CES has come and gone; the holidays are long past; and now all we’re left with are a few months of dreary weather. No fun, right? Right. Except if you’re a tech writer. Now that most major companies have revealed their new lineups, we have the exciti…
After a popular Muslim cleric declared selfies a sin, young Indonesians decided to take matters into their own hands — by striking a pose and continuing to snap.
Felix Siauw, an Indonesian author and religious leader with a substantial social media presence, is arguing that people who take selfies are giving in to pride — which means snapping a selfie may be a sin against God.
“If we take a selfie, sift through and choose our best pose, and then we’re awed and impressed by our selves – worryingly, that’s called PRIDE,” Siauw wrote during a Twitter rant, according to a translation provided by Coconuts Jakarta.
“If we take a selfie and we feel cooler and better than others – we’ve fallen into the worst sin of all, ARROGANCE,” he continued.
He then took aim at Muslim women, accusing them of taking selfies without shame.
“There are usually nine frames in one photo with facial poses that are just – My Goodness – where’s the purity in women?,” he wrote.
Siauw isn’t the only selfie-critic out there. In 2014, a Jeddah scholar condemned the practice of taking selfies during Muslim’s hajj pilgrimage to Mecca. The pilgrimage is meant to be a time of introspection, Scholar Sheikh Assim Al-Hakeem argued, and selfies seemed to be a way of boasting and showing off.
But Siauw’s tirade against the selfie wasn’t received well in Indonesia, Quartz reports, where the number of people using smartphones has surged in recent years. According to Google Trends, Indonesia was one of the first countries in Southeast Asia where people began searching for selfie sticks in earnest.
It wasn’t long before Indonesian youth retaliated in defense of the duck face. In fact, Siauw’s condemnation resulted in the explosion of even more selfies. Using the hashtag #Selfie4Siauw, Indonesians are fighting the idea that posting a selfie somehow taints your relationship with God.
Nih bang @Dzawinur hahahaaha #Selfie4Siauw pic.twitter.com/QcNH0K7DHC
— K A R T I K A (@kkhancutt) January 19, 2015
Ikutan ahh biar kaya orang orang.. #Selfie4Siauw pic.twitter.com/n0Bv566wU8
— itty (@nonaitty_27) January 19, 2015
@Dzawinur #Selfie4Siauw nih selfie pake Sony Xperia baru… pic.twitter.com/4nlM01pXJ3
— #RuleOfThree (@gunawan_sylvi) January 19, 2015
Sah. Ikutan #selfie4siauw :p pic.twitter.com/U6cLQdAg6s
— christian senda (@dickysenda) January 19, 2015
Ikutan ah koh @felixsiauw #Selfie4Siauw pic.twitter.com/wp9RFUIAZT
— Dee2 #BEJO #HOKI (@Dee2Depp) January 19, 2015
Well, gimana ya, jangan diharamin dong, selfie mah udah kaya suplemen buat aku :”) #Selfie4Siauw pic.twitter.com/wpp4KRpLhR
— Ibu Peri (@Debbydabby) January 19, 2015
@lita_kurniawan berarti kudu berdua me klo ga ada org hidup bolehlah berdua ma tiAng atau guling #Selfie4Siauw pic.twitter.com/jcMHeskVqu
— AyuTrisna (@ayumamad) January 19, 2015
Your version of #Islam has left me more than unimpressed.
#Selfie4Siauw pic.twitter.com/aVs9fvkbS8
— Noman Khalid (@nouman1988) January 28, 2015
Purity!@felixsiauw #Selfie4Siauw pic.twitter.com/VsvY8FB9Fj
— Myra Bari (@Myrazaheer) January 28, 2015
#Pict @Zakiyaism: #selfie4siauw pic.twitter.com/eJvgLDOzGs“
— Yoben ! (@BenSeneng) January 25, 2015
#Selfie4Siauw pic.twitter.com/nXjfVvD2FP
— Yuwanda Bagus S (@23ndanda) January 21, 2015
A little bit of snow on your wedding day can add such a magical effect. Here, check out some of our favorite snowy wedding photos.
More from Bridal Guide:
“This Is Divorce At…” is a HuffPost Divorce series delving into divorce at every stage of life. Want to share your experience of divorcing at a certain age? Email us at divorce@huffingtonpost.com or tweet @HuffPost Divorce.
