Top 25 Hotels in Canada, Major San Francisco Anniversaries + France and Toronto News

U.S. News and World Report has come out with a list of the top 25 hotels in Canada. It’s a pretty good one, but a couple of things leave me curious.

The publication put the Rosewood Hotel Georgia in Vancouver, B.C., at the top of the list, which is quite reasonable. It’s a gorgeous hotel with massive rooms, beautiful bathrooms, and lovely, historic touches all around. The next four were  the Ritz Carlton, Montreal, 1Hotel Toronto, The Hazelton Hotel in Toronto and The Four Seasons Whistler.

I quite like the 1Hotel Toronto, which has a very cool lobby bar and nice rooms. But I’m not sure it deserves the top five in Canada. I also can’t see how the super distinctive Fogo Island Inn in Newfoundland, often rated one of the world’s best hotels, drops in at 22 for Canada. Hmm….

Here’s the full top 25:

1. Rosewood Hotel Georgia – Vancouver, B.C.
2. The Ritz-Carlton Montréal – Montreal, QC
3. 1 Hotel Toronto – Toronto, ON
4. The Hazelton Hotel Toronto – Toronto, ON
5. Four Seasons Resort and Residences Whistler – Whistler, B.C.
6. Four Seasons Montreal – Montreal, QC
7. Clayoquot Wilderness Resort – Vancouver Island, B.C.
8. Le Mount Stephen – Montreal, QC
9. Auberge Saint-Antoine – Quebec City, QC
10. Four Seasons Hotel Toronto – Toronto, ON
11. Magnolia Hotel & Spa – Victoria, B.C.
12. The Ritz-Carlton, Toronto – Toronto, ON
13. Fairmont Pacific Rim – Vancouver, B.C.
14. Shangri-La Toronto – Toronto, ON
15. Wedgewood Hotel & Spa – Vancouver, B.C.
16. Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise – Lake Louise, AB
17. Manoir Hovey – North Hatley, QC
18. Shangri-La Vancouver – Vancouver, B.C.
19. Fairmont Chateau Whistler – Whistler, B.C.
20. Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac – Quebec City, QC
21. Wickaninnish Inn – Tofino, B.C.
22. Fogo Island Inn – Joe Batt’s Arm, NL
23. Fairmont Banff Springs – Banff, AB
24. Sofitel Montreal Golden Mile – Montreal, QC
25. JW Marriott Parq Vancouver – Vancouver, B.C.

For those of you keeping score at home (and who doesn’t?), that’s a whopping 10 out of 25 for British Columbia, seven for Quebec, five for Ontario and two for Alberta. Plus one for Newfoundland and Labrador. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the new Muir hotel in Halifax make the list next year.

On a city by city front, five of the top 25 spots went to Vancouver and Toronto, while Montreal notched four.

And here’s the top 25 for the United States:

1. Acqualina Resort and Spa, Sunny Isles, Florida
2. The Canyon Suites at The Phoenician, Scottsdale, Arizona
3. The Pendry, West Hollywood, California
4. The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf, South Carolina
5. The Inn and Club at Harbour Town, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
6. Four Seasons Hualalai, Hawai’i
7. The Mark, New York City
8. The Langham, Chicago
9. The Peninsula, Beverly Hills, California
10. Four Seasons Hotel, Washington D.C.
11. The Peninsula, Chicago
12. Four Seasons Hotel at the Surf Club, Surfside, Florida
13. Rancho Valencia Resort and Spa, Rancho Santa Fe, California
14. Faena Hotel, Miami Beach, Florida
15. Mauna Lani, Auberge Resorts Collection, Hawai’i
16. Four Seasons Hotel One Dalton St., Boston
17. Four Seasons Lana’i, Hawai’i
18. The Montage, Deer Valley, Utah
19. The Broadmoor, Colorado Springs
20. The Wentworth Mansion, Charleston, South Carolina
21. Boston Harbor Hotel, Boston
22. The St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort, Bal Harbour, Florida
23. Four Seasons Resort, Palm Beach, Florida
24. Fairmont Grand Del Mar, San Diego, California
25. Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea, Hawai’i

Florida leads the way in states, with five of the top 25 spots. Hawai’i and California each had four, while South Carolina impresses with three.

