These hotels are a match for solo travel

Vacay.ca has teamed with Hotels.com to create a series of articles highlighting the best hotel travel experiences in Canada. In this instalment, Vacay.ca Writer Guillermo Serrano, looks at some of the top options for solo travellers.

Story by Guillermo Serrano
Vacay.ca Writer

Travelling with loved ones is special because you’re able to share new experiences with the people you most like being around. There are times, however, when I have to travel on my own (sorry, honey!).

When you have the freedom to pick exactly where you want to eat and fill your time with only the things that interest you, then the appeal of solo travel becomes apparent. For those craving to accommodate only their own agenda, Vacay.ca has compiled some of the best suggestions for places to enjoy while being on the road alone.

Stargaze on the Shores of Nova Scotia

The Northumberland Shore off of Pictou, Nova Scotia is known as the birthplace of New Scotland with the first wave of Scottish immigrants landing in 1773. Today, there remains a sense of isolation and aloneness here at the edge of the shore. There is no better place to contemplate what it must have felt like to see land after so many weeks at sea. From the shoreline and from the seats set at the edge of a cliff from the Pictou Lodge Beach Resort, the sea is the main attraction. Bookings in December start at $153 per night*.

Pictou Lodge Beach Resort
Address: 172 Lodge Road, Pictou, Nova Scotia
Amenities: 59 smoke-free guestrooms, private beach, golf course
Phone: 1-866-299-2910 (toll free)
Hotels.com Guest Rating: 4.4 / 5

Meditate In a Beautiful Garden in Quebec City

You might think the best hotel to book when visiting Quebec City is something downtown near the historic walls and cobblestone streets, but that isn’t necessarily the case. Hôtel Le Bonne Entente is in Sainte-Foy, a bustling economic part of Quebec City with several shopping malls, restaurants, Lesage International Airport and Université Laval. A 20-minute drive from the downtown core, Le Bonne Entente offers  luxurious lounges, welcoming rooms, relaxing indoor and outdoor dining spaces. All very nice, but one of the most attractive amenities at this hotel is the peaceful garden area in front of the property. The garden features flowing water and colourful flowers. Nightly room rates often start at $147.

Le Bonne Entente
Address: 3400 chemin Sainte-Foy, Quebec
Amenities: Two restaurants, full-service spa, outdoor pool, fitness centre
Phone: 1-866-299-2910 (toll free)
Hotels.com Guest Rating: 4.4 / 5

Find Old and New in Toronto’s Distillery District

Wandering in and out of different retailers at the Distillery District is a fabulous way to spend an afternoon on your own. You can make one stop for coffee, enter another place for cocktails, and browse through the many shops and galleries at the historic industrial site. The Omni King Edward Hotel, where rooms can be found for $180 per night, first opened in 1903. But don’t expect old-fashioned fustiness here. A $40-million renovation has completely transformed this old-world charmer.

The Omni King Edward Hotel, Toronto
Address: 37 King Street East, Toronto, Ontario
Amenities: 24-hour fitness centre, free wifi, full-service spa, daily tea service
Phone: 1-866- 299-2910 (toll free)
Hotels.com Guest Rating: 4.5 / 5

Explore Regina’s Cultural Trail

In October, the Regina Downtown Business Improvement District launched its cultural trailway in the city’s downtown. The initiative features a new walking tour that marks 13 important events, buildings, and people who have shaped the city, province and country. The tour explores the downtown’s oldest building, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Regina’s infamous 1912 tornado — the deadliest such storm in Canadian history —, and the iconic Union Station. It also touches on important change-makers such as Louis Riel, Nicolas Flood Davin, and the province’s first premier, Walter Scott.

One of the best locations to stay in Regina is the Hotel Saskatchewan, part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection brand. The Hotel Saskatchewan has two restaurants, a spa and elegant rooms. The property is also less than a five-minute walk to several attractions, including the Globe Theatre, Dunlop Art Gallery, and the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame & Museum. Rooms start at $125 per night*.

The Hotel Saskatchewan
Address: 2125 Victoria Avenue, Regina, Saskatchewan
Amenities: 24-hour business centre, 235 guestrooms, casino shuttle, free wifi, 227 smoke-free guestrooms, 2 restaurants, full-service spa, breakfast available
Phone: 1-866-299-2910 (toll free)
Hotels.com Guest Rating: 4.4 / 5

Up Close with Woolly Mammoths in Victoria

Did you know mammoths roamed southern Vancouver Island thousands of years ago? From now until January, visitors to the Royal BC Museum can experience an animated slice of Pleistocene life, including the illusion of mammoths in motion. A great place to stay in the downtown core is the Royal Scot Hotel and Suites, where rooms start at $123 per night* .The hotel is just a seven-minute walk to the Royal BC Museum.

Royal Scot Hotel
Address: 425 Quebec Street, Victoria, British Columbia
Amenities: Free wifi, indoor pool, breakfast available
Phone: 1-866-299-2910 (toll free)
Hotels.com Guest Rating: 4.5 / 5

Note: All of these stunning, hotels, plus hundreds of thousands more, can be booked online via Hotels.com or through the mobile app available for IOS, Android, Windows and Amazon Kindle devices, where customers will also have access to special Secret Prices** to help them save even more.

*Pricing accurate as of December 10, 2016 date on Hotels.com.

** Secret Prices are available to Hotels.com app users, Hotels.com™ Rewards members and individuals who unlock Secret Prices on the website by subscribing to Hotels.com by email. Secret Prices will be shown where the “Your Secret Price” banner is displayed on your search results. Available on selected hotels and selected dates only. Subject to full terms and conditions.