Casino Hotels

Few casino hotels start with a building this recognisable. The complex on Île Notre-Dame grew out of the French and Québec pavilions from Expo 67, and their angular aluminium-and-glass forms still define the skyline of the island.

Guests come for the setting as much as the gaming floor: the island's parkland, the St. Lawrence and the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve all sit just outside. Restaurants, bars and live entertainment round out the offer, and the city centre is a short trip across the water.

Height matters here. The resort's hotel tower rises above the Canadian side of Niagara Falls, and the upper rooms look straight down on the Horseshoe Falls and the mist that hangs over them.

Inside, the property works like a small town: a spa, a shopping galleria, a long list of restaurants and the Avalon Theatre for concerts and comedy. The gaming floor is large, but it is one of several reasons people book. Clifton Hill and the falls promenade are within walking distance.

River Rock sits on the Fraser River in Richmond, minutes from Vancouver International Airport. That makes it a practical first or last night for travellers flying through.

The resort has two hotel towers, including an all-suite building, plus a marina on the river, a spa, a pool with a waterslide and a show theatre. The gaming floor is at the heart of the complex. Bridgeport Station on the Canada Line is next door, so downtown Vancouver is an easy train ride away.

About ninety minutes north of Toronto, Casino Rama Resort stands on the lands of the Chippewas of Rama First Nation, near the shore of Lake Couchiching and the town of Orillia.

The hotel tower offers lake-country views, and the entertainment centre books touring acts year-round. There is a spa, a range of restaurants and the gaming floor that gives the resort its name. For many guests the visit doubles as a trip into Ontario's cottage country.