Canmore II Resorts

[Carlsbadguy]

Thinking of trading into one of the Canmore Resorts for a ski week at Banff next winter. Any suggestions on which resort is nicer and best time of the winter to go. From reviews looks like the Canmore resorts are a lot nicer than Banff Rocky Mountain Resort. I always see avaialbility on II so are these not wanted resorts? What would be the travel time to the ski resorts? Probably 10 years ago stayed at Banff Rocky Mountain resort during the summer.
Thank You

 

[djyamyam]

Thinking of trading into one of the Canmore Resorts for a ski week at Banff next winter. Any suggestions on which resort is nicer and best time of the winter to go. From reviews looks like the Canmore resorts are a lot nicer than Banff Rocky Mountain Resort. I always see avaialbility on II so are these not wanted resorts? What would be the travel time to the ski resorts? Probably 10 years ago stayed at Banff Rocky Mountain resort during the summer.
Thank You

In order of "niceness", I would go:

1. Solara
2. Paradise Resort Club
3. Sunset Resorts
4. WM Canmore
5. Grand Canadian
6. Banff Rocky Mtn

The Grand Canadian have the largest 2BR units and we like the split rooms with the living room in the middle but it's not as updated as the first two. All the ones listed above in Canmore have a heated underground parking which is especially nice when it's snowy out. #6 is outdoor surface parking only. #6 is the only one in the national park but Canmore is only 17 mins away from Banff townsite. We've stayed at them all (and own/have owned at 3 of them) and like them all for different reasons

Solara doesn't pop up as often but 2,3 and 5 are often available in II. You see #4 more so in RCI but it does trade in II. I'd say it's more rare than Solara in II

For skiing, I like late Feb and early/mid-March as you need the snowpack to build up. That's also non-holiday time so will be less busy. Local spring break is usually around the 3rd week of March but it varies with the surrounding provinces. April can give you spring skiing but you won't get as much snow so it can be icy in the morning before softening up in the aft

ps. you may also want to have a moderator move this to the Canadian not Caribbean timeshare section

 

[bizaro86]

Local spring break is usually around the 3rd week of March but it varies with the surrounding provinces.

Spring break in Calgary is always the last week of March. That would be by far the biggest factor for busyness at the ski resorts, except for the days around Family Day (same day as President's day in the US) as the Thursday/Friday before all Alberta schools are off for Teachers Convention and the week of the holiday the universities have off.

 

[Ski-Dad]

Interesting thread in the Caribbean forum.

 

[barto]

djyamyam, great list! I would have put Sunset Resorts after Grand Canadian, but it's been quite a few years since we were there. Just had a 3-week stint at Grand Canadian. They've done a few updates with the change in management, but we love the space and how each bedroom had their own bathroom, plus the in-suite laundry.

Got to peek into the WM Canmore (1-bedroom suite) and were impressed overall. Would be OK for a couple but tight for more (and the 2-bedrooms are hard to get).

Banff Rocky Mountain Resort definitely needs updating the most for sure, although the Wolf units are decent. not sure how that works for exchanging - most likely stuck with the old units.

I'll let others speak to the skiing, though!

 

[tomvc]

WM Canmore (1-bedroom suite)

Stayed at WM Canmore at end of Jan 2024. Agree that 1BRs are small. Shares hot tubs with Grand Canadian. Underground parking is nice (ask front desk about entrance since not all guests were aware). Drive to Sunshine is ok, but Lake Louse a bit further. If I were to stay in Canmore again, I would stay close to town where you can walk to restaurants.

If you have RCI, great deals on WM Canmore using extra vacation or last call.

 

[barto]

The front desk at WM Canmore said the underground parking is unreserved, so it might be full at a given time - then you're stuck with above-ground parking.

Good point about walking to things - not much in normal walking range from the WM, especially in winter.

 

[ForThePoints27]

Thinking of trading into one of the Canmore Resorts for a ski week at Banff next winter. Any suggestions on which resort is nicer and best time of the winter to go. From reviews looks like the Canmore resorts are a lot nicer than Banff Rocky Mountain Resort. I always see avaialbility on II so are these not wanted resorts? What would be the travel time to the ski resorts? Probably 10 years ago stayed at Banff Rocky Mountain resort during the summer.
Thank You

Canmore is a great area to stay. You're just outside of Banff National Park and it's a great town. You then also have easy access to skiing outside of Banff (ex Kananaskis)
Dec-Feb would be best for skiing.

 

[Tacoma]

I would add the first 3 weeks of March are great skiing. The last week is spring break for the public school system so it is busy.

 

[Soccer Canada]

Id say that most weekends in Canmore are pretty busy (the Calgary/Condo effect). Monday - Friday it seems a little less so. WM Canmore is nice, often Elk/Moose right at the corner. Nice thing is its a short drive into everything in Canmore from just about anywhere, roads are well winter maintained and the Trans-Canada (Hwy1) is the major east/west throughfare for both Commercial and Non-Commercial Traffic, so also well maintanted.