The Malcolm Hotel, Canmore, AB
A ten–minute drive from the Banff National Park gate, this 124–room luxury resort pays homage to the town’s namesake, Scottish King Malcolm III, whose Gaelic nickname was “Ceann Mo’r,” meaning Big Head or Great Leader. The king looms larger than life in a full–length portrait in the lobby (cue the kilts and bagpipes), and you’ll find echoes of his blue, silver and grey tartan pattern in the orderly pattern of the roof garden’s succulent plants, or splashed across the banquettes at the Stirling Grill. There, you can nosh on Galway butter chicken or the Malcolm mac ’n’ cheese (with Mornay sauce and broccoli). Every sleekly modern room here has a view, either of the iconic Three Sisters peaks or their dignified counterpart, Mount Lady Macdonald. Depending on the season, relax on the patio, soak in the pool and hot tubs, or cozy up to the outdoor firepits after a hike, snowshoe jaunt or dogsled ride. Or, on two nearby courses, play a round of the insanely popular disc golf.