Trip Ideas Where to Stay in Niagara Wine Country This Winter: Hotels, B&Bs and Vineyard Cottages

Inn On The Twenty, Jordan Village · Photo: Vintage Hotels

For a winter wine-country getaway, stay in Jordan, Vineland or Beamsville in the Niagara Benchlands, or base yourself in St. Catharines. Book a fireplace suite at Inn On The Twenty or a casual room at Jordan House in Jordan Village, a winery cottage at Vineland Estates Winery, or a vineyard B&B or farm stay in Beamsville. For a city night, check in at Stone Mill Inn, The Juniper Inn in Port Dalhousie or Holiday Inn & Suites St. Catharines.

Where to stay in Niagara wine country?

Picture a snowy village main street, a glass of Benchlands wine by the fire and a bed you can walk to after dinner. That’s why we’d skip the Falls hotel and book a winter escape in the Niagara Benchlands. The Benchlands are the rural, wine-country half of a trip that pairs nicely with a city night in St. Catharines. The Falls are worth a look, but the tasting rooms, village inns and farm kitchens are all out here. Sleep in the Benchlands and you get more time to sip and savour, with less time in the car. Here’s where to stay, town by town.

Jordan: inns along one main street

Inn On The Twenty (opens in a new tab) at 3845 Main St. has 28 suites, and many of them have a fireplace and a whirlpool tub. There’s a farm-to-table restaurant on site and Spa On The Twenty (opens in a new tab) in a heritage building next door. For something more casual, the same company runs Jordan House (opens in a new tab). There, traditional rooms are about 350 sq ft and premium rooms about 480 sq ft, with queen beds, dog-friendly rooms and free parking (opens in a new tab).

Once you’ve checked in, head along Main Street to Cave Spring Vineyard (opens in a new tab), whose Jordan tasting room is at 3836 Main St. (opens in a new tab) Websites list different off-season hours, so call 905-562-3581 (opens in a new tab) to confirm before you go. Want your own front door instead? Partner stays in and around the village include Zen Jordan (opens in a new tab), Jordan Station Casita (opens in a new tab) and an Exceptional Private Home in Jordan Village (opens in a new tab).

Vineland: sleep at the winery

At Vineland Estates Winery (opens in a new tab) on Moyer Road, you can enjoy their one-bedroom B&B Cottage (opens in a new tab). It comes with a queen bed, an eat-in kitchen, breakfast supplies to cook yourself and a complimentary bottle of wine. Bringing your crew? The three-bedroom Guest House is $600 a night plus taxes, and Wine Club members get 10% off (opens in a new tab).

Beamsville: B&Bs with views of the vines

In Beamsville, The House by the Side of the Road has vineyard-view suites with ensuites and a full hot breakfast, with gluten-free and vegetarian options if you ask ahead (opens in a new tab). Up on Fly Road, the Vieni Estates B&B has renovated suites at a winery on 175 acres, with access to the Bruce Trail (opens in a new tab). Other unique places to stay here include Be Our Guest Beamsville (opens in a new tab) and a Lovely 1 Bedroom Apartment in Beamsville (opens in a new tab). Our guide to Beamsville’s wine icons (opens in a new tab) is a good place to start planning your tastings.

Thinking about Campden or another corner of rural Lincoln? You’ll find every hotel, bed and breakfast, and vacation rental on our Stay & Tour (opens in a new tab) page.

St. Catharines: a city base for wine country

Rather end the day with city restaurants and a hotel front desk? Book a room in St. Catharines and drive out to the Benchlands tasting rooms in the morning.

Stone Mill Inn at 271 Merritt St. is a cotton mill built in 1860 with 35 rooms and suites, including eight Jacuzzi suites and two lofts. There’s a full-service salon and spa and an Italian restaurant on site. Spa hours change over the holidays, so call ahead if a treatment is part of the plan.

In Port Dalhousie, The Juniper Inn (opens in a new tab) at 38 Lakeport Rd. is a boutique hotel with six themed rooms and digital self check-in. It’s steps from the marina, the beach and Martindale Pond, and Room R looks out over the marina.

