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Canadian Luxury Hotels Tips
Canadian Luxury Hotel Ratings
The Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) is affiliated with the American Automobile Association (AAA), which uses diamonds to rate properties, so you may see hotels reporting they received five diamonds from the CAA. Hotels apply to be rated, then inspectors secretly come to evaluate the property. Diamond ratings, from one to five, are given depending on the service and amenities. A one-diamond hotel would be a basic, clean accommodation, but a five-star is supposed to offer the ultimate in luxury and sophistication. Canada luxury hotels will advertise how many diamonds that they have received.
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Montreal Embraces Life at Its Best
Montreal is a city filled with “joie de vivre” (love of life). It is a cosmopolitan city with a distinctively French flair. Each year, more than 13 million travelers come to Montreal from around the world. Many of these visitors are business travelers; others are in the movie or television fields. Montreal is a magnet for film production. Some of the blockbusters filmed there include: Catch Me If You Can, The Aviator, Day After Tomorrow, Gothika, The Sum of All Fears and The Terminal. Over half the visitors to Montreal are tourists; many drawn to the city by culture, cuisine and haute couture world-class shopping. Montreal enjoys over 90 festivals, 700 artists workshops and 200 professional theatre companies each year.
The Hôtel St James is the epitome of the sophistication and savoir faire that a discerning business or leisure traveler seeks in a Canadian luxury hotel. The location is in the heart of Montreal; including an entrance from the hotel into Montreal ’s famous Underground Pedestrian City connecting the university, restaurants, theatres and over 1,700 businesses and boutiques. The St-James is also an integral part of the Montreal Convention Centre and World Trade Centre.
Originally the 19th century Merchant Bank of Canada, the Hôtel Le St-James is a new five-star hotel in a historic setting. Incorporating Old World charm with modern flair and a host of services and amenities, it is posh and elegant. Public areas of the hotel are reminiscent of a grand exclusive mansion. XO restaurant is a gastronomic treat. The former fortress-like vault is now the decadent candlelit Le Spa. Guest rooms and suites are tastefully decorated with antiques, artwork and plenty of pampering amenities. Service is another hallmark of Hôtel Le St-James. The entire staff is trained to go to any length to fulfill the wishes of their guests. A fleet of limited edition chauffeured luxury cars and The St-James private yacht are available to guests for private charter. And, Clefs d’Or concierges are on hand to help make the most of a Montreal stay by handling all the details from private city tours, theatre tickets and dinner reservations to in-suite butlers, chefs and hairdressers.
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Toronto Luxury Hotel: The Metropolitan Hotel Toronto
The Metropolitan Hotel Toronto is a member of the luxury collection of Preferred Hotels and Resorts Worldwide and boasts a four-diamond CAA/AAA rating. For the fifth consecutive year, the Metropolitan has achieved the feat of being Canada's only 12-diamond hotel. The Toronto luxury hotel got the award from the American Automobile Association/Canadian Automobile Association for the hotel and its restaurant, Hemispheres. It’s in the heart of downtown Toronto, close to the theatre district, world-class shopping venues and all the major commerce and finance offices.
Dining Hemispheres @ the Met has been recognized by Mobil Travel Guide with a four-star designation and by CAA/AAA with a four-diamond designation. Each dish is served on custom-designed Rosenthal china. The secluded Chef's Table Room is perfect for small groups.
Spa The Fitness Centre features cardio machines, an indoor swimming pool, whirlpool and saunas.
Deluxe Touch There is a complimentary limousine service downtown in the mornings.
Details 108 Chestnut Street Toronto, Ontario TEL: (416) 977-5000
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Montreal Luxury Hotel; Hôtel Le St-James
Hôtel Le St-Jamesis located in historic Old Montreal with architecture originating in 1870. Each room and suite is individually decorated and furnished with pieces purchased from different continents of the world. The décor is eclectic with a mixture of antiques and works of art giving a contemporary feeling. Guests have included Madonna and the Rolling Stones. It was on the T+L 500 list in 2007.
Dining The Grand Salon, formerly known as the Bankers Hall, has two mezzanines fit for an opera. Smaller alcoves are clustered around the room for intimate tête-à-tête.
