Destination Ontario touts restaurants, historic villa where ‘Heated Rivalry’ filmed

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This article was published 13/01/2026 (269 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

TORONTO – Destination Ontario is encouraging fans of “Heated Rivalry” to relive their favourite moments from the Crave series by visiting filming locations across the province.

The tourism body shared on social media a list of six spots that serve as the backdrop to the lustful hockey show.

Most of the locations listed are in Hamilton, including FirstOntario Concert Hall, the set for the fictional Major League Hockey Awards; Dundurn Castle, which stands in for Moscow in the show; and the restaurants Ciao Bella and Le Tambour Tavern. 

Destination Ontario also lists Joni Restaurant in Toronto, which is used as a Las Vegas location in the series, and points to the entire Muskoka Region, where pivotal cottage scenes were filmed.

“Heated Rivalry” tells the love story of hockey stars Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, based on a series of romance novels by Nova Scotia’s Rachel Reid.

The Crave original series, which airs on HBO Max in the U.S., has captured the zeitgeist, prompting themed dance parties, re-watching events and trivia nights across Canada.

Its stars, Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie, have made a splash in Hollywood and were tapped to present at the Golden Globes on Sunday night.

“While Destination Ontario wasn’t involved in the production of ‘Heated Rivalry,’ we anticipate that some of the featured locations could see increased interest and visitation,” Destination Ontario’s communications manager Liisa Sefton said in a statement.

“Film- and TV-inspired travel continues to grow, and audiences frequently seek out real-world locations they’ve seen on screen.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 13, 2026.