Quebec has 5 of Canada's 10 best hotels for 2026, but a BC spot reigned supreme

The Ritz-Carlton Montreal is the Montreal's highest finisher, landing in fourth place.

The view from the street of the Ritz-Carlton hotel in downtown Montreal.
The view from the street of the Ritz-Carlton hotel in downtown Montreal.
Michel Bussieres | Dreamstime
Senior Writer

If you're travelling through Canada in search of luxury, Quebec might be your best bet.

Travel + Leisure recently dropped its 2026 World's Best Awards, and the province had a strong showing, especially when it comes to hotels.

The Fairmont Empress in Victoria once again took the top spot in Canada overall, with a score of 96.08. The 116-year-old harbourfront landmark, known for its afternoon tea tradition and old-world elegance, has become something of a fixture at #1 in recent years.

But once you look past the top of the list, Quebec starts to take over.

The magazine's 2026 rankings come from reader votes, with hotels scored on things like rooms, location, service, food, and overall value. Among Canada's top 10, Quebec claimed half the list: the Ritz-Carlton Montreal, the Four Seasons Hotel Montreal, and Hotel William Gray, along with Auberge Saint-Antoine and the Fairmont Le Château Frontenac, both in Quebec City.

That's five hotels total, up from four last year.

The province also held onto a spot on the podium, though it changed hands. Last year, Montreal's Ritz-Carlton and Four Seasons took the #2 and #3 spots respectively. This year, it's Auberge Saint-Antoine flying the flag, coming in at #3 with a score of 95.13, right behind Vancouver's Rosewood Hotel Georgia in second.

Montreal's Ritz-Carlton dropped to #4 this time, scoring 92.98.

Here's how Canada's hotels stacked up in 2026:

Top 10 hotels in Canada (2026):

  1. Fairmont Empress – Victoria, BC (96.08)
  2. Rosewood Hotel Georgia – Vancouver, BC (95.62)
  3. Auberge Saint-Antoine – Quebec City, QC (95.13)
  4. The Ritz-Carlton, Montreal – Montreal, QC (92.98)
  5. Wedgewood Hotel & Spa – Vancouver, BC (92.43)
  6. Fairmont Pacific Rim – Vancouver, BC (92.10)
  7. Four Seasons Hotel Montreal – Montreal, QC (91.16)
  8. Fairmont Le Château Frontenac – Quebec City, QC (90.12)
  9. Four Seasons Hotel Toronto – Toronto, ON (89.05)
  10. Hotel William Gray – Montreal, QC (89.00)

Vancouver had a strong year too, with three hotels in the top 10, up from two last year. Toronto, meanwhile, only managed to hold onto one spot. Its Ritz-Carlton, which ranked #8 in 2025, fell out of the top 10 entirely, and the Four Seasons Hotel Toronto is now the city's lone representative, down at #9 with a score of 89.05.

Over in the resort category, Manoir Hovey in North Hatley kept its spot as Quebec's top luxury retreat, though it slipped from #4 to #5 with a score of 92.38.

The Fairmont Chateau Whistler took over the #1 crown from last year's winner, the Four Seasons Resort & Residences Whistler, which didn't appear in this year's top five at all.

Top 5 resorts in Canada (2026):

  1. Fairmont Chateau Whistler – Whistler, BC (96.99)
  2. The Wickaninnish Inn – Tofino, BC (96.55)
  3. Cabot Cape Breton – Inverness, NS (94.93)
  4. Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise – Lake Louise, AB (93.38)
  5. Manoir Hovey – North Hatley, QC (92.38)

You can explore the entire list of World's Best Awards here.

  • Al Sciola
  • Born and raised in Montreal, Al Sciola is a Senior Writer for MTL Blog. With a background in covering sports and local events, he has a knack for finding stories that capture the city’s spirit. A lifelong Canadiens fan and trivia enthusiast, Al spends his downtime sipping espresso and trying out new recipes in the kitchen.

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