Looking out at the wind-whipped North Atlantic from Fogo Island, you feel like you’re on the edge of the world: just you, the icebergs, and utter silence. Not surprisingly, getting here takes effort—a flight to Gander (in far north Newfoundland and Labrador), followed by a drive and a ferry ride—but I’ve never been anywhere more worthy of a trek.

The hotel, the passion project of Canadian tech entrepreneur Zita Cobb, who was raised here and hopes to revive the island as a cultural destination, is a modern spin on the fishing-shacks-on-stilts that dot the island, and everything from the furniture to the quilts was created by members of the community.

The 29 rooms all have floor-to-ceiling ocean views (and their own pair of binoculars). But the best thing about coming so far is how you’re made to feel at home: Guests are paired with “community hosts,” who show you around the island.

“Aside from breaking the cookie-cutter design mold, Fogo Island Inn is a destination for ultra-local experiences.”

Why A Tiny Canadian Island Should Be Your Next Vacation Destination, Forbes, March 2014

“No detail is overlooked… but Fogo’s heart and soul comes courtesy of its community hosts, each equipped to unlock the rich traditions of this tight-knit fishing town..”

It List: The Best New Hotels, Travel + Leisure, February 2014

“During the day, a select group of locals will invite you to their homes for a lunch of line-caught cod that they hauled in themselves, or for gin and tonics made with ice cut from the Arctic icebergs that float by every spring.”

Where to Take Her 2014, GQ Magazine, February 2014

HOTEL FOGO ISLAND INN