Resort Intel: Niagara-on-the-Lake getaway is a world faraway from the Falls

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The just lately reworked 124 on Queen Resort and Spa, within the enchanting city of Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont., generally is a trip getaway by itself or a jumping-off level for the realm’s singular sights.

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If you wish to merely chill in one in every of Canada’s most romantic and historic locations, the brand new house owners of 124 on Queen, David Jones and Nick Capasso, have rebuilt an present institution right into a deluxe, year-round resort.

This triumphant second debut contains the luxurious, expanded Spa at Q and its Nordic-style hydrotherapy circuit; up to date gastronomy at Treadwell Delicacies, together with a wine cellar impressed by Niagara’s 50 vineyards; the Gatehouse Bistro; a celebration pavilion; and underground parking (free for company).

The pièce de resistance is the brand new Signature Assortment at Q, a fancy wing of 30 elegant rooms and suites.

“We’ve created a spot for recollections — of weddings and honeymoons, or holidays with household, mates or lovers,” stated Jones, who’s an area.

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What to do: Niagara Falls and Niagara-on-the-Lake are 25 kilometers aside, however are fairly totally different worlds. Niagara Falls is charged with distinctive, awe-inspiring experiences, such because the WildPlay Zipline over the Niagara River, and the brand new Tunnel, which entails driving a glass elevator right down to get a close-up view from a riverside platform on the base of the Thundering Falls.

In distinction, Niagara-on-the-Lake is leisurely, though summer season will be busy right here, too. To get within the mellow temper, I might begin with a promenade alongside Lake Ontario after which discover Previous City, recognized for its ornate Victorian manors, cute retailers and a riot of flower baskets.

The city has classic attraction and a various historical past. You may discover reveals on Indigenous life, the Struggle of 1812 and the Underground Railroad of the mid-1800s, by which enslaved African-People escaped from the US to freedom.

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The biking is outstanding, and you may’t beat the scenic Niagara River Recreation Path for an easygoing outing. There are biking excursions of wineries, however to keep away from biking beneath the affect, take into account driving with Grape Escape or Crush on Niagara Wine Excursions.

Tradition bounds. The famend Shaw Competition is staging such favorites as The Physician’s Dilemma by George Bernard Shaw and Oscar Wilde’s The Significance of Being Earnest.

The resorts: The 124 on Queen operates in adjoining heritage buildings.

Every of the 70 rooms and suites is totally different, however all of them are executed up in a basic colour scheme — delicate tones of dove grey and cloud white, with splashy blue rugs that remind me of the waves of Lake Ontario. Most lodging have moist bars and a few have full kitchens.

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Friends within the Signature Assortment wing are spoiled with bigger rooms, in addition to mattresses by Stearns and Foster, in-room Nespresso and Nunshen tea, bathrobes, high-quality linens and cedar closets.

Treadwells: Govt chef Jason Williams, chef-founder Stephen Treadwell and his son, sommelier James Treadwell, harness the area’s artisanal agriculture and prolific wine manufacturing. Patrons take pleasure in succulent, modern delicacies and a 900-bottle cellar, and may dine indoors, on the patio or — my most well-liked perch — on the chef’s bar dealing with the open kitchen.

Breakfast standouts are French toast brioche with blackberries, crème fraîche and maple syrup; and the heavenly lobster Benedict.

Lunch is a chic repast that includes bouillabaisse of Atlantic seafood with saffron cream, duck confit, braised brief ribs, or the irresistible lobster membership on duck-fat-fried sourdough, with bacon and whipped goat cheese.

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The dinner tasting menu (4 programs, $95, plus $70 wine pairing) contains choices comparable to a primary course of foie gras or cured tuna with cilantro, adopted by seared scallops or ricotta gnocchi, and mains comparable to sliced ​​rib-eye or honey- roasted duck. Favourite desserts embody pannacotta with rhubarb or a pistachio tart with ice cream.

Spa: The well-equipped spa is a significant draw. The intensive hydrotherapy circuit contains swimming pools of varied temperatures, showers with aromatherapy or gentle remedy, a eucalyptus steam, a sauna, and even an area with a lightweight snowfall to manage your physique temperature.

For magnificence and physique, the Spa at Q has a mani-pedi salon, a leisure lounge and a wide range of massages to ease muscle stress with anti-inflammatory oils, herbs, florals or heat stones.

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Should you go

Niagara-on-the-Lake is a few two-hour drive from Toronto. Different choices embody GO Transit, Megabus, FlixBus, Niagara Airbus, FlyGTA Airways (from Toronto’s Billy Bishop downtown airport).

124 on Queen Resort and Spa: 855-988-4552, 905-468-4552, 124queen.com; 124 Queen St.; Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont. Accessible. Vegan delicacies obtainable.

Costs: Rooms from $324, suites from $439; Signature rooms from $449 and suites from $549. Extras: spa remedies; hydrotherapy, $90, or $30 with therapy. Costs decrease after Thanksgiving.

Tourism: Niagara-on-the-Lake: 905-468-1950, niagaraonthelake.com. Niagara Falls: 800-563-2557, niagarafallstourism.com. Shaw Competition: 800-511-7429, shawfest.com. Ontario: destinationontario.com.

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