Banff International Hostel

The Dutch Explorer

7 months ago

Perfect place for my needs. I was here to spend lots of time outside and hit lots of trails outside so I needed a safe space for my stuff during the day and a place to sleep. I stayed here for 4 nights and everything was great! Great friendly staff, good service, clean rooms with comfortable bunkbeds and the location is perfect within a 5 minute walk from the downtown and a simple breakfast is included. A locker in the room is included to store your stuff while you are away. If you forget to bring a lock you can buy one at the front desk. Highly recommend!👌

Joy

5 months ago

Extremely unprofessional deposit handling and dishonest communication. At check-in, the front desk clearly told me that my security deposit would be returned a few days after check-out. I was never informed that I needed to take any action, nor was I told that the deposit required a manual transfer. At check-out, I returned my key card. The staff said goodbye and did not mention the deposit at all. Based on what I was told, I reasonably expected the refund to be processed automatically. One full month passed and my deposit was never returned. During that entire month, I did not receive any phone call or voicemail from this property, despite their later claim that they contacted me. When I finally called to ask about my own money, the experience was shocking: • The staff took around 30 minutes just to locate my booking, even though I provided all my information. • It took nearly an hour in total to process a refund that should have been simple. • No apology was offered at first. Instead, responsibility was repeatedly pushed onto me, even though I had followed all instructions given by their staff. This deposit was not a bonus or a favor — it was my money. Expecting a guest to spend significant time one month later chasing a refund because of your internal process failures is unacceptable. What is most concerning is that after this, the property accused me of being “disrespectful” and claimed they had contacted me, which is simply untrue. Being frustrated after a month-long delay, poor communication, and inefficient service is reasonable. That does not justify shifting blame onto the guest. Had I not called after a month, I genuinely believe the deposit would have remained unreturned indefinitely. This review is written in good faith to reflect my real experience. Future guests should be extremely cautious, especially regarding deposits.

K M

8 months ago

What a total different experience. I had not used a hostel in many years. I was a little nervous I admit, I'm 68 years old. I must say from the check in to the time of departure I was amazed at how they were helpful and very open to making it wonderful. Liam helped me recover a lost item and this only added to my appreciation. When in Banff this the place to go. close to everything and the price is well worth the visit. I fully recommend this establishment. If it was great for an older person, what fun it will be for the younger generation. Well done and thank you again

Courtney

8 months ago

Unethical and misleading — travelers should avoid this hostel. Our experience at Banff International Hostel was appalling. We had booked several nights and called in advance to cancel only the first night. When we arrived, staff claimed the entire reservation had been canceled and attempted to charge us regardless. This was not handled as a mistake, but rather as if it were standard practice. It felt dishonest and exploitative. On top of that, we were told there was no parking whatsoever and no secure storage for luggage — basic services any genuine hostel should provide, especially in a place like Banff where travelers often carry valuable gear. Advertising themselves as an “international” hostel while failing to offer such fundamentals is misleading at best. Staff were dismissive and unhelpful, showing no interest in resolving the situation. The overall experience left the impression of a business more focused on extracting money from guests than providing fair or reliable service. This establishment reflects poorly on Banff as a destination. For your own peace of mind, book anywhere else.