The Best Resorts to Book in Canada

Just off the Vancouver coast, on pretty Pender Island, Poets Cove is a hidden resort in Canada with 22 lodge rooms, 15 cottages and nine villas peppered along the waterfront. Opt for one of the cottages or villas for private hot tubs, wood-burning fireplaces and grand views. When you’re not sampling the best of Gulf Island cuisine at the on-site restaurants, a visit to the eucalyptus steam cave at Susurrus Spa should be top of your list.

On a stunning patch of Vancouver Island waterfront, Brentwood Bay Resort – one of the top resorts in Canada – has 36 ocean-view suites and villas with king-size beds, warming fireplaces, floor-to-ceiling windows and spa-like bathrooms with jacuzzi tubs. After a day spent swimming in the outdoor pool and being thoroughly pampered at the spa, be sure to save space for one of the waffles at the Arbutus Room – try the carrot cake waffle-donut with mascarpone whip, pineapple and caramel sauce.

Tucked away in snowy Muskoka, equidistant from Toronto and Ottawa, Deerhurst Resort is just a 15-minute walk from the Hidden Valley Highlands ski area. Rooms are well appointed and cater to families, couples and groups, and there’s an on-site golf course for the warmer months as well. When you’re not skiing, time is best spent exploring the spa or eating pub grub at the Maple Pub.

With a castle-like facade rising above the pines, Fairmont Banff Springs is the ultimate gateway to Banff National Park. Rooms at this luxury resort in Canada offer stunning views of the Rocky Mountains, vistas also seen from the outdoor heated whirlpool at the Willow Stream Spa. The hardest decision you’ll have to make is where to have dinner – there’s a French brasserie, modern Italian restaurant and a chop house, the latter with an award-winning wine list.

With views across Vancouver Island’s Saanich Inlet and the Olympic Mountains, Villa Eyrie Resort is an elegant and secluded escape. The Italian influences are immediately apparent, with beamed balconies, arched windows and marble-clad deep-soak tubs. The Tuscan Spa is the ultimate way to unwind, while Alpina Restaurant is led by executive chef Mario Gross; a weekday happy hour will help oil conversation long into the evening.

Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, which is set beside the emerald green Beauvert Lake in Alberta, offers a slew of sleek lodge rooms and deeply romantic cabins. In the warmer months, carve out time for the 18-hole golf course – it dates back to 1925 and is considered one of the finest in the country – or visit the award-winning spa at this luxury resort in Canada and marvel at the surrounding Canadian Rocky Mountains.

A two-hour drive from both Montreal and Quebec City, Hotel Sacacomie sits pretty above the teal lake of the same name. Surrounded by a lush pine forest, rooms have a log cabin feel, and most come with whirlpool tubs, too. Dining is upscale, with delights such as bouillabaisse and duck breast on the menu, while snowy days are perfect for retreating to the GEOS Spa – a dip into the outdoor hot tubs while the snow falls around you is a must.

In a secluded area of Wells Gray Provincial Park, British Columbia, Cedar Haven Resort in Canada has a stunning collection of cedar log chalets and luxury forest tents. Open only during the summer months (although it can be booked on select dates in wintertime), cabins come with kitchens and deep-soak tubs, while the canvas tents are flanked by leafy trees. There’s a shared sauna, barbecue and campfire, too.

Fringing the postcard-perfect town of Niagara-on-the-Lake, White Oaks is a short drive from Niagara Falls. Rooms are spacious, some with four-poster beds and cozy fireplaces. The three eateries offer a mix of fine dining, pub favorites and healthy options, while the spa is one of the largest in the Ontario region.

Set in the picturesque Banff National Park, just minutes from the famous Lake Louise, Baker Creek Mountain Resort is an intimate offering. Each of the private cabins and lodge suites is beautifully appointed, with wooden interiors, stone fireplaces and whirlpool jacuzzi tubs. When peckish, make a beeline for the Baker Creek Bistro for locally sourced Canadian fare.