5 Cool Winter Accommodations in Canada

Every good tour planner knows that lodgings can be more than a place for travelers to rest their heads: Accommodations can be the main attraction. Canada has your groups covered this winter—and for many winters to come—with these five cool accommodations.

(Many of these accommodations offer prime lodging for the warmer months, too. I'll let you guess which one doesn't.)

Algonquin Provincial Park Yurts
Whitney, Ontario

Seven yurts are available year-round at the Mew Lake Campground. The octagonal, tent-like structures are mounted on a wooden deck floor and offer electrical heat, to help keep your groups toasty warm. Bunk beds are provided and can accommodate six, but travelers need to bring their own bedding.

Northern Lights Teepees and Tents
Yukon and Northwest Territories

Traditional Aboriginal culture blends together with modern amenities at Aurora Village, located in Yellowknife, where groups could sleep in a traditional teepee under the northern lights. Northern Tales Travel Service in the Yukon offers comfortable prospectory-style wall tents that were once used by gold seekers for a night of aurora viewing.

Free Spirit Spheres
Vancouver Island, British Columbia

In the enchanted coastal rainforest of Vancouver Island, Free Spirit Spheres offer an opportunity for travelers to stay in fantastical, wooden, spherical tree houses suspended in branches. Each of the three spheres offers a unique look and feel for individuals or couples looking to get cozy.

Hôtel de Glace 
Valcartier, Québec

Entirely built from snow and ice, Hôtel de Glace (Ice Hotel) is the only hotel of its kind in North America. Redesigned and rebuilt anew each winter, it features 45 whimsical rooms with fur-lined sleeping nooks, a crystalline bar, ornate chandeliers and sculptures, a frozen chapel and frosty cocktail glasses. Located near Québec City, the hotel has attracted more than 1 million visitors since opening in 2001.

Kicking Horse Mountain Resort's Eagle's Eye Suites
Golden, British Colombia

Kicking Horse Mountain Resort's Eagle's Eye Suites are the peak of luxury accommodations. Quite literally the peak! The suite is perched atop the mountains at 7,700 feet. The experience includes a butler and chef, sightseeing lift tickets, dinner, breakfast and more.

Written by Cassie Westrate, staff writer for Groups Today.

Photo courtesy of Destination Canada.