In her early 40s, Carol Stigger’s husband ran off with one of her good friends. By her own admission, the mid-life divorce shook her to the core.
“It meant I had to learn who I was without the convenient label of ‘wife,'” she told The Huffington Post. “Eventually I realized it was all for the best. He married a woman who loves to vacuum. Divorce freed me up to pursue an exciting, rewarding life as a journalist. It’s something I never could have done while married to a man who wanted a maid and cook for a wife.”
Before she embraced the single life, though, Stigger said she had to let go of some anger directed largely at her ex. Below, the Chicago-based writer tells us how she overcame it.
When I was 40, one of my few divorced friends advised, “What every divorced woman needs is a good lawyer.”
Then, she made a successful play for my husband. And just like that, at 40, I landed on the shores of the heartbroken and enraged — luckily with a good lawyer. I’m grateful some of my co-workers were divorced or in the process because they provided me with much-needed sympathy and advice. I needed it badly; the little farming town in which I lived shunned me as if divorce was a communicable disease. They said I should forgive and forget or else stay away from their pot luck picnics. Slowly I realized the man I had loved for 20 years was not coming home. If he did, I would not easily forget what he had done.
My rage was volcanic. When going out alone, to a party and even to the grocery, I felt like an amputee. I thought a new man would solve all my problems, and men were not hard to find. But a series of lovers turned to losers until I finally realized ten years later that what was really getting in the way of me moving on was rage.
Eventually, I learned that what every divorced woman needs is a little discernment. But discernment remained buried beneath my mountain of rage. You must lose the rage.
I tried to pray it away. I prayed in humble Baptist churches, pretentious Anglican churches, in Yorkminster and Westminster, in mosaic-crusted cathedrals, in house churches and Salvation Army kitchens. I prayed in a church in Pampanga with shower curtain walls and water buffalo providing the base notes to “Amazing Grace.” I don’t know on which altar I laid my last rock of rage, but one day I realized I was finally making choices not curdled by “I’ll show you.” I was once again free to make choices not driven by anger.
I still make mistakes, but those mistakes fertilize a tiny plot of wisdom. I let go of my marriage entirely. Now I realize it was never really about the “and they all lived happily ever after.” It’s about the children we raised together, the ones who make my heart hum. The children are grown now and they’re so strong and kind, so beautiful and tall.
By the age of 60 I knew that what this divorced woman needed was a cozy nest with guest rooms for grandkids. My idea of cozy is Italian wine, green tea, and gingersnaps. Plus a dog, of course. How can I be gloomy when Homer is eating crayons and the grandkids are discussing if rainbows poop? It’s the little things that mean the most in my life now: A library of chick flicks and a toy box for the kids. Fine art on the wall. My two Michelangelo prints on the wall -– the Pieta and the David –- are meant to inspire art appreciation in my grandkids. They call the Pieta “Jesus and Mary” — and David the “wiener man.”
(Carol and her grandkids)Divorced at 40, I had time to reinvent myself, to change from a middle manager to a journalist who travels the world. It took a great deal of work and determination plus a year of graduate school, but after failing in marriage, failing my dream was not an option. It was easier to succeed professionally than personally. The hardest work I had to do was to name my problem, rage, and then lose it.
Now at 70, instead of being enraged at my ex-husband and the “other woman,” I am grateful. He gave me three wonderful children — and then he set me free.
Keep in touch! Check out HuffPost Divorce on Facebook and Twitter. Sign up for our newsletter here.
