by Jessica Howell

Situated on a spoon shaped inlet of the vast Atlantic, Halifax, Nova Scotia is a maritime dream with small-town feel and big-city appeal. Founded in 1749, this historically-seeped locale has been linked to such tragedies as the Titantic's sinking (Halifax sent the first three ships which retrieved victims) and the great explosion of 1920 that killed over 1,700 people and left the entire harbor bruised but not broken. It may seem that Halifax has faced a streak of bad luck, but one trip to this coastal charm will leave you hungry for more. Literally.

Quickly becoming one of Canada's culinary meccas, Halifax offers the finest of dining, the freshest of seafood, and a vibrating energy that pulses through the city, intriguing a bevy of international visitors.

My stay in Halifax was deep in the winter's blustery months. My suitcases were filled to the brim with turtlenecks, scarves, gloves and burly boots - and I was more than pleasantly surprised to find that most stayed tucked neatly away for the trip's duration. The air was brisk and small trails of condensation billowed with the breaths of those outside, but the sun was shining, the water was sparkling, and I was toasty traveling the city by foot.

Made up of tall shouldered buildings that line narrow streets, Halifax seems more 19th century than 21st. It has a quaintness that rarely exists in a city of its size or convenient location thanks to small turns, sought-after corners and intimate settings that make every nook and cranny warm and inviting.

The hotel which I called home, the Westin Nova Scotia, sits near the water. Each morning I woke up to glorious views of the harbor and George's Island, except on the last day when the fog was so thick that I could barely see the street from my 10th floor guest room. No matter; I was tucked into Westin's signature Heavenly bed - and so I slept in a bit, allowing a bit more time for the dense fog to dissipate.

The hotel is made up of 297 rooms, each of which is smaller in size but offers plenty in accommodation and amenity for the modern traveler like luxurious bedding, magnified mirrors and extended shower curtain bars in the bathroom. The lovely pool, lounge bar, Elements restaurant and Bellazio Spa are also at your fingertips, located on the hotel's ground floor. (CONTINUE...)