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For Travel + Leisure readers, the best hotels in Canada may be on either end of the country—from British Columbia all the way to Nova Scotia—but there are two things they all seem to have in common: personalized service and tough-to-beat locations. Whether they’re slopeside retreats, charming boutique getaways, or luxury properties in Canada’s cultural hubs, these top-rated city hotels and resorts ensure their guests always come first.
How Voting Works
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. Nearly 180,000 T+L readers completed the 2025 survey. A total of more than 657,000 votes were cast across over 8,700 properties (hotels, cities, cruise lines, etc.).
Hotels were classified as either resort hotel, city hotel, inn, or safari lodge based on their location and amenities, and they were specifically rated on the criteria below:
- Rooms/facilities
- Location
- Service
- Food
- Value
For each characteristic, respondents could choose a rating of excellent, above average, average, below average, or poor. The final scores are averages of these responses.
Scenic view of the Four Seasons Resort & Residences Whistler.
Joe Thomas/Four Seasons Resort & Residences Whistler
What Readers Loved About City Hotels in Canada
If there’s one thing that can be said about our readers’ shared hotel preferences, it’s that they’re drawn to some of the biggest names in hospitality. Nearly every single property on the list is either a Four Seasons, Fairmont, or Ritz-Carlton hotel; there’s just two exceptions.
Auberge Saint-Antoine (No. 6), a frequent World’s Best Awards winner, was described by readers as an “immaculate” hotel that has the “perfect mix of luxury and convenience, with no pretension.” Another reader shared that the “rooms are very clean, and each one is uniquely decorated,” and there’s “nothing ‘cookie-cutter’” about the Quebec City property in general.
Four Seasons Hotel Montreal worked its way up to No. 3 this year, rising above its previous rankings in both 2023 and 2024. One reader was impressed by nearly everything about the hotel: “It’s clean, the service [is] exemplary, the amenities are comprehensive, and the food is excellent.” Location is also a draw: it’s within walking distance to most major attractions downtown, making it the ideal launching pad for anyone exploring the city.
While a majority of this year’s reader-loved hotels are found in Quebec or Ontario, there are three—including the winning hotel—in British Columbia. Scroll on for the full list and to see which one took the top spot, below.
The Winner
Fairmont Empress: Victoria, British Columbia
The Lobby Lounge at the Fairmont Empress.
Fairmont Empress
Many readers reference location when singing the Fairmont Empress praises, but the winning combination is defined by more than just waterfront views overlooking the Inner Harbour. It also includes a bit of history—the original hotel, known as The Empress Hotel, opened in 1908—elevated design, and a reputation for stellar service. “Visually, [it’s] one of the most stunning hotels anywhere, and the staff is second to none,” said one reader.
And don’t let its age fool you: while the hotel feels connected to its roots, there’s nothing stuffy or antiquated about it. The building underwent an extensive, more-than $60 million renovation in 2017, and there was another update—specifically to the brand’s premium offering, Fairmont Gold—in 2023. “[I’ve] been around this incredible establishment my entire life, and it only keeps getting better,” a reader confirmed.
T+L Reader
[I’ve] been around this incredible establishment my entire life, and it only keeps getting better.
— T+L Reader
The Full List
1. Fairmont Empress: Victoria, British Columbia
Reader Score: 94.44
2. The Ritz-Carlton, Montreal: Montreal, Quebec
Reader Score: 93.78
3. Four Seasons Hotel Montreal: Montreal, Quebec
Reader Score: 93.66
4. The St. Regis Toronto: Toronto, Ontario
Reader Score: 93.50
5. Four Seasons Hotel Toronto: Toronto, Ontario
Reader Score: 92.70
6. Auberge Saint-Antoine: Quebec City, Quebec
WBA Hall of Fame honoree. Reader Score: 92.51
7. Fairmont Pacific Rim: Vancouver, British Columbia
Reader Score: 92.19
8. The Ritz-Carlton, Toronto: Toronto, Ontario
Reader Score: 92.00
9. The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver: Vancouver, British Columbia
Reader Score: 90.12
10. Fairmont Le Château Frontenac: Quebec City, Quebec
Reader Score: 89.82
What Readers Loved About Canada Resorts
Canada is teeming with gorgeous coastlines, mountains, lakes, and forests—and our readers have a clear affinity for resorts within close proximity of these natural features. The Wickaninnish Inn (No. 3) is no exception; it received praise for its position at the edge of the Pacific Ocean, right on the northern end of Chesterman Beach. “Location, location, location,” noted a reader, who added that the “crashing waves in winter storm season” are a highlight. Not to mention, the other side of the property faces a lush, ancient rainforest.
On the opposite end of the country, Nova Scotia’s Cabot Cape Breton impressed readers with its “extremely attentive warm service, beautiful scenic grounds, and absolutely world-class golf.” One reader shared that the Atlantic Ocean-facing golf resort, which maintained its position at No. 5 this year, has a “stunning location, easily the best in Canada.”
Now, read on to see which hotel officially ended Manoir Hovey’s (No. 4) multi-year streak as the best resort in Canada.
The Winner
Four Seasons Resort & Residences Whistler: British Columbia
A cozy fire place is lit in the Four Seasons Resort & Residences Whistler lobby.
Four Seasons Resort & Residences Whistler
The Four Seasons Resort & Residences Whistler has been deemed a reader favorite hotel every year since 2020, but this is its first time taking the No. 1 spot. “Staying at Four Seasons Whistler is an experience like no other; it really brought magic to our mountain experience,” shared a reader. That “magic” likely stems, at least partially, from what another reader described as a “10-star” management team and the “finest valet service in the world.” It could also be attributed to where the resort is located. Nestled at the base of Whistler Blackcomb, its rooms and suites are highly coveted during ski season, and also in the warmer months, when hiking and mountain biking are on the agenda.
The Full List
1. Four Seasons Resort & Residences Whistler: British Columbia
Reader Score: 97.52
2. Fairmont Chateau Whistler: British Columbia
WBA Hall of Fame honoree. Reader Score: 96.52
3. The Wickaninnish Inn: Tofino, British Columbia
Reader Score: 96.44
4. Manoir Hovey: North Hatley, Quebec
Reader Score: 95.00
5. Cabot Cape Breton: Inverness, Nova Scotia
Reader Score: 93.26
