Reviews for Buffalo Mountain Lodge

Name: Buffalo Mountain Lodge
Address: 700 Tunnel Mountain Road, Banff, Alberta, T1L 1B3
Rating: 4.8

Buffalo Mountain Lodge

Banff, Alberta

4.8 out of 5 rating, 38 reviews

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4.8 out of 5 rating

4.8 out of 5 rating

38 reviews

95% recommend it

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Quality of service
4.8 out of 5 rating
Response time
4.7 out of 5 rating
Professionalism
4.8 out of 5 rating
Value
4.7 out of 5 rating
Flexibility
4.8 out of 5 rating

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Christy B. Sent on 18/03/2024

5 out of 5 rating
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Amazing experience, would recommend to everyone!

We got married at BML shortly before Christmas 2023, at the Wapiti, and had the best time there.

First of all, the events team can’t be praised enough. From management (shoutout to Kerrie) to coordinators to the maintenance team on the ground, everyone was simply the most delightful to work with. We’ve gotten the best support and assistance from them months before to weeks after the wedding.
They have been the most accommodating and reasonable, and genuinely made the day so stress-free by allowing us all of our special requests (within reason and at appropriate cost). The communications via email were all professional and timely, even when I had my event coordinator leave the team and get replaced by a new member a couple months before, the transition was so smooth. For every little hiccup, the events team always made it right and kept us happy.
The F&B team was good. The pricing on drinks and food items and wine bottles are extremely reasonable for a hotel in Banff. It was even at par with Calgary prices. The servers were all fun, kept checking with me during dinner for timings and made sure everyone was well served and having a good time. The food was DELICIOUS. We didn’t try a single item we didn’t love. The drinks were great too, we asked for special cocktails to be added to the menu (ahead of time) and they accommodated.
My one constructive feedback regarding the F&B service is that maybe we could have had 3 bartenders instead of 2 to handle the 80 headcount slightly faster during an open bar cocktail hour. It seemed like the lines were lengthy (5-10 min) to get your turn (obviously they let me cut the line whenever I needed a refill).
At around 10 pm, the DJ got asked to turn down the music as some neighbouring rooms were complaining, I thought it was weird as we were allowed music and dancing in this room specifically until midnight and were using the lodge’s own built in sound system, but we obliged anyway. It was still okay :)
Finally, the sales manager was also so gracious. We had a typo on the contract and they upheld the lesser of the two minimum values, even though we ended up selling out our night’s regular rooms and it wasn’t an issue to hit targets.
Facilities wise: great main lobby with amazing character, outdoor hot tub is spacious and really fun for a large group of friends, bridal suite/gym area has tons of mirrors and vanity stations to get ready in (although no natural light, so keep that in mind for your getting ready photos) and the rooms are so cozy. They even offer pet friendly rooms. Lots of reviews mentioned them being older, and yes of course they’re older, it’s a lodge style ski town resort so don’t expect the 4 season quality anywhere in Banff.

All in all, I would do it again and again, and can’t wait to celebrate our anniversaries there!

We got married at BML shortly before Christmas 2023, at the Wapiti, and had the best time there.

