The coolest places to stay in New Brunswick
Looking to stay in a vintage seaside hotel or forest treehouse? New Brunswick has it all when it comes to accommodations.
New Brunswick is home to some of Canada's most unique places to stay, where they are every bit as memorable as the adventures around them. Fall asleep to the sound of the Bay of Fundy's record-breaking tides, wake up in a century-old seaside mansion or spend the night in a treehouse deep in the forest.
Home to 15 First Nations communities, including the Mi'kmaq and Wolastoqiyik, New Brunswick invites visitors to connect with living Indigenous traditions alongside stunning coastal landscapes. Watch whales breach offshore, explore the Bay of Fundy, practice your French on the Acadian Coast or hike the rugged Nepisiguit Mi'gmaq Trail while learning about generations of Mi'kmaq oral history.
From grand historic resorts to peaceful island cottages and elevated camping experiences, these are some of the coolest places to stay in New Brunswick.
Quick facts
Teardrop Dwelling
- Location: Fundy National Park
- Vibe: Quirky and adventurous
- Best for: Stargazers, campers wanting something different
- Highlights: Blue, droplet-shaped cabin with a sofa-bed and a rope ladder up to a hammock loft; near the Bay of Fundy's record-breaking tides
Whale Cove Cottages
- Location: Grand Manan Island
- Vibe: Rustic and historic
- Best for: Writers, artists, hikers, birdwatchers
- Highlights: Six wood-shingle, Cape Cod-style bungalows; weekly rentals; claw-foot tubs; fireplaces
Hotel Paulin
- Location: Caraquet, near Grande-Anse
- Vibe: Historic and romantic
- Best for: Couples, history lovers, architecture lovers
- Highlights: Family-run boutique hotel on the Bay of Chaleur with Victorian suites, a spa, and old-world French charm
Tait House
- Location: Shediac
- Vibe: Elegant country inn
- Best for: Foodies, romantic getaways
- Highlights: Former merchant's mansion with nine rooms, canopy beds and multi-course lobster dinners
Algonquin Resort
- Location: St. Andrews-By-The-Sea
- Vibe: Grand and regal
- Best for: Special occasions, classic luxury seekers
- Highlights: Tudor Revival landmark; New Brunswick's most photographed building, white-glove service
Treehouse Camping
- Location: Miramichi
- Vibe: Fun and family-friendly
- Best for: Families, anglers
- Highlights: 12 treehouses on 200 acres, moose-watching, fishing and salmon-conservation sites nearby
Teardrop, Fundy National Park
Riveted steel panels give the cabin its droplet silhouette, a design meant to blend into the surrounding Acadian forest.
Parks Canada has been experimenting with a number of unique and unusual structures to make camping more fun, stylish and comfortable. Campers at Fundy National Park get to see the results firsthand with the Teardrop Dwelling: a bright blue, droplet-shaped take on the classic cabin. It's cozy inside, with a sofa-bed, cabinets, a storage box and windows for stargazing as you fall asleep. It even has a rope ladder leading up to a hammock loft nook.
Fundy National Park offers the world's highest tides in the famed Bay of Fundy, which sits along the Mi'kmaq People's unceded territory. You can explore the bay by paddling along the rising waters, which often reach 40 feet or higher. Check out Hopewell Rocks too, where tidal erosion has carved sandstone formations over thousands of years. You can paddle or kayak around them at high tide, and enjoy a stroll around them during low tide.
Whale Cove Cottages, Grand Manan
Grand Manan Island's iconic Swallowtail Lighthouse crowns emerald cliffs above the Bay of Fundy. Credit: New Brunswick Department of Tourism and Parks
Step into Grand Manan Island's picturesque emerald cliffs at Whale Cove Cottages in North Head Village. These cottages have welcomed rusticators, birdwatchers, hikers, artists, writers, readers and nappers for more than 120 years! Resembling Cape Cod cottages, there are six traditional, wood-shingle bungalows with claw-foot tubs, antiques, fireplaces and decks. Each cottage is unique and combines historical setting with modern comforts. Fun fact: American writer Willa Cather once owned one of the cottages, and it is now named after her.
