1. Fogo Island Inn, Newfoundland and Labrador

Want an exclusive front-row seat to glaciers, whales and a culture that few others get to see? You’ve come to the right place. Arriving at Fogo, the largest offshore island of Newfoundland and Labrador in eastern Canada, you’d be forgiven for thinking you’d reached the edge of the Earth with icebergs floating by in the wind-whipped North Atlantic Ocean. It’s a suitably dramatic setting for Fogo Island Inn, a great feat of contemporary architecture perched on ancient granite boulders that drop to the sea. For a long time, the area’s remoteness was set to be its downfall, with a long maritime history under threat from the shrinking population and a crash in the cod industry. But Newfoundland entrepreneur Zita Cobb was determined to change all that, and has almost single-handedly revived the community through her eye-catching accommodation, and all it represents. The best bit? Inn profits are channelled back into cultural projects to strengthen the community.

2. Free Spirit Spheres, British Columbia

The three spherical treehouses at Free Spirit appear to have slipped from the pages of a fairytale – they’re that magical. Located just north of Nanaimo on the east coast of Vancouver Island, the Luna, Melody and Eryn spheres look like floating forest marbles. Each is accessed via wooden boardwalks, which take you high into the leafy canopy of maples and cedars. There are living and sleeping areas, and circular windows offering glimpses of surrounding lakes and meadows – you can warm up in the shared sauna after an invigorating hike. Expect to disconnect from all your devices while here; there’s no phone or wi-fi, but instead a host of diversions in the great outdoors. 

3. Rocky Mountain  House National  Historic Site, Alberta 

Take a deep-dive into a historic Canadian fur-trade post along the North Saskatchewan River in Alberta when you camp in a teepee, métis trapper tent or trapline cabin at Rocky Mountain  House National  Historic Site. Each accommodation option is extremely cosy, with wooden floors and all the trimmings you need to stay snug overnight. During the day, this is the gateway to some of the province’s most immense wilderness areas, including Banff and Jasper national parks. But you don’t have to leave the park to experience nature and culture at its finest: hike along interpretative trails to learn about explorers, gather around the fire with an indigenous storyteller or make your own dreamcatcher.

4. Hotel de Glace, Quebec

A slice of Scandinavia in northern Canada? It’s a thing when you check into Hotel de Glace. Carved out of ice, the property’s beautifully sculpted rooms are kitted out with ultra-comfy Arctic sleeping bags. But if you’re feeling the chill, you can warm up under the stars in the Nordic relaxation area, replete with alfresco hot tubs and a sauna. Order a cocktail to be served while you soak – it comes in a glass made from ice. The themed suites are like Disneyland on steroids, and change annually depending on the creative inspiration of the artists carving them. Think neon lights, fireplaces, a private spa and themed sculptures on the walls. 

5. Around the Sea Rotating House, Prince Edward Island

There will be no fighting over rooms when you book this property on PEI’s Green Gables Shore – all four suites enjoy the same spectacular ocean views thanks to the house rotating. Slowly, though, so you won’t actually feel like you’re moving – it takes 45 minutes to complete a rotation. The amenities at Around the Sea Rotating House are deluxe, ranging from a fire pit to a fully kitted kitchen and a barrel sauna. But if you’re looking for excuses to explore, make it the drama of the Prince Edward Island National Park beach; the sand here is red. And as expected of this part of the country, the seafood is plentiful. Bring your appetite for lobsters.

6. The Tundra Buggy Lodge, Manitoba

Spot polar bears during the day and the Northern Lights at night from this very special vantage in Churchill, northern Manitoba. The accommodation at The Tundra Buggy Lodge, set over a train of tundra buggies, is rustic – but you’re not here for high-thread-count linens and fine dining. You check in to feel the full force of nature, and come remarkably close to elusive, wide-eyed polar bears, which regularly wake guests in the middle of the night when they lumber past. This is also the ideal starting point for excursions that get you close to beluga whales, grizzly bears and all manner of other wildlife that thrive in these far-flung frontiers. 

7. Ridgeback Lodge, New Brunswick

Water rules at Ridgeback Lodge, with its series of glamping domes and log huts strung amid forest and between a webbing of gin-clear rivers and lakes – you’re also just a short drive from the Bay of Fundy, which experiences the largest tides in the world. The Dream Domes are the pick of the accommodation bunch, replete with skylights that allow you to fall asleep in comfy beds while gazing at a seriously stellar sky of stars. There’s no light pollution in this part of Canada, after all. There’s also no wi-fi or phone reception, so prepare to disconnect and make the most of your facilities, including wood-burning stoves, kitchenettes and ensuite bathrooms.

8. Quirpon Lighthouse Inn, Newfoundland and Labrador

At the most northern point of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Quirpon Island is as remote as it is ravishing. In fact, it’s completely deserted save for a sole lighthouse, today transformed into the dreamy Quirpon Island Inn overlooking Canada’s “Iceberg Alley”. This means that you’ll be the only people around, although you will likely have orcas, humpback whales and all manner of bird life to keep you company. The 1922 lighthouse features 10 beautifully refurbished rooms, all making the most of the eye candy drifting by on the Labrador Current.

9. Hotel Zed Tofino, British Columbia

“Fun, funky and friendly” is how the Hotel Zed group defines its type of hospitality. It’s hard to disagree. You won’t miss the Tofino edition on the west coast of Vancouver Island – just look for the lipstick-pink VW van parked off the highway. It’s like a neon welcome to the ’70s-themed property, which does not shy away from colour and quirk. It comes with North America’s first bike-through lobby, connecting Tofino to the surrounding popular beaches. And then there’s the Austin Powers-esque décor: lime-green shag rugs, sunken velvet sofas, rotary dial phones… there’s even a games arcade and disco room.

10. Saintlo Ottawa Jail Hostel, Ontario

You don’t need to commit a crime to go to jail. Just book a room in a real prison cell at Saintlo Ottawa Jail Hostel, which occupies the former Carleton County Gaol. This is the site of the last public hanging in Canada, and it closed due to its notoriously poor treatment of prisoners. You can tap into the site’s ghoulish side on a late-night ghost tour of the premises. Then have a beer with your fellow travellers and lock yourself into your cell for the night. Good luck falling asleep – this is one of Canada’s most haunted buildings.

See also: 

10 things every Aussie needs to do in Canada at least once

10 surprising facts about Canada

I found Canada's most underrated city