After a third sleep-deprived night at the Blue Mountain Lodge (see my review), we went to the Banff Info Centre to inquire about quieter accommodations for next year’s stay. Leslie suggested several options including Pension Tannenhof (A Banff Boutique Inn), and we went to check out their rooms. (Thanks, Leslie!) At the Pension, the very helpful Jodie took quite a lot of time giving us a tour of the inn. After our fourth noisy night at Blue Mountain, we decamped for Pension Tannenhof. The next four nights were a much happier experience, and at very little more than we'd been paying at Blue Mountain!
Pension Tannenhof is a small inn located on Cave Avenue, tucked into pine trees. It’s a short walk over the bridge from downtown Banff, which seems to be just far enough from the bars to discourage the party-hearty crowd. The rooms are very pleasing, modern without being too austere. Furniture is both attractive and functional (i.e., drawers slide quietly; there are plenty of lamps for reading etc.) The breakfast room is pleasantly furnished and lighted, and the attractive Great Room has a nice library of not only novels, but reference books on Banff and Canada (trails, wildlife, history etc.) The rooms are decorated with original landscapes by local artists.
Our room had a double and single bed, a nice large chest of drawers and a lighted walk-in closet, as well as a small flat-screen TV and a hair dryer. Our bath was down the hall, but belonged only to our room and wasn’t shared, (not a necessity for us, but definitely a nice plus).
Breakfast is good and plentiful. There are hardboiled eggs, bagels and bread, cold cereals (including an excellent homemade granola), yogurt, fresh fruit including melons, strawberries and pineapple, and always freshly baked goodies like bars, cookies, or muffins. There is good coffee and a large selection of teas.
Two very nice young ladies, Emma and Jodie, are the staff. At least one is always present as resident manager, and there are posted quiet hours. We slept well at Tannenhof - the other guests seemed very considerate. We met the owner, Becky, who is an energetic and caring person and was really interested in our experience at her inn.
Ample ski/snowboard storage is in the Carriage House behind the Inn. It’s unlocked around 8 AM by the managers. If you need to get your skis/boards earlier, they’ll arrange to have it unlocked early.
We spent four very comfortable and happy nights at Pension Tannenhof and we plan to return next winter.
