9 Best Hotels in Side Trips from Montreal, Quebec

A local landmark since 1849, when it was first a stagecoach stop, and later a railway stop, this rustic inn is a special-occasion venue for locals and a delightful option for visitors who relish period style and good regional cuisine. Its long porch and antique looking furniture can make you feel as if you stepped back in time. Bistro Le Relais, on the first floor, serves local wines and cheeses and offers a wide range of dishes, including confit de canard (duck), all of which can be savored on the terrace during the summer months.

From its lofty perch, this delightful century-old inn has spectacular views day and night—it's within the International Dark Sky Reserve—and is less than a minute's drive from Mont Mégantic National Park and the Astrolab. Sitting at an altitude of 600 feet, within extensive landscaped gardens and 105 acres of rolling hills, the tiny B&B is also in a wildlife-rich area, including wolves, moose, and wildcats. Lovely rooms are spacious and comfortable, with queen-size beds, modern bathrooms, and interesting artwork. Suites, accommodating up to four, have private balconies. Fruit-laden breakfasts and dinner (by reservation) draw on local produce, and hikers can get a packed lunch. Reservations are essential.

Walking into this charming bed-and-breakfast is like being transported to a cozy Bavarian mountain inn. Originally owned by a Bavarian frau and her Quebecois husband, every door, shutter, and breakfast room tabletop—and even the claw-foot bathtub in one room—is lovingly hand-painted in colorful Bavarian designs. With her meticulous attention to detail, current owner Josée Casavant has added some lovely touches of her own, including an antique tricycle and a bespectacled sheep mascot, from her travels in Europe, Tunisia, and Egypt. Pointed cathedral ceilings, rich wooden beams, attic windows, and a fireplace in the small lounge add to the cozy Bavarian Quebecois country ambience. If you choose the B&B option, Josée makes breakfast herself using fresh, organic products to prepare popular favorites like fruit smoothies, homemade granola, French toast, and egg in the basket with Gruyère to fortify you before you head out for a day of cycling or cross-country skiing.

With a year-round Nordic spa and outdoor hot tub, hammocks hung all around the property, and a waterfall, relaxation is the order of the day at this rustic riverside retreat. Rooms in the fieldstone building have hardwood floors, and although furnishings are spare there's plenty of space for spreading out; all suites have fireplaces and double Jacuzzis. The spa includes a steam room and Finnish sauna. Breakfast and lunch are served in the spacious dining room. The auberge also offers a variety of packages that usually include dinner off-site at one of several local restaurants as well as a spa treatment or outdoor activity such as skiing, snowshoeing, cycling, or canoeing.

The majority of rooms at this popular inn on Magog's waterfront have lake views, including some with fireplaces. The large windows overlooking the mountain-ringed Lac Memphrémagog make L'Ancrage restaurant bright and airy. The French and Mediterranean-inspired dishes served here include organic pork and veal as well as duck confit and grilled lamb. In summer you can eat outside on the terrace overlooking the lake.

Somewhat hidden away, in the Bondville section of Lac Brome, and on 112 acres of sheer bucolic splendor, is Domaine Jolivent, one of the best kept secrets in the Eastern Townships. Serene, quiet, and elegant, this heritage inn, with its variety of hiking trails, idyllic pond, spa treatments, and overall relaxed vibe, has been an ideal spot for generations of Montrealers in search of peace and rejuvenation. One could spend their entire holiday without ever leaving the grounds as, in addition to its outdoor pool and pond, Jolivent's clients have access to the majestic Lac Brome, which is just across the road. Featuring both indoor and outdoor (in season) dining, Jolivent offers outstanding local fare. Whether snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and chilling in front of a roaring fireplace in winter or hiking, doing aquatic activities, and chilling on the outdoor terrasse in summer, Domaine Jolivent has something for everyone.

This auberge by the main road is one of the best-equipped spa destinations in the area, and its outdoor terrace is a pleasant place to relax. An all-weather outdoor garden has waterfalls and cold-water pools. Although the rooms are basic and are showing signs of wear and tear, they are comfortable, service is friendly, and the rates include access to all the pools.

Once a wartime refuge for well-heeled English children and their governesses, this inn and spa now offers everyone a refuge from everyday stress, with a fireplace and a whirlpool bath in every room and a year-round outdoor heated pool and steam room. The building has a traditional sloping Quebecois roof and dormer windows.  There is no restaurant, but the hotel has partnered with some of the restaurants around town to offer guest discounts.

The accommodations, service, and food at the Ripplecove, 11 km (7 miles) south of Magog, are good enough reason to make the detour. Bedrooms are elegant and furnished with antiques, and colorful walls nicely set off the artwork. Some rooms and suites have lake views, and there's a spa here, too, with a four-season hot tub that looks out onto the lake. The restaurant offers fine cuisine made with locally sourced ingredients. There is also a British-style tavern on-site for visitors who are looking for a more relaxed atmosphere.