staying here. Had a fabulous view from the room which was really enjoyable. I would definitely stay here again. It’s great if you have a CAA or AAA card because the discount on the accommodations are helpful.
Parking was tight, so if you have an SUV, it isn’t fun parking.

We arrived here after a terrible hotel experience in Jasper — our stay at the Rimrock really salvaged the trip.
The rooms are big and spotless. The restaurants are reasonably priced and the food was great. All of the staff were very helpful and, despite working long hours, were super friendly.
The price definitely matched the quality of the hotel — highly recommended.

Chic, stylish, polished, posh and completely secluded from the world. This place is the true Emerald City in the forest of the Rocky Mountains. This is where you stay for romance… Not a party with the boys on a ski weekend.
Whether you are staying at this hotel or not, it is worth it to pop in for a drink at the Lakespur Lounge, just so you can take in the breathtaking views. And at night, the forest below is lit up in emerald light.
If you do stay here, it is the perfect location for relaxation. The Banff Hot Springs and the Gondola are just steps outside of the main door. The rooms are just spectacular and I think ever one has a view that will make your heart stop just for a moment. And the staff are all so friendly, very helpful and all have a great story of how they came to be in this mountain paradise.

Rimrock very well might be my one of my most favorite hotels.
I stayed here in February with my best friend. I recommended this hotel due to the fond memories from when I came here when I was younger and it’s proximity to the Banff Hot Springs.
Firstly, the beds. The beds were divine. Perfect combination of firm yet soft. The comfiest sheets and pillows.
Secondly, the room was huge! We also had an empty mini fridge to store our goodies! The washroom was gorgeous.
The hotel is so well maintained! I had not been here in 10 years and it looked immaculate and just as gorgeous as now as then!
If you are staying here off-​season and get a good deal… take it! If you are coming here and paying full price, it’s actually worth every penny!
THOSE BEDS! I wanted to take it home with me…

I stayed at the Rimrock Hotel to receive my ProSCI certification and I am not sure where to start to describe all of my good experiences at this hotel.
Starting with the room, it was top notch. I understand from my classmates that I must have been in a renovated room (I understand that not everyone had my experience). The room was gorgeous, comfortable and the view was spectacular.
The other thing that I was impressed was that the flow of traffic was awesome! i know that‘s a bizarre thing to say, but I have found in many resort hotels, I spent way too much time waiting for elevators during peak times. I don‘t know why it was, but over 4 days, if I called an elevator to head to class, or to return to my room, I was never waiting very long (which was helpful on short breaks from our class).
Our class schedule was quite intensive, so I didn’t experience any of the facilities. However, I did check them out, and it certainly appeared to be full service.
Anyone I came in contact with was friendly, happy and helpful. Front desk, Primose Restaurant, Pub, cleaning staff. Everyone seemed happy to be there and to be of service, which I believe says a lot about the facility. Happy staff tells me that they are treated well.
Would I stay at Rimrock again? Absolutely! It is a pricey option, but the service and staff were divine. You get what you pay for.

Our family were taking annual vacation in banff this year. We stay in Rimrock hotel for 2 days. We had very good experience here. The service is excellent. We specially like the pub in the lobby. We had a lunch at the balcony. It was so quiet and peaceful. The view was excellent. I think this is the hotel you should stay when you visit Banff. It’s a little distance from downtown but its all worthy. Oh, it’s so closed to the gondola… it takes only 5 min to get there — by walking. And the hotel will give you free shuttle bus pass take you to downtown.
I will choose this place next time.

A great hotel that’s a 5 minute drive away from downtown Banff and close to the gondola and hot springs.
Both of our rooms (we upgraded for the 2^nd night) had great views of the mountains. The first room faced north and was on the 2^nd highest floor. Since it wasn’t very busy we asked the staff for the best room available to us since we paid and reserved through Hotwire. They set us up in the handicap room which offered larger square footage in both the bathroom and room. Upon first glance everything seemed great but on closer inspection the tiny details had been overlooked. The bathroom especially left a lot to be desired: no fan to clear out the steam from showering, very bad job putting up the wallpaper, and two toilet paper rolls that both required a full stretch from anyone under 6 feet.
From that first room we saw a row of suites that were right above the spa/​pool/​gym area and had it’s own private patio. Since we were having a visitor stay with us the second night we decided it would be best to upgrade. It only cost us an extra $ 75 for the upgrade and it was done quite efficiently. South facing, two beds and a large patio made for a more comfortable night. However the bathroom was so small that you had to squeeze between the tub & toilet to close the door. It did have an additional exterior sink/​mirror counter if the bathroom was occupied. Also there was half the closet room compared to our first room.
We had a great experience from the staff except one time. We went down to the restaurant for breakfast and there were a total of 3 tables occupied. There was no one at the hostess booth so after waiting a few moments we just wandered into the dining area. One server was assisting a table and the other was wiping a table that was clean and already set. We stood there waiting till someone could seat us and the server who was wiping the table looked up and rudely said the sign at the front said to wait to be seated. There were at least 50 empty tables and she asked us to back to the hostess booth. I thought this was ridiculous and said as much directly to her face. As a guest of a high end hotel this type of service is unacceptable. I clearly told her my displeasure while in front of the other dining guests so that they could hear.
Even with the bathroom issues and the disgruntled server I would probably stay here again. I will say that I didn’t like the fact that every time we wanted to go into Banff we had to drive. It isn’t conducive to having more then one drink at dinner or just walking around the town.

I’ve stayed here at least yearly for over ten years. Today, when we arrived, we spoke with four different staff members (valet, front desk), and all four were top notch interesting fun personable people — just right for what a person needed. We’re in a room that has been recently renovated and all the furnishings look great, as do the walls and the bathroom. I’m about to go enjoy my favourite drink in the world in the Larkspur Lounge, the Raspberry Passion martini, and I’ll see if the unfavourable review of the Larkspur is deserved or not.
I do agree with other reviewers that paying extra for the gym kinda stinks … but that’s about all that troubles me about this hotel.
More anon, I’m sure.