2017 IRMA Conference, Banff, Alberta, Canada

The Rimrock Resort Hotel 

300 Mountain Avenue, P.O. Box 1110, Banff, Alberta, Canada T1L 1J2
Canada & United States Toll Free: 1-888-RIMROCK (746-7625)

October 13-17, 2017

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Sign up for the shuttle buses and book your Lake Louise Excursion Activities here.

Dates

Key Websites and Contact Info:

IRMA Official Conference Site: http://www.irmamagazines.com/irma-conference2017/

The Rimrock Resort Hotel: http://www.rimrockresort.com/

Rimrock Room Reservations at IRMA’s Special Group Rate: Rimrock Reservations

Conference Planner: Dianne Davis, diannedavis@tulnet.com or 918.636.4061

Onsite Coordinator: Tiffany Davis, tdavis@tulnet.com or 918.720.2704

IRMA Executive Director: Tara Flint, irma@regionalmagazines.org, 416-705-6884

The Host Hotel

The Rimrock is a AAA/CAA Four Diamond Hotel located in the heart of the Canadian Rockies and Banff National Park, a five-minute drive from the town of Banff.

The Rimrock offers incredible views of the Canadian Rockies, fine dining, a relaxation spa and well-appointed accommodations. The Rimrock Resort Hotel will be a unique place for yet another memorable IRMA Conference.

The Rimrock is 1.5 hours west of Calgary International Airport (approx. 90 miles/145 kilometers). Direct or one-stop flights connect to Calgary from most major North American cities.  Shuttle Service to Banff and car rentals are available at the Calgary International Airport.

The Rimrock is located steps from the very awesome Banff Upper Hot Springs and the Banff Gondola. Plus the resort is in close proximity to some of Banff’s premier activities which include golfing, hiking, biking and popular sights and attractions.

Guest Rooms: There are three different accommodation types available for this year’s IRMA attendees.

  1. Standard 2-Queen Guest Rooms – $178.00 single or double occupancy
  2. Standard King Guest Rooms – $193.00 single or double occupancy
  3. Premium 2-Queen Guest Rooms – $228.00 single or double occupancy

Other Guest Room Details:

  1. Rates – are in Canadian Dollars and are plus applicable tax, currently 11%. Added guests are $25.00 per night, per guest for a maximum of 4 guests per room.
  2. Standard Guest Rooms – views are obstructed by parts of the building or trees.
  3. Premium Guest Rooms – views are of the spectacular surrounding mountains.
  4. Upgraded Accommodations – IRMA attendees may upgrade their guest room from Standard or Premium Rooms to Grandview Rooms or Suites by contacting the Rimrock directly at 1-888-RIMROCK.
  5. Special Rate Cut-Off Date – in order to qualify for the discounted rate, your reservation must be made by Monday, September 11, 2017. After this date our discounted rate is subject to availability.
  6. Guest Room Size – approximately 350 sq. ft.
  7. Guest Room Amenities Include – cable TV, upgraded On Command Media Center for in room movies, complimentary Internet access, mini-fridge, air-conditioning, two telephones, data port, hair dryer, iron/ironing board, 32” LCD TV’s, and complimentary in-room coffee service.
  8. Complimentary Service Charge – a service charge of $9.00 per room, per day has been included in the above listed guest room rates to cover porterage and housekeeping.
  9. Pre/Post Stays – The Rimrock will extend the above group rates, three days before and three days after the contracted conference dates of Tuesday, October 10, 2017 to Wednesday, October 18, 2017, subject to guestroom availability.

Resort Amenities:

  1. Rimrock Spa includes – Spa Services, Sauna, Steam Rooms, Indoor Pool & Whirlpool, Olympic Free Weights, Atlantis Multi-Station, Cardiovascular Equipment, Squash Court, Lockers, Complete Shower & Vanity
  2. Wireless Internet – access is available in guest rooms, hotel public space, and spa
  3. Dining – The Rimrock features include Eden, Western Canada’s only Five Diamond award winning restaurant; casual dining in the Primrose Dining Room, Larkspur & Divas Lounges; 24 hour Room Service, Signature Coffee Shop
  4. Onsite Shopping Boutiques
  5. Downtown Transit – The Rimrock offers complimentary access to IRMA guests to the “Roam:” Public Transit System to and from downtown Banff. The shuttle departs from the front of the hotel every forty minutes beginning at 6.35am and ending at 11:15pm. There are cabs available for after-hours transportation.

