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We have already compared Fairmont Banff Springs Vs. Chateau Lake Louise, now we compare Fairmont Banff Springs Vs. Whistler to decipher which is best.
If you prefer the look of the Fairmont in Whistler you should also read our review comparing Four Seasons and Fairmont Chateau Whistler which are both the best hotels in Whistler.
All these hotels have great spas, luxury rooms, and excellent restaurants and bars. Fairmont Banff and Whistler have warm outdoor pools and great Gold Club lounges. Below, we review both hotels in detail, considering the most important features, so you know what you are getting in whichever property you choose. Don’t forget to book via our luxury travel concierge for extra complimentary benefits such as free breakfast.
1. Best Location
We love the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel’s location in the summer. It is near the tourist village of Banff, which is packed full of interesting shops, restaurants, and cafes. However, the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel is not based in the center of town. It is a short (congested in the summer) drive over the Bow River.
The hotel is a one-and-a-half km walk into the center, or you can use the hotel’s free shuttle to get to and from Banff. If you drive into the village, parking can be problematic in the summer, so strolling or using the hotel’s shuttle is the best way to explore Banff. You will also find Banff Springs Gold Course, Bow Falls, Banff Upper Hot Springs, and the Sulphur Mountain Gondola near this hotel.
Fairmont Chateau Whistler is at the base of Blackcomb Mountain in Whistler. It is maybe a 5-minute walk from Whistler Village, and you can step out of the hotel and onto the gondolas for skiing. When it comes to ski convenience, there is no comparison to Banff. Fairmont Chateau Whistler wins hands down. If you want to ski, go there, as there is a vast number of brilliant runs that can be reached from the Blackcomb gondolas.
2. Best Ambiance
Fairmont Banff Springs looks like a European castle poking out above a sea of pine trees. While all three hotels are Fairmont brand, meaning their style isn’t hugely dissimilar, the Banff Springs Fairmont probably feels most grand with lots of unplastered stonework, an enormous staircase, lots of seats to sit, and a large outside space with, a fire pit, and great views.
Fairmont Chateau Whistler is a slightly less impressive chateau-style hotel. It is similarly stunning, but on external looks alone, the way the Fairmont Banff Springs looms out of a sea of treetops is hard to beat.
3. Best Rooms
Fairmont Banff Springs has around 757 guest rooms, while the Fairmont Chateau Whistler has 519. Banff Springs’s base rooms are 220 ft² (20 m²) , while Fairmont Chateau Whistler’s base rooms are 440 ft² (37 m²).
What does this mean? Well, you have a lot more space at the Fairmont in Whistler, and conversely, the Fairmont Banff base rooms should be cheaper. The Fairmont Whistler rooms aren’t all great; some face away from the mountainside and towards the car park, so look out for that.
Overall, the Fairmont in Whistler has better rooms.
4. Best In Room Amenities
The Fairmont offers Le Labo Rose 31 bath amenities, standard for the Fairmont brand. The amenities are the same across both hotels.
5. Best Parking
Parking costs around $30 CAD for self-parking at Banff and around $45 per night for Valet at all the resorts. This is not included in your room rate unless specified in your room rate. Both the Banff and Whistler Parking are outdoors.
A standout winner for best value parking is Fairmont Jasper (which we are not comparing here!), which offers free self-parking in its heated underground lot, which is complimentary for all registered guests.
6. Best Pool
Fairmont Banff Springs has a large indoor and outdoor pool. The indoor pool has a classic design, with many archways and a rather dull rectangular design. Although it looks a bit dated, it is great if you just like swimming laps. This pool is open throughout the year.
The heated outdoor pool at Fairmont Banff Springs is also open throughout the year. While the pool is rather dull in its design, the views are stunning, looking across the valley and out to the mountain beyond. There are plenty of loungers in the summer if you want to spend your days lazing by the pool, and there are lawns beyond for little ones to run about on.
