The 2017 World's Best Resort Hotels in Canada

Oh, Canada! This year’s World’s Best resorts show off the True North’s wild coastlines, epic ski slopes, and pristine wilderness. Familiar names — the Wickaninnish Inn and Post Hotel & Spa, among others — were ranked among the top five properties, while Canadian operator Fairmont Hotels & Resorts also made its home country proud with four hotels among the 10 winners. Every year for our World’s Best Awards survey, T+L asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe — to share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. Hotels were rated on their facilities, location, service, food, and overall value. Properties were classified as City or Resort based on their locations and amenities. Last year’s gold and silver winners swapped places in 2017, with Fogo Island Inn, a contemporary property with just 29 suites — all of which have floor-to-ceiling windows and locally crafted furnishings — coming out as this year’s big winner. “The beauty of Newfoundland, the remoteness of Fogo Island, and extraordinary design make this inn a very special place,” one T+L voter raved. Next up is Manoir Hovey, a 19th-century mansion set on the shores of Lake Massawippi in the village of North Hatley. Modeled after Mount Vernon, and framed by 30 acres of woodland and manicured gardens, the property can easily be added on to a trip to Quebec City — the No. 1 city in Canada this year — since it’s just two and a half hours away. At Le Hatley restaurant, chef Francis Wolf serves up dishes such as buttery foie gras and garden-fresh salads drizzled with local birch-tree syrup. After dinner, guests can retreat upstairs to one of the 37 elegant rooms, many of which have fireplaces or private balconies. On the west coast, the 75-room Wickaninnish Inn made its regular appearance on the list. The Vancouver Island property is located on a pine-forest-ringed promontory, and rooms are cozy cocoons with deep soaking tubs, though floor-to-ceiling windows invite the outdoors in. You can spend your days strolling along Chesterman Beach or curled up fireside with a book and a Pacific Pinot in hand. Ski resorts on both sides of the country made a strong showing thanks to the Four Seasons Resort Whistler, the Fairmont Chateau Whistler, and the Fairmont Tremblant. For more on this year’s World’s Best winners, scroll down.

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10. Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, Alberta

Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, Canada — Courtesy of Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise

Score: 88.93

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9. Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu, La Malbaie, Quebec

Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu, Canada — Courtesy of Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu

Score: 90.22

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8. Fairmont Tremblant, Mont Tremblant, Quebec

Fairmont Tremblant, Canada — Courtesy of Fairmont Tremblant

Score: 90.36

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7. Fairmont Chateau Whistler, British Columbia

Fairmont Chateau Whistler, Canada — Courtesy of Fairmont Chateau Whistler

Score: 90.40

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6. Four Seasons Resort and Residences Whistler, British Columbia

Four Seasons Resort Whistler, Canada — Courtesy of Four Seasons Resort Whister

Score: 90.68

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5. Nita Lake Lodge, Whistler, British Columbia

Nita Lake Lodge, Canada — Courtesy of Nita Lake Lodge

Score: 91.30

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4. Wickaninnish Inn, Tofino, British Columbia

Wickaninnish Inn, Canada — Courtesy of Wickaninnish Inn

Score: 91.64

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3. Post Hotel & Spa, Lake Louise, Alberta

Post Hotel & Spa, Canada — Courtesy of Post Hotel & Spa

Score: 95.64

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2. Manoir Hovey, North Hatley, Quebec

Manoir Hovey, Canada — Courtesy of Manoir Hovey

Score: 96.96

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1. Fogo Island Inn

Fogo Island Inn, Canada — William Abranowicz

Score: 97.76

As one T+L reader aptly noted, “Fogo Island Inn is beyond comparison. To call it a hotel seems somehow wrong.” That’s because this 29-room property, a striking contemporary build on Newfoundland’s Fogo Island, is an extension of the destination itself. New and old are threaded into every aspect of the inn’s design: its furnishings and textiles — including the wallpaper and hand-sewn quilts — were created specifically for the inn, and most were made locally. All guest activities, ranging from berry picking and hikes guided by Fogo residents to fishing and punt (a traditional boat) rowing, also promote regional culture and history.

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