I was surprised to see only one hotel from New York City in the top 25. The Greater Miami area scored four spots. Chicago and Boston each had two, as did greater Los Angeles and greater San Diego.

I visited Rancho Valencia Resort and Spa for a night last year and was wowed by the place. I also stayed at the Four Seasons Lana’i last fall. It’s easily one of the top hotels in the U.S.

The Four Seasons Maui at Wailea served as the setting for the first season of White Lotus. I also love the Four Seasons Hualalai on Hawai’i Big Island.

MAJOR ANNIVERSARIES IN SAN FRANCISCO THIS YEAR

San Francisco is marking a series of cool anniversaries this year.

CABLE CARS

Scottish immigrant Andrew Smith Hallidie forever changed the face of the city with the invention of the first cable car in 1873. Now synonymous with San Francisco, the city’s cable cars will celebrate 150 years of traversing San Francisco’s famed hills in September. They are the only moving national historic landmark in the U.S. First tested on Aug. 2, 1873, cable cars began public service on Sept. 1 of that year. Today, there are three manually operated cable car lines: the Powell-Mason, Powell-Hyde and California Street Cable Cars. Single cable car rides cost $8. Visitors can ride as much as they want with a Visitor Passport, which provides unlimited rides on San Francisco’s cable cars, historic streetcars, light rail and buses for one, three or seven days.

Those wanting to learn more about the history of cable cars can visit the free Cable Car Museum in the Washington-Mason Streets Powerhouse. The museum is home to artifacts such as little car #8 – one of the first cable cars to operate in the city.

SAN FRANCISCO OPERA

The Centennial Season of San Francisco Opera culminates June 16 in a special concert honoring the Company’s illustrious 100-year history. Caroline H. Hume Music Director Eun Sun Kim, former Music Director Sir Donald Runnicles and former Principal Guest Conductor Patrick Summers will lead the San Francisco Opera Orchestra and Chorus along with an exciting roster of vocal soloists in the 100th Anniversary Concert. 

ALCATRAZ

Before the 22-acre island of Alcatraz opened as a national park site in 1973, it was a fort, a military prison and, for 29 years, a maximum-security federal penitentiary holding notorious inmates such as Al Capone and George “Machine Gun” Kelly. March 21 marks the 60th anniversary of the closing of the infamous prison, while October ushers in Alcatraz’s 50th anniversary as a national park site. Located just 1.5 miles off the city’s coast, Alcatraz is a place of contradictions, with a grim past and an enduring future as one of San Francisco’s most prominent landmarks and tourist attractions. Alcatraz tours tend to sell out during peak periods, but tours can be booked in advance.

My wife and I did a tour of Alcatraz a few years ago and absolutely loved it. A fascinating, troubled place, with fabulous Bay views.

THE GOLDEN GATE  BRIDGE

Ninety years ago, construction began on what would become San Francisco’s most iconic attraction: the Golden Gate Bridge. With more than 10 million visitors a year, it’s one of the most photographed bridges in the world. 

THE FERRY BUILDING

Transformation of San Francisco’s downtown waterfront has been continuous since the Gold Rush, but the iconic Beaux-Arts style Ferry Building, which opened in July 1898, has withstood the test of time. It’s become a celebrated “culinary cathedral” home to some of San Francisco’s most beloved local, farm-driven, and ethnically diverse merchants. This year marks its 125th anniversary. It’s a wonderful food destination, and there are great views of the Bay Bridge out back.

SAN FRANCISCO BALLET

San Francisco Ballet, the oldest professional ballet company in the U.S., kicked off its 90th season in January with the Next @90 Festival and a new artistic director, Tamara Rojo, at the helm.

COIT TOWER

Coit Tower, a slender white concrete column rising from the top of Telegraph Hill, has been an emblem of San Francisco’s skyline since its completion 90 years ago in 1933. Its observation deck provides 360-degree views of the city and bay. The simple fluted tower is named for Lillie Hitchcock Coit, a wealthy eccentric patron of the city’s firefighters. 

