6. Kensington Riverside Inn, Calgary, Alta.

This 19-room boutique inn steps from the Bow River in Cowtown's trendy Kensington neighbourhood offers a tasteful and practical approach to the holidays (starting at $233 a night). It's tasteful because the festive decor (pictured) doesn't overwhelm, the lobby and in-room fireplaces provide just the right amount of warm ambiance, and the intimate Chef's Table restaurant serves up five-course tasting menus that dazzle. It's practical because the inn aims to relieve stressed holiday hosts by giving house guests "the space they need" and offering to "do the cleaning and the cooking." Tough to argue with that.

* Video: Dinosaur feathers found in Alberta