Intel Hotel: Niagara-on-the-Lake Getaway Is A World Away From The Falls

.

The recently transformed 124 on Queen Hotel and Spa, in the charming city of Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, can be a vacation getaway or a launching point for the area’s unique attractions.

.

If you simply want to relax in one of Canada’s most romantic and historic destinations, the new owners of 124 on Queen, David Jones and Nick Capasso, have converted an existing property into a year-round luxury hotel.

This second triumphant debut includes the luxurious expanded Spa at Q and its Nordic-style hydrotherapy circuit; up-to-date dining at Treadwell Cuisine, including a wine cellar inspired by Niagara’s 50 Vineyards; the Gate House Bistro; a party pavilion; and underground parking (free for guests).

The pièce de résistance is the new Signature Collection at Q, an elegant wing of 30 elegant rooms and suites.

“We have created a place for memories, of weddings and honeymoons, or vacations with family, friends or lovers,” said Jones, who is a local.

.

To do: Niagara Falls and Niagara-on-the-Lake are 25 kilometers apart, but they are quite different worlds. Niagara Falls is packed with unique and awe-inspiring experiences, like the WildPlay Zipline over the Niagara River and the new Tunnel, which involves descending in a glass elevator to get an up-close view from a riverside platform at the base of Niagara Falls. Niagara Falls. Thunderous falls.

In contrast, Niagara-on-the-Lake is quiet, though summer can get busy here, too. To get into a tranquil frame of mind, I’d start with a stroll along Lake Ontario and then explore Old Town, known for its ornate Victorian mansions, cute shops, and plenty of flower baskets.

The city has an ancient charm and a diverse history. You’ll find exhibits on Native American life, the War of 1812, and the mid-19th-century Underground Railroad, through which enslaved African-Americans escaped the US to freedom.

.

The biking is exceptional, and you can’t beat the scenic Niagara River Recreational Trail for a leisurely outing. Winery bike tours are available, but to avoid biking under the influence, consider driving with Grape Escape or Crush on Niagara Wine Tours.

Culture abounds. The renowned Shaw Festival is presenting such favorites as George Bernard Shaw’s The Doctor’s Dilemma and Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest.

The hotel: The 124 on Queen operates out of adjoining heritage buildings.

Each of the 70 rooms and suites is different, but all are decorated in a classic color scheme: delicate shades of dove gray and cloud white, with bold blue rugs that remind me of the waves on Lake Ontario. Most accommodations have wet bars and some have full kitchens.

.

Guests in the Signature Collection Wing are pampered with larger rooms, as well as Stearns and Foster mattresses, in-room Nespresso and Nunshen teas, bathrobes, fine linens, and cedar armoires.

Treadwell: Executive chef Jason Williams, chef-founder Stephen Treadwell, and his son, sommelier James Treadwell, take advantage of the region’s artisan farming and prolific wine production. Patrons enjoy succulent contemporary cuisine and a 900-bottle wine cellar, and can dine indoors, on the patio, or, my preferred position, at the chef’s bar facing the open kitchen.

Breakfast highlights include French toast brioche with blackberries, crème fraîche, and maple syrup; and Heavenly Lobster Benedict.

Lunch is an elegant dinner of Atlantic seafood bouillabaisse with saffron cream, duck confit, braised short ribs, or the irresistible lobster club on fried sourdough in duck fat, with bacon and whipped goat cheese.

.

The dinner tasting menu ($95, four-course, plus $70 wine pairing) includes options such as a starter of foie gras or coriander-cured tuna, followed by grilled scallops or ricotta gnocchi, and entrees such as sliced ​​ribs or honey. Roasted duck. Favorite desserts include pannacotta with rhubarb or a pistachio tart with ice cream.

Spa: The well-equipped spa is a big draw. The extensive hydrotherapy circuit includes pools of various temperatures, showers with aromatherapy or light therapy, eucalyptus steam, sauna and even a space with a light snowfall to regulate body temperature.

For beauty and body, the Spa at Q features a manicure and pedicure salon, a relaxation lounge, and a variety of massages to relieve muscle tension using anti-inflammatory oils, herbs, flowers, or hot stones.

.

If you go

Niagara-on-the-Lake is about a two-hour drive from Toronto. Other options include GO Transit, Megabus, FlixBus, Niagara Airbus, FlyGTA Airlines (from Downtown Toronto Billy Bishop Airport).

124 at Queen Hotel and Spa: 855-988-4552, 905-468-4552, 124queen.com; 124 Queen Street; Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont. Accessible. Vegan kitchen available.

Price: Rooms from $324, suites from $439; Exclusive rooms from $449 and suites from $549. Extra: spa treatments; hydrotherapy, $90 or $30 with treatment. Prices go down after Thanksgiving.

Tourism: Niagara-on-the-Lake: 905-468-1950, niagaraonthelake.com. Niagara Falls: 800-563-2557, tourism in niagara falls.com. Shaw Festival: 800-511-7429, shawfest.com. Ontario: destinationontario.com.

[email protected]