Every year around November just as the first chill comes into the New York air, a war begins in my household – where to vacation in the winter? The family is quickly divided into two camps – sun versus ski. Personally, I have always found myself in the sun camp. Call it a self-diagnosed case of Seasonal Affective Disorder – I need an infusion of bright, bronze tan-making sunshine to get me through the doldrums of a long East Coast winter. I am usually persuasive enough to win over the rest of the house, and in recent winters we have happily vacationed in Anguilla, Hawaii and the Riviera Maya. Imagine my dismay when this year I was outvoted and informed that we would be wintering in Canada. The antithesis of all that I dream of in a vacation, Canada conjured arctic images of chattering teeth and frozen toes. I braced myself and packed a suitcase full of long johns.



Our first stop was Montreal, which, despite my reluctance, utterly won me over with its European charm and architectural beauty. The Fairmont Queen Elizabeth is an efficient and luxurious choice for a central hotel in the city. Situated atop the train station and within easy striking distance of the city’s seemingly endless supply of quaint shops, restaurants and cafes, the Queen Elizabeth is also a veritable world unto itself. With over one thousand rooms (100 are suites) the hotel has everything visitors could possibly want – the plush and newly renovated Gibson Salon Spa; a spacious health club; and epicurean delights from on-site restaurants, Beaver Club, Les Voyageurs Lounge and Le Montrealais Bistro. Though most Americans think first of the Four Seasons and Ritz Carlton as bar-setting luxury hotels, the Fairmont’s world-class service and wide presence in Canada ensures its position at the top of the list for locals.
   
We could not, however, leave Montreal without staying at the legendary Auberge du Vieux-Port in the historic Old Montreal. With breathtaking views of the St. Lawrence River and the Vieux Port district, the boutique hotel casts a transporting spell enhanced by the rustic charm of the building and its décor. In addition to meals at the romantic on-site French restaurant, Les Remparts, walking along the Vieux Port’s cobblestone streets and happening upon a number of charming boites is a must. Toque is one not to be missed – a Relais Gourmand restaurant uses local Quebecois products to create such delights as the house made guinea fowl sausage and the Basses Laurentides suckling pig served with gnocchi, parsley root, squash compote, caramelized onions and pine mushrooms. The exquisite flavors and presentation at Restaurant Cube, also in the neighborhood, will satisfy the most exacting modernist gourmand. The duck foie gras with black pepper, sea salt and a chutney which changes based on the chef’s mood on a daily basis was enough to warm me up through and through, and the seafood fresh from New Brunswick fulfilled its promise to melt in my mouth. One piece of advice – though it may be difficult, do save room for dessert. It is a tough decision between the lemon batter pudding with “chiboust” cream perfumed with bourbon vanilla, black tea/blackberry marmalade and white chocolate and the passion fruit crème brulee served with a banana/lime almond biscuit and banana sherbet – your best bet would be to share and sample both. On our last night, we splashed out on a night at Buonanotte, the see and be scene destination restaurant in St. Laurent. Known as the favored restaurant of the local glitterati and visiting celebrities (think young icons from Chelsea Clinton to Giselle and Leonardo di Caprio), Buonanotte is more than just a place to eat. Dress to impress and go to settle in for an evening of chic people watching, cocktail sipping, and (in our case) digging into hearty winter warmers like lamb shank, veal filet and aged Angus steak.
   
Having pleasantly dined our way through Montreal, I was starting to feel less and less like the cold weather outside was impeding our vacation enjoyment. In fact, the cozy feeling inside over a bottle of wine and satisfying meal while the icy wind howled outside was growing on me. Before heading off to the West Coast’s northern Rocky Mountain ski slopes, we detoured for a cross-country ski jaunt in La Malbaie on Quebec’s St. Lawrence River. Approaching the majestic Le Manoir Richelieu is overwhelmingly beautiful with the grand chateau architecture competing for admiration with its position amid the sea and snow-tinged mountains. Though some of the activities – golf, horseback riding, whale watching river cruises and tennis offered at the resort during more temperate weather are not available during the winter ski season, visitors can happily spend days skiing, nature walking on the grounds, enjoying exclusive Charlevoix spa treatments at the resort’s Amerispa, and, after a meal at one of the several outstanding restaurants to choose from, gambling at the casino!
   
