Travel + Leisure Readers' 10 Favorite City Hotels in Canada of 2023

Liz Cantrell
·3 min read

History-rich hotels in Montreal and Vancouver ranked highly in our annual "World’s Best Awards" survey for 2023.

<p>Courtesy of JW Parq Vancouver</p>

Courtesy of JW Parq Vancouver

When choosing an urban hotel, travelers to Canada can count on warm, anticipatory service, plush accommodations, and properties imbued with a sense of history. This is particularly true in Quebec and British Columbia, the provinces where nine of T+L readers’ 10 favorite city hotels in Canada can be found. The only other province represented was Ontario, with one Toronto property making the list.

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 165,000 T+L readers completed the 2023 survey, an increase of nearly 25 percent over pre-pandemic voting levels. A total of more than 685,000 votes were cast across over 8,500 unique properties (hotels, cities, cruise lines, etc.).

Hotels were classified as either resort hotel, city hotel, 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.

What Readers Loved

Readers found two common reasons to love Montreal’s luxury hotels: storybook city views and a sense of history. “The location is perfect in old Montreal, across from the square and walkable to the train station,” one reader said of Le Place D'Armes Hôtel & Suites (No. 2). Plus, they added, “The room was huge, with many large windows, and full of character.”

Over in Quebec City, repeat winner Auberge Saint-Antoine (No. 3) — known for its 18th- and 19th-century buildings and displays of 17th-century artifacts — received praise for its exemplary hospitality. “The staff is extraordinary in all departments,” shared one WBA voter of the family-owned Relais & Chateaux member.

In Vancouver, readers appreciated that a number of hotels, including Pan Pacific Vancouver (No. 6) and Fairmont Pacific Rim (No. 8), were in close proximity to the city’s cruise port. Of course, that prime position also means that a number of rooms at both hotels offer guests views of the waterfront. One reader went so far as to say the Fairmont is their “favorite hotel in the world.”

However, the number one spot this year went to a storied Montreal property. Read on to find out why.

The Winner

Hotel Nelligan: Montreal, Quebec

<p>Courtesy of Hotel Nelligan</p>

Courtesy of Hotel Nelligan

T+L readers love Montreal’s Old World charm — with many likening the city to some of Europe’s most beloved historic gems. It’s fitting, then, that Canada’s top hotel also has layers of history. Set across four buildings dating from the mid-to-late 1800s, the property had many lives, including as a fabric warehouse, a pharmaceutical laboratory, a paper company, and a lamp and table factory. Today, it’s a 105-room boutique hotel that readers adore for its location near the St. Lawrence river, the Notre-Dame Basilica, and the picturesque Old Port waterfront. The seasonal rooftop terrace is also a perfect place for sunset drinks.

The Full List

1. Hotel Nelligan: Montreal, Quebec

Reader Score: 96.24

2. Hôtel Place D'Armes: Montreal, Quebec

Reader Score: 95.76

3. Auberge Saint-Antoine: Quebec City, Quebec

WBA Hall of Fame honoree. Reader Score: 95.26

4. The Ritz-Carlton, Toronto: Toronto, Ontario

Reader Score: 93.64

5. Rosewood Hotel Georgia: Vancouver, British Columbia

Reader Score: 93.14

6. Pan Pacific Vancouver: Vancouver, British Columbia

Reader Score: 92.47

7. Magnolia Hotel & Spa: Victoria, British Columbia

Reader Score: 92.00

8. Fairmont Pacific Rim: Vancouver, British Columbia

Reader Score: 91.08

9. Four Seasons Hotel Montreal: Montreal, Quebec

Reader Score: 90.86

10. JW Marriott Parq Vancouver: Vancouver, British Columbia

Reader Score: 90.44

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