CITY LIGHTS BOOKSTORE

Founded 70 years ago by poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti and Peter D. Martin, City Lights is one of the few great independent bookstores in the U.S, a place where book lovers from across the country and around the world come to browse and soak in the ambiance of alternative culture’s only “Literary Landmark.” 

 

FRANCE TO BECOME TOP WORLD DESTINATION BY 2025, FORECAST SAYS

France is set to cement itself as the most visited country in the world, according to GlobalData, which estimates that the country will attract 93.7 million international travelers by 2025. The leading data and analytics company notes that this forecast will place the country ahead of competitor, Spain, which overtook France in 2021.

According to the latest report by GlobalData, ‘Tourism Destination Market Insight: Western Europe (2022)’, France held the title of most visited country in the world prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, welcoming 88.1 million visitors in 2019. However, it was overtaken by Spain in 2021. Having attracted 66.6 million international visitors in 2022, France is now set to re-claim the title, with the number of international arrivals expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.1% between 2022 and 2025.

“Alongside Italy and Spain, France represents a significant segment of the growth in Western Europe,” said Hannah Free, Travel & Tourism Analyst at GlobalData. The country is not only popular with travelers from Europe itself—especially the UK, Germany and Belgium—but it is also popular with visitors from further afield, including China and the United States. In fact, France is one of the top Western European destinations for US travelers.”

Spain received 26.3 million visitors in 2021, overtaking France to become the most visited Western European destination. By 2025, Spain is expected to attract 89.5 million international visitors (CAGR of 12.2% between 2022 and 2025).

“Visitation to France and Spain will remain strong in the years to come, with festivals, culture and gastronomy being a big pull for tourists. Both countries have a lot to offer visitors, with their own unique cultures, cuisines, and atmospheres. Both countries are also relatively large, with a diverse and varied landscape, and each country has its own unique coastline,” Free said.

 

FAMILY DAY WEEKEND DEALS AT THE CHELSEA HOTEL TORONTO

Make memories this Family Day weekend with the Chelsea Hotel, Toronto. From only $169 per night, guests can enjoy quality time with their loved ones with the hotel’s family-friendly amenities, as well as a top-up of an exclusive line-up of events and activities; from themed breakfasts, movie nights and everything in between, there is something for everyone to enjoy all weekend long. The hotel’s central location places you within walking distance to everything downtown Toronto has to offer.

Here are the top reasons to stay at the Chelsea Hotel, Toronto during Family Day and March Break:

• Great Savings: Book the hotel’s Family Day offer by February 11th to unlock stays starting from $169/night. This offer is valid for stays from February 16-20, 2023 and is fully pre-paid/non-refundable. Terms and conditions apply.
• Unique Family Amenities: The Chelsea Hotel provides one of the most unique family-friendly hotel experiences in Toronto, which includes access to the Family Fun Zone; featuring a pool, whirlpool and downtown Toronto’s only indoor 130-ft “Corkscrew” waterslide, Kid Centre and Club 33 Teen Lounge. Upon arrival, make your way over to the Kid’s Check-In, where kids can pick up a welcome gift.
• Free Fun Activities: During Family Day weekend, guests will have access to exclusive events and activities happening throughout the hotel, including Wii tournaments and the chance to win prizes. Head down to the lobby to enjoy popcorn and chat with CT the Robot.
• Exclusive Attraction Discounts: Ask the hotel’s Concierge about the Show Your Key and Save Your hotel room key not only grants you access to your room but it also unlocks a variety of discounts to some of Toronto’s top attractions. Get littlized at Toronto’s newest attraction Little Canada, be experimental at the Ontario Science Centre; hop on over to the Royal Ontario Museum to discover the life of dinosaurs; be transported to the world of Disney with Disney Animation: Immersive Experience; discounts to Ripley’s Aquarium, Go Tours, Captive Escape Rooms Toronto, and many more are also available. To view the full list of partners, visit the hotel’s website.