First of all, the events team can’t be praised enough. From management (shoutout to Kerrie) to coordinators to the maintenance team on the ground, everyone was simply the most delightful to work with. We’ve gotten the best support and assistance from them months before to weeks after the wedding.
They have been the most accommodating and reasonable, and genuinely made the day so stress-free by allowing us all of our special requests (within reason and at appropriate cost). The communications via email were all professional and timely, even when I had my event coordinator leave the team and get replaced by a new member a couple months before, the transition was so smooth. For every little hiccup, the events team always made it right and kept us happy.
The F&B team was good. The pricing on drinks and food items and wine bottles are extremely reasonable for a hotel in Banff. It was even at par with Calgary prices. The servers were all fun, kept checking with me during dinner for timings and made sure everyone was well served and having a good time. The food was DELICIOUS. We didn’t try a single item we didn’t love. The drinks were great too, we asked for special cocktails to be added to the menu (ahead of time) and they accommodated.
My one constructive feedback regarding the F&B service is that maybe we could have had 3 bartenders instead of 2 to handle the 80 headcount slightly faster during an open bar cocktail hour. It seemed like the lines were lengthy (5-10 min) to get your turn (obviously they let me cut the line whenever I needed a refill).
At around 10 pm, the DJ got asked to turn down the music as some neighbouring rooms were complaining, I thought it was weird as we were allowed music and dancing in this room specifically until midnight and were using the lodge’s own built in sound system, but we obliged anyway. It was still okay :)
Finally, the sales manager was also so gracious. We had a typo on the contract and they upheld the lesser of the two minimum values, even though we ended up selling out our night’s regular rooms and it wasn’t an issue to hit targets.
Facilities wise: great main lobby with amazing character, outdoor hot tub is spacious and really fun for a large group of friends, bridal suite/gym area has tons of mirrors and vanity stations to get ready in (although no natural light, so keep that in mind for your getting ready photos) and the rooms are so cozy. They even offer pet friendly rooms. Lots of reviews mentioned them being older, and yes of course they’re older, it’s a lodge style ski town resort so don’t expect the 4 season quality anywhere in Banff.

All in all, I would do it again and again, and can’t wait to celebrate our anniversaries there!
Hilary B. Sent on 06/10/2023

5 out of 5 rating
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Amazing Venue, Attentive Staff, The Perfect Day!

Being Edmonton based we were hesitant to go with a Banff venue as it's a long drive for us and we didn't want to worry about having to go back and forth, and we were worried about the cost of a National Park venue. From the moment we viewed the Wapiti Longhouse at Buffalo Mountain Lodge we were sold. The staff was calm, knowledgeable, professional, and the value of the venue for the price was phenomenal.

Not once did we need to drive down or have complicated calls with venue staff to get our day planned - and we planned our wedding ourselves top to bottom with no day of coordinator. The venue coordinator that we worked with was Sonia, and she was so responsive and kind throughout. The venue's questionnaire was thorough and asked all the necessary questions so that they knew how we wanted our day to run. Any guest changes in the weeks leading up were handled with no problems at all!

Since there was no event in our space the day before, we were able to set up for our ceremony the day before, which was such a weight off my shoulders. And on the day of the wedding Sonia and her team were impeccable, I can't say enough good things about them. They went above and beyond, including opening the room doors for my bridal entrance and for our reception entrance, something I did not ask for nor expect, but it was an extra touch that made us both feel like they really cared about our experience. All of the staff were smiling and polite and checking in on us and our guests all day long. Not one guest had a negative thing to say about the service at the bar or through dinner.

We also held our sunset couple photos out back at Tunnel Mountain Reservoir, which can be reserved separately through the Town of Banff. You can do an outdoor ceremony on the Reservoir space as well, and hold your reception only inside the Lodge, but we chose to keep everything indoors in case of weather and the single room with a flip worked so smoothly, the staff handled it perfectly.

The ability to stay on site and have our guests stay on site as well was so lovely, it made our whole weekend feel so special.

I would recommend BML to any couple wanting to get married in Banff ten times over, you will not regret it. Our wedding day felt 100% seamless, in no small part thanks to the team at Buffalo Mountain Lodge.

Being Edmonton based we were hesitant to go with a Banff venue as it's a long drive for us and we didn't want to worry about having to go back and forth, and we were worried about the cost of a National Park venue. From the moment we viewed the Wapiti Longhouse at Buffalo Mountain Lodge we were sold. The staff was calm, knowledgeable, professional, and the value of the venue for the price was phenomenal.

Not once did we need to drive down or have complicated calls with venue staff to get our day planned - and we planned our wedding ourselves top to bottom with no day of coordinator. The venue coordinator that we worked with was Sonia, and she was so responsive and kind throughout. The venue's questionnaire was thorough and asked all the necessary questions so that they knew how we wanted our day to run. Any guest changes in the weeks leading up were handled with no problems at all!

