Samesun Banff

Small rooms for 8 people but it's a very cosy hostel and a lovely atmosphere. Hope whoever stays here in winter is okay with living with half of Queensland, it's what makes the place so much fun!

When asked about my negative/positive impressions regarding my stay at the hostel, my response is immediately simple, "I am truly grateful for the entire staff. " From front desk to the cleaning and serving staff and of course the bartenders and cooks. All of them were not only beyond proficient in their work duties but also did so with a friendly and personable disposition. I would also like to include how helpful each of them were in aiding me as a newly arrived visitor to Banff, answering questions ranging from employment to a detailed local navigation in and around Banff. I'm truly blessed and grateful to have stayed here for my first weeks in Banff. A tenure which will be long term if the rest of Banff is populated with good folks like I encountered at the Samesun/Beaver. I will always look upon this place/people as being my first home/family in Banff. Special thanks to both Katie's, Eran, Daisy, Angel, Lachlan and of course the Chef whom I will be seeing the next time I have a craving for poutine and/or tacos. *****JUST ANOTHER AVERAGE HOSTEL THIS IS NOT *****

This is a decent hostel, kinda hit and miss.
Pro:
-location is perfect, right next to bus stop and walkable distance to Banff downtown.
-their restaurant and bar open until midnight
- staffs were extremely nice and they did the best to make things work for you. They are very responsive to your issue
-it’s clean and decent. They also have locker for your luggage storage
- good wifi
Cons:
- they don’t have elevator, so you must carry your luggage to 3th floor
- it can be loud sometimes
- quite pricey for hostel
- we checked in and there were beds that weren’t clean. We didn’t even know which beds weren’t occupied because some of them had belongings and some of them didn’t but messy.

My friends and I had a very bad experience with this hostel. My bed was occupied by other guests while I was out hiking on two of the four days I stayed here. I don't know if the staff was stripping my bed daily or it was just because the staff does absolutely nothing to let people know which beds are available and how the ten bed dorm works (there were two separate rooms containing the beds, but no one told us this, and I ended up having to explain it to guests as they came in looking confused at the lack of beds) ? The only social spaces in the hostel, including the kitchen, are closed from 11 until 7 which can be difficult if you are coming back late or leaving early and want to eat your own food or hang out without disturbing other guests. There are only 9 parking spaces for a substantially larger number of guests, and they are always taken except in the very middle of the day. On our final night, my friend was moved to another room without notice because of a mistake with her credit card that no one at reception had informed her of for three days until we came back to find HER bed stripped. It was also ungodly hot in the rooms at night, despite being somewhat cold outside. Overall, I can't believe how much I paid to stay in a place like this, and was thrilled to leave Banff and move onto a more professionally run hostel. That said, the rooms and bathrooms were fairly clean.

Decent hostel but highly overpriced. Rooms were ok and the privacy curtains are a good thing. Open chill room was nice but pretty cold. The kitchen is ok. Unfortunately the beds very not very clean and the breakfast was really basic with just toasts with butter and marmalade and pancakes to make yourself. Overall ok hostel in an old building with sometimes nice stuff (sometimes not so nice and welcoming) pretty basic breakfast and rooms for a pretty high price in 6 bed dorms.

Cela pourrait être vraiment bien si ce n’était pas aussi sale. Le site a besoin d’un nettoyage en profondeur par des professionnels et non pas basé sur la bonne volonté des jeunes adultes y séjournant. A croire que la cuisine est sale pour que l’on consomme au bar…
Les lits sont quand même confortables et l’emplacement idéal.

IT IS SO LOUD. They have a party bar in the building and it's blasting music with drunk DRUNK people scream laughing all night, for multiple nights so far. This is the loudest hostel I have ever stayed at. For a hiking destination this is the absolute worst. And all the drunks staying at the hostel drinking there just burst into your room mid night and wake everyone up. Terrible. Staff great. Hostel itself, AVOID IF YOU WANT ANY SLEEP WHATSOEVER.

Also hardly any bathrooms. And guess what, the 1 of 2 bathrooms is taken up by drunk people all night (single stall bathrooms).

