Slate & Suited is an independent guide to easy weekend casino-resort getaways near Canada's cities. Here is exactly how we choose the hotels and score them.
Every hotel in this guide has a real, licensed casino on the property — that is the entry ticket. From there, we stay where we can, walk every gaming floor, eat in the restaurants and judge each hotel against the same four measures, so the scores mean the same thing across the region.
Our ratings are an editorial opinion, not an average of user reviews, and we take no payment for a place in the ranking or a higher score. Room counts, casino sizes and other figures are approximate and change often — always confirm the current details with the hotel before you travel.
How the gaming plays — the tables, the poker, the slots and the high-limit room — and whether it earns a weekend rather than an afternoon.
The comfort and value of the hotel, and how easy it is to settle in for a night or two away from the city.
The restaurants, bars, spa, shows and other reasons to stay that turn a drive out of town into a proper weekend.
How short and easy the drive really is, what else is nearby, and whether the package is worth the money.
Scores are out of ten, to one decimal. A hotel scoring above nine is, in our view, a genuine destination worth planning a trip around; the low eights are still strong stays where the casino is one good reason among several. We re-score as hotels renovate, expand or change hands.