Fairmont Chateau Whistler has a massive outdoor pool which you can swim out to from the indoors. There is also a lap pool and hot tubs so this is a great place to hang out. In the winter when it’s snowing, it’s lovely to sit in the hot tub with the flakes falling out of the sky. The pool at Fairmont Chateau Whistler is therefore better.
7. Best Golf
Fairmont Banff Springs is great for golf. It is next to a golf course, and you can book room rates to include golf. The Fairmont Whistler offers a magnificent Robert Trent Jones, Jr. masterpiece carved out of the slopes of the Coast Mountain range in British Columbia.
8. Best Ski Slope Access
You can’t ski in ski out from Fairmont Banff Springs. Sunshine Mountain Lodge, Banff’s only ski-in, ski-out hotel in the area, is not luxurious, and the National Park regulations limit this type of ski-in ski-out development. You need to drive or take a shuttle to the ski hills, and while the shuttles and buses are free, they can be a hassle and eat into your skiing time.
Staying in Banff gives good access to skiing at Mount Norquay and Sunshine Village, about half an hour’s drive away. Sunshine Village is a vast bowl of deep snow with an average of 30 feet of powder from November to May, the most extended ski season in Canada.
Throughout Sunshine’s history, all developments have been carefully designed to harmonize with the natural beauty of the Canadian Rockies and Banff National Park. Still standing is the original 1928 ski cabin known as Old Sunshine Lodge. The village is home to epic ski adventures, plus guided snowshoeing or sightseeing experiences. Unfortunately, parking is a real pain at the Sunshine ski area, and you need to take the gondola up to the hill. You can’t just walk onto the slopes.
Mount Norquay is just 20 minutes from downtown Banff and has been the local ski area since 1926, offering 28 runs spread over 129 acres. Mount Norquay awards the flexibility of allowing skiers and boarders to pay by the hour and offers the only night skiing in the Rockies every Friday night.
Fairmont Chateau is ski-in, ski-out perfection. It is right at the bottom of Blackcomb Mountain, and the gondolas are right outside the hotel. From these gondolas, you have access to all the runs on Whistler and Blackcomb, which is much better than your ski options in Banff.
9. Best Gold Club Lounge
Both Fairmont Banff Springs and Chateau Whistler offer Fairmont Gold Lounges., both of which are exceptional. The staff will make reservations for you and help you with whatever you need, including checking in and out. They offer free shoe shines and and a personal wake-up call in the morning when they bring you a drink to your room at a specific time.
The food in each lounge is delicious and varied, so don’t worry if you book the lounge for a week as the food is not repeated regularly. Breakfast includes oatmeal, eggs, bacon, sausages, and unusual items like banana bread and French toast. Hot food options are provided by an egg chef who will make your eggs to order.
The Banff lounge is excellent but can be very busy during breakfast, when there is a very decent spread including whole fruit, cut fruit, a huge array of pastries, smoked salmon, cold cuts, cereal, and juices. The evening canapes here are decent and are enough to substitute for a decent dinner for most.
The Fairmont Gold Privileges include:
- Private check-in and check-out
- Exclusive Fairmont Gold Lounge for Fairmont Gold guests
- Deluxe Continental Breakfast in the Fairmont Gold Lounge
- All day coffee & tea service in the Fairmont Gold Lounge
- Afternoon canapés & honour bar in the Fairmont Gold Lounge
- Complimentary newspapers and personalized wake-up calls
- Fairmont Gold privileges include exclusive access to the Fairmont Gold Lounge. Relax fireside while enjoying complimentary Deluxe Continental Breakfast, local newspapers, and magazines, catching up on email with our complimentary laptop computer, or simply unwinding after a day on Whistler Mountain
10. Best Overall: Fairmont Banff Springs Vs. Chateau Whistler
Fairmont Banff Springs is a grand hotel within walking distance of Banff Village. It has a lovely outdoor pool area but is some way from the ski slopes, which is a major disadvantage if you are staying for a ski trip.
Fairmont Chateau Whistler is right on the slopes and wins in almost all aspects. Just remember to also take a look at Four Seasons Whistler and to book via our concierge for extra complimentary benefits such as free breakfast.
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