Well..... having read some of the reviews we were a little aprehensive, there was no need to be, the staff on the front desk were very friendly and helpful and the lodge was well run and we never had a problem during our stay.
The lobby is rather plain, but when you are in there, you are usually getting help and info from the front desk staff, so don't really notice the decor. You get free safe deposit boxes and there is a purpose built ski storage room so you don't have to cram your boots and ski's into a wet smelly locker after a hard days skiing. By the way, the ski shuttle buses are run with military precision and are always on time and stop only a short distance from the lodge,
The rooms are very clean spacious and have a TV,fridge and tea/coffe making facilities. We asked for a quite, high floor room with a sea view!!!! but actually got a quite, high floor room with a fabulous Canadian Rockies veiw to the right of our balcony......... 2 out of 3 ain't bad !!!!
The bed deserves special note, it was the most comfortable that we have ever had on holiday and provided a good nights sleep.
The breakfast was more than we expected, with a selection of cereals, wonderful muslei, fresh fruit salad, yogut, warm freshly baked muffins and danish pastries, toast and a choice of fruit juices, tea and freshly brewed coffee.
A nice touch was that the lodges huge Fir tree still had it's Christmas lights on, as did the other lodges, hotels and shops on Banff Ave which gave a great atmosphere to the place. There was also an array of shops, restaurants and bars within just a few minutes walk of the lodge.
All in all, the Banfff Aspen Lodge and it's staff played a big part in one of the best skiing holidays my wife and I have ever had.
When we visit Banff again we will not hesitate in returning to this great value well run lodge

Thanks to all the team
W&L
Nottingham, England

Although the Aspen Lodge is very close to the centre of Banff, the hotel in general and our room in particular was very quiet. It was great to have a separate bathroom and sink area so we could both get ready at the same time. The building works to the hot tub area didn't affect our enjoyment of the facilities and they’ll be superb when they are finished shortly.

The service on reception was excellent, friendly and efficient. Our room was immaculate and the hotel's environmental and recycling policy is to be commended - this was the first time we've had actually had a recycling container in the room which is very impressive.

We did feel that it would be good if the hotel had a bar or somewhere to have a nightcap. Perhaps the slightly cheap-looking and tacky shop inside reception could be converted. This would also help to make the hotel look more attractive from the outside and add to the ambience of the reception area. The only slightly negative comment is that the internet at $10 per hour was expensive and not justifiable so we used the internet cafes in town for less than a third of the price. Overall, we were very pleased with the hotel and would have no hesitation in returning or recommending it.

At first they didnt keep our fish we caught (and gave into ever other hotel from tofino to jasper) so we had to go and find a bar to leave it in. The pool was more like a jacuzzi. The breakfast was fine.

I have read the terrible reviews the Banff Aspen Lodge has been given by some people and I find it somewhat unbelievable. We just returned from staying there and my family and I could not be more pleased. We have always stayed at the Caribou Lodge, a somewhat pricier hotel, and this time we decided to go less expensive. We didn't know what to expect but we were very pleasantly surpised. Now, for a first impression, the lobby was not overly impressive. We felt it could it could have been warmer and more inviting with a less outdated look. But, the individual room layout was great with the bathroom and the two sinks between the rooms. We faced Banff Avenue and although we were behind some trees which blocked a good part of our view, it was quiet and I didn't hear hardly any traffic noise...maybe the trees helped! The beds were very comfortable. I did find that when they made the bed that they didn't bring the top edge of the sheet and blanket up far enough and it was diffcult to get our necks covered without tugging on the covers and rearranging them. It was a correctable and minor problem for us. The cleanliness of the room was unquestionable...very pleased with how well the room was maintained. I did not notice any cigarette burns or worn carpet like some reviews stated. We were on the third floor above the outdoor hot tubs. We did not hear anyone talking who was using the tubs. We got good TV reception, there was a small refrigerator in the room, hair dryer, and iron and ironing board along with coffee pot, etc. We never heard our neighbors and enjoyed some good sleeping for four nights. I liked the convenience of the hotel to the downtown area. Took probably 5 minutes to walk to restaurants, etc. The underground parking was a little tight, but not a big problem, and there was additional covered parking in the back. The staff was very helpful and friendly...I could not ask for better service. They helped us make reservations to some of the local restaurants...we appreciated that a lot. The continental breakfast was better than we had anticipated. We never had to wait for a table (but we were there early) and the waiters were very efficient. Our waiter even gave us a couple of recipes for their granola and scones which were great by the way. Yes, there was not bacon, eggs, waffles, etc., but a continental breakfast is not supposed to have that. We liked the free breakfast they offered and it was more than sufficient to get us going for the day. If I had any area of concern then it was about the internet. It was annoying to be charged $10/hour. Despite that, we will definitely consider staying at the Banff Aspen again. Don't be intimidated by bad reviews you read....we experienced a very pleasant stay. We stayed in room 315. If you tend to be a negative and critical person, it's easy to find something wrong with just about anything.