Jasper Hotels and Accommodation

(Jasper, Alberta - AB, Canada)

Although only a fairly small town in size, Jasper contains a surprisingly extensive selection of hotels, catering for the large number of tourists who descend on the townsite each year, and in general, lodging here tends to be cheaper and more readily available than in Banff. With so much accommodation to choose from, hotels in the Jasper area vary greatly, both in price and the facilities available.

Hotel rates in Jasper fluctuate wildly season by season, with accommodation being most expensive during the winter months and peak summer period. Lodging is often particularly busy around Christmas time and during the skiing season, when local hotels quickly become fully booked. Advance reservations are always recommended when looking for accommodation in the Jasper area, since demand can be extremely high. The typical spring break season can also be an especially busy time.

Where to Stay

Downtown Jasper is a lively part of the townsite and offers the most well-placed accommodation. Close to numerous restaurants and facilities, hotels within the downtown district line the main streets, particularly Connaught Drive and Patricia Street. During the winter skiing season, visitors frequently ski in the Marmot Basin area by day and stay in downtown hotels by night, enjoying the vibrant nightlife on offer in this central location.

Surrounding the whole townsite, the Jasper National Park provides some of the area's most scenic lodging, which includes hostels and camping sites, often popular with backpackers looking for budget accommodation. The main youth hostels include the HI Jasper along Whistlers Mountain Road, the HI Mount Edith Cavell on the southerly outskirts, and the HI Maligne Canyon hostel on Maligne Lake Road.

The main camping sites open from May through to early October and include the Whistlers Campground off the Icefields Parkway, the Wapiti Campground alongside the Athabasca River, the Snaring River Campground along the Yellowhead Highway, and the Wabasso Campground, to the south of the Jasper townsite.

Many of Jasper's largest modern hotels, inns and motels can be found on the northern side of the town, close to the Athabasca River, Connaught Drive and the Pyramid Lakes Road. Offering superb views of the surrounding mountainous scenery, this accommodation is generally less expensive, although still within easy reach of the downtown attractions.

For more historical lodging in the Jasper townsite, head to the very heart of the downtown district, where you will find a number of charming hotels, with restaurants, nightclubs and bars nearby. Also of note, one of the area's most famous old hotels is the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, which dates back to 1922 and is located just outside of the town, on the other side of the Athabasca River. The Park Lodge boasts four-star accommodation, stunning views of the surrounding snowcapped mountains and its very own renowned par-71 golf course.