I once read somewhere that every woman should have a sanctuary, a place in the world to which she can escape from the stresses of daily life and enjoy herself in solitude whenever the mood takes her. For me, the Fairmont Banff Springs hotel in Banff, Alberta and its Willow Stream Spa location are the perfect solution when I’m in need of an impromptu getaway.
The Willow Stream Spa was first recommended to me by a friendly member of the staff at the Fairmont Royal York when I spent a weekend in downtown Toronto in November 2008. A year and a half later, stressed and in need of respite from my daily grind, I awoke one morning with the goal of getting as far away as possible by the end of the week.
My search for cheap flights to Europe was a bust, and so I began to look for deals on spa retreats during the Victoria Day Weekend. That’s when I remembered the Willow Stream. Fortunately, there were rooms available at the Fairmont Banff Springs during my desired travel dates. More importantly, the spa was offering an excellent deal on its signature treatments, with a complimentary brunch buffet at the Fairmont’s Bow Valley Grill for each night of my stay.
The Fairmont Banff is nestled within the Rocky Mountain Range in Banff National Park, and as such, the two-hour drive there from Calgary airport is every bit as beautiful as one can imagine. I even found myself taking my life into my hands every once in a while to snap a shot of the mountains while trying to keep my rental car from veering off the road.
Even though the mountains look wonderful from far a way, the view of the landscapes can’t compare to being among the mountains, lakes and rivers themselves. The vistas are breathtaking, and I highly recommend getting up close and personal with the mountains during a river float tour or on horseback. There are plenty of options provided by the many tour operators in the region.
As to the Banff Springs hotel, it provided all of the luxury that I’d come to expect from the Fairmont chain and more. From the moment that I was greeted by the head concierge at the entrance, I was treated like a queen. He took direct responsibility for me from the moment that I came in the door by making sure that I got checked in at the President’s Club reception desk. Since I had arrived before my expected check-in time, my room was upgraded to a king suite on the top floor of the Stanley Thompson wing, which is named after the architect of the hotel’s golf course. My room had a fantastic view of the mountains and river, and was so spacious and comfortable that I immediately forgot my jet lag.
My first order of business was to have my first bath and massage treatment at the spa. If you haven’t done so already, you need to get yourself to one of the Fairmont’s Willow Stream Spas at some point in your lifetime, even if you don’t stay at the hotel. The staff are amazing, and the Banff location has hot, warm, and cold mineral pools; a gym; and a swimming pool to help you to relax and re-energise. Just be careful when exercising, as Banff is nearly 1.4 km above sea level. I barely managed my usual interval run on the treadmill due to the high attitude.
One thing I learned to do while at the spa was to shut down and enjoy the experience. Just the bath itself was so relaxing, and my full-body massage left me feeling completely… I don’t even have the words to describe it. I had complete run of the facilities, and when I wasn’t enjoying a facial or a Rockies Relaxation treatment, I was sipping one of the Fairmont’s signature tea blends or quenching my thirst with one of the spa’s refreshing water infusions while flipping through a magazine in my comfy bath robe.
My short stay at the hotel and spa taught me how to relax and let someone else take care of me for a change. The next time you’re in need of sanctuary, look no further than the Fairmont Banff Springs’ luxurious Willow Stream Spa. A bit of pampering will do you some good.
Fairmont Banff Springs
405 Spray Ave.
Banff, AB T1L 1J4
Canada
www.fairmont.com/banff-springs/