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Where to stay in Calgary

Calgary is a young, sunny city on the Bow River, and the gateway to Banff and the Rockies, about 90 minutes west. Stay Downtown for Stephen Avenue, the Calgary Tower, the river paths and free CTrain rides; in the Beltline for 17th Avenue's restaurants, bars and the Stampede grounds; or by the airport for an early flight or a quick start to the mountains. Downtown is about 25 minutes from the airport by car.

Find your area, then your hotel

Tap one of our picks, or any area, to see its hotels on the map, what it costs, where we'd book and how long it takes to get around.

In short: our pick for each kind of trip. Tap one to see why.

Should you stay in

Downtown?

Stephen Avenue, the Calgary Tower & the river

What a night costs

Budget
$80
Mid-range
$550
Luxury
$890

The dearest of the 3 areas, about $350 a night more than Airport.

Where we'd book

The verdict

The city centre, with the Stephen Avenue pedestrian street, the Calgary Tower, the +15 skywalks, Prince's Island Park, the East Village and free CTrain rides along 7th Avenue.

  • Stay here if
  • First-time visitors
  • Business travellers
  • Visitors heading to the Rockies
  • Look elsewhere if
  • You want lively streets every night
  • You want neighbourhood character
  • You're on a tight budget during Stampede

Minutes to the sights

  • Stephen Avenue4 minwalk
  • Calgary Tower5 minwalk
  • Chinatown11 minwalk
  • Central Library12 minwalk
  • Kensington13 min
  • Calgary Zoo13 min

Stations and airports

0 min to Downtown Calgary. The CTrain runs along 7th Avenue, where rides are free, with lines to the northwest, northeast and south. Route 300 runs to the airport. You'll want a car for Banff.

  • From Calgary International Airport (YYC)bus 57, tram 20245 min
Read the full Downtown guide →

Typical rates for a double outside peak events, not live prices. Updated Oct 2026 · How we rate areas · Minutes planned with the Transitous (MOTIS on published GTFS timetables and OpenStreetMap) for a weekday, including walking and waiting · Booking through our links costs you nothing extra and may earn us a commission. Learn more

Calgary questions

What is the best area to stay in Calgary for first-timers?

Downtown puts the big sights within easy reach and is 0 minutes from Downtown Calgary. Beltline are good alternatives.

Which area of Calgary has the cheapest hotels?

Airport and Beltline, with budget hotels from around $140 and mid-range around $200–$370 a night.

Where is the best nightlife in Calgary?

Beltline has the most bars, restaurants and late nights.

Is it worth staying outside central Calgary?

It can save around $350 a night on a mid-range room compared with Downtown, but adds travel time. Airport is 25 minutes from Downtown Calgary.