The Best Inns and Bed & Breakfasts in Canada
- 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.
- Banberry House (St. John's, Newfoundland; tel. 877/579-8226 or 709/579-8006): This centrally located B&B boasts stained glass from 1892 by the same craftsman who worked on a nearby basilica. It is full of carefully preserved historical authenticity, and the breakfast features local delicacies made on-site, with the menu changing daily.
- 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 bathrooms.
- Banff Boutique Inn (Banff, Alberta; tel. 403/762-4636): A local couple with a passion for inn-keeping have turned an old-fashioned building (originally built as a European-style pension in 1943) into a lovely inn, with modern decor and mountain hospitality. The excellent breakfast spread includes a wide variety of home-baked goodies and is served in a cozy room with contemporary works by local artists.
- The Albion Manor (Victoria, British Columbia; tel. 877/389-0012): Recent renovations have worked miracles, transforming this 1892 heritage house into an art-inspired home. The artist-owners have a background in staging international expos, so decor incorporates whimsical sculptures (sometimes edgy and always theatrical), Victorian-era antiques, and well-traveled pieces from Morocco to Papua New Guinea for an eclectic, one-of-a-kind ambiance. Nearly every item has a story. Guest rooms, beds, and lounges are exceptionally comfortable, with intriguing items.