Travelling with kids or the dog? Holiday Inn & Suites St. Catharines (opens in a new tab) at 327 Ontario St. has a heated indoor pool, two restaurants, free parking and pet-friendly rooms at $30 a night. Bowling, arcade games and karaoke are on site at Parkway Social. The hotel’s Stay And Shop package (opens in a new tab) adds a $50 gift card for most stores at Outlet Collection at Niagara (opens in a new tab), a $50 Parkway Social gift card and a plated breakfast for two.

What are the best bed and breakfast experiences in Niagara?

A B&B stay in the Benchlands comes down to breakfast and whatever you get up to after it. Here are four ways to do it this winter.

1. A hot breakfast with vineyard views. At The House by the Side of the Road in Beamsville, breakfast is a full hot one and the suites look out over vineyards (opens in a new tab). Tuck in, then set off for a late-morning tasting in the Benchlands.
2. Breakfast in your pyjamas at a winery. The B&B Cottage at Vineland Estates Winery stocks breakfast supplies for you to cook yourself (opens in a new tab), so you can take your time over coffee before your first pour of the day.
3. Coffee, then the Bruce Trail. Vieni Estates serves continental breakfast from 9 to 10 a.m. and has Bruce Trail access (opens in a new tab), so bundle up for a crisp morning walk on the Bruce Trail. Confirm it’s open for winter before you book.
4. A farm stay. If you want to wake up in the countryside, browse partner listings such as Niagara Farm Stays (opens in a new tab), Farm Cottage in Wine County (opens in a new tab), The Rittenhouse on the Water and Peach Farm (opens in a new tab) and Luxury Vineyard Farmhouse on the Water (opens in a new tab). Each one sets its own winter calendar, so check availability before you book.

Bringing the kids?

Jordan Village’s holiday calendar includes Breakfast with Santa on Dec. 6, with seatings at 9 and 11 a.m., at $40 per adult and $25 per child plus tax and tip (opens in a new tab). There’s also gingerbread decorating on Dec. 5 and 12 from 2 to 4 p.m. (opens in a new tab) Seats are limited, so book early. Staying in St. Catharines instead? The heated indoor pool at Holiday Inn & Suites St. Catharines and the bowling lanes at Parkway Social will keep them busy on a cold night.

Where to stay in Niagara for couples?

For two, our pick is a fireplace suite at Inn On The Twenty (opens in a new tab). You can book time at Spa On The Twenty (opens in a new tab) next door and have dinner at the restaurant on site without moving the car. The hotel promotes itself as a cozy winter retreat (opens in a new tab), and we couldn’t agree more. Rather stay in the city? Stone Mill Inn in St. Catharines has eight Jacuzzi suites, with a spa and an Italian dinner under the same roof. Next, time your getaway around Jordan Village’s holiday calendar.

Dates worth planning around

• Nov. 20: The Starlight Market runs from 4 to 9 p.m. at the Lincoln Museum & Cultural Centre, with free entry and the Christmas Village Lighting on Main St. at 6 p.m. (opens in a new tab)
• Nov. 21 to Dec. 31: Christmas in the Village runs through the season in Jordan (opens in a new tab), so an after-dinner stroll down Main Street comes with the festive trimmings.
• Dec. 10: A Christmas Cocktail Class runs from 7 to 9 p.m. for $55 (opens in a new tab).
• Dec. 13: Merry & Mindful Yoga runs from 10 to 11:30 a.m. for $25, ages 19 and up (opens in a new tab). It’s a nice reset before an afternoon of tastings.
• Dec. 24 to 26: Christmas Dinner is an $80 prix fixe served from 5 to 8:30 p.m. (opens in a new tab)
• Dec. 31: New Year’s Eve Dinner runs from 5 to 9 p.m. for $105, or $55 more with wine pairings; book at 905-562-7313 (opens in a new tab).

Popular dates go fast, so book your room and your table together.

More cozy stays for two

If you’d like a place of your own, browse partner stays like Farm Wine Country Hideaway King Bed (opens in a new tab), Modern Guest Suite in the Heart of Wine Country (opens in a new tab), Wine Route Retreat (opens in a new tab) and The Bench Wine House (opens in a new tab). To leave the keys at home for a day of tastings, contact Crush On Niagara Wine Tours (opens in a new tab) and ask about their winter dates.

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