Where to stay in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia for every travel style and (almost) every budget
Chimney Corner Beach, Cape Breton
While we spend a good part of the year travelling the world, we typically spend most summers exploring our own backyard, our home province of Nova Scotia (if you’re unfamiliar, it’s on the very east coast of Canada). A lot of that time was spent in the northern region of Nova Scotia, an island called Cape Breton.
While Cape Breton might be new to you, it’s often voted as Canada’s top Island, as well one of the best islands in North America, and even the world. Cape Breton is full of fun and interesting things to do, gorgeous beaches, waterfalls, and loads of nature. You’ll also find some of the best seafood dishes around. Not to be missed is the Cape Breton Highlands (often compared to the highlands of Scotland), and the Cabot Trail is an absolute must!
Spending most summers here has allowed us time to visit a whole bunch of locations and stay in many different accommodations! We’ve put together a list of some of our favourites that should suit almost every travel style and most budgets. However, if this is your first visit to Canada be warned that it’s definitely not an overly budget friendly country (we always joke that it costs us more to be home in Canada than travelling around the world!), to get lower prices be sure to book early and be flexible, finding anything for under $100/night will definitely be challenging.
The most unique accommodation, Glamping!
One of the most fun and interesting stays that we had was in the Cape Breton Highlands staying in a Geodesic Glamping dome. We stayed at Blue Bayou Resort for two nights and it was honestly amazing, an experience we’ll never forget!
The domes themselves are accommodations much like a hotel room, with comfortable beds, bathrooms and electricity. Neither of us are big fans of camping and this was the perfect way to enjoy the camping experience without the inconveniences.
Outside your tent you’ll have your own area with a fire pit and picnic table as well as a charcoal barbeque (bring your own charcoal).
They also have kayaks, standup paddle boards and canoes for rent!
This is an extremely popular resort (for good reason), so you’ll definitely want to book early.
Watch the video:
Go Tiny!
After we booked a couple of tiny house experiences we totally fell in love and decided to built one ourselves. We’re used to living out of hotel rooms for long periods so we’re no strangers to limited space. Tiny Houses are currently very trendy as people try to live off grid, go more green, and live mortgage free. If you can’t envision doing this permanently (or want to give it a test run), it’s definitely a fun experience to do for a couple of days. Most tiny homes have all the amenities you’ll need including fully equipped kitchens and bathrooms as well as comfy beds.
Our own tiny house was completed in August 2021 and for its first season was just outside of Inverness. We ended up moving it for the 2022 season (where we plan to keep it going forward) to the same resort listed above, Blue Bayou! In it’s new home we were able to add lots of great features including a tiki bar!
Watch the video (including a full tour):
We had another “tiny” experience but this time in a tiny shed! Situated in a backyard in Cheticamp this AirBNB was in the perfect location, directly across from the best restaurant in Cheticamp (and honestly one the best meals we had all summer!), L’Abri. However, if you aren’t looking to eat out, there is a small kitchen.
Watch the video:
Try out a beautiful Inn:
We understand a lot of people either don’t want to try out AirBNB or would rather stick to a more traditional accommodation with an Inn. Over the summer we stayed at a few different Inns across Cape Breton and really enjoyed the experience.
Castlerock Inn, Ingonish: While making your way around the Cabot Trail, you’ll inevitably end up in Ingonish. It’s probably best known for National Park camping and beaches. Just outside of the town you’ll find Castlerock Inn. We didn’t have an opportunity to eat at their restaurant but if you’re there on a nice day the views are stunning and they have a fabulous outdoor patio.
Chanterelle Inn, North River Bridge: If you’re looking to get off the beaten path and away from the crowds, then this place is for you! You’ll again find some stunning views around the property and there’s also an onsite restaurant that sources the majority of their ingredients locally.
Clairestone Inn, Arichat: On the other side of Cape Breton, just off the coast on Isle Madame you’ll find the town of Arichat. The recently renovated Clairestone Inn is the perfect place to stay while visiting the area. The rooms are bright and airy and the huge front patio again has amazing views!
Watch the videos of our food/Inn tour of Cape Breton:
Take a beach vacation:
Despite having spent a lot of time in Cape Breton over the years (Trevor is from there), we’d sadly never spent much time on the west side! Port Hood was a new discovery for us. It’s a very small town with one grocery store and about two restaurants. However, it’s home to five beaches directly in the town making it the perfect spot for a low key beach vacation. We found the perfect little cottage just a two-minute walk from the beach that was super cute, stylish and well equipped!
Watch the video:
Go Luxury!
Ready for a splurge? While Cabot Links is the top place to golf in Canada (and one of the top in the world), even if you’re not a golfer you’ll love staying here. The rooms are gorgeous and we had the most amazing view of the greens and the stunning western sunset. They also have a few different delicious dining options on site. If you’re looking for a beach vacation, Cabot Links is situated right in Inverness and the beach is just a few minutes walk away.
Watch the video:
Didn’t find what you were looking for? Search accommodations below through Booking.com and AirBNB (our preferred ways to book):
There are affiliate links included in this post, which means when you book through them you help support us and our travels!
