These Tiny Canadian Retreats Prove Bigger Isn’t Always Better

Take a gander at this pristine scene that resembles a landscape painting. Don’t you want to crawl into it?
Appealing to rugged nature types and lovers of luxury alike, this eco-safari resort will set you back $5,400 for three nights. The price includes return float plane airfare, activities (horseback riding or an afternoon at the spa), accommodation, alcohol and meals. By the way, this is a Relais & Chateaux property, so the cuisine ain’t canned beans and franks, it’s more like locally sourced Dungeness crab and salmon.

Ditch the smartphones and get away from the city chaos at this paradisiacal place that you zip to via float plane. There are 25 guest tents, and the team works closely with the Ahousaht First Nations to provide access to the UNESCO-designated Clayoquot Sound Biosphere Reserve.

Any haute hippies in the house? You’ll love the resort’s two airy lounges. A vast double-sided dry-stack fireplace is the heart of the two hangout spots, where overstuffed couches and deep armchairs are at the centre of countless new friendships and post-activity tales of adventure.

White canvas prospector-style tents, decorated with turn-of-the-century antiques and handmade local live-edge touches, create an authentic West Coast Canadian style. A remote-controlled propane-fuelled “wood stove,” vintage oil lamps and candles set in antique silver and crystal provide authentic period lighting and ambience. AC power and Wi-Fi keep guests plugged-in to contemporary comfort.

Glamping, a.k.a, glamorous camping, anyone? Because some of us don’t like waking up in a hot sticky tent, there’s this awesome adult-only lodge in the heart of Atlantic Canada. (They also offer cabins, if orbs aren’t your thing.) A stargazer dream dome like this one is $175 per night and has three queen bedrooms for up to six people.

Gaze at the stars through the dome’s transparent ceiling panels while you lie in bed at night. Aw, hello twinkly friends, we’ve missed you in the city!

Each glamping dome is also fitted with a wood stove, making nights spent under the stars all the more appealing.

Summer or winter, the unvarnished view of this romantic getaway is sublime. It’s located amidst the natural beauty of the Kingston Peninsula, between Fredericton, St. John and Moncton, New Brunswick.

This two-level cabin, Alfie the A-Frame, has the distinction of being Airbnb’s fourth-most “wish-listed property,” so the hosts are clearly doing something right. Of course, it helps that the digs have stunning views of the Sechelt Inlet and get toasted by the afternoon sun. Oh, and the beach is a three-minute walk away. Not bad for $109 a night.

A couple can snuggle up in this lovely loft bedroom, which has killer views and an airy peaked roof. A pull-out couch downstairs also sleeps two more.

Set up a game of Scrabble in the comfy living room that’s stocked with books and a well-equipped kitchenette for snacks. And there’s that big white couch for extra guests.

Here’s the sunset from the upstairs deck. Aren’t you de-stressing just looking at this beautiful image?

Cantilevered over a hill, this quiet cabin high up in an old hardwood forest ravine rents for $185 a night and is suitable for all seasons with no neighbours within a kilometre – and it’s only an hour drive from Toronto.

Wile away the hours in wilderness lounging on the hammock in the screened-in porch (no bugs!), or go for a hike. Guests have access to over 6,000 acres of forest and trails.

The main living area boasts large windows, a dining table, a comfortable double bed and a wood stove. There is no running water, but the hosts supply potable water by jug, and there’s a summer outdoor shower with the water at room temp.

The inspiring porch is the perfect place to decompress with a book, or just gaze out into the trees. Painters and writers will find this spot especially alluring.

For a unique holiday, hit up Free Spirit Spheres in Vancouver’s lush rainforest. You’ll enjoy a stint suspended in orbs amidst towering trees. There are three models to chose from: Eve, Eryn and Melody (pictured). Melody – priced at $314 per night and suspended 14 feet off the ground – sleeps up to two in a double murphy bed. Made of fibreglass, the cozy cocoon-like structure boasts five windows, including a sky light, a small sink, cupboards with dishes, purified water and goods for prepping tea and coffee.

The quaint “Eryn” sphere pictured here is comfy for one to three people. Behold the kitchenette stocked with snacks and water.

From the wavy door to the circular window to the fact that you’re, hello, dangling among the trees, this is truly a one-of-a-kind accommodation. And it’s probably the closest you’ll get to feeling like a butterfly before it’s hatched.

The “Eve” model seen suspended here is equipped with a single bed for $175 per night, though you can get it as a couple for $210 a night, as long as your combined weight doesn’t exceed 300 pounds.