Hotel Le Germain Calgary

Its sister hotels in Montreal and Toronto are no less sleek, no less luxe — but when it comes time to measure them against their in-town competition, it’s the Hôtel Le Germain Calgary that comes out ahead. Calgary’s long since outgrown its cowboy phase, but it’d be a stretch to call it a cultural capital; this is what makes the stylish and urbane Le Germain so impressive.

The location, along 9th Avenue, could hardly be more central, which helps — this means business and leisure travelers alike have no geographic reason to look elsewhere. And why should they? You’d have to be allergic to both contemporary design and modern boutique hospitality to consider giving this one a miss. (A rare condition, thankfully.)

It’s a new build, and a striking one at that, not just outside but inside as well. The common areas are chic, creatively lit and decked out in rich materials like mosaic tile and volcanic rock. The rooms are a bit more sedate, exuding a low-key residential air, with slightly risqué open-plan baths. The hotel’s environmental measures are manifold, which include little things like low-flow toilets and energy-efficient lights but also bigger interventions, such as the geothermic system whose deep wells heat the hotel’s water supply (and the radiant floors).

Atop it all stands the spa complex, with far-ranging views from its well-equipped fitness center. There’s one very distinct nod to Calgary’s ranching heritage in the form of the Charcut Roast House, and the lobby lounge is fast becoming one of the city’s preferred central meeting points.