Nordic spas have been gaining popularity in and around Calgary. Pulling inspiration from Scandinavian hydrotherapy, where you alternate between hot, cold and rest phases, Nordic spas are being sought out for the ways they can help you feel refreshed, relaxed and rejuvenated.
Now, as interest in blending travel and wellness grows, Canmore joins the list of mountain towns offering new restorative travel experiences with its first Nordia spa, created by Basecamp Resorts. Everwild Canmore, which opened on November 20, welcomes mountain fans seeking rest and restoration with features like retreat tents with loungers and wood-burning fireplaces, a salt lodge and a variety of pools across almost 40,000 square feet of beautiful outdoor space.
The Everwild Hotel & Spa property includes the new Nordic spa and the recently rebranded MTN House By Basecamp hotel, which opened in 2023.
“We’re so honoured to be in the business of making people feel better,” says Sky McLean, CEO and founder of Basecamp Resorts.
Here are three things to know about the new spa.
The spa draws inspiration from the natural elements
The design of Everwild spa’s reception lounge and interior space, where you’ll find showers, lockers, treatment rooms and an exfoliation station, draws inspiration from Canmore’s coal mining history. The space features wooden walls and hallways to represent the wooden casings of a mine entrance and black doors to create a tunnel feel.
But wander outside to the pools and you’ll find that the spa’s restorative amenities are rooted in the natural elements. The idea is that each element — fire, water, earth and air — represents a different facet of well-being, and they all relate to elements in the spa. Take the cedar sauna barrels, for example. The wood is tied to earth, and the dry heat that warms the body can be thought of in relation to fire. Guests will find this theme reflected in every amenity in the spa, including the element-inspired cocktails served in the Elements Lounge.
The spa has nearly 20 options in the thermotherapy circuit
Spanning almost 40,000 square feet, Everwild spa offers an expansive range of thermotherapy options, with a large variety of pools, saunas, lounges and more, so everyone can find the right rhythm for themselves. The heart of Everwild’s mission is ensuring that guests listen to what their bodies need.
Everwild features five pools, ranging from a 15°C cold plunge pool to a 40°C hot pool. Guests also have the option of two cedar sauna barrels, a steam lodge, a heat lodge and a salt lodge.
Guests are encouraged to go from hot to cold and then rest. Resting is vital to the wellness benefits of contrast therapy — when the body alternates between hot and cold applications — which is why Everwild offers many places to relax and regenerate, such as the three fire pits, three restorative tents and social lounge.
Staff guide you through wellness rituals of your choice
In the heat lodge, guests can choose from three guided rituals, ranging from slow and meditative to high-heat and high-energy. The rituals use essential oils, music and an invitation to participate in guided dynamic movement or deep silence, depending on the ritual.
Twice a day, guests are welcome to join the fire rituals, where they come together around a fire pit to set intentions and pause for a moment of gratitude. In the steam lodge, guests can partake in a herbal steam cleanse, where staff diffuse herbs and invite guests to exfoliate with a scrub. And in the retreat tents, they can use warm palm stones on themselves with the help of a guided body scan.
Avenue’s writers and editors are occasionally invited to experience dining or adventure experiences as a guest, including some of the experiences in this story. Neither complimentary experiences nor advertising are required for coverage in Avenue. Neither companies that advertise nor those that provide other incentives are promised editorial coverage, nor do they have the opportunity to review or approve stories before publication.