There’s a new spa in town, and while this much-anticipated, Nordic-inspired spa has been the talk of the town for a while now, we were pleasantly surprised by the grand opening of Everwild, a new relaxation experience in Canmore.

We wrote about Everwild in anticipation of this event, and now that it’s here, we couldn’t wait to check it out. Despite being full of press looking to get a glimpse of this new and exciting spa-hotel concept, the place was designed around relaxation. Our lasting impression after visiting this new concept hotel and sap was simply, “Wow.”

Everwild Spa / JP Cortes Dueñez

Everything about the hotel, dining room, and spa was placed with intention. From the moment you check in, you are directed to your room and then you can go directly to the spa, where even the elevators are designed to make your stay purpose driven. It’s a thoughtful design so you don’t have to wander around the lobby and restaurant area in your robes. You can go from your room to relaxation in an efficient and private way.

To get to the Nordic spa area itself, you start by ascending a long staircase to access the outdoor area. It was like you were being funnelled into your experience. You see the sky and nothing else, which sets the tone for the upcoming nature-based experience. When you reach the top, you’ll find a series of temperature-specific pools, barrel saunas with great views, steam rooms, and mountains everywhere you look. It was impressive.

Everwild Spa / JP Cortes Dueñez

During this particular event, everyone was there specifically to see the spa at the same time. Realistically, we didn’t think that many people would be there at once. Even with the event, the spa experience was spread out, and there were enough hot pools and steam rooms and saunas so that you didn’t feel crowded or stressed at all. There were no lineups to do any of the elements, and the area had a natural flow that kept people going at their own pace. There was a mini map to cycle through the different activities for relaxation, but you could also venture where your desired, so people naturally spread out to what they enjoyed most.

There were signs for each water pool that told you how warm or cool it was, and what is the recommended time frame to be in that temperature. We felt a little bit like Goldilocks finding the one that was just right. If you follow the rituals, you'll be cycling through cold to warm to hot to hotter and back to cold in a way that's designed to soothe and refresh your mind, body, and essence. The relaxation lounge was incredible as well, from the design to the friendly staff offering light snacks and beverages. While we didn’t get any extra refreshments here, we were happy to hang out and warm up from the evening’s chill.

Everwild Spa / JP Cortes Dueñez

There are so many elements that you're bound to find something to help you relax. There was something for everyone here, and even if you're a first-timer to this type of experience or you're a pro who knows exactly what you want, there is something comforting at Everwild just for you. Our favourite element of the whole experience was the salt room. There were salt bricks lining the walls in a warm, welcoming space. The environment creates an ionized experience that your body benefits from molecularly. For us, it was like a sauna that wasn’t a sauna: it felt like sitting in the Caribbean under the glowing sun with the warmth hugging your body.

Everwild Spa / JP Cortes Dueñez

Everything about Everwild was amazing. The staff were friendly and informative, and the experience was beyond anything we could have expected. There are spas at hotels, and there are hotel-spas, but the team at Everwild kicked it up a notch. It is better than anything we’d experienced before. If you want to have a day with your friends or even get together with family relaxing in the mountains, this is the place. We’re already planning to visit again with a group of friends this winter.

Everwild Spa / Geoff McLean