CALGARY - Canadian Rockies: Including Banff and Jasper National Parks - page 474

$200-250
M Hotel Arts (119 12th Ave. SW, 403/266-4611 or 800/661-9378, www.hotelarts.ca ,
$249-436 s or d) is a newish 12-story, 188-room accommodation on the south side
of the railway tracks, within easy walking distance of Stampede Park. The rooms are
contemporary-slick, with 42-inch LCD flat-screen TVs, cordless phones, high-speed Inter-
net access, luxurious bathrooms, and plush beds with goose-down duvets. Downstairs is a
fitness room, an outdoor heated pool surrounded by a beautiful patio, a restaurant, and a
lounge.
The International Hotel Suites Calgary (220 4th Ave. SW, 403/265-9600 or 800/
661-8627, www.internationalhotel.ca , $245-295 s or d) features 250 one- and two-bed-
room suites, an indoor pool, a fitness room, and a restaurant.
$250-300
When I spend the night in Calgary on business, I try to stay somewhere different every
time (in the name of research). But when it's a special occasion, it's difficult to beat the M
Kensington Riverside Inn (1126 Memorial Dr. NW, Kensington, 403/228-4442 or 877/
313-3733, www.kensingtonriversideinn.com , $299-369 s or d), surprisingly the city's only
boutique hotel. Why? From the moment I'm tempted by a homemade cookie from the jar
at the reception to the moment I slide between the Egyptian cotton sheets that top out ultra-
comfortable mattresses, the inn has a captivating atmosphere that is unlike any other city
accommodation. Each of the 19 guest rooms has a slightly different feel (from bold con-
temporary to warmly inviting) and layout (some have a private balcony, others have a gas
fireplace or jetted tub), but it's in-room niceties such as heated towel racks or a quiet hour
spent in the central living room with evening hors d'oeuvres that make the inn super spe-
cial. A coffee tray and morning paper left by your door, followed by a gourmet breakfast
served in the downstairs Chef's Table dining room, are included in the rates. The inn is
across the Bow River from downtown in Kensington, one of Calgary's hippest neighbor-
hoods.
Over $300
One block north from the Calgary Tower is the M Hyatt Regency Calgary (700 Centre
St., 403/717-1234 or 800/492-8804, www.calgary.hyatt.com , $319-469 s or d). Incorporat-
ing a historic building along Stephen Avenue Walk in its construction, this 21-story hotel
features an indoor swimming pool, a refined lounge, over 500 pieces of original art, and
a renowned restaurant specializing in Canadian cuisine. The hotel's Stillwater Spa is the