Formerly known as The Inn at Whale Cove Cottages, it no longer offers dining and room services typically associated with an inn. Instead, the building that served as the inn has been converted into a single rental unit, known as the Main House. It’s available for weekly rentals, and dogs are allowed for a small additional charge.
Comb the library for a good novel, then curl into a Shaker chair in the living room and settle into the slow-paced island life. Hike, kayak, whale-watch, beachcomb and discover local arts and crafts nearby. Grand Manan is the largest of the Fundy Islands, and just a stone's throw from Maine.
Hotel Paulin, near Grande-Anse
Hotel Paulin blends Old World French charm with Victorian-style suites, fine dining, and sweeping ocean views on the scenic Acadian Peninsula.
In Caraquet, the waterfront Hotel Paulin is an immaculate 1891 boutique property still run by the Paulin family. Located on the Chaleur Bay, it’s near the dramatic red cliffs of Grande-Anse. Some even say it’s Atlantic Canada's most scenic shore.
Stay in a plush Victorian-style suite while enjoying the ocean views. Original heritage features including a symmetrical façade, mansard roof and Victorian architectural details help preserve the hotel's historic character.
All the top travel critics have praised this country inn for its brick facade, old-world French charm, and luxe-yet-inviting ambiance. You can get a spa treatment, experience innovative cuisine in the fine dining restaurant or even get a haircut in their premium in-house barbershop.
While staying at Hotel Paulin, you can visit the Arcadian Historical Village, which is approximately 15 minutes by car. This unique historical site is free of charge to explore during the fall, winter and spring months. The premises span about 1.5 miles, making it easily walkable, so visitors can take in the beauty and uniqueness of the hotel.
Tait House, Shediac
A 1911 merchant's mansion turned luxury inn, Maison Tait House in Shediac offers nine elegant rooms with fireplaces, canopy beds, and multi-course gourmet meals. Credit: Asymetric/Matthew Vibert
Beyond top-tier lobster and white-sand beaches, Shediac is home to the highly popular boutique Tait House. Built in 1911, it used to be the mansion of a wealthy merchant. Since then, it’s been transformed into an elegant nine-room boutique hotel, which includes a fireplace and a canopy bed in every room.
After a day on the shore, treat yourself by relaxing in the soaker tub, then enjoy a multi-course gourmet dinner at the Tait House restaurant. Finish the night off in the landmark's lounge, among ornate wood detailing and turn-of-the-century flourishes.
Algonquin Resort, St. Andrews-By-The-Sea
Golden-hour light catches the resort's dormer windows and steep gabled roofline, set against the wooded coast of Passamaquoddy Bay.
Algonquin Resort is a grand, old-style retreat on the coast set in lovely, maritime St. Andrews-By-The-Sea. Since 1889, the Algonquin Resort has been a staple and architectural icon of New Brunswick, marrying coastal elegance with “white-glove” royal luxury.
Once you see the crystal chandeliers, princess-style beds, white linen and fine china inside, you won’t be surprised to learn that it’s the most photographed building in New Brunswick.
Stroll the beach barefoot, lounge by the outdoor pool, play tennis or go out for a round of golf on the Algonquin Resort’s award-winning seaside golf course. The resort also has a glassed-in indoor pool with a three-story waterslide, allowing you to soak in the beautiful scenery all year round.
Make sure to visit Kingsbrae Garden, a 27-acre award-winning garden outside the resort. It’s ranked by TripAdvisor as the #1 thing to do in St. Andrews-By-The-Sea, as it’s home to more than 50,000 perennials, a cedar maze and a working Dutch windmill replica.
Treehouse camping, Miramichi
Camping Miramichi's treehouses sleep up to seven guests high among the pines. A childhood dream come true in New Brunswick's renowned fly-fishing country.
