Casino Hotels

An island setting gives this property its character. The casino occupies the former French and Québec pavilions built for Expo 67 on Île Notre-Dame, in Parc Jean-Drapeau, with the St. Lawrence River on every side and the downtown skyline across the water.

Treat it as a hotel stay in the city and the island becomes the draw. There are restaurants and bars inside the complex, and around it the islands offer parkland, cycle paths and a public beach.

The gaming floor is large and open long hours, but it is one part of the visit. The architecture, the river and the quick run into Old Montreal tend to stay in the memory longer.

Few hotels have a view like this. Fallsview Casino Resort rises above the Canadian side of Niagara Falls, and rooms on the right side of the tower look straight down at the Horseshoe Falls and the mist that hangs over them.

The resort works as a full hotel. There is a spa, a large theatre that brings in touring concerts and comedy, a shopping concourse and a long list of restaurants, from quick counters to formal dining rooms.

Gaming is part of the complex, set on a big floor below the hotel. Many guests come mainly for the falls, the shows and the room, and use the casino as one evening among several.

Close to Vancouver's airport, on the bank of the Fraser River, River Rock Casino Resort is built for easy arrivals. The Canada Line stops nearby, so the downtown core is a short train ride away.

The hotel includes an all-suite tower as well as standard rooms, a pool area with a waterslide, a spa and fitness centre, and a show theatre that hosts concerts and comedy. A small marina sits on the river below.

Restaurants range from casual to sit-down. The gaming floor occupies its own part of the complex, which means families and business travellers can use the resort as a well-placed hotel and leave the casino entirely alone.

Lake country surrounds this one. Casino Rama Resort stands on the lands of the Chippewas of Rama First Nation, near Orillia and Lake Couchiching, about an hour and a half north of Toronto.

The hotel tower offers lake-country views, a spa and a fitness area. Its entertainment centre is a large indoor venue that books touring musicians and comedians throughout the year, and there are several restaurants on site.

Gaming is a big part of the building, yet many visitors pair a show and a night in the hotel with time on the lakes, trails and small towns of the region.