The 5 Best Hostels in Banff, Canada (2024)

Banff is one of our favourite places in Canada and a must-visit if you’re planning a trip to the Canadian Rockies.

Not only is Banff National Park the first national park in Canada, but it is also one of the most beautiful ones! Maybe we’re slightly biased but it’s true!

There’s a reason why people from all over the world come to visit this mountainous paradise in Alberta…

If you want to visit Banff, we highly recommend staying for at least a few days as there are so many things to do here.

While there aren’t a ton of options when it comes to hostels in Banff, what you will find instead is quality over quantity.

The hostels that exist in and near Banff are all great, all rated above 7.2/10! And no, it’s not just because of the location. There are actually some really good hostels here!

In this post, we’ve highlighted the hostels that we think are the best options in and near Banff based on our own personal experience, customer reviews, location, and hostel amenities and facilities!

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links which means if you decide to use the links and make a valid purchase, we will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you <3

Here are the top hostels in Banff for your next visit

We recently stayed in Banff and had the best time. What we really enjoyed about staying at a hostel in Banff was, first of all, the beautiful surroundings and just waking up every day and looking at the mountains.

What we also really appreciated was all of the different types of people and travellers we met.

We’ve stayed in a ton of hostels around Australia and New Zealand, and there we found that there were a lot of young travellers on a budget.

In Banff, you will find this too – but you will also find digital nomads, families who travel (usually with adult kids), older couples, and both local and international travellers. We really enjoy this about Banff.

So if you love staying at hostels like us, you will love Banff!

Unfortunately, given the popularity of Banff and the location of the hostels, you will find that hostels in Banff are more pricey than in a lot of other locations you might’ve backpacked before.

We promise you, though, that the price is worth it. Banff is worth a visit and it’s worth staying at least for a few days!

Now, let’s get into the best hostels Banff has to offer!

We know you usually save the best for last, but in this case, we’re going to do it the other way around.

In our opinion, HI Banff Alpine Centre is the best hostel in Banff! We know that’s quite the statement, but hear us out…

The hostel has great amenities, clean facilities, and lots of places to hang out and chill at such as the hammocks outside in the summer and the fireplace inside in the winter.

The rooms come with private lockers and it is possible to charge your phone from your bed while you sleep.

HI Banff Alpine Centre is very well located just 2 km from the town centre of Banff below Mount Rundle and Tunnel Mountain. Needless to say, you are surrounded by beautiful nature!

And, as we mentioned above, if you stay at HI Banff Alpine Centre you will get a free Roam pass. So you don’t have to worry about walking the 2km to the town centre if you don’t want to!

The Roam shuttle runs basically right outside the hostel every 20-30 minutes and there are only 2 stops to the centre of Banff and the other Roam transits (in case you want to visit Lake Louise, Johnston Canyon, or one of the other popular areas near Banff).

We stayed at this hostel for 3 days and it was great! We would definitely stay here again!

Also read: Staying at the HI Banff Alpine Centre (Review)

This hostel is located on Banff Avenue just a 10-minute walk from the visitor’s centre. You’re right on the main drag in Banff and within walking distance of everything in town. 

Banff International is great for short and long-term stays. If you’re planning just a few-day trip to Banff it’s an affordable place to stay but there are also long-term tenants who do a season in Banff and live at the hostel.

It’s one of those travel hostels where most of the staff are travellers as well. One great thing about Banff International Hostel is that there is staff 24/7 and you will always find people around. 

It is one of Banff’s busiest hostels for a reason! Like most hostels, there’s always events going on so it’s a great way to meet other travellers, especially if you’re travelling by yourself. 

We always say if you’re willing to put yourself out there and meet people you will – and you’ll definitely have that chance here!

Samesun Banff is another classic hostel in Banff located right on Banff Avenue.

This is another hostel chain that you can find in multiple locations across Canada and the USA. So if you enjoy your time here you know you can find some other Samesun hostels throughout your travels!

A fun fact about Samesun is that they have one of the most famous bars in town connected to the hostel.

Beaver Bar is home to awesome happy hours between 4-6 pm where you can get some great food and drinks at a discounted price. 

It’s always fun having a bar nearby because it’s a really fun place to hang out in the afternoon after hiking or skiing.

The hostel itself is also really nice with a variety of mixed-bed dorms and all-female dorms. 

Again, like most hostels in Banff, the staff is super friendly here at Samesun and there are always events and activities going on when you’re not busy out exploring the mountains.

PS: There’s also free breakfast included which is always a win!

Located halfway between Lake Louise and Banff, close to Johnston Canyon and Silverton Falls, you will find this awesome wilderness hostel!

Staying at HI Castle Mountain Hostel is going to be a completely different experience than staying in Banff town.

Since this is a wilderness hostel and located outside of the town centre, the type of travellers this hostel attracts are a little more adventurous and outdoorsy and a little less party!

It’s hard to find other hostels that are surrounded by this much beautiful nature, forest, and wildlife. It truly is a wilderness hostel and not just marketed as one!

HI Castle Mountain is a great place to go if you need a break from a busy lifestyle and reconnect with nature. You’ll have true silence, bright stars at night, lights powered by propane, and, best of all, wood-burning saunas! 

Diving into the rooms a little bit, this place really takes you back to your summer camp days! At this hostel, all the rooms are women-only or men-only, and they all sleep 14 people.

To finish off, there’s free coffee and tea, there’s an area with a fire pit and BBQ, and there’s also a board game room! What more could you possibly need?

The YWCA is perfectly located right by Bow River next to Banff Avenue, right in the heart of Banff.

At the YMCA you can expect an awesome community vibe where the hostel truly looks after their staff and guests.

A lot of the people who stay at the YWCA here in Banff say that it really feels like a home away from home.

There is a wide variety of rooms from dorm rooms to private rooms with shared bathrooms so you can choose your preferred type of room based on that.

The hostel also has some really cool initiatives where they give back as much as they can to the community. You can see how your stay at YMCA Banff impacts Banff in a positive way here. 

It’s another great hostel in Banff and a great one to wrap up this list!

You may also like…

• How to Hike the Magical Lake Louise Trail in Alberta
• 6 Amazing Hikes in Kananaskis You Need to Do
• Staying at the HI Banff Alpine Centre (Review)

Recap of the best hostels in Banff, Canada

As you can see, there aren’t a ton of hostels in Banff – but the ones that exist are great!

Our personal favourite is the HI Banff Alpine Centre. It’s close to Tunnel Mountain, you get a free Roam pass, and you’re super close to the centre of Banff town.

However, if you’re looking for something remote, the HI wilderness hostel (Castle Mountain Hostel) is super unique and a great way to connect deeper with nature.

We hope this post helped you find a hostel to stay at during your visit to Banff and that you have the best time when you visit!

If you have any questions related to where to stay in Banff, what to do, or if you’re in need of some hiking inspiration, feel free to reach out!

You can leave a comment below or send us a DM on Instagram. In case you didn’t know, Dom was born and raised here in Alberta, so he knows a thing or two about Banff and Alberta 😉

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