On my last visit in March, I stayed in Yaletown's chic Opus Hotel, recently voted one of the World's Top 100 Hotels by Conde Nast Traveler. The holel restaurant, Elixir, showcases the exceptional talents of Don Letendre, one of Canada's best young chefs. Guest rooms are modern and stylish, with oversized bathrooms that feature trendy L'Occitane bath amenities.

Letendre does creative fusion in the lobby bar but Elixir plays it straight as a traditional French bistro, serving moules frites, duck confit and an oven roasted rack of lamb shoulder to die for. The wine list, heany on boutique Canadian wines, is superb. For dessert, don't miss sticky toffee pudding, best accompanied by a glass of cidre de glace, ice wine from Quebec distilled from apples