From Nova Scotia to Vancouver Island, and Niagara to to the Yukon, here are 10 great places in Canada for a fine, romantic Valentine’s Day date.
WHISTLER. B.C.
An afternoon at the luscious Scandinave Spa is a great way to spend time with your honey. It’s super romantic to sit in a warm/hot outdoor pool and watch the snowflakes fall all around you. Take a walk through the pedestrian-friendly village and find that perfect spot for a quiet dinner. Top hotels include the Fairmont Chateau Whistler and the Four Seasons.
124 on Queen Hotel and Spa, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario. JIM BYERS PHOTO
NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE
Heart-shaped tubs are fine. Ditto for overstuffed furniture and chintz curtains. But if you love Niagara and want something more modern, check out 124 on Queen Hotel in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Rooms are bright and warm, and one of the best dining places in the province – Treadwell Cuisine – is right next door. The indoor pools and spa are divine.
BANFF
The Fairmont Banff Springs might be the most iconic hotel in the country. It’s also one of the best for romance. Snuggle up with your loved one at the Rundle Bar and try a craft cocktail, or wander up the road for a soak in the famous hot spring. Chuck’s Steakhouse serves up glorious beef in a lovely setting. For something more casual, try The Three Bears Brewery and Restaurant.
The Muir Hotel, Halifax.
HALIFAX
The Muir is a posh, new entry in the city. You’ll find several amazing restaurants and plenty of architectural nods to local history and customs. The Sutton Place is also a stylish, sophisticated place to sleep. Or whatever. Press Gang is a historic restaurant with great seafood. Two Doors Down is a charming restaurant in the city, with a great menu that won’t break the bank.
OTTAWA
The nation’s capital has an increasingly sophisticated hotel scene. The Andaz rooftop bar offers brilliant views of the city, while the Fairmont Chateau Laurier main bar offers up fabulous, sexy cocktail at Zoe’s Restaurant, which was given a stylish new look a few years ago. Across the border in Gatineau is Soif Wine Bar, run by the gregarious sommelier Veronique Rivest.
Louix Louis restaurant at the St. Regis Hotel, Toronto.
TORONTO
Louix Louis is one of the most beautiful restaurants in Canada. Located on the 31st floor of the stylish St. Regis Hotel, the food is divine. And the interior is built to resemble the inside of a bottle of whisky, with swirling liquid all around. Now located in the Westin Harbour Castle Hotel, Don Alfonso 1890 was recently voted the second-best Italian restaurant in the world that’s outside of Italy. The food is amazing, and so are the cocktails.
ST. JOHN’S, NEWFOUNDLAND
This is one of my fave cities in Canada. There are great restaurants to take your sweetheart to for a fine meal, including the cozy Mallard Cottage in Quidi Vidi village. The stylish ALT Hotel on the waterfront won’t break the bank. The Murray Premises hotel has some rooms that feature a giant hot tub. Let your imagination run wild.
The Wickaninnish Inn is one of the great spots to stop in the Tofino, B.C. area. PHOTO COURTESY WICKANINNISH INN
VANCOUVER ISLAND
The Wickaninnish Inn in Tofino is consistently voted one of the best hotels in Nort America. The winter brings wonderful storm watching weather. You can watch the waves and the wind do their thing while you’re comfortably ensconced in elegant surroundings for a fine meal. In Vancouver, the Fairmont Pacific Rim is a sexy hotel with fabulous food and elegant craft cocktails. I also love the Magnolia Hotel in Victoria.
DAWSON CITY, YUKON
Okay, maybe it’s not really romantic, but in Dawson City, you can sleep in a former brothel, which I did on a recent visit. Bombay Peggy’s is a fun place with a series of decadent rooms in the centre of town. Check out the town’s colourful gold rush history while you’re here. Part of the cabin where Jack London wrote his epic book “The Call of the Wild” is located in Dawson City.
Quebec City in winter. JIM BYERS PHOTO
QUEBEC CITY
I know. It’s a no-brainer. But you can’t beat the cobblestone streets and narrow alleyways of Quebec City for romance. Try a drink (or a night) at the fabled Fairmont Chateau Frontenac or the historic Auberge Saint-Antoine, and check out the lovely boutiques in the lower town on Rue Petit Champlain. If high-end hotels threaten your budget, try Hotel Manoir Victoria.