If you always wanted a treehouse when you were a kid, now's your chance to live that dream by booking a stay in one of Camping Miramichi's 12 treehouses. The 200-acre ultra-tidy and friendly campground is run by a local family and sits on the Black River in Miramichi. Sleeping four to six people each, these treehouses are built comfortably and sturdily, with some offering electricity, firepits and spacious decks high up in the pine, maple and birch trees.
Go hiking, moose-watching (yes, that’s a thing here), cycling, swimming and fishing. The city is renowned for its fly fishing, and the Miramichi River is home to some of the best salmon in the Atlantic! There’s even a museum about Atlantic Salmon here.
Miramichi is also famous for having a variety of festivals, such as Canada's Irish Festival on the Miramichi and the Miramichi Folksong Festival. Experience a traditional Mi'kmaq powwow in one of the neighboring communities, where drumming, dancing, regalia and local cuisine offer an authentic introduction to the region's living Indigenous culture.
Conclusion
New Brunswick delivers no shortage of memorable accommodation options. So whether you spend the night in a grand coastal resort, a heritage inn, a seaside cottage or a treehouse tucked among the pines, you’ll find that these places are as unforgettable as the destination itself.
Start planning your New Brunswick getaway. Visit travel.destinationcanada.com for more information.
FAQs
What are the coolest places to stay in New Brunswick?
Standouts include the Teardrop Dwelling cabins in Fundy National Park, Whale Cove Cottages on Grand Manan Island, the historic Hotel Paulin in Caraquet, Tait House in Shediac, the Algonquin Resort in St. Andrews-By-The-Sea and treehouse camping in Miramichi, each offering a distinct blend of comfort and local character.
What is a Teardrop Dwelling, and where can you stay in one?
A Teardrop Dwelling is a bright blue, water droplet-shaped cabin developed by Parks Canada as part of its push for more unique camping structures. They're available at Fundy National Park and include a sofa-bed, storage and a rope ladder up to a hammock loft.
How old is the Algonquin Resort, and why is it famous?
The Algonquin Resort has operated since 1889 and is considered one of the most photographed buildings in New Brunswick, known for its Tudor Revival architecture and "white-glove" seaside hospitality in St. Andrews-By-The-Sea.
What can you do at Whale Cove Cottages on Grand Manan Island?
Beyond staying in one of the six historic, wood-shingle cottages, you can hike, kayak, whale-watch, beachcomb, and explore local arts and crafts. Grand Manan is the largest of the Fundy Islands and sits close to the Maine border.
Is Tait House a hotel, a restaurant or both?
Both: it's a nine-room boutique hotel in a restored 1911 merchant's mansion in Shediac, with an on-site restaurant known for multi-course meals, including lobster.
What makes the treehouse camping in Miramichi unique?
Camping Miramichi offers 12 treehouses spread across 200 acres along the Black River, sleeping four to six guests each, with nearby moose-watching, fly fishing and access to festivals like the Miramichi Folksong Festival.
Sources
Parks Canada – Fundy National Park: pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/nb/fundy/index.aspx
Tourism New Brunswick – Grande-Anse Beach: tourismnewbrunswick.ca/listing/grande-anse-beach
Ville de Caraquet – Hotel Paulin: caraquet.ca/en/hotel-paulin
Maison Tait House (Bower Boutique Hotels): staybower.com/tait-house-en
Whale Cove Cottages (official site): whalecovecottages.ca/
Whale Cove Cottages (heritage register): historicplaces.ca/en/rep-reg/place-lieu.aspx?id=16387
Hotel Paulin (official site): hotelpaulin.ca/
Hotel Paulin (heritage description): ahnb-apnb.ca/inventory_entry/hotel-paulin/
Algonquin Resort (official site): algonquinresort.com/
Kingsbrae Garden (official site): kingsbraegarden.com/
Camping Miramichi (official site): campingmiramichi.com/
Camping Miramichi (Tourism NB listing): tourismnewbrunswick.ca/listing/miramichi-treehouse-camping-adventures
Shediac Lobster Festival (official site): shediaclobsterfestival.ca/
World's Largest Lobster (Tourism NB listing): tourismnewbrunswick.ca/listing/worlds-largest-lobster