Hotel La Ferme, located at Le Massif resort in Charlevoix, is one of Quebec’s finest properties — and it’s relatively inexpensive too. (Photo courtesy of Tourisme Charlevoix)
Vacay.ca has teamed with Hotels.com to create a series of articles highlighting the best hotel travel experiences in Canada. In our Valentine’s Day roundup, we highlighted Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal. This week we focus on March Break. In our last issue, Waheeda Harris took a look at a few outstanding March Break hotel destinations for families. In this installment, Ofelia Legaspi discusses March Break hotel destinations for singles.
By Ofelia Legaspi
Vacay.ca Writer
March Break will always be associated with youth. Let’s face it, some of the best (and yes, some of the worst) teen movies ever made centered around college kids heading off to have a great time on some beach in a warm corner of the world. To be single and heading off with your pals for spring break is one of those things you just have to do at least once in your lifetime.
Vacay.ca has compiled six suggestions for singles who want to get out and party like it’s 2015.
JOLIE JUNGLE, QUINTANA ROO, MEXICO — Party or perish
Achieving a sense of balance as a March Break vacationer in Cancun is an art. For a city that oozes tranquility yet seems to be in dire need of a tranquilizer at the same time, it’s all a matter of finding the right parties and then finding the right sanctuary afterwards. March Break in Cancun the classic way, complete with elaborate beach parties with 2 Chainz and 3lau at Inception (think music festival on steroids), then come home to a serene eco hotel in Riviera Maya tucked away in the Mayan jungle, far away from the neon “bros”. This hotel has green roofs, panoramic windows with forest views and colonial-inspired interiors with airy white walls and curtains, earth-tone trims and recycled furniture.
Vacay.ca Tip: Rent a car so you can explore the surrounding sites on your own. Snorkel the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef at Puerto Morelos, channel your inner ape at the Gorilax Jungle Park and sink your teeth into a 65-meter sinkhole at Parque Cenote Las Mojarras.
Hotels.Com Genuine Guest Reviews: 3.8/5
Location: Carretera ruta de los Cenotes Km 26.5 Leona Vicario, QROO, 77548
Hotels.com Room Rate: Prices start at $128 CAD, 866-299-2910. Click here.
HOTEL LA FERME, CHARLEVOIX QUEBEC – Iceland-like getaway in La Belle Province
Hotel La Ferme is a world of its own with its trifecta of ambience, aesthetic and activities. Its award-winning interior design is modern with industrial touches and contemporary art, yet still pays tribute to its pastoral roots with bold timber accents and rustic X and Z wooden overlays on hallways and sliding barn doors. The buildings are set in the gorgeous backdrop of a vast and frozen empty vista, like a barn smack dab in the middle of a field. The gorgeous winter landscape makes its steaming outdoor heated pool even more inviting and exotic – evoking the feeling of travel in Blue Lagoon, Iceland.
Vacay.ca Tip: Resist the urge to luxuriate all week inside the hotel, especially if you got the loft-style room and are taking advantage of the full-service spa. Hotel La Ferme is located in Le Massif de Charlevoix whose 770 metre vertical drop beats Mont Tremblant’s mere 645 metres. Carve out an afternoon to explore Rue Saint-Jean-Baptiste’s quaint small-town boutiques and art galleries or check out the L’Accalmie beachside shipwreck, a popular area attraction and rare site you have to see to believe.
Hotels.Com Genuine Guest Reviews: 4.5/5
Location: 50, rue de la Ferme Baie-St-Paul, QC
Hotels.com Room Rate: Dormitory guest room $85, loft room for $339 and standard room for $199. Click here.
HOTEL ROYAL, NEW ORLEANS – St. Patrick’s Day in the Big Easy
Who is that stunner in the corner, you ask? The one hugged by an intricate balcony lacework of iron? It’s the Hotel Royal in all its 19th century glory, complete with enclosed courtyards and fountains. You can’t do better than New Orleans on March Break as a solo traveller looking to meet new people with good vibes. The Big Easy is all that jazz and more; the people are warm and the music is soulful. The food is a down-home taste infusion of Louisiana Creole. A stay in the NOLA French Quarter is a must if you want to be in the middle of all that hoopla and believe us, you do.
Vacay.ca Tip: The good people of New Orleans have a natural hankering for festivals and though Mardi Gras just passed, they are ready, hungry, even ravenous for another over-the-top parade: St. Patrick’s Day. Come March 17, remember this sentence for the parade floats: “Throw me something, Mister.”
Hotels.Com Genuine Guest Reviews: 4/5
Location: 1006 Royal St New Orleans
Hotels.com Room Rate: Prices start at $168. Click here.
ATLANTIC POINT BACKPACKERS, CAPE TOWN – Embark on a solo African adventure
South Africa is definitely not your typical March Break vacation, but nothing rewards a traveller more than this country. It has so much to offer from its sweeping skyline of rugged and iconic mountains (Table and Lion’s Head) to its awkward and adorable jackass penguins roaming Boulders Beach. Atlantic Point Backpackers is a simple, colourful villa-style hostel where you can rent a cheap bed and socialize with like-minded backpackers.
Vacay.ca Tip: Get out there and explore! This hostel is a 20-minute walk from the cobble stone roads and brightly coloured houses of Bo Kaap and a few minutes, if driving, from the white sand beaches of Clifton.
Hotels.Com Genuine Guest Reviews: 4.5/5
Location: 2 Cavalcade Road, Green Point, Cape Town, Western Cape, 8005, South Africa
Hotels.com Room Rate: Prices start at $77. Click here.
HÔTEL de GLACE, QUEBEC CITY – Chill out at a very cool ice hotel
Let’s just say that this hotel has a cool factor and if you add the fact that you braved it alone, it gives you extra bragging rights. It is the only ice hotel in North America and is flocked by curious, but not-so-brave visitors so you will be sure to meet new people.
Vacay.ca Tip: Book early and immerse yourself in the full Nordic experience with an adventure package that includes dinner and dog sledding. Plus, if the St. Lawrence River is still not thawed, it’s worth it to book an ice canoeing adventure for a complete winter experience. This hotel is also just a short drive from Old Quebec so make sure you explore this taste of Old World Europe.
Hotels.Com Genuine Guest Reviews: 4.3/5
Location: 9530, rue de la Faune Quebec, QC
Hotels.com Room Rate: Prices start at $470. Click here.
It’s not too late to get away this March Break – whether it’s to relax somewhere hot or to squeeze in a last chance ski trip. With thousands of deals that are updated each day, the Hotels.com Last Minute Deals page is a great resource. Check it out here.