The management is not helpful at all, false commitments and unprofessional behaviour. Recommended only if you wanna spoil your stay!

Spoiled the stay! Worst management and staff. Would never recommend anyone to book here there are alot of other good places available in the area. Awful experience, totally unhygienic environment. They make false promises over calls and then deny that you never called them, even when you show them your call logs, lol.

The staff was unprofessional, false commitments were made just to secure booking. At time of reaching we were shut when we asked for refund as they were not able to meet with their commitments. They just said that refund was not their policy although false commitments were made over call.
NOT AT ALL RECOMMENDED FOR TRAVELLERS.

The Staff is extremely nice and helpful! Everyone is motivated and is trying their best!
Rooms are clean, beds are comfy, breakfast is free:)
Every day there is an event in the bar like Trivia, Music bingo or karaoke (and they have the cheapest beer in town).
I loved it, I'll definitely come back!

Very comfy beds with a curtain for privacy. Private bathroom in room. Quiet. Bedding provided. Efficient staff and checkout. Great price

Expensive, AC in the room was very loud, breakfast starts at 8am, kitchen opens at 7am but many people including myself left before 6: 30. Laundry is not free.

Samesun Banff is the best hostel I’ve stayed at in Canada, good vibes and sociable. They have some good live music and different events at Beaver bar every night plus all the staff are really helpful - Linz at front desk gives great advice for things to do and exploring Banff

Spent 4 nights here in a 6 bed dorm. The dorms themselves are fine but the bathroom situation was unusual for a hostel with each room having an ensuite. For this location and the activities guests are doing, it doesn’t work. Lots of people are up before sunrise to go hiking and see the lakes. I was woken up every morning at 4am by my room mates due to the bathrooms being in the actual room (despite wearing earplugs overnight). Breakfast was appreciated but random and a bit chaotic in comparison to other Samesun Hostels. Staff weren’t on top of replenishing cutlery, dishes, coffee etc.which is what I have experienced at other hostels. They’ve recently put in air conditioning units but these should be monitored throughout the day. I had room mates who would blast the air con 24/7 at 17C degrees. This was incredibly wasteful and cold!

I recently had the pleasure of staying at Samesun Hostel, and I must say it was an outstanding experience from start to finish. The warm and welcoming atmosphere, combined with excellent facilities, made my stay truly enjoyable.

First and foremost, the hospitality at Samesun was exceptional. The staff members were incredibly friendly, accommodating, and always ready to assist with any inquiries or requests. From the moment I stepped through the doors, I felt like a valued guest, and their genuine warmth made me feel right at home.

The hostel's bar, aptly named the Beaver Bar, was a highlight of my stay. The service was top-notch, and the quality of both beverages and food was impressive. Whether you're looking for a refreshing drink after a day of exploring or a delicious meal to satisfy your appetite, the Beaver Bar delivers on all fronts. The lively atmosphere and friendly staff added an extra touch of enjoyment to my evenings.

Another aspect that stood out was the cleanliness of the dormitories. Samesun takes great pride in maintaining a high standard of cleanliness, and it truly showed. The dorm rooms were spotless, and the comfortable beds ensured a restful night's sleep. The layout of the dorms also encouraged interaction and facilitated meeting new people, which made for a vibrant and social experience.

Location-wise, Samesun couldn't be better situated in the city. It's conveniently placed near popular attractions, vibrant neighborhoods, and public transportation, making it effortless to explore and immerse oneself in the local culture. Whether you're a solo traveler or a group of friends, the hostel's prime location allows for easy access to the city's offerings.

In conclusion, I wholeheartedly recommend Samesun Hostel to anyone seeking a memorable stay. With its warm and welcoming atmosphere, the top-notch Beaver Bar, impeccably clean dormitories, prime location, and the friendly staff, this hostel goes above and beyond to create a remarkable and enjoyable experience. I'm already looking forward to my next visit!

I had a really good time there, people were kind and the mood was pretty chill. It's a bit expensive compared to the other hostels but the location is great. 10 minutes from everything you need.

