More about Hidden Ridge Resort
Nothing wrong with Hidden Ridge
by TripAdvisor Member scorpiogirl
We stayed at Hidden Ridge Resort for 2 nights last weekend and had a great time there.
OK, there were some area's that could use a little improvement (not enough parking spaces, the road to the resort could use some street lights (we couldn't see a thing in the dark!) and the fact that we could hear every step the neighbours took on the floor above us ), but overall we were pretty happy with the place.
It was clean, everything worked fine, I really loved the fact that they'd set the table for us upon arrival!
For the price we paid, we can recommend this place without a doubt.
Good location but TERRIBLY maintained resort.
by A TripAdvisor Member
The Hidden Ridge Resort is located at a very convenient place, with just a short hike to the Bow River trail and the Hoodoos. This however failed to make up for such a poorly maintained resort.
Our unit (initially booked an A-frame chalet) was a ridiculous mess! The bathroom doors were stuck shut, so that you had to virtually kick it open. The floors were squeaky, the tiles to catch ashes from the fireplace were chipped with all the small shards just left lying there (perfect for your toddlers to munch on!) There were cigarette burns on bedsheets, and bulbs for a couple of the lampshades were burnt out.
We requested to be moved to another place, and were subsequently put into a loft (billing for the rooms was another disaster, a story for another time). This was a much newer building, so there were fewer things that could have possibly gone wrong "structurally" . But housekeeping was still very poor. The sinks were dirty, with shaving cream and stubble left on it.
I would never recommend this resort to anyone.
This COULD be a great resort
by TripAdvisor Member luv2travel3
We just returned from a stay at the Hidden Ridge Resort. I had seen the warnings about the cleanliness of the resort but after talking with a manager there,I decided this would be the best for 6 unrelated people to stay. I was assured that the staff would work "extra hard" to make sure our room was clean .When we checked into the room, it was not vaccumed, the kitchen counter was dirty as well as the kitchen floor. The dishes had food ON them in the cupboard!! The rug had LARGE stains on them and there was 2" of dust visible on the large upper level window.The screen door did not fit and was bent allowing mosquitos to enter. There are no fans or air conditioning and it was very warm and uncomfortable in the condo. The head housekeeper did come and agreed that it was not clean and offered to switch us to another condo or reclean for us. After looking at other condo's, we decided to have our's recleaned. We did get 2 small room fans and the headhouse cleaner really tried to make us comfortable. The resort has very young staff and the only thing they did on the other days we were there was change out towels and take out trash. No other cleaning was done. The resort needs more attention to detail, better trained housekeepers, painting and repairing the hot tub, pull the weeds, add some grass and flowers. It has a great location but at $500.00 a night for the 2 bedroom loft, it should be SPOTLESS.
Comfortable, Quiet and just a short drive into town
by TripAdvisor Member MommyDearest_13
My family and I stayed for 3 nights at Hidden Ridge over the Canada Day long weekend and overall the resort was comfortable. We were surprised upon entering our room to find that a face cloth and a cup filled with cigarettte butts was left on the balcony, it did make us thoroughly check the bedding to ensure that they had been changed. Staff was friendly enough, beds were comfortable, kitchen was well stocked with glasses, plates, cutlery, toaster, etc. and the mini dishwasher was a bonus. It was very quiet and relaxing, only a short 2-3 minute drive into downtown Banff. You could walk, but it's all uphill back to the resort, very tiring. Other than being a bit overpriced (we paid $289/night), it was comfortable and spacious enough for my husband, 18 year old and 17 year old.
Did not meet expectations at all
by TripAdvisor Member jpcal
We booked the deluxe 1 bedroom for one night and it was mentioned at the time of booking that this would be a very luxurious stay. Unfortunately, when we sadly disappointed when we were given the bottom half of a unit that was like a basement apartment.
We found the suite clean but not luxurious at all. The folks staying upstairs were very noisy and every footstep could be heard through the floor. This completely took away from any peace and quiet and made the stay terrible. We did not sleep that night.
Room did have a mountain view beyond the trees.
