If it’s only the best for your clients, consider Vancouver. And Whistler. Oh, and Tofino, too.
US News has issued its annual ranking of the best hotels in Canada, and British Columbia took home a whopping six of the top ten spots. Ontario, the most populous province in the country, only got one nod, while Quebec got two and Newfoundland one.
Finishing at the top of the podium was the Rosewood Hotel Georgia, a downtown Vancouver gem with a gorgeous, old-style lobby, wonderful service and luxurious roooms that feature showers big enough for the Canadian ski team.
US News said guests feel that hotel staff treats them like royalty” and that they loved the Nespresson coffee makers, the Hawksworth Restaurant (from famed Canadian chef David Hawksworth) and the 1927 bar, named for the year the building was finished.
Second on the US News list was the sumptuous and sleek Ritz Carlton in Montreal, a lovely spot in the heart of downtown with a killer champagne bar and stylish rooms. The website gave a nod to the hotel’s “sophisticated accommodations and superb service.”
Taking the bronze medal was The Wickaninnish Inn near Tofino on the west coast of Vancouver Island. It’s an outstanding property on a beautiful stretch of beach, with lots of woodsy, natural touches, great food and a truly magical spa where you can get treatments just a few feet from the Pacific Ocean. US News described “The Wick” as “a bit of Relais and Chateaux luxury amid the pines.”
Fourth spot on the list went to The Wedgewood Hotel and Spa in downtown Vancouver, noted for “attentive, gracious and personable” service and for rooms featuring “expansive balconies.”
The fifth place ranking was awarded to Auberge Saint-Antoine, a lovely, historic property in the lower city. Guests raved about the hotel’s “elegant decor, featuring European artifacts and modern accents.”
Here’s the rest of the top ten from the US News report:
6. Fairmont Pacific Rim, Vancouver
7. Shangri-La Hotel, Vancouver
8. Four Seasons Resort and Residences, Whistler
9. The Hazelton Hotel, Toronto
10. Fogo Island Inn, Newfoundland
One can always quibble with such lists. As a Toronto-based writer (okay, start the heckling), I’m a bit surprised there aren’t more Toronto hotels on the list (the Ritz, the new Four Seasons and the Shangri-La are all fabulous properties). And I’d personally put Fogo Island Inn at the very top, just because it’s so wildly different and because their “give back to the community” policies are having such an impact on their little corner of Newfoundland. But we all have our opinions, and politely disagreeing with any kind of list is part of what makes them fun to read.
Visit Travel Pulse for Jim Byers’ list of Canada’s Best Hotels