We first tried to book into a hotel in Banff. They were full, and/or expensive.
We then tried Canmore... I am glad we did. It is not far from Banff. Better prices, lots of shopping and restaurants.
The Bow Valley Motel has an excellent location, and ample parking. It was quiet at night. Good WiFi.

Given the price we paid I really can't rate this higher than a three. Not that we had a bad stay. The room was a decent size, had a good bed, AC that worked and was clean. For the rest it was nothing special. Pillows were a little flumpy, you could hear water running in adjacent suites, street noise and people walking on the stairs and upper level walkway. If you are a light sleeper like me that will keep you awake. Also there is no breakfast offering at all. For $110 + tax I was hoping for more,

Stayed three nights in September.Room was clean and comfortable with all the necessary facilities.Ideally situated at the bottom end of Main Street within walking distance of shops and restaurants.Only down side was the public laundromat at the entrance to the motel,a little noisy early morning.Try supper at the Rose and Crown pub at the end of Main Street,the steak and kidney pie and fish and chips are excellent.A good value for money motel.

The Bow Valley was a pleasant surprise, as you never quite know what to expect from an independant motel. The owners have obviously invested to keep the motel up to date; we had a big comfortable bed, a large flat screen TV, and free wifi (an advantage that they don’t mention in the rather unassuming website). The room was a fair size and well furnished. The views, even from a room overlooking the car park, are quite striking. It’s a shame that they don’t throw in a free breakfast, but we bought some things from the local supermarket (in easy walking distance) and ate at the table in the room. The motel is set in the heart of town, but right next door to some fine walks, and a restaurant recommended by the motel served a superb dinner at a very reasonable price.