It was only a matter of time before someone started belting out the campfire classic, “The Moose Song”…

There we were, walking down the streets of Banff, arms loaded with groceries, when it finally hit: “There was a moose!”  Now, if I had to guess, I’d say 50% of my decision to start singing in the middle of public was to embarrass my children, while the other 50% was due to our destination: Banff’s newest luxury resort, The Moose Hotel and Suites.

A few verses later and we were back at the hotel, greeted with its unmistakable mix of contemporary design and classic Canadian traditions. A true luxury Canadian Lodge, The Moose Hotel and Suites is literally built around history (more on this later)! With its unique design that wraps you in nature from all sides, this brand new property is a dream destination for families.

Based in the heart of Banff, this 4-star hotel property boasts one and two-bedroom suites, each with lots of space and family comforts, including a kitchenette (which was perfect for our allergy-conscious family). However, as nice as the rooms are, you’ll find yourself wanting to leave them almost immediately to explore the rest of the property. In our case, it was mere minutes from dropping off our bags before we were off to the rooftop to check out the two giant hot tubs overlooking the iconic Mt. Rundle and the indoor pool. Needless to say, this rooftop location allows guests to take in one of the best views from any pool in the National Park.

Warm Welcome at The Moose Hotel and Suites

Walking through the front door of The Moose Hotel & Suites, you are immediately hit with sensory overload as you enjoy the warm, welcoming feeling that only comes from being inside a Canadian lodge. With beautiful red cedar beams serving as the centrepiece of the hotel’s log cabin construction, walking into the lobby provides you with a sight, smell, and feeling you won’t soon forget.

Nature Inspired Art

As the name suggests, it was just a few feet from the front entrance before we were greeted with our first piece of moose artwork. This particular piece stands nearly a full story tall, and tells all the hotel’s guests two things when they walk through the door: 1. The Moose Hotel & Suites values and respects the unparalleled nature of Banff, and 2. Guests are in for a larger-than-life experience!

Moving from the lobby to the hallway as we made our way towards our room, our eyes were quick to notice that our moose friend at the entrance was far from the only one on site. Nearly everywhere you look, the hotel has tastefully incorporated moose-inspired artwork: from a child-friendly moose rowing a canoe, to more complex pieces that combine nature and modern art in truly inspirational and imaginative ways.

Inside Out

After making our way to the elevator, we pressed the button for our floor and were whisked into the sky. However, when the doors opened we found ourselves…outside again? It definitely was not what we were expecting!

As it turns out, all the hallways leading to guest rooms at The Moose Hotel & Suites are actually outside. By turning itself “inside out”, this ingenious design allows guest rooms to be wrapped by mother nature on all sides, creating beautiful entrances and views from our private balcony.

This unique design truly brings the outside in, allowing guests to soak in as much of Banff’s beautiful surroundings as possible. It’s truly a sight to be seen, and The Moose Hotel & Suites couldn’t have done a better job in clearing your sight lines!

Kid (and Parent) Approved Suites

When we arrived at our door, the kids put down their bags with a loud thump. With full winter gear in tow, these bags were easily half the kids’ body weight, and for their effort, they were given the “reward” of swiping our magnetic room key.

“Oooh’s and aahh’s” permeated the space as the young ones ran through the suite, quickly claiming beds and making that oh so important pit stop that couldn’t wait. While hotel booking sites like TripAdvisor rank properties based on points and stars, any Mom can tell you that “kid approved” is the best rating a place can receive. And The Moose won the kids (as well as Mom and Dad) over quickly.

Rooftop Hot Tub

The reception desk had given us directions to the rooftop hot tub, and soon after our bags were stowed away we were off to the 4th floor to check out this play space.

While it’s not common for hotels to have a hot tub on their roof, once we arrived at the top floor of The Moose, it was pretty easy to see why they chose the location. During the day, guests get a full 180-degree panoramic view of Mt. Rundle (easily one of the best pool-side views in all of Banff)! And at night when we returned to soak in the steamy tubs, we were welcomed by a star-filled sky and a full moon that bounced beautiful rays off of the stunning mountain facade we had gawked at earlier in the day.

Pool and Exercise Room

There’s nothing I love more than a good exercise room, and The Moose Hotel delivers big time! Not only do they provide amazing equipment, but they’ve paired it up with an incredible view that will motivate you in more ways than one.

