We stayed one night in the Bear Country Lodge in April. Originally we planned to stay at The Drake, but we found the room rate at the Lodge a little cheaper. After reading the awful reviews - I was a bit nervous, however we ended up having a very pleasant stay. The hotel staff were friendly and helpful. The check-in was smooth and easy. Our room itself was quaint and a bit rustic but clean. Sometimes you could hear the trains at night but it was not unbearable at all. We would definitely stay here again. The Breakfast in the a.m. was an added bonus.

Booked to stay in August 2006. 'Family Bear Suite' sounded friendly and cosy - anything but... The hotel was advertised as having air conditioning. When we went up to our room, it was stifling. The air-con unit would not have cooled a picnic box. We thought about ventilating the room by opening the window. Only one small window would half open in a big room, and it made very little difference. Anyway, the main Canadian railway is barely 100 yards from the hotel and the prospect of trains rumbling past all night with upwards of fifty cargo carriages, was not an option with a flight back to UK the next day. The receptionist was unhelpful (being kind to her!) and did nothing - no electric fans, no help to fix the air-con. The hotel 'welcome' booklet in the room reads like the ten commandments and I have to say I've never encountered anything like it before! You must take your shoes off just inside the hotel room - staining the carpet results in a hefty fine. The hotel is non-smoking (fairly standard), but thou shalt not light up in the forecourt or the car park - thou shalt go on a good long walk for thy fag!! And, if you dont... a hefty fine. Add to this that there is a no noise policy after 10 pm and the hotel shuts its front door at 9 or 10 pm (you can enter via a fire staircase at the rear with a code). The staff we met were rude and unhelpful, the room did not have an effective air-con, the hotel is right by a main railway line etc etc. Dont stay here.

What a great lodge. Located on "hotel strip" in Canmore, just off the main highway- close to downtown (about one minute drive). New, clean rooms, with unexpected amenities- such as higher-end duvet, pillows and sheets, king sized bed, mini-fridge in room, and good quality soaps and accessories in bathroom.
Great internet rates available at www.bearcountrylodge.com , especially on week days. Canmore is a great value-priced alternative to nearby Banff, and is only a few kilometers from the park's gate.
Another highlight of the stay is the terrific breakfast room. Fresh waffles, three cereal and toast varieties, juice, coffee, tea, fresh fruit- unexpected bonus to allow us to hit the ski slopes with a full belly!
The evening prior we enjoyed a couple glasses of wine visiting with other guests in front of the wood-buring fireplace in the lobby.
The only downside was no hot tub to soak weary bones after a full day's activities. The tub in the room was comfortable and good sized. Some rooms have a jacuzzi tub and fireplaces, but ours did not.
All in all, an excellent value, and I would be happy to stay there again, for a fraction of the prices of hotels in Banff or Calgary. There are some great dining and shopping options in Canmore, too- as well as the Nordic Center, where most of the Canadian Olympic Nordic skiers do their training. There are a few golf courses nearby, too.

We stayed at the Bear Country Lodge for 4 nights in September 2005. Our room was on the 2nd floor and we had a nice view of the mountains. The only fault of this hotel is, as other reviewers have commented, the train track is very close to the hotel and it is noisy! I came prepared though with ear plugs which helped me sleep at night. Beds are very comfy and the comforters are very warm. When we booked the hotel, we were told that continental breakfast was only served during the summer and would not be served in September. When we checked in, we were told that they had changed this and offered a continental breakfast every day (coffee, tea, juice, toast, fruit, cereal and waffles). This was a nice bonus as it was not expected. I would recommend this hotel as it was close to everything (Banff is just a short drive away), clean, staff are friendly and it was reasonably priced.