Two Fabulous Hotels Deliver Quebec World Class Hospitality…
Photo © by Craig Nicholson
Quebec world class hospitality is one of its primary snowmobiling attractions. No other province offers so many classy lodgings in so many places that cater to snowmobilers. From awesome remote resorts to fabulous city hotels, La Belle Province serves up everything that touring riders need to feel welcomed, comfortable and recharged for another great day of trail riding.
So it was a no brainer for me to select Quebec as the destination for our Valentine’s Week Couples Ride. The full story will appear in the magazine next fall. Until then, this post will give you a tease and a taste of what to expect in a quick overview, with special focus on where we stayed. We had a memorable tour in the Quebec and Charlevoix Tourism Regions – and best of all, there’s lots of winter left yet in Quebec, so why wait? Go there and enjoy yourself this season! Meanwhile, if you’re looking for more great Quebec destinations, check out the rest of my Quebec tours.
Quebec World Class Hospitality – DoubleTree by Hilton Quebec Resort
Photo © by Craig Nicholson
On Days 1 & 2 of our tour, we rode two day trip rides from this impressive property and launched from there to saddlebag it into Charlevoix on Day 3. Hands down, this premier resort hotel is the best place for staging a snowmobile tour in Quebec’s capital city area. With easy access off Highway 73 on the northeast side of town, it’s located just 8 minutes north of old Quebec. The DoubleTree by Hilton (formerly Four Points by Sheraton) not only provides direct trail access to Trans Quebec 3, it’s also handy for our must-see visits to Quebec City in winter, including the famous Quebec Winter Carnival and the popular Ice Hotel that we included as part of our Valentine’s ride (ask about the hotel’s free shuttle service).
The DoubleTree by Hilton offers all the amenities for regular snowmobilers and for those looking for some extra pampering – on site gourmet restaurant and bar, a full service spa, outdoor Nordic Baths and Finnish sauna, fitness centre, free shuttle service to winter activities, and plenty of video-monitored truck and trailer parking. The guest rooms are classy, well appointed and easy to access from the hotel front door using luggage carts and nearby elevators. There’s even a Ski-Doo rental location on site! Fuel is available just west on Trail 3 about 3 km. Ask for the DoubleTree by Hilton Quebec Resort Snowmobile Express Package.
Quebec World Class Hospitality – Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu
Photo © by Craig Nicholson
After an easy 190-km ride from Quebec City, we arrived at the amazing Manoir Richelieu, a massive “castle on a cliff” built into the rocky shore overlooking the St. Lawrence River at La Malbaie in the Charlevoix Region. There’s no other hotel arrival by sled view that compares to Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu – you know this place is something really special when Trail 124 leads into their heated and ventilated underground parking garage!
Once inside Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu, it may be hard to pry yourself out to go snowmobiling again –a winter storm on Valentine’s Day gave us all the excuse needed to stay put and enjoy the Manoir Richelieu experience. The guest rooms are first rate, the cuisine excellent, and the Multi-Sports Centre offers indoor and outdoor pools, indoor and outdoor whirlpools, and steam & exercise rooms – plus outdoor ice skating, horse-drawn carriage or cart rides, and even snowmobile rentals. For extra pampering, visit the spa. The hotel’s Grand Hall provides a variety of licenced lounges with panoramic river views and one floor down, there’s even tunnel access to the Casino Charlevoix for those who like games of chance.
Everyone in our Snow Goer Canada group commented on how friendly and helpful the staff is at the Fairmont Manoir Richelieu; it’s a very happy, welcoming place to visit. It’s one of those rare, don’t-miss destinations that should be on every sledder’s bucket list, so check out their snowmobiling packages today. Fuel available on Trail 64 in Clermont.
The tips and advice in this blog are the opinions of the author, may not work in every situation and are intended only for the convenience and interest of the reader, who has the personal responsibility to confirm the validity, accuracy and relevancy of this information prior to putting it to their own use.