In his recent State of the Union address, President Obama called for Congress to pass a law guaranteeing that women are paid the same as men for doing the same work; adding, “Really. It’s 2015. It’s time.” Yes, we are still talking about women receiving equal pay in 2015. While there are several factors that contribute to this discrimination, one that comes to mind is an old, but not fully abolished legal practice known as coverture, which held that no female held a legal identity. It’s hard to believe, but remnants of this practice persist today. Noted historian and National Women’s History Museum (NWHM) Board member, Dr. Catherine Allgor shares a story that, aside from being a favorite of her mother-in-law, serves as testament to coverture’s lingering presence in society today. As she tells it…
A few years ago, my husband, Andrew, and I went to apply for a mortgage. As a candidate for a house mortgage-and this is the part my mother-in-law loves-I characterize myself as ‘greater’ than my husband. I am older, I have a longer work history, I am more senior in our common profession (we are both professors), I also make more money. I’ve got a longer credit history than he and have owned more houses. Finally (though this is a matter of dispute), I am even a teeny bit taller. But the only qualification that mattered in this transaction was my status as ‘wife.’ When our broker filled out our application, she listed Andrew first, as the “borrower” and me second, as ‘co-borrower.’ (Did I mention that my last name starts with ‘A’ and his with ‘J’?). When I pointed this out, our broker, a woman of a certain age with long experience in her profession, sympathized, but stated that if she had made me the primary borrower, the lawyers would ‘fuss’ at her and just revert to the traditional categories. ‘Honey,’ she told me, a professor of women’s history, ‘it’s a man’s world.’
Chairwoman and President of McKissack & McKissack, Deryl McKissack recalled a similar story while participating as a panelist in NWHM’s Making A Business of Change forum last year. She had started her business with $1,000 and tried for nearly three years to secure a line of credit. She estimates having gone to 10 banks before one finally provided her with a $10,000 line of credit. Her business grew and she returned to the bank to secure a larger credit line; certain she would qualify. (It should be noted that she had married since securing the initial credit.) The bank approved her application, but wanted her husband present when she returned to sign the papers. When she asked why, the bank officer replied, “We just want him to come sit with you.” Ms. McKissack reminded the banker that the company was 100% hers and that her husband had absolutely no financial interest in it. She pointed out that he wouldn’t be signing any of the documents and that he wasn’t on the line for anything, while she was on the line for everything. The banker stared at her and simply asked “Do you want this money or not?” Deryl had no choice, but to bring her husband to the signing – just to sit with her.
What both women had encountered was clearly a vestige of coverture. While most Americans haven’t heard the term, it has been a goal of Dr. Allgor’s to ensure that all literate, well-educated Americans be as familiar with the idea of coverture as they are with other historical terms such as “liberty,” “democracy,” and “equal rights.” Here’s some of what she wrote about it for the NWHM blog…
Coverture is a long-standing legal practice based in English law, which held that no female person had a legal identity. At birth, a female baby was covered by her father’s identity, and then, when she married, by her husband’s. The husband and wife became one-and that one was the husband. As a symbol of this subsuming of identity, women took the last names of their husbands… Because they did not legally exist, married women could not make contracts or be sued, so they could not own or work in businesses. Married women owned nothing, not even the clothes on their backs. They had no rights to their children, so that if a wife divorced or left a husband, she would not see her children again.
Dr. Allgor stresses that there has been a discrepancy between how coverture was exercised and the written law. “. . . . the law doesn’t always reflect real life, and in truth, practice ensured that coverture on the ground was not as restrictive as the black-letter law indicated.” In discussing the remnants of coverture, Dr. Allgor points out that while it has eroded, it’s clearly not gone. In addition she points out
The ghost of coverture has always haunted women’s lives and continues to do so. Coverture is why women weren’t regularly allowed on juries until the 1960s, and marital rape wasn’t a crime until the 1980s. Women still experience coverture in real estate transactions, tax matters, and a variety of situations around employment and housing. These encounters can be serious, but often they’re just puzzling annoyances, one more hoop to jump. Still, the remnants of coverture are holding us back in unsuspected ways.
Really. It’s 2015. It’s time!
I encourage you to read Dr. Allgor’s complete post to learn more about coverture and to view Making A Business of Change for a fascinating discussion on women in business – then and now. Finally, I’d love to read about your own encounters with coverture in the comments section below.
One of the areas where I believe forward-thinking NHL teams could tap into an under-used knowledge base is by considering longtime officials for decision-making roles in their scouting departments and/or front offices. Why not?
An NHL owner once said to me, “Paul, you’re not a scout or a GM. You’re a ref and a former player. What would you know about finding players and putting a team together?”
My blunt response: “I am three feet from these guys. I know who’s real and who throws snow. The scouts are three hundred feet up there in the press box. Some do a great job and some are mostly drinking coffee and worrying about the traffic getting home.”