Since there was no event in our space the day before, we were able to set up for our ceremony the day before, which was such a weight off my shoulders. And on the day of the wedding Sonia and her team were impeccable, I can't say enough good things about them. They went above and beyond, including opening the room doors for my bridal entrance and for our reception entrance, something I did not ask for nor expect, but it was an extra touch that made us both feel like they really cared about our experience. All of the staff were smiling and polite and checking in on us and our guests all day long. Not one guest had a negative thing to say about the service at the bar or through dinner.

We also held our sunset couple photos out back at Tunnel Mountain Reservoir, which can be reserved separately through the Town of Banff. You can do an outdoor ceremony on the Reservoir space as well, and hold your reception only inside the Lodge, but we chose to keep everything indoors in case of weather and the single room with a flip worked so smoothly, the staff handled it perfectly.

The ability to stay on site and have our guests stay on site as well was so lovely, it made our whole weekend feel so special.

I would recommend BML to any couple wanting to get married in Banff ten times over, you will not regret it. Our wedding day felt 100% seamless, in no small part thanks to the team at Buffalo Mountain Lodge.
- +6 Photos
Kirsteen M. Sent on 13/11/2022

5 out of 5 rating
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Sam amazing !

The place is so stunning, there's very little to be done because it's already magical. Having everyone stay at the lodge was incredibly helpful, it allowed people to take breaks on a cold say.
Their in house planner (samu) was phenomenal. We met her a couple montha early because my m had questions and she was so accommodating.
I would recommend upgrading chairs. We rented from mountain events to get theore rustic look.

The place is so stunning, there's very little to be done because it's already magical. Having everyone stay at the lodge was incredibly helpful, it allowed people to take breaks on a cold say.
Their in house planner (samu) was phenomenal. We met her a couple montha early because my m had questions and she was so accommodating.
I would recommend upgrading chairs. We rented from mountain events to get theore rustic look.

Kristen H. Sent on 28/09/2022

3.8 out of 5 rating
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Our favorite spot

We used BML as our venue and hotel for our wedding. This is our favorite place to stay in banff because its so beautiful and cozy and romantic - which made it perfect for our wedding. We opted for the Wapiti Longhouse which was stunning without decoration, so we saved money there :) The events staff and front of house staff were all very friendly and professional. Two of the highlights for us is the hot tub (rarely busy and very big), and being next to an open meadow for sky watching at night. We could have booked this meadow for the wedding and BML would cater to our needs, but it wasnt available for the day of our wedding.

In the past we always get small tokens of appreciation in our room as returning guests (like cookies), which we didnt get this time - I found that odd not only as a returning guest, but especially so because it was our wedding. Some hotels will sprinkle rose petals on your bed, or have a bottle of bubbly for you - not here :( Outside of Sam's (the hotel event planner) great service and attention, it felt no different of a stay from a regular vacation visit, let alone our wedding/honeymoon. That was disappointing to me, my husband didnt care.

The onsite restaurant the Prow is very tasty, and accommodated our very large rehearsal dinner. Their room service is prompt, despite always being a busy place!

While I recommend the venue for its beauty and location, it is on the pricey side and there aren't a lot of perks/extra's out of it. Their events staff is very good, easy to deal with for a wedding, and get you exactly what you ask for. Nothing more, nothing less ;)

We used BML as our venue and hotel for our wedding. This is our favorite place to stay in banff because its so beautiful and cozy and romantic - which made it perfect for our wedding. We opted for the Wapiti Longhouse which was stunning without decoration, so we saved money there :) The events staff and front of house staff were all very friendly and professional. Two of the highlights for us is the hot tub (rarely busy and very big), and being next to an open meadow for sky watching at night. We could have booked this meadow for the wedding and BML would cater to our needs, but it wasnt available for the day of our wedding.

In the past we always get small tokens of appreciation in our room as returning guests (like cookies), which we didnt get this time - I found that odd not only as a returning guest, but especially so because it was our wedding. Some hotels will sprinkle rose petals on your bed, or have a bottle of bubbly for you - not here :( Outside of Sam's (the hotel event planner) great service and attention, it felt no different of a stay from a regular vacation visit, let alone our wedding/honeymoon. That was disappointing to me, my husband didnt care.

