Sitting high on a cliff in Vernon, B.C., is a building that would fit in among the Emerald City, Ice Palace and Prince Charming’s Castle of our favourite fairytales. Inside the doors, however, doesn’t await a glass slipper or a horse of a different colour, but a more grown-up take on wonderland. Opening April 30, 2010, Sparkling Hill Resort’s general manager and CEO, Hans-Peter Mayr, hopes to change the wellness industry in North America.

Mayr came to Canada visiting from Austria to experience local spas, the Canadian lifestyle and the beautiful, natural surroundings the Okanagan valley has to offer. Mayr loved the beauty of the Okanagan and the lifestyle and decided to bring European wellness traditions and innovations to Canada after his own 13 years in the wellness industry in Austria. That was back in 2000 and the property was bought in 2003. Construction started in the late summer of 2008 but building of a road leading up to the site and preparation of the site started long before.  

The location plays an important role in the visitor’s experience and the resort uses it to the guest’s advantage. Sparkling Hill is situated on a cliff above Lake Okanagan in Vernon, just 25 minutes from Kelowna International Airport. Just out the door and down the hill from Sparkling Hill Resort is the famous Predator Ridge Golf Resort, one of the only two public golf courses in Western Canada to rank in ScoreGolf magazine’s Canadian Top 25. Sparkling Hill plans to feature the local wine selection and superior local produce in a region known for its orchards and vineyards.  

The resort will offer more than 100 spa services, the most intriguing of which is the cold sauna. The procedure involves entering the cold sauna wearing just a small swimsuit, head covering, thick gloves and socks, and mouth and ear protection. First, the participant enters into two pre-rooms; one at -15 C and the other at -60 C. After 30 seconds they move into the main chamber at -110 C for a maximum of three minutes. Whilst in the chamber the skin temperature drops to -2 C. The blood vessels quickly build a protection zone and core body temperature is maintained. The idea is that the nervous and circulatory systems are given a big kick. Mayr says that if people who suffer from chronic pain use the chamber for three minutes, twice a day for 10 days, the user may be pain-free for six to nine months. The treatment has also been used to help people deal with depression.  

This is one part of the Sparkling Hill Whole Body Wellness program. “We would like guests to have real benefits after leaving so they aren’t just thinking of the next two weeks but about the next six to eight months because they will have less pain, they can move better and they will know a little bit more about healthy eating and cooking,” Mayr says. They also have a variety of other saunas ranging from 8 C to 80 C offering an array of scents, textures and stimulants.

Sparkling Hill’s name has a literal meaning because of their collaboration with Swarovski crystal. With Swarovski crystals incorporated into many aspect of its design, Sparkling Hill is uniquely beautiful. “In Europe we know about the effects of what we are offering at Sparkling Hill Resort but not in this way. We are creating an experience. It’s the small details. The details make it very special,” Mayr says. Gernot Langes-Swarovski is personally involved with this project, allowing Sparkling Hill to use the ingenuity and creative technology of Swarovski crystal elements. Swarovski has, for more than 45 years, had a Crystal Architecture department that designs crystal pieces to incorporate into the structure of private homes, jets, ships and commercial buildings. When you enter the resort, you are greeted with an 18-metre-high entrance crystal, and crystal art pieces can be seen all throughout the resort in the spa, restaurant and in the private rooms.  

Mayr has worked closely with the local community and attempted to keep the area surrounding the hotel scenery as pristine as possible. “Everybody who has viewed the project to date is excited. When they see the 360-degree view they are amazed.

Mayr feels the guest experience at Sparkling Hill Resort will be distinctly different. “When you are at Sparkling Hill you feel very different. This place is so special. There’s so much energy and the views around the resort are so inspiring. Our guests should leave and feel different for a long time,” Mayer says. “We are pleased to offer a European-inspired wellness resort to Canada and North America.” •

Photo courtesy of Sparkling Hill