Canada is turning 150 this year, celebrating the anniversary of the country’s 1867 founding with a variety of special events from coast to coast. For anyone coming to Canada in 2017 for the 150th festivities, we’ve rounded up several of our favorite hotels where you might enjoy the celebrations.
ARC The.Hotel, Ottawa
The biggest party will be in Ottawa, Canada’s national capital, which is hosting a series of celebratory events throughout the year. The most festive time to visit to Ottawa will be for Canada Day (July 1), when the city will mark Canada’s birthday with a huge gala, with live music, food events, and a spectacular fireworks show.
One of the coolest hotels in Ottawa is the boutique property, ARC The.Hotel, which draws celebrities and other hip folk to its 112 rooms. It’s a short walk from Parliament Hill where most of the Canada Day festivities will be. Book early!
Read our full review here: ARC The.Hotel
Fairmont Royal York, Toronto
Canada’s largest city will also be celebrating the country’s birthday with special events throughout 2017. As in Ottawa, the biggest festivities in Toronto will be held around Canada Day in July.
In Toronto, editor Tim Leffel recommends staying at the historic Fairmont Royal York hotel, well-located opposite Union Station downtown. When it opened in 1929, this grand property was Toronto’s tallest building. Read our full review here: Fairmont Royal York
Le Germain Hotel Montreal
Montreal is celebrating a birthday in 2017, too, marking 375 years since the city’s founding. Montreal is a party city anytime, so expect even more fun than usual this year.
Correspondent Dana Rebmann stayed recently at the hip Le Germain Hotel Montreal and enjoyed the variety of perks that this boutique property offers to its guests. Read our review here: Le Germain Hotel Montreal
Juniper Hotel, Banff National Park
Parks Canada has a great birthday gift to anyone planning to visit the country’s national parks in 2017. Throughout the year, admission to all Canada’s national parks will be free. So what better time to tour Canada’s first national park — Banff National Park, in the Canadian Rockies?
The Juniper Hotel and Bistro is located on the edge of the town of Banff, away from the town center hubbub but still convenient to local restaurants and to all the attractions in the national park. They serve a great breakfast, too.
Read our review here: Juniper Hotel and Bistro
Watermark Beach Resort, Osoyoos, BC
Suppose you want to get away to Canada, but you’re thinking more lakeside escape than big birthday bash. Then consider British Columbia’s Okanagan wine region. Five hours’ drive east of Vancouver, the sunny and mild Okanagan Valley stretches along a string of lakes, and it’s home to more than 200 wineries.
An excellent choice for a lakeside holiday is the Watermark Beach Resort, a 153-suite condo resort in the South Okanagan town of Osoyoos. Read our full review here: Watermark Beach Resort.
Happy birthday, Canada! You look pretty good for 150.
Hotel feature by Vancouver-based travel, food, and feature writer Carolyn B. Heller. ARC The.Hotel courtesy of the hotel. Fairmont Royal York photo © Tim Leffel. Le Germain Hotel Montreal photo © Dana Rebmann. Other photos © Carolyn B. Heller.
