With the Saguenay river, Lac Saint-Jean, and the Saguenay Fjord, staying the night at one of the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean hotels on the waterfront seems like the right choice.
I had the pleasure of spending 3 nights in the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region in waterfront hotels.
Thank you to Tourisme Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean for the trip! You will find affiliate links in this blog post. I’ve included helpful links for you and if you end up making a purchase on one of the sites I may earn money at no extra cost to you.
Where is Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean?
The Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region is about 2 to 2.5 hours drive north from Québec City in the province of Québec in Canada.
Saguenay is located in the heart of the region, which includes the boroughs of La Baie, Chicoutimi and Jonquière for a combined population of 148,900.
3 Waterfront Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean Hotels in Québec, Canada
Auberge des 21
Ambiance and Location
Located in the Saguenay borough of La Baie, Auberge des 21 offers views of the Baie des Ha! Ha! I saw a guy windsurfing when I was here and enjoyed walking along the waterfront directly in front of the hotel. I also enjoyed walking around the block looking at the beautiful architecture and nearby church. The hotel prides itself on using local, organic or environmentally friendly products.
Accommodations
The bed was really comfortable and the view was really beautiful! I enjoyed soaking in the big bath tub in the evening to relax.
Food
The chef offers fine terroir cuisine:
“Terre” means “land” in French. Terroir, therefore, is a French term meaning all food expresses a sense of place.
It is the belief that the flavor and character of a food product is directly attributable to the climate, geography, and farming practices from which it sprung.
The restaurant is able to create special dishes to accommodate dietary requirements, like vegetarianism and veganism. I received a 3-course vegan meal that was really delicious!
Activities
There is a courtyard spa area with hot tubs and massage facilities available.
Auberge des Iles
Ambiance and Location
This was my favourite of the 3 waterfront Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean hotels I stayed in. It was like a winter wonderland, heading to the Auberge des Iles in early May. The lake had lots of snow on it and there was definitely some crispness in the air. The hotel overlooks Lac Saint-Jean and rooms have balconies to make the best of the view.
The new owners are renovating the hotel and facilities, so I’m sure if I return for another visit the upgrades will be really impressive.
Accommodations
Since we stayed at the hotel during low-season, we were I loved having a balcony with a lakeview! Down below, I could see the hot tub and pathway to the beach (when it’s not covered in snow). The beds in the room were comfortable with soft cotton bedding and a great bathtub! If there’s a bathtub in a hotel, I’ll definitely be checking it out. I always wonder why hotels don’t offer bath oils or something to add bubbles to bath tubs?! I always bring a little bottle of my own, though.
Food
The chef went through the entire menu with us, listing ingredients (and where he sources them), letting us know what alterations he can make, and telling us if it is enough to eat on its own or should be combined with another dish for a full meal.
There are a few vegetarian options and options for children, but the chef prepared me a special vegan meal including a delicious bowl of onion soup! I’d never tried onion soup before, so really enjoyed the experience. The noodle bowl with fried tofu was one of the best ones I’ve ever eaten in my life! The view from the restaurant over the (snow-covered) lake—Lac Saint-Jean—were enchanting. What a great place to watch the sunset from.
Activities
There is a hot tub. You can go for a walk along the beach, rent a canoe, or go out for a swim in the lake (weather permitting).
Chalets & Spa Lac Saint-Jean
Ambiance and Location
This hotel is in a very peaceful area, looking onto Lac Saint-Jean. There is plenty of grassy places to relax outside, a playground for children, beach access, and a Nordic spa.
Accommodations
With a variety of options to choose from, like a condo/apartment with full kitchen on multiple levels and a balcony or a chalet. The exterior of the buildings are wooden – really adding to the ambiance.
While there were two beds on the second level of the condo I stayed in, both beds were worn and uncomfortable. It was also very hot at night. I did really enjoy the living room area, which had a sofa and full dining table. It would be a nice place to visit for a few days, as there was a full kitchen in my condo.
Food
I enjoyed the authentic Québecois dinner of Fondue Chinoise – a beef or vegetarian thin soup base and vegetables or meat that you cook on skewers. I had baked potato pieces, broccoli pieces, and pieces of mushroom to dip in the vegan base. I also enjoyed the minestrone soup we had to start. This was my first time having fondue like this!
Activities
There is a lovely beach to play in during warmer months. There is also a Nordic spa (at the time of writing it was being renovated after a recent fire).
Find other Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean hotels. The Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean hotels that I stayed in were all waterfront properties. With the exception of the Auberge des 21 hotel, the others were not located close enough to towns to walk to get food to eat or for sightseeing.
Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean Tourism
The Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean Tourism board has plenty of helpful resources available on their website to assist with travel-planning.
From the town of Saguenay, you can head east to the Saint Lawrence river for whale watching excursions.
You can check out a few of the exciting things to do in the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region in this video I created:
Aysha Tayab-Ratsep says
looks lovely! and p.s I love your laptop cover! 😀
Tazim Damji says
Aww thank you! 🙂