- Keltic Lodge (Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia; tel. 800/565-0444 or 902/285-2880): It's got grand natural drama in the sea-pounded cliffs that surround it, plus a generous measure of high culture. (Jackets on men at dinner, please!) The adjacent golf course is stupendous, and some of the national park's best hikes are close at hand.
- Kingsbrae Arms Relais & Chateaux (St. Andrews, New Brunswick; tel. 506/529-1897): This deluxe inn manages the trick of being opulent and comfortable at the same time. The shingled manse is lavishly appointed, beautifully landscaped, and well situated for exploring charming St. Andrews.
- Dalvay-by-the-Sea (Grand Tracadie, Prince Edward Island; tel. 902/672-2048): This intimate resort (it has fewer than 35 rooms and cottages total) is on a quiet stretch of beach. The Tudor mansion was built by a business partner of John D. Rockefeller, and the woodwork alone is enough to keep you entertained during your stay. Bring your bike.
- Hotel Le St-James (Montreal; tel. 866/841-3111 or 514/841-3111): Old Montreal's surge of designer hotels spans the spectrum from superminimalist to gentlemen's club. The opulent Le St-James sits squarely at the gentlemen's club end of the range. A richly paneled entry leads to a grand hall with carved urns, bronze chandeliers, and balconies with gilded metal balustrades, and the 60 units are furnished with entrancing antiques and impeccable reproductions. A stone-walled, candle-lit spa offers massage and full-body water therapy.
- Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac (Quebec; tel. 800/441-1414 or 418/692-3861): The turreted hotel opened in 1893 and has hosted Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip; during World War II, Winston Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt had the entire place to themselves for a conference. Luxurious rooms are outfitted with regal decor and elegant chateau furnishings. Bathrooms have marble touches and every mattress was replaced in 2006 and 2007. Fairmont Gold floors, with a separate concierge and a lounge with an honor bar, offer expansive views of the St. Lawrence River and the old city below.
- Park Hyatt Toronto (tel. 800/233-1234 or 416/925-1234): Talk about having it all -- the Park Hyatt boasts a beautifully renovated Art Deco building, a creative dining room (Annona), a serene spa, top-notch service, and one of the best views in the city from the rooftop terrace lounge (where they mix a mighty martini, too). This is a place to relax and let yourself be pampered.
- Langdon Hall (Cambridge, Ontario; tel. 800/268-1898 or 519/740-2100): This quintessential English country house, built in 1902 for the granddaughter of John Jacob Astor, is now a small hotel where you can enjoy 81 hectares (200 acres) of lawns, gardens, and woodlands. The guest rooms feature the finest amenities, fabrics, and furnishings. Facilities include a full spa, a pool, a tennis court, a croquet lawn, and an exercise room. The airy dining room overlooking the lily pond offers fine Continental cuisine.
- Delta Bessborough (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan; tel. 800/268-1133 or 306/244-5521): Canada is famous for its historic, turn-of-the-20th-century luxury hotels built by the railways, but none is more unexpected than this massive French chateau in the midst of the Saskatchewan prairies. Beautifully restored, the Bessborough is more than a relic -- it's a celebration of the past. Expect exemplary service, comfortable rooms, and the giddy feeling that you're on the Loire, not the South Saskatchewan River.
- The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise (Banff National Park, Alberta; tel. 800/441-1414 or 403/522-3511): First of all, there's the view: Across a tiny gem-green lake rise massive cliffs shrouded in glacial ice. And then there's the hotel: Part hunting lodge, part European palace, the Chateau is its own community, with sumptuous boutiques, sports-rental facilities, seven dining areas, two bars, magnificent lobby areas, and beautifully furnished guest rooms.
- Fairmont Hotel Macdonald (Edmonton, Alberta; tel. 800/441-1414 or 780/424-5181): When the Canadian Pacific bought and refurbished this landmark hotel in the 1980s, all the charming period details were preserved, while all the inner workings were modernized and brought up to snuff. The result is a regally elegant but friendly small hotel, a real class act.
- Westin Bayshore Resort & Marina (Vancouver, British Columbia; tel. 800/937-8461 or 604/682-3377): Vancouver's only resort hotel with its own marina, the Westin Bayshore looks out across the Burrard Inlet to the mountains and west to the vast expanse of Stanley Park. The finishes throughout are top quality, the beds divine, the pool is one of the largest in North America, and the size of the hotel (which includes a spa and conference center) makes it like a small, luxurious city.
- The Wickaninnish Inn (Tofino, British Columbia; tel. 800/333-4604 in North America, or 250/725-3100): No matter which room you book in this beautiful new lodge, you'll wake to a magnificent view of the untamed Pacific. The inn is on a rocky promontory, surrounded by an old-growth spruce and cedar rainforest and the sprawling sands of Long Beach. In summer, try golfing, fishing, or whale-watching. In winter, shelter by the fire in the Pointe restaurant and watch the wild Pacific storms roll in.
- Brentwood Bay Lodge & Spa (Victoria, British Columbia; tel. 888/544-2079 or 250/544-2079): Every detail has been carefully considered and beautifully rendered in this contemporary timber-and-glass lodge located on a pristine inlet about 20 minutes north of downtown Victoria. With its contemporary rooms, fabulous spa, fine-dining room, and host of amenities, guests experience the luxurious best of the Pacific Northwest.
- Four Seasons Resort Whistler (Whistler, British Columbia; tel. 888/935-2460 or 604/935-3400): This grand -- even monumental -- hotel is the classiest place to stay in Whistler, which is saying something. This is a hotel with many moods, from the Wagnerian scale of the stone-lined lobby to the precise gentility of the guest rooms to the faint and welcome silliness of the tiled and back-lit stone fixtures of the restaurant. This is a great hotel that's not afraid to make big statements.
- Shipwright Inn (Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island; tel. 888/306-9966 or 902/368-1905): This in-town, nine-room B&B is within easy walking distance of all of the city's attractions yet has a settled and pastoral feel. It's informed by a Victorian sensibility without being over the top about it.
- At Wit's Inn (St. John's, Newfoundland; tel. 877/739-7420 or 709/739-7420): This centrally located B&B is bright, cheerful, and whimsical. Opened in 1999 by a restaurateur from Toronto, the inn preserves the best historical elements of its century-old home while graciously updating things for modern tastes.
- Beild House (Collingwood, Ontario; tel. 888/322-3453 or 705/444-1522): On Fridays, you can sit down to a splendid five-course dinner before retiring to the bed that belonged to the duke and duchess of Windsor. A sumptuous breakfast will follow the next morning. This handsome 1909 house contains 11 rooms, 7 with private bathroom.
- Thea's House (Banff, Alberta; tel. 403/762-2499): Thea's House manages to combine rustic charm and modern elegance, right in the heart of Banff. This refined log-and-stone lodging is a short walk from the busy throngs along Banff Avenue, but it feels miles away in terms of restful comfort. Expect antiques, pine furniture, luxurious amenities, and a friendly but discreet welcome.
- The Haterleigh Heritage Inn (Victoria, British Columbia; tel. 866/234-2244 or 250/384-9995): This exceptional B&B captures the essence of Victoria's romance with a combination of antique furniture, original stained-glass windows, and attentive personal service. The spacious rooms boast high ceilings, large windows, sitting areas, and enormous bathrooms, some with hand-painted tiles and Jacuzzi tubs. Everything is immaculate, and the suites make for wonderful romantic weekends.
The Best Luxury Hotels & Resorts
The Best Bed & Breakfasts
