Must-see hotels in British Columbia & The Canadian Rockies

  • Skoki Lodge

    Banff National Park

    Built in 1931 and overlooking a glorious high mountain valley, Skoki was one of the Canadian Rockies' earliest backcountry lodges and remains one of the…

  • Free Spirit Spheres

    Vancouver Island

    When it comes to extravagantly unconventional accommodations, these three wooden spheres, handmade by owner-inventor Tom Chudleigh and suspended like…

  • Wickaninnish Inn

    Tofino

    Cornering the market in luxury winter storm-watching packages, 'the Wick' is worth a stay any time of year. Embodying nature with its recycled-wood…

  • Mt Engadine Lodge

    Banff & Jasper National Parks

    You can’t get much more rural – or more peaceful – than this remote mountain lodge decorated with antler chandeliers and antique skis and snowshoes. Lodge…

  • Moraine Lake Lodge

    Lake Louise

    The experience here is intimate, personal and private, and the service is famously good. While billed as rustic (ie no TVs), the rooms and cabins offer…

  • Union Bank Inn

    Edmonton

    This posh boutique hotel on Jasper Ave, in a former bank building dating from 1910, is an upscale masterpiece. With just 40 rooms, the staff will be at…

  • Prince of Wales Hotel

    Southern Alberta

    With a Hogwarts-like setting on a wind-buffeted bluff overlooking Upper Waterton Lake, the grand Prince of Wales blends Swiss-style architecture with the…

  • HI Calgary City Centre

    Calgary

    Clean, comfortable and pleasant, this helpful hostel is one of the only options for budget-minded travelers downtown, with fairly standard bunk rooms and…

  • Ocean Island Inn

    Victoria

    The kind of hostel that’ll make you want to become a backpacker (again), the Ocean is a fabulous blitz of sharp color accents, global travel memorabilia…

  • Sunset Inn & Suites

    Vancouver

    A good-value cut above most of Vancouver's self-catering suite hotels, the popular Sunset Inn offers larger-than-average rooms with kitchens. Each has a…

  • Victorian Hotel

    Vancouver

    The high-ceilinged rooms at this well-maintained heritage hotel combine glossy hardwood floors, a sprinkling of antiques, an occasional bay window and…

  • Nita Lake Lodge

    Whistler

    Adjoining the handsome Creekside railway station, this chic timber-framed lodge offers 'suites' rather than mere rooms, the smallest of which is an ample…

  • Black Rock Oceanfront Resort

    Vancouver Island

    Ucluelet's fanciest hotel feels like a transplant from Tofino. Set dramatically on the Pacific waterfront and painted the same gray hue as the rocks, it…

  • Deer Lodge

    Lake Louise

    Tucked demurely behind Chateau Lake Louise, historic Deer Lodge dates from the 1920s and has managed to keep its genuine alpine feel intact. The rustic…

  • Crown Mansion

    Vancouver Island

    The effortlessly regal Crown Mansion is easily worthy of its name. Dating from 1914, this country hotel mixes modern comforts with handsome historical…

  • Abigail’s Hotel

    Victoria

    A boutique hotel with the ambience of a B&B, the historic, regal and faintly English Abigail’s is Victoria’s most Victorian accommodations despite the…

  • Fairmont Banff Springs

    Banff Town

    Rising like a Gaelic Balmoral above the trees at the base of Sulphur Mountain and visible from miles away, the Banff Springs is a wonder of early 1920s…

  • Painted Boat Resort Spa & Marina

    British Columbia

    A boutique waterfront resort where the spacious villa accommodations look like a West Coast dream home. One- and two-bedroom units hug the waterfront…

  • Galiano Inn

    British Columbia

    The island’s most deluxe accommodations occupies a small unobtrusive collection of buildings right next to the ferry dock, complete with spa, manicured…

