Canadian Train Vacation Articles
- Canadian Rockies Train Vacations
- Rocky Mountaineer Services
- Routes on the Rocky Mountaineer
- Via Rail Canada Service Classes
- A Brief History of the Canada Pacific Railway
- Travel in Style on the Royal Canadian Pacific Service
- Canadian Wilderness Tours by Train
- Canadian Canoeing Vacations by Train
- Canada Heli-Hiking Tours by Train
- Canada Train Vacations as Honeymoons
- Polar Bear Train Tours In Canada
- Visit The Polar Bear Capital Of The World On Canada Train Tours
- The Chateau Lake Louise
- Canada's Chateau Laurier
- Canada’s Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel
- Train Tours to Canada’s Hotel Vancouver
- Quebec City's Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac
- Jasper, Alberta Travel and History
- Vacations in Toronto by Train
- Travel by Train to Vancouver, British Columbia
- Halifax, Nova Scotia Train Vacations
- Banff, Alberta Train Travel Options
- Tofino, British Columbia Train Vacations
- Toronto's Fairmont Royal York Hotel
- Canadian Trains in Cinema and Literature
Canada’s Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel
Part of the living history of the Canadian railway system is the Banff, AB Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel. Many hotels were built by the railway as it expanded across the nation to accommodate passengers on business travel or on Canadian train tours. These hotels were also intended to serve as celebratory monuments of the Canadian railroad; something they certainly have done and stylishly, at that.
Each of these Canadian grand railway hotels was in itself a landmark and each is something of a crown jewel of Canadian architecture. The Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel is one of the older railway hotels, having been built in 1888. Located in the heart of the Canadian Rockies, Banff, AB features spectacular alpine beauty; as the William Cornelius Van Horne, then president of the Canada-Pacific Railway put it “If we can’t export the scenery, we’ll import the tourists”.
Van Horne’s words were certainly prescient; more than 120 years later, the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel is still a major draw for tourists on Canada train tours. It’s not only the scenery that brings guests to the hotel though; like the other Canadian grand railway hotels, the neo-chateau style hotel is an architectural gem set against the backdrop of Sulphur Mountain. Known as one of the world’s premiere luxury resorts ever since opening its doors to guests, the Banff Springs Hotel is as popular of a destination for tourists on Canadian train vacations as ever.
Rebuilt and expanded in 1928 following a fire, the hotel was originally only open during the warmer months. Following a winterization in 1968, the Banff Springs was ready to remain open year round, something which it has done for the over forty years since.
Visitors to the Banff, AB area on Canada train tours often come to see the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel even if they will be staying elsewhere. This landmark and piece of living Canadian railway history is one of the biggest attractions in the Canadian Rockies, though the Banff, AB region has much more to offer to rail vacationers in the way of natural attractions and recreational opportunities including:
- The Bow Falls – these small waterfalls were featured in the Marilyn Monroe film River of No Return and are situated within walking distance of the hotel
- The Banff thermal springs – located close to the Bow Falls and the source of the hotel’s name
- Mount Rundle – Across the valley from the hotel, Mount Rundle is quite a sight to behold with its exposed ancient sea beds
- The Banff Springs Golf Course – this golf course is one of the world’s best known. Any golfer will want to make sure to book a tee time to coincide with their Canadian vacation by train stopping in Banff, but you don’t need to enjoy the game to enjoy the one of a kind view available from the course.
The Canadian grand railway hotels are popular tourist attractions in their own right; and it’s not hard to see why with their architectural splendor and historical interest. The Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel enjoys perhaps the most enviable location of all of these historic hotels; and if you’re planning a vacation yourself, Banff, AB is one place you certainly don’t want to miss. With many Canadian train vacation package deals available from CanadaTrainVacations.com; you don’t have to miss out on anything.