Listen, some NHL teams have taken chances on candidates who never played the game at any significant level. Some have been former agents or whatnot. Some have watched a lot of hockey and know all the buzz words, but anyone who has been on the ice in a playing capacity at the NHL (or high minor league) level can see they really aren’t qualified for hockey operations-related posts as coaches, general managers, scouts, etc.
Some non-players have excelled in those posts. Some have been disasters.
Scotty Bowman is the ultimate example of someone who excelled in the NHL despite never playing pro hockey. Ditto Pat Burns and Ken Hitchcock.
Here’s a little secret about those guys: Part of what made them so intelligent and successful as coaches is that they know when and what to delegate to their assistant coaches who had been former NHL players, or at least had been former pro players. Ray Shero, a former agent whose playing career topped out at the collegiate level, became an NHL front office man in Ottawa and Pittsburgh and later brought a Stanley Cup to Pittsburgh as a general manager.
The non-players who have been disasters in those jobs are the ones who went into the post thinking they were smarter than everyone else.
Listen I don’t want to pick on Pierre McGuire. He’s too easy of a target. A lot of folks mock him for his, shall we say, glad-handing in interviews and tendency to talk over the game during broadcasts. I don’t really care about that nor do I have anything personally against him.
Nevertheless, I am mentioning McGuire here because, in my view, he is the prototype for what NHL teams should NOT be looking for when they make an outside-the-box hockey ops hire.
Pierre is a nice enough man. He clearly knows all the right hockey jargon and can rattle off a lot of facts about players and teams. His own background in the game is that he played hockey at Hobart College and a little semipro hockey in the Netherlands. He spent some time as an NHL assistant coach under Bowman in Pittsburgh.
That does not mean he’s qualified to run an NHL team.
Pierre’s tenure as Hartford Whalers head coach (on a team that had some pretty good talent on it) in 1993-94 was an utter fiasco. He was in way over his head but refused to listen to any of the experienced hockey people around him who tried to steer him in the right direction.
I don’t know. Maybe now that it’s two decades years later, Pierre would do better a second time around if some team took a chance on him as an NHL general manager or in another hockey ops capacity. I just know that he would not be my choice.
The Pittsburgh Penguins were rumored to have considered McGuire last summer to replace Ray Shero before hiring the much more experienced Jim Rutherford. Frankly, though, someone like Pierre would not have been on my long list of candidates. Knowing where each and every player went to college or played his junior hockey — and for which coach — does not make one qualified to assemble a team.
Maybe McGuire would have proven me wrong. I do respect the man’s persistence and, if he does eventually have another go-around in an NHL organization, I hope he succeeds.
At any rate, if some NHL teams are willing to consider for high-level jobs some non-players or those who otherwise lack high-level coaching experience, I should think that savvy hockey officials should also be part of the mix.
There are some really sharp hockey people on the officiating side of the game. Officials ARE hockey people. Those who achieve longevity can spend 1,000 games — sometimes even much more than that — on NHL ice, and are students of the game.
My brethren who excel in their profession know how to “read” players and often have a level of hockey sense than rivals even some longtime players. I have no doubt in my mind that there are current and former officials who could make for good scouts and front office people if NHL owners would open their mind to that possibility.
I once interviewed for an NHL general manager job with the Boston Bruins. I didn’t get the job but the organization was impressed by the 90-page prospectus I had put together, laying out a long-term plan for what I thought the club needed to get to the next level of success. Even my biggest critics would not say I lack hockey savvy from my 40 years in this business.
I am not the only former official who has the chops to deserve consideration for such posts. It just takes one progressive-thinking team to open that door to my fellow officials and I think the rest of the hockey world will be surprised by just how much we actually do know about what goes into the making of a successful hockey team.
It did my heart good a few years ago when the Toronto Maple Leafs hired longtime NHL linesman Pat Dapuzzo as a scout. It’s not just because Pat is a close friend of mine and was one hell of a linesman. That’s a guy who learned a hell of a lot from all of his years working the lines. He’s just not one to trumpet himself.
So how about it, NHL teams? Give a few more of the savviest guys in stripes a chance to show how they can help your organization. You will be pleasantly surprised and ahead of the curve.
