Improving your health and fitness is a major travel trend for 2018 and beyond and there are no shortages of wellness retreats to tweak, tone and tame those love handles. Practice mindful eating at Miraval, try cutting-edge fitness classes at Canyon Ranch, hike your butt off (literally) at The Ranch Malibu. These are the usual subjects, but there’s another healthy haven to add to the mix, a bucket-list hotel that’s changing the wellness game for the better: Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. Here’s how the grand dame Canadian hotel is standing out in the wellness game, so grab your passports and get ready for a health journey like no other. 

 

1. Pick the right reboot Whether you’re looking to build balance and mindfulness, rejuvenate your spirit and creativity or discover a newfound sense of self, there’s a retreat—and retreat leader—for you. Spanning two to six days, upcoming themes include The Joy of Being with Eckhart Tolle and Kim Eng, Mindfulness & Yoga with life coach and meditation teacher Tracey Delfs and Self-Love with bestselling author Shannon Kaiser. Facilitators will lead you through self-discovery exercises and mindfulness techniques to help you how to tap into the internal tools you already have for positive change. These are not one size fits all retreats, but truly transformative experiences that speak to different parts of ourselves. 

 

 

2. Get a say in your schedule/personalize your schedule Retreat itineraries usually go one of two ways: either you’re given an endless menu of fitness classes and wellness seminars (translation: too much choice) or the program is jam-packed with mandatory hikes, exercise classes and seminars (translation: no choice). Either way, it’s overwhelming. Not so at Lake Louise. Days usually include a yoga session, a morning and afternoon session with the retreat leader and a group dinner, leaving plenty of wiggle room to explore Lake Louise, whether snowshoeing, ice skating, hiking, kayaking or canoeing, or to just unwind in the spa whirlpool or steam room. And eat! Meals and drink tickets are included, and with eight dining options to choose from, from grabbing a quick oatmeal breakfast at the Chateau Deli to lingering over a multi-course meal at Lakeview Lounge while soaking in the stunning views of the lake and Victoria Peak, there’s something for every appetite.

 

 

3. Broaden your mind and the rest will follow Regardless of which retreat you choose, something magical happens between the opening night reception and the farewell session: You transform. The intimate and interactive vibe (retreats cap at 15 participants with plenty of one-on-one opportunity with the facilitator) paired with the stunning Lake Louise setting (the palatial 552-room hotel sits in front of a majestic emerald-hued lake surrounded by the soaring snow-capped Rockies) create the perfect storm of self-discovery. Not only will you feel your layers peeling back, you’ll see vulnerability bubble up in others and bond over the shared experience. Connection is contagious like that.

Getting there: The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise is a twp-hour drive from Calgary airport. Daily direct flights available from Phoenix.