Rimrock Resort Hotel

Deep in the heart of the Canadian Rocky Mountains is the picturesque resort town of Banff, surrounded by some of North America’s best ski resorts and some of the most breathtaking mountain vistas this side of the Alps. The Rimrock Resort Hotel is designed to take full advantage of the views: the hotel is carved from the side of Mt. Sulphur, and the hotel entrance is behind the hotel, on the uphill side, on what is actually the seventh floor — from there, the building extends down the mountainside, so that almost all of the rooms face the same way, toward the town of Banff and the stunning backdrop of the mountains beyond.

In the Canadian Rockies, everything is big, and this hotel is no different, from the massive cherry-paneled lobby to the spacious rooms with their heartily oversized furniture. The rooms are perfectly comfortable, but the backdrop is what’s important here — many rooms have balconies, and almost all have sweeping views of the majestic Rockies.

Like any good mountain resort, Rimrock is pretty much self-contained, with 24-hour room service, a fully equipped spa, and a fitness center extensive enough to rival the best big-city health clubs. Eden, the main restaurant, is perhaps not what one would expect at first blush from a mountain town in Western Canada, serving fine French cuisine with, naturally, views of Mount Rundle and Bow Valley through huge bay windows. Tasting menus are available for dedicated gourmands, but be warned: they may leave you too sated to hit the slopes.