Great location and service but won’t recommend staying here in summers or on a warm night. Fans provided don’t really help and it was uncomfortable to sleep for the one night we stayed. Might be good to stay here during slightly colder months.

Great service and front desk staff was helpful.

Very average hostel. Location is 5-10 mins from the main areas of Banff which is one of the few pluses. The hostel is cheap compared to hotels in Banff but still one of the most expensive hostels I've stayed in. Toilets aren't great. Housekeeping staff seemed miserable and one was actually rude (barging into the room before checkout time). Breakfast poor and low quality. Try stay in a hotel if you can, even if you have to pay more.

Wow.my first place i stay in banff and I should say.my stay was superb! All the staffs were so kind and friendly. Rooms were sooo clean nd well maintained. Especially their mini bar.where the drinks are so good.nd the food was delicious. Overall. 5/5 rating for everything. When I visit banff next time. I will stay here for sure!

I had a fantastic stay at Samesun banff hostel! The location was perfect, with easy access to public transportation and plenty of restaurants and shops nearby. The staff were incredibly friendly and helpful, and always went out of their way to make sure I had a great time.

The hostel itself was very clean and well-maintained. The dorm rooms were spacious and comfortable, with sturdy bunk beds and plenty of storage space for luggage. The bathrooms were also clean and well-stocked with toiletries.

One of the highlights of my stay was the hostel's bar at downstair. There was always something going on in the Beaver Bar, I met so many other international travelers and made some great friends during my stay.

Everyday they provide free breakfast as well as if you have container you can take it away. They have very clean kitchen with 2 big freeze. INside the freeze they had few free food. Everyday you can have free towel service too. You can rent bear spray from hostel only for 5$.

The only thing that i had to manage was washroom area as it was only one per room.however, it was manageble they had washroom in common area as well as downstairs.

Overall, I highly recommend this hostel to anyone looking for a fun and affordable stay in the city. It's a great value for the price, and the staff really go above and beyond to make sure that guests have an amazing time. "

I had a sick time at the samesun in Banff. Really good vibe, lots of stuff to do in the evenings, clean rooms and great staff. Would highly recommend

Endroit qui manque de propreté. Ambiance désagréable. Je ne recommande pas du tout. L'endroit s'est dégradé avec les années. On nous a fait dormir dans la chambre des employés.
Nous étions ici avec un groupe en mai 2022 et c'était complètement différent. Cette année, mai 2023, toujours avec un groupe, franchement déçu. Mon appréciation reflète l'expérience du groupe et les commentaires des membres de notre groupe.

Unfortunately I found this hostel to be very rough. Although the rooms were tidy (except for stained blankets) the rest of the hostel was very dirty.
Parking was a nightmare and the small amount available under the hostel was ridiculous as you had to squeeze between two poles and get as close as you can to a rock wall.
The kitchen was very small and had a broken fridge so there was no room to put my food to prevent spoiling.
Overall I was very uncomfortable and left early as a result. Since I left without 24hrs notice I was also unable to receive a refund for my unused night which was also unfortunate given the circumstances.

L'hostel est bien située, non loin du centre et des navettes pour les stations de ski.

Par contre, la gestion du bruit n'est vraiment pas bonne. Il est supposé y avoir un couvre-feu, à partir de 11pm, donc les salles communes sont fermées, mais le bar organise des événements bruyants (open mic, karaoké, etc.) qui terminent plus tard (minuit-1 am). Donc il est impossible de dormir à cause du bruit (pour les chambres du même étage) mais il est aussi impossible de "chiller" puisque les salles communes sont fermées. Donc il faut subir le bruit si nous ne sommes pas au bar.
De même que pour les chambres: certaines personnes rentrent très tard et font un vacarme en rentrant, ce qui réveille tout le monde, alors que d'autres se lèvent très tôt pour aller en ski. Il faudrait qu'il y ait un moyen de séparer ces 2 modes de vacances: des chambres pour les skieurs et des chambres pour les gens qui fêtent tous les jours.

Enjoyed an excellent stay at this vibrant and friendly hostel located right next to Banff town centre. Would highly recommend!