Hotub and firewood across the parking lot, not that close to rooms.
I would not recommend staying here.
Wonderful!!!
by TripAdvisor Member Camping_Girl
We recently rented a 1 bedroom condo at this resort. Our condo included a separate bedroom with a queen bed and a queen hide-a-bed in the living room. The feather bed was amazing!!!! I have never had such a good sleep. The room was very clean and well appointed, with a kitchenette that included a full sized fridge with freezer, stove with oven and even a small dishwasher, which was a real bonus. Our room also had a wood-burning fireplace and a patio overlooking the mountains and the valley below. (Ask for a ridge view room for this view.) Our stay was just fabulous. There was so much attention to detail including hand-made soaps from Rocky Mountain Soap co, candles on the mantle, and the table was set for two.
The outdoor hottub was a bit of a walk, but was scrupulously clean and provided a great opportunity to visit with other travellers. There were also bbq's available near the hot tub.
We found staff to be extremely friendly and accommodating, with a good knowledge of the area.
While we never made use of this service, the local transit system comes right to the main lobby of the resort and the service is free to guests. There is a shuttle to the ski hills a short walk from the resort complex.
I can't say enough nice things about this resort. I would highly recommend it to others, and would not hesitate to stay here again.
not what it could be
by TripAdvisor Member mapleleafsWinnipeg
Great location and a really nice lay-out don't make up for problems with maintenance and staff indifference [except for the friendly guy who brought us more firewood].
I know it's hard to find loyal and interested staff in Banff, but it wouldn't take much for the people at HR to try and be a little helpful. We booked a studio through expedia [don't do it. you can do better on your own], and upon arrival were given pretty much the worst location you could find even though the resort was absolutely empty. Never mind an upgrade, we got the worst room available. When I called the front to ask if there was anything better I was told no, that was it. Then I realized that just being off the ground floor [also right on the roadway], would be better. So, I called again and asked if we could at least move up to the 2nd floor. With some hesitation, I was told yes we could do that. Would it really have been so hard to just give us a nice room from the start?
The rooms are quite nice on first appearance, but you soon realize that they haven't been maintained well, and were done fairly cheaply to begin with. A few problems:
-sliding screen door that doesn't slide
-screen missing from bedroom window
-bath drain that doesn't drain
-fireplace screen that's torn and doesn't close
-old, worn fridge
Still, despite all that, we did enjoy the location and the setting. Beds are good. Lots of hot water. Free newspapers. Free firewood. Free bbq's are great, and the hot tub is pretty sweet at the end of the day.
Great establishment
by TripAdvisor Member Kentana
My wife and I had a deluxe one bedroom condo for a ski holiday for the entire month of April. We found just about everything about the place to be perfect. Clean, quiet, well kept and provisioned. Beautiful setting. Towels changed and kitchenette provisioned daily, beds changed and the condo vacuumed and cleaned every three days. The staff was friendly, courteous and helpful. What ever we needed was provided most often within minutes. And yes, we were demanding. We often had dinner guests and whenever extra cookware, tableware, furniture, etc. was needed it was promptly provided with the usual Alberta smile. I would have no hesitation in recommending this place to family and friends. No, its not the Waldorf-Astoria nor does it charge 5 star prices, but it is complete, warm and comforting; great value for money.
Having spent three full winters in Banff prior to this year we noticed that some of the best skiing and lowest prices are in late November and early December (great for those who want to see the world cup races at Lake Louise) and the month of April. It is during these times that the area appears to get the most fresh snow. For some strange reason, it is also the time that there are the fewest skiers and tourists in town. As a result, it is possible to negotiate a great deal for an extended stay as we were able to do and to have the slopes with great conditions almost all to ourselves.
FANTASTIC VIEW and VERY, VERY QUIET
by A TripAdvisor Member
After reading some of the reviews I was VERY upset with my husband for booking on line. When we got there it was a pleasant surprise. We had great service and a wonderful room. There was a mix up in our reservation and we were upgraded free of charge. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone. It is so quiet and peaceful and if you can get a room facing the mountains you don't even want to leave. We will be back!