********
Paul Stewart holds the distinction of being the first U.S.-born citizen to make it to the NHL as both a player and referee. On March 15, 2003, he became the first American-born referee to officiate in 1,000 NHL games.
Today, Stewart is an officiating and league discipline consultant for the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) and serves as director of hockey officiating for the ECAC.
The longtime referee heads Officiating by Stewart, a consulting, training and evaluation service for officials. Stewart also maintains a busy schedule as a public speaker, fund raiser and master-of-ceremonies for a host of private, corporate and public events. As a non-hockey venture, he is the owner of Lest We Forget.
Stewart’s writings can also be found on HockeyBuzz.com every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. He is currently working with a co-author in writing an autobiography.
ROSEVILLE, Mich. (AP) — Police say the mother of a baby found dead at a Detroit-area recycling center had three other children but lost custody of them.
Roseville Chief James Berlin says the 24-year-old woman is expected to appear in court Wednesday in Eastpointe. He says a “sick story” has “become sicker” as investigators learn more about the death of the newborn. Berlin says the boy was born around Dec. 22 and died two days later. He says the body was left in a shed in Eastpointe and somehow ended up at a recycling center nearby in Roseville on Jan. 14.
Investigators initially believed the baby might be a missing child from the Lansing area, but tests ruled it out.
By now, you’ve probably heard of Toast, the almost impossibly cute, toothless dog who has catapulted to Instagram celebrity status.
If not, stop what you’re doing, find the nearest smartphone and follow @toastmeetsworld on Instagram. The adorable pup has already made her rounds within the fashion community (rubbing paws with the likes of Karlie Kloss & Irina Shayk on a regular basis) but this dog is much more than just good looks. In fact, she (along with her owners) use her fame as a platform to advocate against puppy mills, like the one from which she was rescued.
It is in that spirit of good style & good cause that eyewear extraordinaire Karen Walker decided to feature Toast in her summer 2015 campaign. Sure, Walker has commissioned some unconventional models before, but Toast is a different kind of celebrity. “It wasn’t until we first saw this season’s star that we thought there was a celebrity who could actually capture the essence of our brand in a campaign,” she said.
We had a chance to, er, “chat” with the King Charles Cavalier Spaniel (really her owner Katie Sturino, obviously) about her rise to stardom, the modeling advice she received pre-shoot (hint: it involves Beyoncé, naturally), and of course, how she keeps her coat so shiny.
HuffPost Style:First of all, you look fantastic in the new campaign. You were already so stylish before, how do you think being in this ad will change your look?
Toast: Well, I think I won’t be caught dead in public without a pair of Karen Walker’s.
HPS: What is your favorite pair in the collection?
T: The Starburst in Navy. Who doesn’t love a cat eye on a dog?
HPS: Besides a pair of KW’s, what are three things every “NYC It Girl” needs in her wardrobe?
T: A solid tote that can act as a suit case (I throw my laptop, scarf, wallet, a magazine…and occasionally myself into one.) I prefer Iomoi’s classic tote, a leather jacket that makes you instantly feel like you are in the Ramones (I prefer BLK DNM) and finally, a turban.
HPSWhy do you think she picked you for the campaign?
T: Have you seen the photos?
HPS:What do your owners think of the campaign?
T:My mom is basically Kris Jenner, trying to live out her dreams as a model through me, so she is over the moon. My dad is pretty out of it but I am sure he is proud.
HPS: Did you receive any modeling advice?
T: Yes, Karlie Kloss is a friend. She sat me down and taught me how to turn it on in front of the camera. I can be shy, so she told me to pretend I was someone else during the job. So, I pretended I was Beyoncé. I think that is just the normal thing to do right now when you want to feel brave and hot.
HPS:What would you say to other dogs trying to break into the modeling industry?
T: Don’t give up.
The Great White North offers travelers a variety of vacation options, from snowcapped mountains in Banff to the bustling French metropolis of Montreal, and everything in-between. No matter where you decide to take your Canadian adventure, one thing’s for sure — you’ll find plenty of luxurious accommodations.
To help narrow down your search for lodging, U.S. News used a comprehensive methodology that factors in star ratings, industry accolades, expert endorsements and visitor reviews. Overall, U.S. News evaluated 218 Canadian hotels and below you’ll find the 10 hotels and resorts that received the most praise from hotel connoisseurs and guests alike.