  • Sundance Lodges

    Banff & Jasper National Parks

    For that authentic Canadian experience, try the hand-painted tipis and old-timey trappers' tents at this privately run campground. As you’d expect,…

  • Buffaloberry

    Banff Town

    Centrally located and surrounded by colorful flowering plants, this purpose-built B&B makes a cheerful, comfortable home base. The four individually…

  • Samesun Banff

    Banff Town

    Catering to a youthful international backpacker crowd, the welcoming Samesun offers a central Banff Ave location, a full lineup of daily activities …

  • Northland Lodge

    Southern Alberta

    On the edge of town within earshot of gushing Cameron Falls is this cozy house that Louis Hill (the genius behind the Prince of Wales Hotel) built for…

  • Hotel Arts Kensington

    Calgary

    Under new ownership and with a name change, this small inn has remained a great spot across the river. Impeccable service and rooms to match, plus soaker…

  • Paradise Lodge & Bungalows

    Lake Louise

    These cozy, lovingly restored 1930s log cabins along the Lake Louise road are only moments from the lakeshore. Each is unique, but expect comfy beds,…

  • Hotel Le Germain

    Calgary

    A posh boutique hotel to counteract the bland assortment of franchise inns that service downtown Calgary. Part of a small French-Canadian chain, the style…

  • Matrix

    Edmonton

    Modern and slick, the lobby here could be James Bond's living room, complete with brushed aluminum panels, low leather furniture, and a large glassed-in…

  • Riding Fool Hostel

    Vancouver Island

    One of BC's finest hostels colonizes a restored Cumberland heritage building with its rustic wooden interiors, large kitchen and lounge areas and, along…

  • Hotel Elan

    Calgary

    Stylish and modern, Hotel Elan is popular with business travelers. The 62 rooms are a splendid surprise, with heated bathroom floors and luxury linens…

  • Lake House

    British Columbia

    This lovely B&B sits right on the edge of Dutch Lake and features three exquisite rooms in a large log house, handmade rustic wooden furniture, an…

  • Hotel Zed

    Kelowna

    An old Travelodge has been reborn as this funky throwback to a 1960s that never existed. The rooms come in many shapes and sizes; all are in cheery colors…

  • Varscona

    Edmonton

    This charming hotel is elegant but not too hoity-toity, suggesting you can roll up in a tracksuit or a business suit – or some kind of combination of the…

  • Kwa'lilas Hotel

    Vancouver Island

    A beautiful manifestation of Kwakwaka’wakw culture, this new-ish cedar-wood hotel is rich with indigenous art. The modern, uncluttered look extends to the…

  • Adventure Hotel

    British Columbia

    Rooms come in three flavors at this well-located, slick, renovated hotel: budget (tiny, two bunk beds, shower down the hall), economy (full private bath)…

  • Burrowing Owl Guest House

    Okanagan Valley

    One of the Okanagan's best wineries has 10 rooms with patios facing southwest over the vineyards. There's a big pool, a hot tub, king-size beds and…

  • Cacilia's B&B

    Haida Gwaii

    Cacilia's is in a lovely spot in Tlell, a 30-minute drive north from the ferry landing. There are seven rooms, four with private bath, in a big log…

  • Bell 2 Lodge

    Northern BC

    This northern oasis is at the 248km mark on the Stewart-Cassiar Hwy, 241km south of Dease Lake, where Hwy 37 crosses the Bell-Irving River. There are tent…

  • Plaza Hotel

    British Columbia

    In a town of bland modernity as far as lodgings go, the Plaza reeks of character. This 67-room, six-story classic has changed little on the outside since…

  • Kootenay Park Lodge

    British Columbia

    The pick of the few places to stay inside the park, this lodge has a range of cute log cabins complete with verandah, fridge and hot plates. Think rustic…

  • Hotel Eldorado

    Kelowna

    This historic lakeshore retreat, south of Pandosy Village, has 19 heritage rooms where you can bask in antique-filled luxury. A modern, low-key wing has…