Banff’s Rimrock Reopens After $115M Ultra-Luxury Transformation

One of Banff’s landmark hotels has reopened after a $115-million transformation that repositions the decades-old property in the ultra-luxury market and marks the North American debut of a new global hotel brand.

The former Rimrock Resort Hotel reopened to its first guests July 3 after closing Oct. 1, 2025, for a nine-month, property-wide renovation that redesigned all 320 guestrooms and suites and introduced new restaurants, wellness facilities and guest experiences. While the hotel is now welcoming guests, some of its new wellness amenities remain in the final stages of construction and are expected to fully open in early to mid-September. The resort is expected to be fully unveiled as Rimrock Banff, Emblems Collection this fall.

The project transformed the longtime Banff hotel into the first North American property under Emblems Collection, Accor’s newest ultra-luxury brand, which is focused on hotels designed to reflect the character of their destinations.

Among the most significant changes is a redesign of all guestrooms and suites around views of the surrounding mountains. Beds have been positioned toward expansive windows and televisions were intentionally removed from guestrooms to encourage visitors to engage with the landscape, according to information provided by the hotel.

The transformation also firmly positions the property in Banff's ultra-luxury market.

During a July 19 reservation inquiry, one-night flexible rates started at about $1,425 after taxes and fees for a standard room in early October, while a Luxury Peak View King room in early September was quoted at approximately $1,675. According to the hotel's reservations team, the rooms are the same size and amenities, with the primary difference being the view and the Luxury Peak View rooms' location on the fourth through seventh floors. The hotel's signature Infinity Two Bedroom Suite, which features a 1,300-square-foot wraparound terrace, an outdoor barrel sauna, and a gas fire table, was quoted at more than $8,600 for one night. Rates fluctuate based on occupancy, time of year, and demand.

During the same inquiry, reservations staff said the hotel had no availability for one-night stays through Aug. 31, with the earliest available booking beginning Sept. 1.

The redevelopment also added what the hotel describes as Banff’s first luxury thermal wellness experience, centred on a 9,600-square-foot Bathhouse with hot pools, a salt sauna, steam room and glacial cold plunges. Outdoor amenities include a mountain-facing infinity pool and elevated vitality pool, while the facility also features meditation and movement spaces and an expanded fitness centre with a climbing wall.

Although the hotel has reopened, not all of those amenities are currently available. Hotel staff said the Bathhouse, movement area and outdoor pool remain in the final stages of completion, with the wellness facilities expected to fully open in early to mid-September.

Beyond the physical renovation, the hotel is building its guest experience around its location within Banff National Park. Oxford Properties Group, which acquired Rimrock in 2022, has positioned the redevelopment as an investment intended to build on the hotel’s legacy while helping drive tourism to the Canadian Rockies.

“Through this visionary redevelopment, Oxford will build on Rimrock’s storied legacy by delivering a timeless and elevated hospitality experience that helps drive tourism to the Canadian Rockies while maintaining its historic identity,” Tyler MacDonald, senior vice-president and head of hotels at Oxford Properties Group, said when the redevelopment was announced in 2025.

The hotel has introduced staff known as “Pathfinders,” who work with guests before and during their visits to plan activities and provide local knowledge about the national park.

Through a new Expeditions Centre, Pathfinders help arrange experiences ranging from guided hikes and glacier excursions to alpine yoga, forest bathing and Indigenous cultural programming.

“The transformation has opened an entirely new chapter for Rimrock, allowing the resort to offer a far more complete expression of Banff than ever before,” said Kymberley Hill, the hotel’s director of marketing, communications and partnerships.

Food and beverage offerings have also been overhauled, with four new concepts introduced. They include Parker’s Table, the main restaurant focused on seasonal Canadian ingredients; Rimrock Social, an all-day gathering space; The Listening Room, which pairs vinyl records with spirits, wine and food; and Rimrock Market, a dog-friendly coffee bar and beer garden intended to serve both hotel guests and the local community.

The Rimrock also has more than 18,000 square feet of meeting and event space across 11 venues. Its largest ballroom spans more than 6,000 square feet and can accommodate as many as 600 guests.

The hotel did not provide figures comparing employment levels before and after the closure. Hill said the workforce includes employees from 25 countries and every province in Canada, with a mix of returning staff, employees who remained through the redevelopment and new hires.

Early guest reactions to the reopening have been mixed. While many visitors have praised the hotel's redesigned rooms and contemporary aesthetic, some recent guests, including commenters in the Banff / Canmore Visitors Facebook group, have expressed disappointment that portions of the wellness facilities remain unavailable despite the reopening. Others have lamented the removal of longtime features, including the lobby's large stone fireplace and the former Eden fine dining restaurant, both of which were eliminated as part of the redevelopment.

The property sits on Mountain Avenue above the Banff townsite near the Upper Hot Springs, an area tied to Banff’s tourism industry since early visitors came seeking the therapeutic benefits of its mineral waters.

The modern Rimrock hotel opened in the early 1990s. More than three decades later, its transformation into the first North American Emblems Collection property marks the latest evolution of a site with roots stretching back to Banff’s earliest tourism era.