Yes this Hotel is one of the lower priced, you get what you pay for!

The exterior and lobby gives the impression that you are statying at a very nice establishment. However the rooms have not been updated since the late 80's and appear tired. The service in the hotel is questionable, the staff from the manager down appear disinterested and overwhelmed. We had a fire alarm go off during a thunder storm and staff did not communicate with anyone as to a muster point or when it was all clear to go back to the rooms.

Do not reserve a room alongside the main train line, the rooms along the roadway are quieter, you do hear the occasional train and highway traffic noise.

The restaurant was great for the first two days and the third service was terrible and the food was not much better.

Please research your stay in Canmore this is an average place to crash for one night or those on a budget.

We stayed here for 2 nights using Choice Hotels points. In summary, it was a good choice for free nights with points, but I wouldn't have felt so happy if I had to pay the going rate for the room. As I said in the title; OK, but not great. (At the bottom of this review is an important comment about the railroad tracks right next to the hotel).

Firstly the positives; great view of the mountains from most of the rooms. Air conditioning was great (as it was mid August it was essential). The room was dated but clean. Free WiFi was good. Parking was OK (close to the hotel but it got full every night). There was no noise from adjoining rooms or the ones above. Good location less than 1 minute from the highway and in walking distance of the entire town. The pool (indoor) and hot tub (outdoor) was small for a hotel this large, but it was well maintained. The gym was fantastic, one of the best hotel gyms I have used in years.

The negatives: for a room that is supposed to sleep 6, the bathroom was tiny (and I mean tiny). Not enough room to swing a toothbrush, let alone a cat. This is the only Quality Inn / Choice Hotels property I have every stayed in with no free breakfast. There aren't enough power sockets in the room so be sure to bring a power bar with you. The layout is pretty confusing, with one slow elevator in the center of the hotel and no option of using stairs from the third or fourth floor, and a separate elevator to the restaurant that doesn't go to the lobby. Weird.

Now, on to the railroad tracks ... Yes the Canadian Pacific Railroad is immediately behind the hotel. There are a lot of reviews moaning about this. However we did have a room overlooking the railroad and we loved every minute of it. There is something magical about seeing large trains rolling through the mountains, they are part of Canada's (and Canmore's) history and there is nothing better than having a close-up view from your hotel window. About 4 or 5 trains rumbled on through in the middle of the night but it was part of the experience (very cozy to lie in bed listening to the trains making their way through the valley in the dead of night).

If you don't like trains, don't come to Canmore - period. If you choose Canmore and this hotel, enjoy the trains for what they are - a wonderful part of the history and of the mountains. Ask for a room facing the trains!

We actually left the Rundle Ridge Cabins after a terrible experience there and headed to this chateau in the hope of finding a reprieve - we found it! The hotel was comfortable and cosy and well appointed. We had a road facing room and did not hear the trains going by at night. All facilities were catered for and we had 3 good nights here.

If for every week that went by that this hotel did not do any major cleaning or maintenance they reduced their price by 1% we would all be staying free. It's tired, the beds are worn out, the desk clerk looked like he woke up on the floor minutes before his shift started and didn't have time to change his clothes or brush his hair. I won't be back and I certainly won't be recommending this place to anyone. Too bad because it must have been nice once. Well maybe nice would have included more than one elevator.