It was a shook-up snowglobe day, making our drive to Stratford a very authentic Canadiana winter one. A warm welcome came in the form of just-baked chocolate chip cookies upon our arrival, apples and gingersnap Rooibos tea from Distinctly tea down the street.

I discovered the Mercer Inn when I was poking around for boutique accommodations in downtown Stratford, as we already had tickets to see Madison Violet at a local bar/resto nearby.

Mercer Hall's site was great to navigate as you could virtually visit each room. When I was torn between #202 and #204 (with fireplace), I phoned the toll free number. Ann was a wonderful resource and I was thrilled to come across the "Stratford Ambassador's Package" in my search. The package included any of the suites with King bed, fireplace and jacuzzi. However, the most sharply designed rooms in my mind were without the fireplace and jacuzzi perks. Regardless, for $110 we enjoyed a tastefully stunning room (#202), a $40 dinner voucher for Fellini's (directly across the street) and a $20 voucher for Tango's Cafe & Grill (located below the inn). And, there was a coupon for Chocolate Barre's just steps away where we had our choice of two handmade truffles to boot.

Fellini's was cozy and inviting with ambient music at a level that still allowed for quiet conversation. We had perfectly seared scallops wrapped in bacon on roasted red pepper and goat cheese crostinis. The Bianca Verde (spicy Italian sausage, mushrooms, spinach & three cheese blend) was enough for two, and easy competition for the likes of Terroni's. Unlike other establishments, alcohol was included in the redemption of the voucher. So, we had scallops, a shared pizza and two pints of Warsteiner and Moretti for $43 plus tip. Which, with the voucher, was really $3 plus tip.

The music venue, Foster's Inn was less than a five minute walk away. Also a warm sanctuary on a winter's night for cheap martinis ($8.99) and up close and personal live music performances. Best to grab space along the bar rail or arrive early for dinner to steal a table close to the stage.

After the concert we returned to the spoils of our room (free internet, bar fridge, a Canadian CD library, a stack of books by Canadian authors and a DVD library of Hollywood faves).

The mattress was one of the most comfortable we've ever slept on in a hotel (don't most feel like they've been constructed out of recycled, deflated soccer balls?). The room was minimalist with a stylish velour button-tuck headboard, polished cement side tables, lovely linens and designer pillows.

And it was still. Except for the snowplows that worked through the night, our room (facing Ontario street) would make a great perch for people-watching during the festival. The sleepy Avon river is directly behind the hotel (where there is free parking in the lot), and the streets that run parallel and towards the river are a haven for used book lovers and antique hounds(be sure to stop at Watson's with the resident cat curled up on the cash counter). Stratford has dozens of pubs, diners and independent restaurants. I needed more days to eat my way across the city. (*Don't forget to stop at Bright's Cheese Factory and Shop on your way through Shakespeare).

Breakfast at Tango is fast and filling. It's a popular stop and the cafe sells lots of sinful pastries and robust coffee in the front. The service is remarkably friendly and personable. All the staff are attentive and genuinely interested in your contentment, not just at the inn or cafe, but in the Stratford experience as a whole. The tight strings of the community are palpable.

I would book at Mercer Hall Inn again. It's a smashing value and the ideal launching pad for a day tripping around the patios, pubs and shops that make Stratford a quick and restorative getaway from the urban hum.