The onsite restaurant the Prow is very tasty, and accommodated our very large rehearsal dinner. Their room service is prompt, despite always being a busy place!

While I recommend the venue for its beauty and location, it is on the pricey side and there aren't a lot of perks/extra's out of it. Their events staff is very good, easy to deal with for a wedding, and get you exactly what you ask for. Nothing more, nothing less ;)
Ek Sent on 20/08/2022

5 out of 5 rating
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Wonderful Wedding Venue

Buffalo Mountain Lodge was a beautiful venue for our wedding! Sam (event coordinator) was very responsive and accommodating during the planning process, and she was very helpful on the wedding day! Our reception was held at Tunnel Mountain Reservoir, conveniently located right across the street from the hotel. The Wapiti Longhouse was a good size for 70 people for dinner and dancing, and the log building looked great with minimal decorations. The food was delicious and they were great about accommodating dietary restrictions and offering kids meals.
The discount on hotel rooms reserved under the wedding booking was also a huge perk!

Buffalo Mountain Lodge was a beautiful venue for our wedding! Sam (event coordinator) was very responsive and accommodating during the planning process, and she was very helpful on the wedding day! Our reception was held at Tunnel Mountain Reservoir, conveniently located right across the street from the hotel. The Wapiti Longhouse was a good size for 70 people for dinner and dancing, and the log building looked great with minimal decorations. The food was delicious and they were great about accommodating dietary restrictions and offering kids meals.
The discount on hotel rooms reserved under the wedding booking was also a huge perk!
Joanna P. Sent on 08/08/2022

4.8 out of 5 rating
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August 6, 2022 wedding

Buffalo mountain lodge was the perfect rustic venue. Everything about our wedding was fantastic. Food was delicious, our contact Kerrie was always extremely responsive and helpful, they were flexible. Would recommend!

Buffalo mountain lodge was the perfect rustic venue. Everything about our wedding was fantastic. Food was delicious, our contact Kerrie was always extremely responsive and helpful, they were flexible. Would recommend!
- +2 Photos
Steph J. Sent on 02/08/2022

4.2 out of 5 rating
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Beautiful venue with hard-working team

We held our reception in the Wapiti Longhouse in Buffalo Mountain Lodge. Such a beautiful spot. Great for our group of about 60 people. I would not recommend a group much larger than that. The cocktail hour went smoothly in the Wine Cellar and we finished with the dinner and dance in the lodge room upstairs. The serving staff was kind and worked efficiently. Sam (venue coordinator) is friendly and organized. She was flexible when our wedding planner did not do the names on the seating plan properly. Three minor issues during the evening:
a) Meal was different from what we had requested (after our tasting we had changed our order for one of the main meals). Nonetheless, it was still great food. I would NOT recommend the GF/Vegan gnocchi, however this is the only vegan option.
b) No shots were requested and this was not followed.
c) Meal service was requested to be paused during speeches and this did not happen. There was some clanging of cutlery and plates as they were being removed. While in the middle of listening to a speech (I'm the bride), I was served my dessert. It was disruptive.
Overall, there will be little mishaps during the day. I believe if you are surrounded by kind people trying their best, this is ultimately the most important thing.

We held our reception in the Wapiti Longhouse in Buffalo Mountain Lodge. Such a beautiful spot. Great for our group of about 60 people. I would not recommend a group much larger than that. The cocktail hour went smoothly in the Wine Cellar and we finished with the dinner and dance in the lodge room upstairs. The serving staff was kind and worked efficiently. Sam (venue coordinator) is friendly and organized. She was flexible when our wedding planner did not do the names on the seating plan properly. Three minor issues during the evening:
a) Meal was different from what we had requested (after our tasting we had changed our order for one of the main meals). Nonetheless, it was still great food. I would NOT recommend the GF/Vegan gnocchi, however this is the only vegan option.
b) No shots were requested and this was not followed.
c) Meal service was requested to be paused during speeches and this did not happen. There was some clanging of cutlery and plates as they were being removed. While in the middle of listening to a speech (I'm the bride), I was served my dessert. It was disruptive.
Overall, there will be little mishaps during the day. I believe if you are surrounded by kind people trying their best, this is ultimately the most important thing.
Jackie Sent on 08/11/2021

5 out of 5 rating
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Fabulous Wedding at BML!

