Thanks for all of the info. for my trip to Banff, Lake Louise and Japser. WE are staying in Calgary the last night and wanted to know which hotels you recommend. I read about the Westin, Hyatt, Fairmont, Sheraton, Delta, etc. How far is the downtown area to the airport? Is it better to stay closer to the airport?

It's a long way from downtown to the airport, and the terminal is on the far side of the airfield, too.

Wheterhr you should stay near the airport depends on what you want to do that evening. If you want to stay in the hotel, or go ourt for dinner in a car and then drive back and watch tv and go to bed early, a hotel close to the airport makes some sense.

But if you want a night on the town, you might was well stay downtown and get up half an hour earlier in the morning.

BAK

If you want to actually do anything in Calgary during your time there, and if you don't have a super early flight then I would stay downtown. It is not THAT far to the airport. About a $30 taxi ride.

I stay in Calgary all the time. I would rank the hotels you have listed in the following order.

1. Sheraton
2. Fairmont
3. Hyatt/Westin
4. Delta

Unfortunately they are usually priced in the same order. Location for all of them is good.

I stay closer to the airport, about 5 miles straight down the Barlow Trail.
My favorite is the Greenwood, king bed in the room with a couch. Nice place for me.
Free parking, quick access in and out.
Airport is a quick drive.
Rental car routine is very good.
Perhaps the best I have found.
Last summer at Hertz I was checked in before I got out of the car.
They evidently saw me coming.

Some of you must live in very small towns with the airports built next door, because YYC is only about 5 to 7 miles from Downtown Calgary. That's basically nothing when compared to most airports in the U.S.

Unless you have an early flight to catch, or is just transitting, I don't see why one should limit himself to the airport hotels.