I know, it sounds cliche…but this view really is one of the best I have ever seen from a fitness centre. The designers deserve many kudos for their innovative thinking, finding a way to put this gym in a prominent location as opposed to the basement, where most hotels like to banish them.

Thank you to The Moose Hotel & Suites for making fitness and healthy living a priority!

Spa

Along with being Banff’s newest hotel, The Moose Hotel & Suites also houses Banff’s newest spa: Meadow Spa & Pools. Like everything else in this hotel, The Meadow Spa features stunning views of Banff’s natural beauty, making your first step towards relaxation as simple as taking a quick look out the window.

With Dad volunteering to take the kids exploring for a few hours, I had the chance to escape for one of the spa’s signature treatments. With a full selection of facials, massages, manicures, pedicures, aromatherapy, and more, the most stressful part of the experience was deciding where to begin! Thankfully, the friendly staff up front helped me select the perfect package of treatments to get me feeling as tranquil as the nature that surrounded us.

One nice surprise that I did not expect was the private outdoor hot tub and fireplace. Similar to the hotel’s rooftop, this patio paradise provided the perfect place to soak your sore skiing muscles while soaking in your surroundings. And since it’s reserved for spa guests only, this retreat was a little more “grown-up” and relaxed than the hustle and bustle of the rooftop scene. Needless to say, it was the perfect way to cap off my day of pampering!

Restaurants

After a day of skiing, snowboarding and taking in Banff’s hundreds of other attractions and adventures, it’s easy to work up an appetite. Thankfully, The Moose Hotel makes it easy to refuel after returning from the slopes, with the delicious Italian Restaurant “Pacini” right in the lobby! As we quickly learned, this place is the ultimate apres ski.

With its warm atmosphere and friendly service, Pacini is one of those rare places where you can feel just as comfortable with your family of four as you can on a date night with your hubby. Its huge menu of Italian favourites meant that everyone was able to find lots of delicious options to enjoy as we recapped our favourite runs of the day.

While we had a fridge full of groceries in our suite, escaping downstairs for some fresh pasta and family time at Pacini proved to be one of our trip highlights!

Where Development and History Collide

Earlier, I mentioned that The Moose Hotel & Suites was literally built around history. Well, I wasn’t joking. Smack dab in the center of this brand new development sits “The Corner House”, one of Banff’s original mining dwellings that dates all the way back to the early 1900’s!

This house was originally built in the nearby mining town of Bankhead and moved to downtown Banff in 1926 (placed right on the corner where you now find The Moose Hotel). With a rich history as old as Banff itself, the owners of The Moose Hotel knew that this historic property had to be “center stage” for their new development, and so they literally built The Moose Hotel around this cottage.

The best part? During development of The Moose Hotel, the owners also took the time to painstakingly restore and update The Corner House, and it’s now actually available to rent as a hotel guest! Talk about a unique stay…

Central Location

Located only one block from the heart of downtown, the centrally located Moose Hotel & Suites is the perfect basecamp for all your Banff adventures. The only problem with the location is trying to decide what to do first: shop, eat, or plan your next day’s activities at one of the local adventure shops. Thankfully, with such close proximity to everything downtown Banff has to offer, you’ll be able to enjoy it all and still make it home in time for an evening soak in the hot tub under the stars!

Whether you come to check out The Moose Hotel and Suites for its unique, contemporary design, classic Canadian lodge atmosphere, its warm and welcoming spirit, or its 4-star amenities, you will walk away impressed. Perfect for family ski vacations, couples retreats, and everything in between, it’s incredibly difficult to articulate just how wonderful this place is.

This hotel “checked all the boxes”. The Moose Hotel, it’s like we won the lottery, and were given everything we could have possibly asked for. Location, views, rooms, amenities…this place really does deliver in every possible category.

And while the creature comforts and amenities are wonderful, what really makes The Moose Hotel and Suites a special place is its ability to create lifelong moments and memories for our family. From the giant moose that greeted us at the door and our soaks under the stars, to the stories told at family dinner and the breathtaking views from our cozy suite, the memories we made on this trip will most certainly stick with us forever…

…especially when someone starts to sing “There was a moose!”

For tips on other great winter adventures to explore while in Banff, be sure to check out these articles!

Breathtaking Snow Sculptures at the Banff SnowDays Festival

25 Years of “Frozen” Magic on Lake Louise

Snowboarding + Sunshine = Magic on the Mountains

My Life-Changing Moment at Fairmont Lake Louise

Is this a sponsored post?: Yes, however all our thoughts, opinions and views of our experience are our own.