None of these top 10 properties for 2015 are strangers to the Best Hotels in Canada ranking list, with eight returning top 10 veterans and two others consistently ranking in the top 25. These hotels persistently wow travelers with upscale amenities, top-notch service and a sense of individuality that sets them apart from the rest of the pack.
See the full list of the Best Hotels in Canada»
10. The Ritz-Carlton, Toronto
Toronto
The Ritz-Carlton Toronto, located in the heart of the Queen City, has made the top 10 list for three consecutive years. Though the hotel features many of the same amenities you’d find at other luxury outposts like flat-screen TVs and rainfall showers, other aspects are more unique, such as the more than 400 pieces of original Canadian artwork featured throughout and TOCA Italian restaurant’s distinct dishes. But what really sets this Ritz-Carlton property apart is its keen eye for detail and attention to customer service — aspects that earned it awards from sources like Travel + Leisure and Condé Nast Traveler.
9. Hotel Le St-James
Montreal
Courtesy Hotel Le St-James
Up one spot from last year, the Hotel Le St-James is a household name on the Best Hotels in Canada list: This is the property’s third appearance in the top 10. Situated in the heart of Old Montreal in the former Merchants’ Bank Building, the hotel nods to its 19th century origins with hardwood antique furniture in each room, but keeps one foot planted in the present with contemporary touches like LCD TVs and iPads for use. Other modern facilities like the Le Spa (located in the former bank vault) and XO Le Restaurant also receive praise from recent travelers. Couple the hotel’s Old World charm with its attentive customer service staff and it’s easy to see why it earned a AAA Four Diamond Award and was named a Fodor’s Choice property and a Lonely Planet Top Pick.
8. Sonora Resort
Sonora Island, British Columbia
Making its top 10 debut in 2015 after ranking No. 22 in 2014, the Sonora Resort offers a unique eco-adventure experience in the wilderness. Located about 120 miles northwest of Vancouver, the Sonora Resort is only accessible by sea or air, but the seclusion doesn’t mean luxury is left on the mainland. Spacious guest rooms and suites are spread among a number of themed lodges. Resort activities include everything from kayaking, wilderness tours and fly-fishing to movie-watching at the in-house theater and relaxing at the pool. Guests can also take advantage of the Island Currents Spa, dine on locally sourced seafood or relax in the glass conservatory. And with the resort’s Relais & Châteaux affiliation, customer service is the top priority.
7. Loden Hotel
Vancouver, British Columbia
Courtesy Loden Hotel
The Loden Hotel, which moved up from its No. 14 spot in 2014, is a favorite among couples visiting Vancouver. Nestled in Coal Harbour, this boutique hotel positioned a few blocks from downtown provides elegant accommodations and a quiet atmosphere not far from the Vancouver Lookout. The rooms take relaxation to the next level with four-fixture, floor-to-ceiling marble bathrooms with separate soaking tubs, in-ceiling sound systems and a highly praised breakfast buffet at Tableau Bar Bistro. Other amenities, such as the spa suite with an infrared sauna, also earn high marks. But what sets the Loden Hotel apart from its competition is the personalized customer service — which helped it land a spot on the Condé Nast Readers’ Choice and Lonely Planet Recommended lists.
6. Four Seasons Hotel Toronto
Toronto
Climbing up one spot to No. 6, the Four Seasons Hotel Toronto made its debut on the top 10 list in 2014. This year it again received the coveted AAA Five Diamond Award for its helpful staff and the high caliber of its amenities, such as the 30,000-square-foot salon and spa and skylit indoor lap pool. Guests are just as impressed with this Four Seasons outpost’s accommodations, which are outfitted with iPads, separate seating areas and granite bathrooms with separate soaking tubs. The French cuisine at Café Boulud also earns high ratings from critics and patrons alike. Among the hotel’s accolades are the 2014 Forbes Travel Guide Five Star Award and a spot on Travel + Leisure’s 500 World’s Best Hotels list.
