The Juniper Hotel is a new location for select BIRS workshops in 2023. The Juniper offers a peaceful research setting comparable to BIRS traditional Banff Centre location. The Juniper is a boutique hotel with a small number of rooms – BIRS participants will make up the vast majority of hotel guests during your stay. All workshop activities and meals will take place at the hotel.

Below are some answers to some frequently asked questions. If you have more questions about your upcoming stay at the Juniper please send an e-mail to [email protected].

Frequently Asked Questions

Where will workshop activities take place?

The Juniper Hotel’s Kiguli Room will host all workshop activities.

Can I provide a talk with a board or projector?

The Kiguli room will be set up in a classroom setting with white boards and a laptop/projector set-up. If you are presenting a slideshow you can plug your computer in via HDMI or you can transfer your slides to the BIRS laptop and use the BIRS laptop to present your slides.

Will my talk be recorded?

If you wish to be recorded BIRS technical staff will ensure your lecture video is edited and published on the BIRS website. You will receive an automated e-mail from BIRS to confirm your consent to publish the video on our website.

I am a virtual participant; how can I interact with in-person participants or provide a lecture?

Virtual participants can interact directly with the in-person participants via Zoom. The zoom meeting will be connected to allow seamless communication between virtual and in-person participants. The zoom link will be e-mailed to you from BIRS staff during the week prior to the workshop.

How can I share my slides on the workshop webpage?

BIRS staff will provide a file sharing link and password to all participants via e-mail during the week prior to the workshop. Please follow the instructions in this e-mail to publish your slides. If you are unsuccessful in your attempt to upload, please e-mail your slides to [email protected] – ensure your workshop ID is included in the e-mail subject line.

What type of hotel room will be booked for me at the Juniper Hotel? Can I book a suite?

All participants will be automatically assigned to a Juniper Standard Room. These rooms are equipped with either 1 queen bed or 2 double beds. Here is a link to the room description. If you wish to upgrade your room please contact the Juniper Hotel reservation department for availability and pricing. Participants are responsible to pay all costs associated with a room upgrade.

Can the Juniper Bistro accommodate my dietary needs?

The Juniper Bistro can accommodate any dietary requirement with notice. Please list your dietary requirements during the RSVP process. If you are uncertain about whether you entered your requests during the RSVP process please send an e-mail to [email protected] with your request. Please include your workshop ID in the subject line of your e-mail.

Is it possible for me to extend my stay at the hotel before or after the workshop?

It is possible to extend your stay at the Juniper; however, BIRS cannot pay for any accommodations outside of the workshop dates. To secure an extended stay you will need to contact the hotel reservations team to make a private booking for the extra night(s). Be sure to mention that you are a BIRS participant and the reservations staff will do their best to keep you in the same room for the duration of your stay.

What time is check-in and check-out?

Standard check in time is 4:00PM. Standard check out time is 11:00AM.

What meals are provided for participants?

BIRS provides breakfast, lunch and dinner for all participants starting with dinner service on Sunday and ending with lunch service on Friday.

Breakfast is served buffet style from 7:30AM – 8:30AM. Lunch is served buffet style from 12:00PM to 1:30PM. Dinner is served in two separate á la carte services; seating 1 begins at 5:30PM, seating 2 begins at 6:30PM and seating 3 begins at 7:30PM.

BIRS staff will send you a seating sign-up e-mail during the weeks preceding the workshop. Seatings will be assigned on a first-come first-served basis. Seating times will be assigned and posted for your review upon check-in.

Is it possible to change my dinner seating time?

BIRS participants can review their assigned meal times upon check-in at the hotel. Depending on availability you may be able to choose a different time.

Can I bring guest(s) to the workshop? Is there an associated fee?

With a standard room, you can bring 1 adult guest and up-to 2 children to share your room during your stay. Larger families will need to contact the hotel to book a larger room (participants are responsible for the extra cost).

There is no cost to bring your family of up-to 4 but please bear in mind that you are responsible to pay for any guest meals taken during your stay. Please indicate your # of guests/children on your RSVP form or e-mail [email protected] to update your record. If you are bringing more than 1 adult guest the hotel will charge a $25/day fee.

Can my guest dine with me during the workshop?

Guests are not eligible to attend BIRS participant meals. BIRS participants will dine at a designated section of the bistro. The bistro will offer public brunch and dinner service daily (alongside BIRS meals) and your guests are more than welcome to attend brunch or dinner service there. These meals can be charged to your room and can be settled upon check-out. Here is a link with information on public dinning at the Juniper Bistro.

Can I walk to downtown Banff from the Juniper hotel?

We do not recommend walking from the Juniper to downtown Banff. The highway overpass is not well equipped for pedestrians. BIRS will provide 2 taxi vouchers to each participant upon check-in. These vouchers are valid for a 1-way trip between the Juniper and downtown Banff. Front desk staff can help you secure a taxi.

How do I get from the Calgary airport to the Juniper?

You will need to book ground transportation from the airport to the Juniper Hotel. Banff Airporter is a popular service provider. BIRS participants can get a small discount with Banff Airporter by using promo code “BIRS”.