World's Best

The Top 10 Resort Hotels in Canada in 2020

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Published on July 8, 2020

This year’s World’s Best Awards survey closed on March 2, just before widespread stay-at-home orders were implemented as a result of COVID-19. The results reflect our readers’ experiences before the pandemic, but we hope that this year’s honorees will inspire your trips to come — whenever they may be.

Our neighbor to the north is renowned for its scenery — towering mountain peaks, emerald forests, and stunning stretches of coastline. It’s no surprise, then, that Canada’s best resort hotels capitalize on these natural wonders, immersing guests in the wilderness while offering elevated design, anticipatory service, inspired dining, and other luxe touches.

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.

Related: The World's Best Awards 2020

As with our 2019 list, this year’s winners were concentrated in the Canadian West, with six out of the 10 scattered throughout Alberta and British Columbia — including the Wickaninnish Inn (No. 3) in Tofino, British Columbia. The rugged-chic lodge sits between forest and the wild waters of the northern Pacific and comprises 72 rooms and suites with soaking tubs, fireplaces, and expansive balconies. “Outstanding,” raved one reader. “It’s one of the best stays we had in years.”

Guests of Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise (No. 4), a castle-like property in Banff National Park, Alberta, were similarly effusive: “There aren’t enough good things I can say about the beauty of the location, the thoughtfulness of the staff, and the overall experience,” wrote one respondent. Echoed another, “It doesn’t get better than this.”

Out east, in Inverness, Nova Scotia, the Lodge at Cabot Cape Breton claimed the No. 8 spot. The 72-room lodge is situated on the award-winning Cabot Links golf course, overlooking the stunning, surf-battered coast of Cape Breton. In addition to the two championship golf courses, other draws include the dining options (including the glass-paneled Panorama Restaurant that looks onto Cabot Links’ 18th hole and the Gulf of St. Lawrence) and excursions like hiking and whale watching.

Our winning property — which also claimed the No. 1 spot for the fourth year — not only puts travelers smack in the middle of the wonderful wildness that travelers love so much but also works diligently to preserve it through a host of sustainability initiatives.

Read on to see the full list of the best resort hotels in Canada.

1. Fogo Island Inn, Fogo Island, Newfoundland

Fogo Island Inn, Newfoundland, Canada — Courtesy of Fogo Island Inn

Score: 99.02

More information: fogoislandinn.ca

When it opened in 2013, the 29-room Fogo Island Inn, located on the largest offshore island in Newfoundland and Labrador, brought together creators from all over the eastern province and from around the world, including local architect Todd Saunders, community-based carpenters, and international designers. The hotel still dazzles travelers with its edge-of-the-earth location and clean-lined aesthetic. Readers love that these elements don’t come at the expense of a homey feel: “It is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever visited in the world,” commented one respondent. “And the integration of the inn within the community makes it feel as though you’re visiting family.” And while the property is nearing the 10-year mark, it continues to innovate and give back: all profits are reinvested in a charity that supports local programs including microlending, environmental initiatives, and Fogo Island Arts.