The Best Hotels and Resorts in the World: The Gold List 2026 | Condé Nast Traveler

"From November to March, ferocious storms roll through Vancouver Island’s rugged west coast, bringing with them gale-force winds that whip up the waters. The small town of Tofino used to hunker down during those blustery, rainy months, until the Wickaninnish Inn pioneered storm-watching season. Built on a rocky headland surrounded by old-growth rainforest at the north end of Chesterman Beach, the inn has a front-row seat to Mother Nature’s dramatic performances. Expansive hurricane-proof windows are key features in all 75 rooms, and the Pointe Restaurant is wrapped in floor-to-ceiling windows that frame the Pacific. The concierge team can arrange anything from bear-watching excursions to hikes in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. In winter, intrepid guests don wellies and raincoats and head to the beach to feel the spray of the tempestuous sea, then return to mugs of cocoa and the warmth of the inn’s roaring fire. From $540. —Jen Murphy" - CNT Editors