The Dorothy Motel — Hotel in Banff

From the exterior it's a little run down, bare wires sticking out of outdoor receptacles, lack luster paint, a very 70's motel vibe. Once inside the room the I was initially surprised, on the surface very nice, and clearly renovated, bigger than average TV ( being in Banff it was never turned on), double blinds for blackout capability, AC with wall controls, lots of pillows, reading lights on each side of the bed, safe, small table and chairs for morning coffee (Retro Dorthy motel coffee cups with coffee maker and kettle) . However, upon closer inspection and after settling in, the surprise wore off quickly. The A/C unit was extremely loud and ran intermittently making it difficult to sleep with it active. Only a flat sheet on the bed and no fitted sheet, causing everything to come undone in the middle of the night. I'm hoping they never paid the contractor that renovated the full bill as it was done very shoddy. For the nightly room rate (in July) the fit and finish is grossly over priced. I almost threw my back out flinching from almost falling off the toilet as it was not secured and/or leveled and silicone. I actually had to go to the hardware stare to get toilet shims so I could use it. (I believe the seal is now ineffective because of improper installation because I could smell sewer gas coming up every so often) .What appeared to be heated bath floor tile....wasn't, likely damaged during tile install (tile work was average at best. Pencil marks still on shower tiles where cutouts were made, very unprofessional) The soap dishes(often the tiler installs, but this may be on the contactor as well) where out of level sloping back the wrong way, aesthetically and functionally aweful. Back to the (and I use the term loosely) plumber, not only is the shower head and controller not centered to the point you find yourself hitting the wall to stay in line but they couldn't mange to even line the 2 of them up. The drain couldn't make it to center either. I realize these things may be picky, and as a renovation contractor myself I may be more focused on them but for the cost of the rooms this is grossly missproportioned I wouldn't recommend staying thereat peak seasons....in Oct at 130 a night it might be worth it. Very...

This amazing little motel is the best value for your money in Banff, no question. Rooms are totally renovated in a cute, modern, style - the bed was comfy, the bathroom floor was heated (!), and had an amazing view of the sunrise over the mountains. The cleaning service came and made up our room each day for us, something I was not expecting in a motel. The courtyard in the center is quiet and peaceful, a bit removed from the road, and there is a vending machine, ice machine, and a whole gas station with an extensive convenience store/grocery market across the way. The local soap products in the bathrooms smell fresh and amazing. The room has a mini-fridge, a coffee maker, and a water boiler. There are adorable orange ceramic branded mugs that you get to take home at the end of your stay! We were able to store our luggage the day we arrived and the day we left (for 6+ hours each time) for free at the Caribou Lodge sister hotel down the road - this saved us paying for luggage storage. They also provided us with a free bus pass for each of us for the 3 days of our stay, saving us so much money! The bus lines run right at the end of the road from the Dorothy and take you anywhere you could want to go - we skipped renting a car and highly recommend it! No sitting in traffic for us! If we had wanted, you have all the amenities of the Caribou Lodge just a few minutes down the road. For the cost savings of a teeny bit of a walk further than the Caribou Lodge, The Dorothy is...

This is the most disgusting hotel I’ve ever stayed at. I had previously stayed here a few years ago and had a pleasant stay so I returned for a second 3-night stay between August 29 and September 1, 2025. On the first night, I discovered that both queen beds in my room had bed sheets covered in human hair—some long, others short and curly. So gross!!! At 11:20 PM, I had to call reception to request fresh sheets. When housekeeping arrived, they shook the soiled sheets in the room, which only spread the hair further. Because the hair was not properly cleaned before replacing the bedding, some of it settled back onto the new sheets. I went to speak with the reception (located across the street at Hotel Canoe & Suites). The reception staff said sorry and offered a $50 meal voucher. I didn’t want to give her a hard time when it wasn’t her fault so I just walked away with the voucher. But a $50 meal voucher for compensation is a joke when I had to pay over $500 per night to stay in this unhygienic room. After my trip, I lodged a complaint to the hotel management through Expedia (as I booked the hotel through them) and asked for a partial refund of the first night’s stay. The hotel management apparently said they already gave a $50 breakfast voucher for “goodwill gesture” so they’re done with it. They clearly don’t think this was not a big deal. It seriously raises health & safety concerns that they don’t change sheets...