Basecamp Resorts Canmore is an apartment-style hotel consisting of 30 suites, each fitted with kitchens, washers and driers.Courtesy of Basecamp Resorts
Looking up and down Bow Valley Trail, which is hotel row in Canmore, Alta., it’s clear that local accommodations in the mountain town share a common look. Alpine comfort is the dominant flavour in Canmore: Think three- to four-storey lodges accented with rustic wood-cabin flourishes, all designed to signal après-ski luxury and a homey mountain vibe. It’s the style that tourists expect from the once-sleepy community located just outside the gates of Banff National Park.
But Canmore is growing and so is its selection of places to stay. Once considered little more than an overflow site for the more expensive, perpetually booked hotels in Banff, Canmore is now a destination unto itself with a bustling scene of restaurants, bars and shops to complement the hiking, biking, skiing and other outdoor pursuits that the Rockies are renowned for. Recognizing an opportunity to cater to young and stylish tourists who aren’t necessarily into the mountain lodge aesthetic, rookie hotel developer Sky McLean set out to open a hotel in Canmore designed for modern budget-conscious travellers.
A mountain view from the upper level of a Basecamp Resorts unit.Courtesy of Basecamp Resorts
In September of last year, McLean opened Basecamp Resorts, an apartment-style hotel consisting of 30 suites, each fitted with kitchens, washers and driers. This May, McLean expanded her business with the launch of Basecamp Lodge and the Lamphouse Hotel, both also in Canmore. And she is in the process of replicating Basecamp Resorts in nearby Revelstoke, B.C., with plans to open that property in 2020.
“I wanted to build what I was calling a purpose-built Airbnb, which became Basecamp Resorts,” McLean says. “I already had a couple of condos that I was renting on Airbnb because Canmore has condos that are zoned for that. I thought if I could multiply that by 15 I’d be onto something because I’d have control over the development, the construction and the operation.”
The developer says the concept behind Basecamp Resorts was ‘purpose-built Airbnb.’Courtesy of Basecamp Resorts
Each of the three properties has its own personality − though all boast a contemporary design and innovations such as keyless entry (guests are e-mailed a door code with their confirmation) that eliminate the need for excessive front-desk staff.
With its multibedroom units and extensive living space, the original Basecamp Resorts is designed to appeal to extended families or large groups of friends who want to hunker down in Canmore for a reunion or an outdoor escape. Located next door in a former hostel, Basecamp Lodge is more of a no-frills hotel, with king and queen rooms (some fitted with fireplaces), a traditional front desk and lobby, a small banquet room that can be used for catered dinners and rooms offered at a reasonable price, by high-season Canmore standards at least.
Basecamp Lodge in more of a traditional hotel with king and queen rooms.Courtesy of Basecamp Lodge
The 25-room Lamphouse is the shiniest jewel in McLean’s crown. One of only two hotels on Canmore’s shop-laden Main Street (also known as 8th Street), McLean took inspiration from the ultra-hip international Ace Hotel chain when renovating the old Bow Valley Motel, a decidedly unglamorous walk-up originally built in the 1950s. Lamphouse guests can lounge on furniture inspired by mid-century modern design (McClean had everything for all three hotels custom-built) and are treated to a delivery of complimentary pastries for breakfast each morning.
Most importantly, the Lamphouse signifies that Canmore is indeed a destination for urbanites looking for a getaway that’s a balance of mountain pursuits and urban indulgences. During the day, visitors can take a stroll under the shadows of the Three Sisters mountains that tower over the town, take a hike at nearby Grassi Lakes or hit a mountain bike or cross-country ski trail, depending on the season. And otherwise, they can get their fill at Main Street’s selection of bars, restaurants and shops then safely walk back to their rooms – a mini-vacation that McLean says she sees guests turning to Canmore for specifically.
“There are more restaurants popping up, Main Street is becoming more vibrant and the town is more affordable and closer to Calgary than Banff is,” she says. “More and more people are coming here not just because the hotels in Banff are full, but because Canmore is just a great place to visit.”
The writer was a guest of Basecamp Resorts, which did not approve or review this article.
Places to eat
Blake
Hotshot local chef Blake Flann’s flagship restaurant offers urban, internationally inspired eats in a mountain setting.
810 Bow Valley Trail, blakecanmore.com
Raw Distillery
A local craft distillery specializing in vodka, flavoured gins, unaged rye and, eventually, whiskey, Raw offers regular tastings and tours of its facilities.
1460 Railway Ave., rawspirits.ca
Where the Buffalo Roam Saloon
Canmore’s most serious cocktail bar, which specializes in frontier-chic cocktails, local beers and biodynamic wines, is just steps away from the Lamphouse Hotel.
626 8th St., canmoresaloon.ca