By LIZ BRUCKNER
FantasyLand Hotel at the West Edmonton Mall
Complimentary breakfast and Wi-Fi aside, when visiting a hotel with the shorter set, it’s the kid-specific perks that garner real praise with parents. From kid concierges to in-hotel scavenger hunts, these nationwide homes-away-from-home earn serious child-friendly clout. (more…)
Owner's Suite terrace at Vancouver's Fairmont Pacific Rim
By WAHEEDA HARRIS
Want to live the life of an A-lister in Canada? In addition to the de rigueur European vehicle and the haute couture clothing labels, those who live well travel well, too.
A night's stay in one of these exclusive hotel suites may cost more than a monthly mortgage payment.
Best Vancouver Luxury Spas in Hotels: the Willow Stream Spa at the Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel
There’s plenty to see and do in Vancouver, but don’t forget to take some me time—you are on vacation, after all. You don’t even have to leave your digs to indulge yourself, considering many hotels house some of the best luxury spas in Vancouver. Hitting the spa is perfect rainy day activity—and there are plenty such days in Vancouver. Or try this good tip: spend the morning appreciating nature with a hike on Grouse Mountain or a stroll in Stanley Park, then book an afternoon spa appointment to reward yourself for all the exercise.
Best Hotel Cocktail Lounges in Vancouver: the Lobby Lounge at Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel (Photo: Chirstopher Edmonds/Fairmont Pacific Rim)
Straight up and dirty, or shaken with a twist? We’re talking cocktail lounges here, and Vancouver’s flourishing bar scene has more and more venues for excellent imbibing these days. The trend has attracted top-notch bartenders from all over the world to Vancouver’s hotel lounges, where they take drink-mixing to a new heights. If you’re up for a night out, be sure to try one of these luxe hotel lounges.
By TIM JOHNSON
The first thing one notices about the Fairmont Pacific Rim hotel is its sweeping views of Vancouver. The shimmering silver building is perched on the edge of the city’s harbour, providing unique perspectives of downtown, the Coast Mountains and float planes taking off and landing on the water. The location provides much more, though—the Fairmont Pacific Rim is within walking distance of Stanley Park, Gastown and pretty much everything worth seeing in central Vancouver.
By TIM JOHNSON
It wasn’t so long ago that airport hotels were notorious for their mediocrity, one-and-done affairs that (sometimes) offered a decent night of sleep—and little more—to travellers who were interested in just one thing: being close to the airport. (more…)
By KAT TANCOCK
Southern fried chicken and waffles at the Drake Hotel, Toronto (Photo: courtesy of the Drake Hotel)
Location’s lovely and a soft bed’s swell, but for our money, we’ll take a hotel with a standout breakfast to fuel our wanderings any day of the week.
Here are 10 of the best and most drool-inducing, extravagant and unique breakfasts at Canadian hotels. (more…)
By WAHEEDA HARRIS
John Lennon Suite at the Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth in Montreal, site of the famous 1969 "bed-in" (Photo: Fairmont Hotels & Resorts)
Whether spectacular, notorious, or just plain odd, these hotels all have a story to tell.
One served as a backdrop for a rare Marilyn Monroe photo shoot when she was at the height of her fame, another was the site of John and Yoko’s legendary “bed-in” in the ’60s, still others were hideouts for bootleggers and recluses.
HI-Lake Louise Alpine Centre hostel in Banff National Park. Photo by Simon Starr.
By Candice Walsh
The hostel scene in Canada has been growing these past few years and with all the added competition hostels have had to step up their game. In the process, they’ve realized that a good bargain doesn’t only appeal to university students on spring break or summer vacation. (more…)
By SHANNON KELLY
Quebec City's Château Frontenac (Photo by HuTDoG83)
Is anything better than a good ghost story? Have your own to tell after you spend a night at one of these hotels known for their paranormal activity. After hearing creepy tales of murders, hangings and ghosts snuggling up to guests in bed, you’ll be thankful if things merely go bump in the night. Happy Halloween!
1. Fairmont Algonquin
St. Andrews-by-the-Sea, New Brunswick
The most haunted room in the 19th-century hotel is rumoured to be no. 473, where guests report seeing a weeping bride, the ghost of a woman who apparently took her own life in the room after being left at the altar. Guests have also recounted sightings of a ghostly bellhop roaming the halls. The hotel revels in its haunted history, telling campfire ghost stories and giving ghost tours. Book it.