ELLE Travel: Canada's got style

Ottawa

The buzz Long overshadowed by Montreal and Toronto, Ottawa is finally shedding its underdog status and rep for bureaucratic blandness. Twenty years ago, the city had a few steakhouses; today it’s in the midst of a culinary renaissance, with cute bistros popping up everywhere. New Edinburgh, near Sussex Drive, is an up-and-coming area, but the city’s core — from Byward Market to Bank Street — is still the main attraction.

Stay A 15-minute walk from Byward Market, McGee’s Inn has all the charm you would expect from a bed and breakfast housed in a threestorey brick Victorian. Stay in the cozy Egyptian room and make sure to wake up in time for breakfast: Homemade crepes with fresh fruit are served every morning in the sunny parlour. If white duvets and green apples are more your style, book a suite at ARC. Billed as Ottawa’s first boutique hotel, it’s close to Bank Street and the Parliament Buildings (and nirvana, when you order the club sandwich from room service — trust us).

Shop and stroll Start at Louise Bourgeois’ spider sculpture at the National Gallery, then head south on Sussex. Trustfund offers haute jean brands (Citizens of Humanity et al.), as well as flirty silk dresses from Amanda Uprichard. Once the market’s weakest link, Dalhousie Street is now a fashion powerhouse. Victoire Boutique is a must-visit: With its yellow wallpaper, antique mirrors and cool Canadian fashion (Juma, Birds of North America, Preloved), it’s like being in your chicest friend’s bedroom.

Dine and drink The most buzzed-about restaurant in the city, Atelier is worth the trek to Little Italy. In a 22-seat dining room, guests enjoy a four-hour, 12-course dining experience: Chef Marc Lepine and his team create a nightly tasting menu, which can include basics like Bison and Mashed Potatoes, as well as more exotic specialties like the Elvis Truffle. (We won’t spoil the surprise.) At Murray Street, sit on the grapevineshaded back patio, order a glass of Pinot Grigio and sample the housemade charcuterie (smoked ostrich meat and a terrine made of elk, dried cherries and kale)

NORTHERN STAR
Minutes from downtown, Le Nordik recreates the Finnish spa experience in the Gatineau wilderness. Book a volcanic hot-stone massage or relax in the outdoor pools, surrounded by evergreens. “We give people total relaxation in the heart of nature,” says Caroline Jalbert, marketing coordinator for Le Nordik. “[Moving among the pools] allows the body to eliminate toxins, relaxes muscles and improves quality of sleep. It provides an opportunity to purify oneself, physically and spiritually”.

Text by Laura deCarufel
Image of the entrance to Byward Market by Andre Jenny/Alamy

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