Way Out and Worth It

In a country characterized by vast distances and wild landscapes, Canada’s most awe-inspiring getaways reward those who venture far from the beaten path.

Two properties are especially worth the journey: Fogo Island Inn in Newfoundland and Labrador, and Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. As Canada’s only Michelin Three Key hotels, they’ve both been recognized for impressive architecture and world-class service, but it’s the intangible atmosphere and devout commitment to hospitality that make them worthy of the award. Set on opposite ends of the country, these properties are expressions of their environments, redefining luxury, community consciousness and environmental design to deliver unforgettable stays.

Fogo Island Inn, Newfoundland and Labrador

To reach Fogo Island is no easy feat. A flight or two (or three) will take you to Gander in northeastern Newfoundland, followed by an hour drive and a 45-minute ferry to

the island—which isn’t quite the northeasternmost point of Canada, but it’s certainly close. After such a long journey, your first view of Fogo Island Inn will seem otherworldly, even alien, as you take in the ship-like structure hovering above the shoreline on stilts. But the more you get to know this magical retreat, the more you’ll understand how perfectly, and intentionally, suited it is to the environment.

Designed by architect Todd Saunders, who hails from Gander, the inn is inspired by the traditional stilted fishing shacks that dot the island. For centuries, Fogo’s economy depended on the annual cod catch, an industry that thrived until overfishing in the 1960s led to its collapse. In the ’90s, the Canadian government declared a moratorium on cod fishing, further devastating the community and forcing families to move to the mainland in search of work.

Fogo Island Inn owner, Zita Cobb, was there for that implosion. As an eighth-generation Fogo Islander and daughter of a fisherman, Cobb grew up in a simple saltbox home and left the island at age 16 for university. After a successful tech career, she retired at 42 and drifted back to Fogo.

In the early 2000s, Cobb, along with her brothers, established Shorefast Foundation, a charitable enterprise focused on building economic and cultural resilience on Fogo by supporting artist residencies, historic restoration, microlending and the conservation of traditional crafts and skills like woodworking, quilting, boatbuilding, and food storage and preservation. Cobb dreamed up the inn to introduce her home to a new wave of visitors who help ensure the island’s future. After operating costs, all profits from the inn are reinvested in the community. Shorefast and the inn directly employ more than 300 islanders (the population is around 2,400), but nearly every local has felt the effect.

The 29 rooms are filled with brightly colored furniture built in a woodworking studio just up the road, while the handmade quilts are embroidered with the name of the

local quilter and the year they were sewn. Even the bespoke wallpaper is a nod to the island’s heritage where wallpaper initially became popular as a protective layer in the drafty, uninsulated houses. As building techniques improved, wallpaper remained fashionable as decor. Shower tiles are etched with the lyrics of “Wadham’s Song,” an old sea shanty about Fogo Island’s treacherous shoreline. Every room faces the Atlantic, the dramatic coast framed by  floor-to-ceiling windows. Binoculars are provided so you can whale-watch from your rocking chair.

The inn’s executive chef, Timothy Charles, creates innovative menus showcasing the island’s seasonal bounty, including cloudberries and hand-lined cod. At least 80 percent of ingredients are fished, farmed, hunted or harvested from the province. A stay at the inn includes all meals and nonalcoholic beverages, and guests are encouraged to eat at select restaurants on the island where the inn will pick up the tab.

Fogo Islanders are known for their hospitality, and the inn’s Community Host program will pair you with a local for an in-depth introduction to the island. Your booking also includes experiences like foraging workshops, jam and jelly making, punt rowing, whale watching and boatbuilding demonstrations. The inn has rooftop saunas and hot tubs, an art gallery and a cinema.

It’s rare to find a hotel so thoroughly dedicated to its surroundings. The design, cuisine, activities and mission all serve to highlight the area’s heritage, history and topography—to stay at Fogo Island Inn is to become a part of its fabric. Your visit may be temporary, but the impact is endless.   fogoislandinn.ca

Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge, British Columbia

When was the last time you truly got away from it all? While we have endless occasions to doomscroll, opportunities to touch grass in the most immersive sense often

feel fewer and further between. Enter Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge, a resort so remote you’ll need a seaplane or boat to arrive at its stunning, rugged shores in Vancouver Island North. Set on 600 forested acres at the tip of a deepwater fjord that connects to Clayoquot Sound, this off-grid getaway offers all the excitement of a Pacific Northwest summer camp alongside the luxury of a Michelin Three-Key property.

