Dorothy Motel Banff Review: Is It Worth Booking?

Banff National Park is known for being an expensive destination, and for many travellers, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime trip that takes years to save for. We know that visiting Banff on a budget matters to a lot of people, which is why we were excited to spend a few nights at the Dorothy Motel, one of Banff’s best affordable hotels.

This Dorothy Motel review is based on our real stay at the motel as a family. We wanted to see what it was actually like to stay in a more affordable Banff motel, especially after spending two nights at the luxury Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel just before checking in.

Let’s be honest, the words “motel” and “cheap accommodation in Banff” don’t always create the best first impression. But the Dorothy Motel surprised us in the best possible way. The rooms were modern and comfortable, the location was practical, and it felt like a solid choice for travellers who want to stay in Banff without paying luxury hotel prices.

Not only did we like our stay at the Dorothy Motel in Banff, but in some ways, we liked it better than the Banff Springs. And with rooms often costing a fraction of a Banff Springs Hotel room rate, we left feeling very happy with our stay.

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Dorothy Motel Location in Banff

One of the reasons why the Dorothy Motel is more affordable than typical Banff accommodations is that it is in the Uptown Banff district on the very eastern edge of Banff Avenue. It’s a quiet location situated right next to the forest.

Despite not being in the heart of the Banff townsite, there are many advantages with the location being further out.

Walking from the Dorothy Motel to Downtown Banff

The Town of Banff is reasonably small and compact. It’s an enjoyable 18 minute (1.5 km walk) from the Dorothy Motel to the heart of downtown Banff.

Roam Transit Near the Dorothy Motel

For those who don’t care for walking, the Dorothy Motel provides guests with free local transit passes. There are Roam Transit stops just steps from the Dorothy Motel, making it easy to get downtown without moving your car. There’s a bus stop on Banff Avenue going west towards downtown Banff as well as an eastbound stop for buses destined for Canmore and the Minnewanka Loop.

Driving, Parking and Getting Out of Town

Being on the eastern edge of Banff Avenue also makes it easier to get in and out of town without dealing with as much traffic. Those who want to be out of town on outdoor adventures, like those pioneering women who were the inspiration for the motel, can quickly get in and out of town.

Legacy Trail Access from the Dorothy Motel

One of the biggest location perks is how close the Dorothy Motel is to the Banff Legacy Trail. Cycling the Banff Legacy Trail is one of the best things to do in Banff in summer.

Not only that, but it’s only 3.4 km from Cascade Ponds along the Legacy Trail, one of the best picnic areas in Banff National Park and the starting point for cycling the Minnewanka Loop.

What are the Rooms Like at the Dorothy Motel?

As Banff’s first boutique motel, the Dorothy Motel feels modern, simple and well thought out. The rooms at the Dorothy Motel come with either two queen-sized beds or a king-sized bed. We stayed in a Superior Room with two queens with our two kids, aged 5 & 7.

The first thing we noticed about the rooms at the Dorothy Motel is the funky floors. The linoleum floor tiles make it feel like you’re walking across a forest floor. It’s a nice change to the standard, boring industrial carpet found in most hotel rooms. As parents, it was nice not to worry about our kids spilling anything on the floors.   

Beds, Storage and Room Layout

The queen-sized beds at the Dorothy Motel were soft, but not too soft. We all enjoyed a good night’s sleep during our two-night stay. Each bed was fitted with four pillows and a very warm comforter. Each side of the bed has a small, adjustable reading lamp.

As parents travelling with kids, staying organized is key to getting out the door for the day. The storage in our room at the Dorothy Motel was highly functional and well thought out. There’s a nicely sized six-drawer dresser underneath a flat-screen TV.

There’s a shelving unit near the front door with 4 small shelves, one medium shelf and a long shelf up top. There’s room for shoe storage underneath this unit. Finally, there’s a shared nightstand between the two queen-sized beds, with a conveniently placed outlet for charging phones overnight.

Fridge, Microwave and Coffee Setup

We don’t enjoy eating three meals a day at restaurants when we travel, so we self-cater quite a few meals. We appreciated the small table and two chairs in our room for our kids to eat at.

When the weather was good, we ate our meals outside at one of the many tables in the inner courtyard. Having this additional space at the end of the day to relax outside, with mountain views peeking over the roof of the motel, was exactly what we needed.

