We're planning a trip in early August to Alberta, driving from Seattle, and our party includes two adults and two 14-year-old boys. We'd like to stay somewhere in the Banff area. Our price range is $300 to $400 a night max, preferably for a self-catering cabin. A swimming pool would be a real plus, as would some quality restaurants nearby. Also, any advice on a good spot to stop and stay overnight on the drive from Washington to Alberta would be much appreciated. Thank you!
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http://www.douglasfir.com/ - reasonable hotel in banff - two pools, one with 2 water slides. full kitchens in the chalets. there is a public transportation right outside of the hotel to the town so the boys could take that if they want some time away from the "old folks". it's a nice walk down to town but coming up, they may want the bus.
>>>>>>our party includes two adults and two 14-year-old boys. We'd like to stay somewhere in the Banff area. Our price range is $300 to $400 a night max, preferably for a self-catering cabin. A swimming pool would be a real plus, as would some quality restaurants nearby.<<<<<<
The place you're looking for does not exist, to the best of my knowledge.
You can find self-catering cabins in the mountains. However, the chalet or cabin-style accommodations tend to be in Lake Louise and Jasper rather than in Banff. Banff's self-catering accommodations tend to be condo-style.
There are lots of quality restaurants, so that part of your wish list is not a problem.
The element that will be most difficult to find, I think, at least in that price range and in combination with a self-catering cabin, is a swimming pool.
I don't know how long you'll be in the area. If you'll be there for a short time, say 4 nights, it would be fine to stay in one place. If you'll be in the area for longer, say 6 nights, I believe it would be nice to split your time between the Banff / Lake Louise area on the one hand and the Jasper area on the other hand (60% Banff/LL and 40% Jasper).
When it comes to the Banff / Lake Louise area, you need to choose between Banff and Lake Louise. I guess it depends what sort of experience your family likes. If you are town people, that is, if you like having lots of restaurants and shops at your disposal, and if you like being surrounded by lots of people, you would like Banff. If you are nature lovers, if you want a peaceful ambience, if you want to be centrally located with respect to great hiking territory, you would like Lake Louise.
You do not need to switch accommodation from Banff to Lake Louise. Since the two places are about 50 minutes apart, they are close enough that one can be used as a base for visiting the other. You do need to switch accommodation if you go to Jasper, however.
Hope that helps.
Sorry, I didn't see your message before I posted mine, ltt. And of course you are right. But I still think the rest of my comments about which towns to stay in and how to split the time between them are valid, voyager61.