14 Best Hotels in Ontario, Canada

This gorgeous Victorian home is filled with artifacts of theater history from Italian commedia dell'arte to Shakespearean histories. Stratford mayor and city hall architect Lieutenant Colonel John Lant Youngs once lived in the home that still makes use of 19th-century flourishes like service stairs, elaborate wallpaper, and period woodwork polished until it gleams. Cohost Elena Pastura has a mental catalogue of 60 different sweet and savory breakfast dishes, served in a three-course meal that always includes a dessert. Spend time in the verdant garden, admire the grounds, and relax on the wraparound porch.

Every room has a different theme at this cozy boutique hotel, though with self-check-in and no amenities to speak of, it's not a place for those who want a full-service experience, and the totally open plan in some rooms makes them unsuitable for sharing. Guests can choose from options like the Courtside, a turn-of-the-century varsity athletics-themed (complete with foosball table and leather punching bag) room; the Green room, with all green accoutrements that overlooks the river and Shakespeare gardens; and the cheeky Penny Pincher, the smallest and most affordable, but still quite adorable with exposed brick walls. The largest units have multiple bedrooms and full kitchens, but some of the smaller rooms have open-plan baths with only the toilet being private.

Intimacy comes first at this charming Victorian heritage home with a unique Georgian addition furnished with restored period furniture. Guests are invited to make use of a private pantry and borrow board games and books from the ground-floor library. King rooms are furnished with luxurious soaker tubs (bath salts provided) and heated flooring, but TVs and radios are left out with intention, so be ready to connect with your loved ones, or yourself, during your stay.

Built in 1886 for John McGee, brother of Thomas D'Arcy McGee, a Father of Confederation, this Victorian mansion in the historic Sandy Hill sector is now a cozy B&B. Furnished with antiques, each room has its own distinctive charm and some have working fireplaces. The romantic Egyptian, Windsor, and Victorian Rose rooms have double whirlpool tubs. For families, there's an extra single bed in some rooms.

This 1874 Gothic revival home has been transformed into an impeccably decorated B&B with an eclectic interior. Owner Judy Spence has thrown all design rules out the window with her always-evolving mix of romantic and chic, including curios brought back from trips to Asia and irreverent pieces like a black-on-black zebra-print headboard. It somehow all works beautifully. Rooms have themes, like the sunny yellow-and-white Key West suite, with shell light-pulls and filmy fabric above the bed. The French country-cottage-style Loft, above the carriage house in back, has two bedrooms and two bathrooms.

An air of old-fashioned civility permeates this 1832 Georgian gem, with a nice location on the main street; meal plans that include breakfast or dinner (or both) are available. Spend summer evenings playing board games on the outdoor patio, then dine on some of the best food in the area. Each of its 12 rooms are uniquely decorated: from the Apple Room, with an oversize painting of apples over the bed, to the Safari Room with slanted ceilings and tribal decor like masks and drums. In the persimmon-color HobNob restaurant, chef Steve Sperling crafts exquisite dishes inspired by locally grown ingredients.

Two doors down from the Avon and Studio theaters, this brick storefront building dates back to 1906 and has an interesting bit of history—it once housed the International Order of Odd Fellows, a fraternal organization that started in the United Kingdom. Brightly painted rooms on the second and third floors are comfortable, if a bit basic. The hotel's street-level bar and restaurant and patio in front attract a lively mix of patrons.

Seven of the 24 suites in the main building of this Main Street Jordan inn are two-story affairs with plenty of space, but the rooms to book—in nice weather at least—are the five ground-level suites with very private garden patios. The style of the suites can be described as country elegance, with a mix of antiques and new furnishings, tasteful brocade upholstery, and some gas fireplaces. Two suites are in the separate clapboard Winemaker's Cottage, and two smaller rooms are in the 1840 brick Vintage House, both beside the inn.

Steeped in military history, the Olde Angel is one of the oldest lodgings in Ontario. Established in the late 1700s, the colonial coach-house inn burned down during the War of 1812 and was rebuilt in 1816 (another casualty of that war, Captain Colin Swayze, is believed to haunt the inn). Rooms are each quite different in layout, but all have hardwood floors and rustic decor; some have rare pieces, like the Colonel's Suite with its antique Irish bed. The superior accommodations are the private two-story cottages—also historic houses, both built in the 1800s—next door, ideal for two couples or a family.

A 1901 storefront enlivened with a striped awning is the unique facade of this residential-neighborhood B&B. The guest rooms have city themes: the extra-large New York suite has modernist chairs and a blue-and-black checkerboard floor, for example. Other rooms have more traditional and romantic furnishings but are just as creatively tailored to San Francisco, Paris, and London themes. The owners have traveled extensively in Cuba, where they sourced oversize modern-art canvases in the breakfast room and lounge. The storefront window makes for a sunny breakfast room, where individual tables are laid with the day's creation, such as ginger-mango crepes.

Surrounded by its own private vineyard, this beautifully restored, green-shuttered 1820 mansion is formal in style: it's fronted by a grand portico with four massive columns, and an enormous original 19th-century crystal chandelier greets you in the lobby. Before it opened as an inn, it was a local art gallery, and it still showcases some artwork. Gas fireplaces, wood furnishings, and rich tones of gold and wine add to the upscale elegance of the rooms. All are warmed by fireplaces and have pastoral views of the vineyards or front gardens. The location, surrounded by vineyards and next to Peller Estates Winery is the real appeal, but it is a little remote from the central area.

Unique among the many options in Niagara Falls is this boutique hotel in a converted 1930s milk factory—hence the unusual bottle-shape tower near the entrance. Rooms are spacious and individually decorated in an urban style, with dark flooring, black leather sofas, and punches of red in modern paintings on the white walls and in oversized gas or electric fireplaces. Bathrooms are luxurious, with either a steam shower or whirlpool tub. Those with romantic inclinations can spring for pricy upgrades that include fresh flowers, fake rose petals strewn about the room, tea lights, and chocolate-covered strawberries.

On a quiet residential street, this elegant and tastefully decorated trio of Edwardian and Victorian homes has been frequented by movie stars like Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer. The suites are spread over three floors and are packed with original art; each has a private balcony or veranda. The Garden House, in an 1870s carriage house, offers a quiet retreat and a four-poster bed. Breakfasts are three courses: fruit, eggs, and baked goods.

Tucked into the Humber River Valley, the Old Mill is the only country inn within the city limits of Toronto. Manicured English gardens and an arched stone bridge flank the 1914 Tudor-style building. Burnished mahogany and cherrywood tables, chairs, and beds (some four-poster) grace guest rooms. Gas fireplaces and large whirlpool tubs invite romance, and each room has a view of the wooded banks of the Humber River Valley. Exposed stone walls and a 50-foot-high solid fir cathedral ceiling define the manor-house restaurant, the Old Mill Dining Room. There's dinner and dancing six nights a week, luncheon buffets, and afternoon tea. It's a 15-minute drive or subway ride from downtown and about 25 minutes by car from the airport.