A deluxe corporate wellness retreat overlooking a mountain lake

By Bonnie Schiedel

Sparkling Hill Resort gets its name from the 3.5 million—yes, million—Swarovski crystals that are incorporated into modern design elements throughout the 149-room resort, from chandeliers and ceilings to sculptures and fireplaces. Perched on a ridge in the Monashee Mountains overlooking Lake Okanagan in British Columbia, the resort deftly mixes the glittering glamour of crystals with the rustic warmth of natural wood and stone. There are four meeting venues ranging from a ballroom that seats 200 and an executive boardroom to a fireside lounge and outdoor terrace with sweeping views. Add in the area’s reputation as “Napa North” with 170-plus nearby wineries and a year-round temperate climate, and it’s not surprising that it’s a sought-after destination for incentive travel.

Wellness with a wow factor
The property emphasizes health and vitality in a variety of ways. The crown jewel is the KurSpa, a 40,000-sq.-ft. spa that offers innovative European-influenced therapies suitable for individual or group sessions, such as the Kneipp Waterway (walking through recessed channels that alternate between hot and cold water) and the inflammation-zapping Cold Sauna (brief, monitored exposure to -110°C/-166°F temperatures), the only such sauna in North America. The property also offers executive wellness retreats with up to eight hours of “wellness sessions” and personalized plans for nutrition and stress management, as well as naturopathic and integrative medicine counseling.

Nourishing body and spirit
Of course, fine wine and dishes made with fresh local ingredients should be part of any wellness undertaking. Sparkling Hill’s signature restaurant, PeakFine, showcases seasonal Okanagan Valley fare prepared with an old-world twist, all accented by a curated wine list with a focus on BC wines. And should you wish to venture off the property, you can embark on teambuilding adventures such as travelling by helicopter to a private lake to fly-fish for rainbow trout, golfing at one of two nearby premiere courses, or a sommelier-guided wine tour.
sparklinghill.com