Hotel Quintessence

The age of the boutique ski hotel is upon us. While the typical North American mountain resort counts rooms by the hundreds, Quintessence, on the shores of Quebec’s Lake Tremblant, numbers just thirty suites — though surely they had space for more, as each spans at least 700 square feet, they went for the ultra-luxury approach.

The style isn’t quite as new — we’ve seen more and more mountain resorts taking their cues from the high-end lodges of the Swiss Alps — but when combined with the intimate scale (and the level of service that only a small hotel can provide) the result is an experience few competitors can match. The elegance of the atmosphere lends itself to the sort of romance that is more typically the province of city-center boutique hotels — and the king-size beds, wood-burning fireplaces and deep soaking tubs don’t hurt either.

Room amenities are state-of-the-art, service is impeccable, and the restaurant and wine bar are the equal of anything you’d find in the city. There’s more to do than just ski, incidentally — though the slopes are a short walk away, so is the lake, and the Quintessence spa is an attraction all the year round.

How to get there: Hotel Quintessence is a 1 1/2 hour drive (130 km) northwest of Montréal and a two minute walk from Tremblant Village. It is accessible year-round by car, limousine or bus.