We were able to store a reasonable amount of groceries in our small in-room fridge, which was underneath the microwave. Sitting atop the microwave was a hot water kettle, a coffee maker and some really nice Dorothy Motel coffee mugs. We always appreciate a nice big cup of coffee in the morning!

Speaking of the courtyard, our room at the Dorothy Motel had a second door leading to the courtyard as well as a large window looking onto it. The window and back door each had two sets of roller blinds on them, one for privacy and one for darkness.

The room also had a modern climate control panel, which made it easy to stay comfortable. We liked how you simply set the ideal room temperature and the room would either run the heater or the air conditioner as needed. There was no need to switch between heating and cooling mode.

Bathroom and Toiletries

The bathroom in our room at the Dorothy Motel had a large shower with a funky, sliding glass door. The complimentary toiletries are from a favourite local supplier, Rocky Mountain Soap. The foaming hand soap, lotion and body wash were all in our favourite lemongrass scent.

Pet-Friendly Rooms at the Dorothy Motel

Those travelling to Banff with a dog will also find comfort at the Dorothy Motel. They have pet-friendly rooms and provide a pet bed, water and food bowls, a take-home toy and special treats.

We’ve stayed at motels with dogs before and these extra amenities for travellers with pets make it so much more convenient! Not to mention the easy access directly outside and the forest nearby. This shouldn’t scare off people with allergies though as not all rooms accommodate pets.

Pets are not to be left unattended at any time, must be leashed, and not all rooms are pet-friendly. Pet rooms should be requested in advance, and current pet charges are $30 per pet, per night.

Amenities at the Dorothy Motel in Banff

Considering the Dorothy Motel is one of the most affordable places to stay in Banff, it has a surprising number of useful amenities for guests.

• Free Wi-Fi.
• A nicely landscaped, quiet outdoor courtyard with plenty of tables and chairs to relax in after a day of fun and adventure in Banff National Park.
• Two sheltered bike racks in the courtyard for bike storage. The courtyard is still open to the public, and is not fully secure, locked bike storage, but given the large number of rooms which have large windows looking out on the courtyard, there is still a good amount of visibility over the bike racks.
• A bike repair kit and bike pump near the bike storage facility.
• An ice machine with in-room ice buckets.
• An in-room safe for your valuables.
• No front desk check-in. The Dorothy Motel does not have its own front desk. Guests currently check in at Hotel Canoe & Suites at 600 Banff Avenue, just down the street from the motel.
• Guests also have access to the hot pools, sauna and outdoor lounge space at Hotel Canoe & Suites.
• Here’s an amenity you don’t find every day…  to hear an elk bugle, dial *44 on your in-room phone!

The Legacy Trail Near the Dorothy Motel

One of the best reasons to stay at the Dorothy Motel is its proximity to the Banff trailhead for the Banff Legacy Trail. For those who may not be familiar with the Legacy Trail, it is a very popular, fully paved bike path between the Town of Banff and Canmore. It’s one of our favourite biking trails in Banff.

There isn’t an official parking lot for the Legacy Trail in Banff and the parking lot on the Canmore end fills up quickly, especially on weekends. With bike storage, a repair station and a bike pump, the Dorothy Motel is a convenient place to stay if you want to cycle the Legacy Trail.

We brought our bikes to the Dorothy Motel and enjoyed the scenic bike ride to Canmore on our first morning. It was a pleasure not to have to fight for a parking spot in Canmore; we simply unlocked our bikes and we were on the Legacy Trail in under a minute!

Restaurants near the Dorothy Motel

There are several Banff restaurants within easy walking distance of the boutique Dorothy Motel. Starting with the closest restaurants to the Dorothy Motel, you can enjoy:

• An A&W is located on the same block as the Dorothy Motel. It’s inside the Husky gas station, which has a well-stocked convenience store.
• A longtime favorite of ours, The Keg Steakhouse & Bar is a few short blocks away in the Banff Caribou Lodge.
• Given downtown Banff is only 1.5 km away, the fact is that you can easily enjoy almost all of Banff’s best restaurants without needing to get in your car.

Final Verdict: Should You Stay at the Dorothy Motel?

In the introduction to this review of the Dorothy Motel, we mentioned that in many ways we liked it better than the Banff Springs Hotel, and it’s true. The Dorothy Motel may not have the history or grand setting of the Fairmont Banff Springs, but it’s a welcome addition to the affordable Banff accommodation scene.