The reprieve at Le Manoir Richelieu whetted our appetites for more serious skiing, so we drove to Quebec’s famed ski resort at Mont Temblant. Although still a service oriented resort, the Fairmont Tremblant has a distinctly rustic feeling in the décor which draws deliberately from the neighboring woodlands. Reminiscent of a mountain chateau in the Alps, the comfort inside is a counterpoint to the mountainscape which invites rugged play. The charming small towns in the local environs offer pleasant cafes and bistros for a warming beverage and hearty French country meal. Though reluctant to leave, we packed our bags after two days of rigorous skiing and headed west.   
   
Calgary makes a more suitable base for exploring the Rockies than Edmonton. Though a pleasant city, it does not compete with either Montreal or Alberta’s natural landscape. The drive to nearby Lake Louise promises numerous picturesque spots. Considered such a valuable natural landscape, the region is largely was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site Rocky Mountain Park and protected accordingly. Thankfully, camping is not necessary. Quite the opposite, a luxurious Fairmont, the Chateau Lake Louise, sits cradled by the mountains. A beacon of comfort, it is an extraordinary place to return after a long day of vigorous skiing or snow shoeing. Cross-country trails abound as do runs in the Lake Louise ski area, one of Canada’s largest with a 3250 foot vertical drop over four mountain faces. 113 runs can accommodate any level of ability from children skiing for the first time to professionals. For thrill-seeking experts not content to step out of the chateau onto cross-country trails, the hotel offers heli-skiing adventures on glacier slopes. An incomparable adventure, the concierge will arrange a full day of helicopter transportation to three descents among the most beloved mountain peaks in the world. For serious skiers, there is nothing like the exhilaration of heli-skiing. Another extreme ski adventure for experts is the night skiing available above the town of Banff at Mount Norquay. A rarity for even the most popular ski towns in North America and Europe, moonlight skiing is unforgettable.
   
With just a few days left on our trip (and aching muscles) we trekked to the Fairmont Banff Springs, a resort designed after a Scottish castle in a secluded corner of the Rockies known for its world-class skiing. At the top of my list was a relaxing massage which was delivered in short order by the award-winning Willow Stream Spa. With many treatments to choose from and derivations ranging from India’s Ayurvedic traditions to the Rockies themselves, the spa is no “extra.” With three waterfall treatment whirlpools, a Hungarian mineral pool, terraces and a lounge, it is a destination in itself. After the rigors of all the activities the Canadian Rockies invite, a spa day is a renewing must.
   
Relaxed and ready for a return to city life, we bypassed Whistler (save something for next time) and flew to Victoria. More English than Quebec’s French-inflected cities, Victoria is arguably Montreal’s rival for renown as Canada’s most charming city. A walking tour of the harbor is delightful as is a tour of the gardens (a few are open in the winter, though some, such as the Abkhazi Garden, close from October to February.) For a fun ride that is also efficient transportation, take the water taxis around the harbor. If you have time for one meal in Victoria, make it dinner at the award-winning Café Brio downtown. Start with the Brio Martini (vodka with Cinzano Orancio and a splash of cranberry) or for the brave a Peppertini (vodka with an infusion of black peppercorns) as well as a cheese plate. The local oysters served with a unique mint jalapeno mignonette satisfy as do the lamb shank with orzo, ricotta and almonds and the grilled Ribeye entrees. Apricot cherry bread pudding is a rich ending and worth every indulgent bite. Having been impressed with the Fairmont hospitality, we checked in at their local hotel, the Fairmont Empress. A spectacular grand hotel on Victoria’s Inner Harbor, the hotel offers rooms and suites with views of the city, harbor or a pleasant courtyard.
   
After years of resisting, Canada made me a believer in the winter ski vacation. More than just the skiing, Canada’s diverse landscape offers some of nature’s most breathtaking scenery as well as cities to rival European capitals in charm and gastronomy.