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Canada turns up the heat

By Colleen Seto

Arouse your senses with these romantic getaways.

Cathedral Mountain Lodge
A breath of fresh air can re-ignite the passion. So grab your partner and head to Cathedral Mountain Lodge, tucked away in Yoho National Park in the Canadian Rockies. The lodge sets the stage for love with its Romance by the River package, greeting you with champagne and sumptuous chocolate-covered strawberries on arrival. Enjoy your bubbly while indulging in a bubble bath in the large soaker tub. Don’t forget to make a reservation in the dining room for a candlelit dinner. Try regional Rockies cuisine – the pan-seared B.C. golden trout is meltingly delicious. Then head back to one of the luxurious unplugged log cabins for a peaceful night by the wood-burning fireplace. No phone or Internet means no interruptions!

Hôtel-Musée Premières Nations
Boredom, be gone! Let the spirit of the First Nations inject new found wonder into your relationship at Hôtel-Musée Premières Nations, just outside Québec City. You’ll be inspired by the Huron-Wendat culture at every turn. From the hotel’s unique teepee to the striking First Nations artwork to the richly indulgent elk, pheasant and blackberry appetizer at La Traite Restaurant, there’s so much here to awaken the senses and take you out of your comfort zone. Four-star suites feature stone flooring, an all-natural bedside table made of white pine and a beautiful view of the Akiawenrahk River. Tip: Take in the view at sunset while sipping port and indulging in the decadent chocolates included in the romantic package – guaranteed to set a sweet tone for the evening.

The Arctic Chalet
Put the wild back in your relationship by heading north to the untamed environment of the Arctic Chalet, 2 km (1.2 mi) from the town of Inuvik. Welcoming innkeepers Judi and Olav can give you the scoop on how best to get reacquainted with nature (and one another) with canoeing and kayaking down a northern river or exploring the winding dogsled trails – plus you can keep the adrenaline pumping back at your rustic log cabin. Wildlife sightings could make your stay even more exhilarating. If you’ve worked up an appetite overnight, whip up your own breakfast (each chalet has a kitchen) and enjoy it in bed, or trek into town and share some grub at the Caribou Café. Then mush on back and have a cuddle with the adorable white huskies – and your honey too, of course!

Hillhurst Inn
The Hillhurst Inn, an elegant nine-suite heritage property located in the heart of Charlottetown and built by a successful shipbuilder, oozes lavishness and majesty with its Colonial Revival style and abundant woodwork. Explore the coast by taking a day trip along the Lady Slipper Scenic Drive, with its views of sandstone cliffs and fishing harbors. Before you leave, though, ask attentive inn staff to help orchestrate a romantic evening by putting together a special champagne tray, complete with chocolates and long-stemmed red roses, ready upon your return. The rest is up to you...

Elk Ridge Resort
Stop replaying your to-do list in your head. Instead, let others do the doing at the newly opened Elk Ridge Lodge, set in the woodlands of Northern Saskatchewan. A stay here may remind you of your honeymoon – an escape from everyday life, with time to focus on each other. Choose from four on-site restaurants featuring prairie cuisine, or generate some heat at the gym or hot tub. At the premier Salacia Spa, indulge with a Celebrate Life couples’ treatment that includes full-body massage, yogurt splash and body bronzing. Finish the day sipping a glass of wine from your private balcony or relaxing in your Jacuzzi tub.

Getting here

Cathedral Mountain Lodge, Yoho Valley Rd., Field, B.C., 1-866-619-6442, cathedralmountain.com
Hôtel-Musée Premières Nations, 5 Place de la Rencontre “Ekionkiestha’,” Wendake, QC, 1-866-551-9222, hotelpremieresnations.ca
The Arctic Chalet, Inuvik, NT, 1-800-685-9417, arcticchalet.com 
Hillhurst Inn, 181 Fitzroy St., Charlottetown, PEI, 1-877-994-8004, hillhurst.com
Elk Ridge Resort, Waskesiu Lake, SK, 1-800-510-1824, elkridgeresort.com
Tourism British Columbia, 1-800-HELLO-BC (1-800-435-5622), hellobc.com
Tourisme Québec, 1-877-BONJOUR (1-877-266-5687), www.bonjourquebec.com
Northwest Territories Tourism, 1-800-661-0788, www.explorenwt.com
Tourism PEI, 1-800-463-4PEI (4734), www.gentleisland.com
Tourism Saskatchewan, 1-877-2ESCAPE (1-877-237-2273), www.sasktourism.com

Colleen Seto is a writer, editor and the Executive Director of the Alberta Magazine Publishers Association.

Photo credit: Fancy Photograpy/Veer