Arrival/Departure:  The Rimrock check-in time is 4:00pm MT on your scheduled day of arrival with a checkout time of 12:00pm MT on your scheduled day of departure.  Guests arriving before 4:00pm MT will be accommodated in their reserved room type on a first available basis.  The bell staff will arrange to check baggage for guests arriving early when rooms are not available and for guests attending functions on the day of departure.  Additionally, the Resort facilities are available for use by IRMA guests in either of these circumstances.

Cancellation Policy:  Cancellation requests must be received at least 72 hours prior to stay to avoid a fee equal to one night’s room and tax. This fee, if applicable, will be directed to the form of payment that was used to guarantee the reservation.

Smoking Policy:  All guest rooms and suites at The Rimrock Resort Hotel are non-smoking. A $250 cleaning fee will be applied for any evidence of smoking in guest rooms upon departure.

Hotel Parking: Heated indoor self-parking = $16.00 per night. Valet parking = $30.00 per night.

Getting Here

Ground Transportation

We have negotiated a discount for schedule shuttle service between the Calgary Airport and Banff. This brings the price to $121.90 CDN Round Trip / person. Use promo code IRMA on the final payment page.

Banff Airporter Shuttle: http://www.banffairporter.com/rates/

Banff Airporter offers the most extensive schedule between Calgary International Airport and Banff, starting as early as 5am from Banff and departing as late as 10:30pm from Calgary International Airport. The ride curb to curb is two hours.

As you begin to book travel to Banff for IRMACON 2017, October 13 – 16th, we have negotiated a discount at Banff Airporter Shuttle. You will receive 15% off the Banff Airporter’s scheduled shuttle service between the Calgary Airport and Banff.

Click www.banffairporter.com Proceed through the reservation and type – IRMA – in the Promo Code section on the final payment page to receive the discount. If any assistance is need please phone us at (888) 449-2901.

Note! Parking onsite at the Rimrock is $16.00 per overnight, self park and $30.00 per night for valet. Banff is not a very parking-friendly city. My suggestion is to take the Banff Airporter over to the Rimrock to save costs on both rental car and parking. There is ongoing, complimentary shuttle service between the Rimrock and downtown Banff. Please let me know if you have questions!

Driving directions:

From Calgary International Airport– Travel Distance: Approximately 128 km/1.5 hours

Follow Highway 1 West towards Banff. Take the first entrance to Banff onto Banff Avenue. The Rimrock Resort Hotel is at the far end of Banff. Follow Banff Avenue through town and across the bridge. At the traffic lights, turn left and follow the right hand lane onto Mountain Avenue. The Rimrock Resort Hotel is approximately 3km on the left hand side.

Tourist Information

Currency Exchange: http://www.x-rates.com/calculator/?from=CAD&to=USD&amount=1

Roam: Banff’s Public Transit System:  http://roamtransit.com/schedules-routes/banff-local-route-one/

You’ll find handy visitor information at The Banff & Lake Louise Visitor Site.

Weather and Clothing

October in Banff can provide a variety of weather conditions; it can be fairly unpredictable (with everything from pleasant conditions to an occasional blizzard) because it is a transitional month, be sure to pack accordingly. Temperatures can range from an average high of 10°C (50°F) to an average low of -1°C (30°F).

Suggested dress is Casual and Mountain Casual for Meetings and Meals.  Business Casual for the Friday Night Opening Reception.  And Classy Cocktail for the Monday Night Closing Reception and Awards Banquet although ties for men are not required.

Things to Do

Banff National Park: http://www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/ab/banff/index.aspx

Banff Upper Hot Springs: http://www.hotsprings.ca/ 

Banff Gondola: https://www.brewster.ca/attractions-sightseeing/banff-gondola/#/0

Parks Canada: Free 2017 Parks Canada Discovery Pass: Celebrate Canada’s 150th Birthday with a FREE pass to all National Parks.

Member Materials

Magazine members are encouraged to bring a maximum of 15 copies of their latest issue only to the conference in their luggage, to share with other members.

Please do not ship any magazines directly to the hotel or to the IRMA office. Sending directly to the hotel will result in handling charges being charged to your guest room. Magazines will be displayed throughout the conference. Any copies leftover after the conference will be donated or recycled.

Note – You’ll be asked to update your IRMA magazine exchange information at the conference.