Our wedding day could not have been more perfect at Buffalo Mountain Lodge! Due to COVID, we decided to change our wedding venue to BML less than two months before our wedding date and it was the best thing we could have done! Marie was an absolute rock star wedding coordinator. She worked closely with us to make sure everything we had envisioned could be done at BML and it was!

Venue: We had both our ceremony and reception in the Wapiti Longhouse and it was the perfect location (it is the only space where you can hold a dance). It is a gorgeous space separated from the main hotel. The wine cellar in the base of Wapiti was perfect for cocktail hour. For our wedding of 58 people, there was a perfect amount of space!

They have a bridal suite you can rent the day of the wedding to get ready and I would highly recommend it! It is a good sized space with many chairs, mirrors, and is well lit for bridal parties!

Food: Amazing! The hype behind the food at BML is no lie - all of the food was delicious. Our guests raved about how good the food was! They take food allergies and restrictions very seriously and the substitutions made were absolutely delicious!

Overall: We were lucky we were able to book BML. Everyone there did a fabulous job at making our day perfect and we had nothing but positive feedback from all of our guests. All requests we had were accommodated and I have nothing but great things to say about our wedding day there! We would recommend BML to any couple looking to be married in Banff!

Our wedding day could not have been more perfect at Buffalo Mountain Lodge! Due to COVID, we decided to change our wedding venue to BML less than two months before our wedding date and it was the best thing we could have done! Marie was an absolute rock star wedding coordinator. She worked closely with us to make sure everything we had envisioned could be done at BML and it was!

Venue: We had both our ceremony and reception in the Wapiti Longhouse and it was the perfect location (it is the only space where you can hold a dance). It is a gorgeous space separated from the main hotel. The wine cellar in the base of Wapiti was perfect for cocktail hour. For our wedding of 58 people, there was a perfect amount of space!

They have a bridal suite you can rent the day of the wedding to get ready and I would highly recommend it! It is a good sized space with many chairs, mirrors, and is well lit for bridal parties!

Food: Amazing! The hype behind the food at BML is no lie - all of the food was delicious. Our guests raved about how good the food was! They take food allergies and restrictions very seriously and the substitutions made were absolutely delicious!

Overall: We were lucky we were able to book BML. Everyone there did a fabulous job at making our day perfect and we had nothing but positive feedback from all of our guests. All requests we had were accommodated and I have nothing but great things to say about our wedding day there! We would recommend BML to any couple looking to be married in Banff!
Crystal Sent on 27/02/2021

4.8 out of 5 rating
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Great service, amazing food and such a beautiful place to get married!

Plans fell through for a tropical destination wedding so we decided to go to Banff instead. With just over 2 months to plan, the staff at Buffalo Mountain Lodge were so wonderful and efficient! They went over and above to help us make our day nothing short of a fairytale and I cannot thank them enough. The food was amazing, the venue was exactly what we needed for our small reception and the staff did an awesome job with setting up our outdoor ceremony. Would definitely recommend!

Plans fell through for a tropical destination wedding so we decided to go to Banff instead. With just over 2 months to plan, the staff at Buffalo Mountain Lodge were so wonderful and efficient! They went over and above to help us make our day nothing short of a fairytale and I cannot thank them enough. The food was amazing, the venue was exactly what we needed for our small reception and the staff did an awesome job with setting up our outdoor ceremony. Would definitely recommend!
Sara T. Sent on 17/06/2020

5 out of 5 rating
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So easy and stress free.

The hotel is beautiful and they were able to ensure we had everything requested, the booking process was so easy and stress free.

The hotel is beautiful and they were able to ensure we had everything requested, the booking process was so easy and stress free.