First opened in 2000 and given a $1.6 million makeover in 2021, Clayoquot is one of the original glamping resorts. The 25 white-canvas tents pay homage to the area’s gold-mining past, though with modern conveniences like cast-iron stoves, private decks, bathrooms with heated floors and outdoor cedar showers. The minimalist decor features accents and furnishings commissioned from First Nations artisans, and there are no TVs, although basic Wi-Fi is available in the tents. The lodge staff will graciously leave hot coffee or tea on your porch each morning, but don’t expect a room service menu. There’s a strict policy against having food in the tents to avoid tempting any passing bears.

It would be hard to go hungry here, however. Meals are served in the cozy, communal Cookhouse with ever-changing menus based on seasonal, sustainable ingredients grown on-site or sourced locally. The open-concept kitchen allows you to watch as the culinary team whips up crab Benedicts for breakfast, hearty lunches and multicourse dinners featuring fresh-caught seafood and mushrooms foraged from the surrounding forest. For lighter fare and cocktail hour, the Ivanhoe lounge overlooks the Bedwell River from its floor-to-ceiling windows and rooftop deck. Stays are all-inclusive, covering dining, snacks and a generous selection of wine, spirits and nonalcoholic beverages.

The tents are luxurious, the food is outstanding, and the service warm and welcoming—but it’s their Signature Experiences that make Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge a standout destination. Spend your day on a marine safari spotting black bears plodding along the shores and watching whales, seals and sea lions swim alongside you. Expert guides personalize the experience, providing fun facts about wildlife (Did you know that a group of otters is called a raft?) and important insights into the area’s Indigenous culture and heritage. Other excursions include canyoning up glacial-fed rivers, hiking through ancient old-growth forests, horseback riding, archery, fishing in the open ocean or paddling in kayaks, canoes and stand-up paddleboards. For an additional fee, you can take a thrilling half-hour helicopter ride through the alpine mountains up to the breathtaking Mount Mariner Glacier. Back at the lodge, soak in the waterfront cedar hot tubs or book a relaxing treatment incorporating Canadian glacial clay and Pacific seaweed at the Healing Grounds Spa.

For feeling wild and free, gloriously unplugged and utterly pampered, a stay at Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge is unmatched. The property is only open during the summer, roughly mid-May to late September. clayoquotwildernesslodge.com

Other Remarkable Stays

Hôtel de Glace, Quebec

Every December, about 20 minutes outside Quebec City, a team of workers and sculptors transform 35,000 tons of ice and snow into a winter wonderland. The theme of the Hôtel de Glace (Ice Hotel) changes each year, but the snow-carved rooms, which hover around 25 degrees Fahrenheit, remain constant. All rooms are equipped with Arctic sleeping bags, and some suites come with in-room fireplaces or private hot tubs. The grounds feature an ice bar, an ice chapel for weddings, a giant ice slide, an ice-skating path, and a Nordic area with saunas and outdoor hot tubs. In case sleeping on a block of ice turns out not to be your thing, every booking automatically includes a plan B: a room in the neighboring Hôtel Valcartier, a heated four-star property where you can shower, store your luggage and enjoy the on-site spa. The Hôtel de Glace is open early January through late March. valcartier.com

Fairmont Chateau, Lake Louise, Alberta

Set on the edge of its namesake turquoise lake and framed by the peaks of the Victoria Glacier, Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise is straight out of a fairy tale. The castle-like château was first built in 1890 by the Canadian Pacific Railway to transport visitors across the Rocky Mountains and into the great outdoors. Here, Mother Nature has something special in store year-round—hiking in the spring and fall, canoeing all summer, skiing in the winter. Soak in the surreal views from the outdoor pools at the recently opened Basin Glacial Waters spa, a state-of-the-art thermal bathing experience inspired by Nordic sauna culture. Dining options include Mediterranean fare made with local ingredients at Louiza, craft cocktails at the uber-chic Fairview Bar and Restaurant and an alpine fondue menu at Walliser Stube. fairmont.com