Note: If you’re looking for our most recent recommendations, check out the 2023 list of our favorite city hotels in Canada.
Travelers are spoiled for hotel choice when visiting our neighbor to the north. This holds especially true if they’re visiting Quebec and British Columbia, the provinces where eight of the 10 best city hotels in Canada, according to Travel + Leisure readers, are concentrated.
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 (including safari lodges) were rated on their facilities, location, service, food, and overall value. Properties were classified as city hotel, resort, or safari lodge based on their locations and amenities.
In choosing the best city hotels in Canada, readers prioritized service and location. In the port city of Victoria, British Columbia, that meant proximity to the picturesque harbor, which serves as a jumping-off point for whale-watching tours. Of the No. 4 Magnolia Hotel and Spa, one traveler said, “Every staff member we came in contact with was exceptional. Will be back for sure and have told my friends about it.” Voters offered similar praise for the No. 3 Fairmont Empress, Victoria’s 464-room grande dame. One guest wrote, “My wife and I stayed at the Empress for four days, and it was magical, from the food to the service to the spa attendants.”
Other facets that impressed readers: historic interiors with elegant finishes and world-class dining. With original Tiffany stained-glass windows and Belgian marble flooring, the No. 8 Fairmont Château Laurier, in Ottawa, is a design lover’s dream, while the No. 2 Rosewood Hotel Georgia, in Vancouver, earned raves for its numerous restaurants and bar (high praise in a city with such a robust food scene).
The properties on this year’s list are heavily concentrated in the western province of British Columbia, which earned five spots. But in the end, voters chose the Auberge Saint-Antoine in Quebec City as the winner among the best city hotels in Canada. Read on to find out what sets it apart.
1. Auberge Saint-Antoine, Quebec City
At this Quebec City gem, the staff goes above and beyond. “Possibly the highest level of service I’ve received in 30 years of travel,” one reader declared. Another said, “The concierge is the most helpful I’ve ever experienced, and the location is unmatched. This was our third stay and we will always return here when we go to Quebec City.” But it’s not just impeccable service that earned this Relais & Châteaux property the top spot: the sweeping views of the St. Lawrence River and cozy touches like in-room fireplaces also endeared the hotel to readers.
WBA Hall of Fame honoree. Score: 96.18
2. Rosewood Hotel Georgia, Vancouver
Score: 95.56
3. Fairmont Empress, Victoria, British Columbia
Score: 93.75
4. Magnolia Hotel & Spa, Victoria, British Columbia
Score: 93.60
5. The Ritz-Carlton, Montreal
Score: 93.38
6. Fairmont Hotel Vancouver
Score: 92.91
7. Fairmont Royal York, Toronto
Score: 92.59
8. Fairmont Château Laurier, Ottawa, Ontario
Score: 91.20
9. Fairmont Waterfront, Vancouver
Score: 90.93
10. Fairmont Le Château Frontenac, Quebec City
Score: 90.41