Spa Le Spa has the finest facilities for health, fitness and relaxation. The fitness area has all the latest work-out apparel. There are massage rooms with gentle therapies and body treatments, too. Deluxe Touch Choose a car from Le St-James Private Luxury Car Fleet, which include a Rolls-Royce Phantom (limited edition), Maybach 57S (limited edition) and Bentley Continental GT(coupe). Or take a cruise in the St-James Yacht, a Mangusta 80, with three bedrooms, each one with its own bathroom containing Italian marble flooring.
Hôtel Le St-James 355, rue Saint-Jacques Montréal (Québec) Tel: 1-514-841-3111
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Vancouver Luxury Hotel: Opus Hotel
The Opus Hotel, located in trendy Yaletown, is near the inner harbor, outdoor recreation and many hot, new restaurants, spas and shops. Stanley Park, beaches and loads of shopping are close by. The hotel has 96 guestrooms which feature five unique décor schemes ranging from modern and minimalist to artful and eclectic.
Dining Elixir and Opus Bar are the food venues. Opus was voted Best of the Best, one of the world’s top 100 hotels by readers of Condé Nast Traveler magazine. Opus has a contemporary approach to classic French cuisine and you can eat in the bistro, an airy garden room or in the comfy plush velvet room.
Spa There is a 24-hour fitness center with cardio and strength equipment, LCD TVs and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Yaletown. There is no spa on site, but there are many nearby.
Deluxe Touch The Penthouse Suite is a corner suite, with more than 600 square feet, equipped with a Bang & Olufsen stereo with CD library, plasma screen television, wet bar, a two-sided fireplace between the living room and the bedroom and a wrap-around balcony with sweeping views of downtown Vancouver, mountains and False Creek.
Quebec Luxury Hotel: Fairmont Le Château Frontenac
Supposedly the most photographed hotel in the world, the Fairmont Le Château Frontenaccertainly can justify such a claim. The Canada luxury hotel looks like a fairy-tale castle and was built in 1893. It sits on a cliff above the St. Lawrence River. In the late 19th century, William Van Horne, General Manager of Canadian Pacific (CP) Railway, began building the hotel as the ideal stopover for CP travelers and it remains an icon today. The hotel made the 2007 T+L 500 in Travel + Leisure magazine and 2007 Condé Nast Traveler Gold List and offers all the usual Fairmont property amenities.
Dining Room This dining room serves fresh, local ingredients. The staff is outfitted in delightful period costumes for a journey back in time. It has earned the AAA/CAA 4 diamonds rating and Wine Spectator's Award of Excellence.
Spa The Club Frontenac features an indoor swimming pool, whirlpool, indoor kid's wading pool, steam rooms and a fully equipped exercise room
Deluxe Touch “Fairmont Gold” is a small deluxe ''hotel within a large hotel'' and includes the 14th, 15th, 16th and 17th floors, for a total of 46 guestrooms and suites. You’ll have a personalized check-in, a dedicated concierge team, access to a private lounge which offers cocktail-hour canapés with honor bar service and a complimentary deluxe continental breakfast daily.
Details 1 Rue des Carrieres Québec, Canada Tel: 418 692 3861
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Ottawa Luxury Hotel: Fairmont Château Laurier
Fairmont Château Laurier is a luxury hotel located in the heart of Canada's capital, next door to the Parliament Buildings. The historic building, opened in 1912, is a magnificent limestone edifice with turrets and masonry reminiscent of a French château. Just outside is the Rideau Canal, which offers miles of bicycle and inline skating paths and the world's longest skating rink. It has a CAA/AAA Four Diamond Award.
Dining Wilfrid’s offers a table d’hôte menu featuring a variety of dishes with new offerings each week. Visit Zoe’s Lounge for classic cocktails or the very popular afternoon tea.
Spa There’s an indoor art-deco swimming pool, which is something to see even if you don't swim. There are dry saunas and a fitness center with the usual machines. A massage therapist is available for acupressure, neuromuscular massage, sports therapy and Swedish massages.
Deluxe Touch Stay in a Fairmont Gold room on a private floor with private check-in and check-out and exclusive concierge services. Fairmont Gold guests have an exclusive lounge, with deluxe continental breakfast, morning newspaper, coffee and tea throughout the day, with canapés served at cocktail hour. Complimentary high speed Internet service is also available.
Details 1 Rideau Street , Ottawa, Ontario Tel: 613-241-1414