Mixed
by TripAdvisor Member dona3853
There is no question the accommodation here is a bit special and lets face it you do pay for it. The accommodation was clean and the self catering facilities were excellent. Our only problem was the poor room service. After our first night they didn't even take out the rubbish/ bins so we came back to the smell of last nights dinner. They also don't clear out the fireplace so if you are staying more than one night i'm not sure what you do with the half burned logs and ash.
All in all it is very nice but more care with the service could make this place stand out.
Forum Posts
skiing in banff
by thewhitebear
Gday
just trying to figger out where to stay when i travel to banff next ski season. heading there for two weeks but not sure what time is the best for skiing.
If anyone has any ideas or just what to let me know what they have done, drop me a line.
thanx the white bear.
RE: skiing in banff
by ltt
your staying in the banff area for two solid weeks? what type of room do you need/want? basic room? kitchenettte? how many people? is a pool/hot tub important? how much do you want to spend? will you have a car?
RE: skiing in banff
by Camping_Girl
I guess it would help a little bit to know what your price range is, but one of my favorite places to stay is the Hidden Ridge Resort. Their 1 bedroom condos were priced at approx $75 per night when I was there in February of this year.(Orbitz) The condo has a separate bedroom with an awesome feather bed, a kitchen with full-size fridge, stove and compact dishwasher. There are wood burning fireplaces and free firewood in each unit, as well as patio doors to a private patio. The central hot tub is a great spot to meet other guests. Free shuttle to the ski hills a short walk down the road (about a block)and the Banff bus comes right to the front desk of the resort. Ask for a ridge-view room when you book, they're a little further from the hot tub, but the views are great.
You have a lot of skiing options if you will be there for 2 weeks and are renting a car. In addition to Norquay, Sunshine and Lake Louise, Nakiska in Kananaskis is about an hour away, and Invermere and Golden are each about an hour away to the west in BC. Best time to ski is generally considered to be after Christmas, when there is usually a little more powder.
I hope you have a great vacation, and feel free to email me if I can help further.
- CG
Christmas in Banff?
by cmillard
My sister and her hubby would like to spend a week in Banff at Christmas. Would really like some advice about nice places to stay for Xmas, and if there are any special things happening over the holiday season.
They like the outdoors, so I know they would love a hotel/motel/lodge with lots of wood, fireplaces, etc. Appreciate any suggestions including lodging, places to eat, activities, etc. This is their Christmas celebration together, so I'm researching to find out more info before they book.
Thank you,
Carol.
RE: Christmas in Banff?
by oz-gypsy
If they are a bit cashed-up they couldn't go past the gorgeous Banff Springs Hotel. I was there last year and it is just wonderful.
RE: Christmas in Banff?
by ltt
if they have the funds, the banff springs hotel is nice. although tell them to be specific regarding their room request. this is a old hotel and some rooms are quite small.
the rimrock in banff is upper scale too but it is a little bit out of town.
the chateau at lake louise would also be nice for a couple of nights. if the lake is frozen by then, they have ice skating on it.
for a more modest place have them consider the douglas fir resort http://www.douglasfir.com/ - they have chalets that have fire places, full kitchens. if it is just the two of them tell them to request
Room 181 One Bedroom Condo
Room 184 One Bedroom Loft Condo
these two are off on the back of the property and look out onto the forest area. some of the rooms have lousy views of the parking lot.
RE: Christmas in Banff?
by Camping_Girl
A spot I really like is the Hidden Ridge Resort. It is on the outskirts of town. (Tell them to request a ridge-view room, for great views) All condos have a separate bedroom, (the feather beds are from heaven!! The best sleep I've ever had in a hotel, I swear!) a wood burning fireplace with all the wood you want free, a kitchen complete with a dishwasher, there is a huge outdoor hot tub in the central area of the complex.... Their prices are mid-range for Banff, when we stayed there this past February we paid $79 a night.
I have some pictures of one of the rooms, which I could tell you how to view, if you'd care to email me I will give you the address.
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