Banff Gate Mountain Resort — Local services in Alberta

This was our first time staying at Banff Gate Mountain Resort and at the end of our stay that was cut short due to an unforeseen event after we checked out my husband went to toss the garbage and recycling that we had accumulated.

During this time I sat in my car waiting (we had gone up at different times) and a van came flying up from behind the lodge blocked him into the area where the garbage containers are located. The employee got out of the van and told my husband “to get off the property now and never come back here”, when my husband asked him what he was talking about “the employee stated that he had him on camera with his truck going through the bins stealing empty bottles.”

Now a month stay there is $9k and my husband was up there for a job that was being done in Banff that he was contracting. He doesn’t need to steal bottles and when I got up to the cabin a week and a half later, he hadn’t even taken the trash that was accumulated down to the garbage containers once. So yes you would have seen the truck as he was staying there but not anywhere near the garbage area except passing by.

When the employee made the accusation my husband realized he was serious and so now wanted to see the camera footage and they both went back to the lodge. As my husband is walking to the lodge from the parking lot the employee is saying behind him “well I just don’t t understand why you’re here”. They both get inside to find out from the front desk that the employee behind him is a manager. My husband proceeds to ask for someone higher than him as he is done talking to the employee accusing him of stealing.

So the employee/manager goes back to the office and brings out another manager who doesn’t come out and introduce himself as “Hello, my name is X, how can I help you?” , doesn’t diffuse the situation, just listens and says nothing. The employee/manager attempts to now apologize, realizing he might have accused the wrong person, but at this point what has been said and done in the customer service/hospitality world is not right, the situation should have been handled with much more professionalism etc.

Aside from this if you go during the winter months be careful, as they poorly maintain the roads from the cabins (lack of sand/gravel) down to the round about. We were not going fast by any means down the road from the top of the cabins to the round about by the lodge and in the last 10 feet my Hyundai Tucson just slide and went right into the round about and smashed part of my front bumper.

I’m sure that someone else will have a different experience but just a heads up that if you call after an incident with an employee and ask management to call you, don’t expect a call as it’s been 3 days and there has been no phone call...

I have been coming here each year for the last decade. My in-laws have been coming here for 30 years. My wife and I actually got married here, at the main lodge and return every year to vacation with our kids. To us, it's home away from home. We've had some great adventures here, among the most memorable was being on location during the flood in June 2013! I understand since the flood, many projects have had to be put on hold or slowed down, as necessary repairs are done after the damage. Some aspects are still a work in progress. It's nice that the new sewer system is in (the road isn't torn up, and no smelly gases linger any longer). And some cabins are still awaiting a much needed facelift, but each year, noticeable improvements have been made. The free standing units really set this place apart from many other similar resorts. No shared walls means you don't hear your neighbours going up and down the stairs, or have to worry if the baby wakes up crying in the middle of the night. The cabins themselves have a warm, rustic atmosphere. The kitchens are well equipped and the bedrooms are quite comfortable. Our family has grown over the years and we fit all six of us quite comfortably in the two-bedroom units. The games, library and pool at the main lodge are a favourite for our kids. These amenities may be somewhat simpler than what other places offer, but things are clean and functional and make for an enjoyable experience. The staff are always helpful and friendly (which can be difficult to accomplish with a transient work force, like many who work in the Canmore area are). The atmosphere is always quiet and respectable; never having dealt with loud music or late night parties in our time here. We tend to spend our week here in the summer, and enjoy the beauty of this place. Perhaps when the kids are a little older, we'd come in winter to enjoy some skiing, and put the fireplace to use. I'm looking forward to returning again, for many years to come; each time we come it improves a...

Great chalets about ten minutes from the heart of downtown Canmore, nestled in the mountains. Charming wooden cabins. The rooms are well-appointed. The deluxe cabins have upgraded kitchens. Ours had a spectacular mountain view.

The swimming pool and jacuzzi area were okay. The only time we went to use them, both the outdoor and indoor jacuzzis were out of order. The chalet was comfortable, with a great view and a beautiful gas fireplace, but it would have been fantastic if the coffee machine had worked.

In addition, some electrical work had recently been done in the cottage, and the second-floor main bedroom's ceiling light switch was not working, which was an issue as we came back from skiing at night and early in the morning. The over-light fixture did not work; we only had two small dim bedside lamps. (I had to use my phone flashlight) We informed the maintenance team. We ask every day about the progress. Each time we asked, we were told 100% it would be repaired tomorrow, but it never was. (7-night stay) What would have been a minor concern due to lack of action or communication from the management team made our stay disappointing.

We spoke with some other guests who had similar disappointing issues. After that, I asked the manager to call me. He did not. There might have been an issue with repair staff being available between Christmas Day and New Year's. We did hear a rumour from another guest that the manager had been away for a few days. However, I don’t think it is acceptable for a tourist hospitality operation to make its clients feel unappreciated. A small note, an apology, or a small touch of acknowledgment would have made a world...