RICE LAKE, ONTARIO – It was maybe a quarter to 7 a.m. on our first morning at Elmhirst’s Resort. We were in a lovely, second floor loft at a lovely cottage overlooking Rice Lake, and I woke up to see a soft, orange light glowing in the sky. Not being one to miss a good sunrise, I threw on a t-shirt and some flip-flops, grabbed my cell phone and scampered down to the dock in front of our cottage. I could hear some distant Canada Geese welcoming the morning with their familiar honks as I stepped out onto the dock Read more
spas
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. NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE Heart-shaped tubs are fine. Ditto for overstuffed furniture and Read more
The new Forbes hotel, spa and restaurant rankings contain good news for travellers in Canada and for Canadian properties. The Forbes people today put out a “sneak peek” of their 2021 ratings. As part of the 2021 awards selection, six hotels and spas from Toronto-based Four Seasons were awarded new five-star ratings, adding to the existing 2020 award winners. A total of 46 Four Seasons hotels and resorts, 13 spas and two restaurants have received the five-star designation. Three Four Seasons properties received a new five-star designation this year, including Four Seasons Hotel Montreal and Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia Comcast Read more
This is a chapter from my new book, called Ontario Escapes: 19 Great Places to Visit Right Now. It’s available from Apple Books for just $4.99. DIVERSE AND DELIGHTFUL GREY COUNTY WHAT: Grey County features lovely BnB’s, cute, quiet towns like Meaford and an abundance of beautiful nature, including Georgian Bay shorelines, rugged Niagara Escarpment hikes and tumbling waterfalls. WHERE: Meaford is roughly from 180 kms northwest of Toronto and about 34 kms northwest of Collingwood. GOOGLE MAP COORDINATES: Millhollow B&B, Meaford: JC32+GQ Meaford, Ontario Old Baldy Conservation Area: 9FRJ+QM Kimberley, Ontario Scandinave Spa: GP25+QW The Blue Mountains, Ontario An Read more
SCOTTSDALE – From service to food to crazy beautiful pools and great golf, The Phoenician is a resort that stands the test of time. I recently had a couple nights at the hotel, just a few minutes from downtown Scottsdale and close to the airport in Phoenix. And I loved it. You pull into the place feeling special, cruising past one of Arizona’s most beautiful golf courses and winding your way to the foot of Camelback Mountain. The valets are quick and efficient and friendly, even if you arrive in an Uber driver’s Hyundai instead of a Porsche 911 convertible. Read more
