Best Hotel Bets

The Best Luxury Hotels & Resorts

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.

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 & Châteaux (St. Andrews, New Brunswick; tel. 506/529-1897): This new 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 (just 30 rooms and cottages) 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.

Loews Hôtel Vogue (Montréal, Québec; tel. 800/465-6654 or 514/285-5555): What was once just an anonymous midrise office building has turned into the king of the hill of Montréal hotels. The Vogue targeted international executives on the go, and little was left to chance. Even the standard rooms come with fax machines, four phones, computer ports, bathroom TVs, and whirlpool bathtubs. Tins of caviar are tucked into the minibars. People with cellphones at the ready fill the lobby espresso bar and adjacent dining room. Even after two changes in management, the Vogue remains steady on its course.

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 80 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.

Manitowaning Lodge Golf & Tennis Resort (Manitowaning, Ontario; tel. 705/859-3136): This resort on Manitoulin Island is an idyllic island retreat. A lodge and cottages are set on 4.5 hectares (11 acres) of beautiful gardens. The lodge, with its huge hand-hewn beams, a mask of the Spirit of Manitowaning, and images of the First Nations protective spirit, provides a serene setting to restore the spirit.

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 château 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. From the kilted bellman to the gargoyles on the walls, this is 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.

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 guestrooms 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.

The Best Bed & Breakfasts

The Manse (Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia; tel. 902/624-1121): There's not a bad room in this four-room B&B, built in 1870 on a low hill in the picturesque village of Mahone Bay. Spend the day browsing local shops, then retreat in the evening to the casual luxury of this top-rated lodge.

Shipwright Inn (Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island; tel. 888/306-9966 or 902/368-1905): This in-town seven-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): The centrally located B&B is bright, cheerful, and whimsical. Opened in 1999 by a restaurateur from Toronto, the inn preserves the best of the historical elements in this century-old home while graciously updating it 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 17 rooms, 7 with private bathroom.

Thea's House (Banff, Alberta; tel. 403/762-2499): Banff's most upscale B&B, Thea's House manages to combine rustic charm and modern elegance. 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.