Why Kananaskis is Your New Favourite Escape in the Alberta Rockies

This travel intel is hot off the presses€”here’s a look inside the new Pomeroy Kananaskis Mountain Lodge and Kananaskis Nordic Spa.

People are rediscovering Kananaskis country as a must-visit rocky mountain destination —particularly those looking for a luxurious outdoor escape. The Pomeroy Kananaskis Mountain Lodge, previously the Delta Kananaskis, was recently given an extreme makeover, reopening as part of the Autograph Collection—a distinction among the world’s most unique boutique hotels, celebrating creativity, beauty and a commitment to local. The redesigned lodge is a modern yet rustic getaway, perfectly suited for families, with loft rooms and suites, a kid-friendly pool with waterpark, babysitting available as well as kids cooking classes in one of the dining rooms. There’s a nearby playground, outdoor skating rink and tobogganing hill, and the lodge is pet-friendly. This is the lobby of the newly redesigned Pomeroy Kananaskis Mountain Lodge.There are five on-site dining rooms, besides the option of ordering room service—the Cedar Room is a modern mountain chophouse, offering a seasonal menu focused on regional ingredients. Next door, the Blacktail Bar is a sleek lounge already known for its unique handcrafted and locally-inspired cocktails, where you can order full meals or sharing plates from the Cedar Room to enjoy around the fireplace. After a long day on the slopes we’re sidling up to the Blacktail Bar for locally-inspired cocktails. Forte hits all the right notes with its mix of mountain and modern.Forte is casual yet sophisticated, with pizzas made with a three-day fermented dough in a wood-burning oven, along roasted meats and house-made pastas on the menu. Woody’s Pub is perfect for an après-ski burger and a pint, and the Market Café is an easy stop for Starbucks coffee, breakfast, lunch or snacks, with a well curated gift shop and the option of ordering a packed picnic to go.Perhaps most exciting, right next door to the lodge, the 18+ Kananaskis Nordic Spa—the first of its kind in Alberta—has quickly become a popular getaway for anyone seeking relaxation and rejuvenation. Following the tradition of the Scandinavian spa, it offers therapeutic hot and warm tubs, steam cabins, wet and dry saunas and an almost ice-cold plunge pool to transition from hot to cold, with the option to rest in a heated hammock or sit by a crackling wood fire in between, and finish with a steamy salt scrub. It’s all open to the outdoors, so winter is particularly spectacular, when the surrounding forest is dusted with snow and the hot pools are extra steamy. The second floor of the relaxation lodge has a yoga studio, and spa treatment rooms include two for couples, with floor to ceiling windows opening up to a breathtaking view of the surrounding Rockies. Plaid robe? Check. Warm and cozy post-spa hangout spot with a fireplace? Check, check check.After your hydrotherapy ritual and treatments, the Two Trees Bistro is the most comfy-luxe lounge you can imagine, with three fireplaces, cozy couches and seating areas where you can hang out—in your luxuriously large Canadian tartan robe—catch up, and indulge in sharing platters, craft beers and wines, herbal teas or an espresso.You don’t have to stay at the hotel to visit the spa, but it’s a perfect combination—besides the lodge and spa themselves, there’s an easy path that brings you past spectacular panoramic views, a golf course across the river, and so many other outdoor activities nearby. And this fall, those staying overnight can prepare for a great night’s sleep by winding down under the stars in the spa pools from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.—the ultimate relaxation before wandering just steps back to your bed.For more information, visit lodgeatkananaskis.com or knordicspa.com. At the Pomeroy Kananaskis Mountain Lodge, this is your view.