Winter by the lake: what stays open when the snow comes

The headline is the outdoor pool. The hotel says its indoor and outdoor pools are heated year-round, and its hot tubs too, and Amerispa adds a steam bath and sauna for spa guests. On a winter afternoon that turns into the hotel's own suggested routine: outside in the morning, massage and pools at 2 p.m., room at 4.

The second point is that you never need to go outside between the room, the restaurants, the theatre and the bars. The hotel, the casino, the theatre and the conference centre are connected. The theatre programme does not slow down for winter either: La Bottine Souriante on 27 December, La grande veillée du 2 Pierrots on 16 January, ELLES on 30 January, then a run of tribute nights through February and March.

Outdoors, the hotel's winter plan sends guests to the Rideau Canal Skateway, 7.3 km away, when it is open. Gatineau Park offers cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and snow biking, according to the National Capital Commission, and Leamy Lake Park's pathways are used for skiing and winter biking.

What closes: the TGV snack bar by the pool, and Arôme's patio. Valet parking is suspended in any season for now, so allow a few minutes from the outdoor lot to the door.

And for the end of the year, the operator lists a New Year's Eve party on 31 December, tickets on sale from 1 December. Rooms for that night tend to go early; if you want one, send a request now and the desk will tell you honestly what is left.