5. Auberge Saint-Antoine
Québec City
Courtesy Auberge Saint-Antoine
Situated on the St. Lawrence River, a short walk from the Notre-Dame de Québec, the Auberge Saint-Antoine is a favorite among guests who appreciate its far-reaching history (the property dates back to the 1600s). Amidst the displayed historical artifacts, you’ll find accommodations outfitted with Bose sound systems, Nespresso coffee machines and bathrooms with heated floors and no-fog mirrors. The understated elegance extends to the rest of the property, from the recently renovated Panache restaurant to the well-equipped LeGym fitness and spa treatment center. With its association to the Relais & Châteaux brand, it’s no wonder the Auberge Saint-Antoine consistently earns accolades from venerable publications such as Travel + Leisure and Concierge.com.
4. Fairmont Pacific Rim
Vancouver, British Columbia
Clocking in at No. 4, this Fairmont property is popular among business and leisure travelers alike because of its convenient location near Vancouver’s convention center and cruise ship port. Guests are impressed with the spectacular harbor views, not to mention the five-star service throughout the hotel, particularly at the ORU restaurant and Willow Stream Spa. The modern and stylish accommodations feature iPads and marble bathrooms with in-mirror televisions. The rooftop pool and hot tub, with ample cabanas for lounging, are also guest favorites. What’s more, the Fairmont Pacific Rim has earned accolades from Frommer’s, Travel + Leisure and Fodor’s, among others.
3. Trump International Hotel and Tower Toronto
Toronto
Courtesy Trump International Hotel and Tower Toronto
If you’re planning a trip to North America’s fourth largest city, there’s no better place to stay than this Trump property — it’s the No. 1 hotel in Toronto for the second year in a row. Guests are impressed time and again with the 65-floor tower, from the floor-to-ceilings windows that overlook downtown to the 15,000-square-foot Purebeauty Salon & Spa. Add to that great hospitality from a well-trained staff, and it’s easy to see why the AAA Four Diamond Award-winning and Lonely Planet Top Pick hotel keeps guests coming back.
2. Rosewood Hotel Georgia
Vancouver, British Columbia
The Rosewood Hotel Georgia, sitting comfortably at the No. 2 spot for the third consecutive year, offers a modern version of the historic hotel that opened in 1927. This Rosewood property prides itself on contemporary accommodations featuring Italian linens and spa bathrooms with heated floors. The hotel also takes its other amenities to the next level with an indoor saltwater pool, a full-service spa and multiple dining options, including the Reflections Outdoor Restaurant and Lounge located in the hotel’s inner rooftop courtyard. Equally impressive: the hotel’s impeccable customer service staff, which earns high marks for anticipating needs before guests even make requests. Traveler sentiment is echoed in the industry accolades it’s received, including being named one of Travel + Leisure’s 500 World’s Best Hotels.
1. Ritz-Carlton, Montreal
Montreal
Courtesy Ritz-Carlton, Montreal
For the second year in a row, the Ritz-Carlton, Montreal has captured the title of Best Hotel in Canada and it’s no surprise why: The hotel is a gem for its central location alone. Set in downtown Montreal, the property not only features stylish decor and luxurious amenities, including a greenhouse, an indoor pool and a French restaurant from celebrity chef Daniel Boulud, but the Ritz-Carlton, Montreal also earns praise for its staff’s attention to detail. Visitors say this Ritz-Carlton is a cut above the rest thanks to the employees that go out of their way to meet guests’ every need, earning it the top spot on this list as well the AAA Five Diamond Award and a place on the Condé Nast Readers’ Choice List.
See Photos of the Top 10 Hotels »
About the author: Gwen Shearman is an intern for the Travel section at U.S. News. You can follow her on Twitter, connect with her on LinkedIn or email her at gshearman@usnews.com.
Sarah Palin — You think I sound goofy? Like the dog? Then you’re a bad American.
Chris Christie — Yeah, I’m running; you got a problem with that?
Mike Huckabee — Fatter than Jeb, thinner than Christie.
Ben Carson — If Herman Cain can do it — never mind.
Michelle Bachmann — Just for laughs.
Rand Paul — Pot yes, healthcare no.
Donald Trump — April fool!
Mitt Romney — The GOP’s Adlai Stevenson
Marco Rubio — President? No sweat!
Lindsey Graham — The closeted voter’s choice.
This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A., during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.
