Chateau Lake Louise to open first luxury Nordic-style wellness centre in Banff National Park
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It’s official. One of the most anticipated new wellness offerings in Alberta has set its opening date.
BASIN Glacial Waters, an indoor-outdoor, thermal spa and wellness centre at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, will welcome guests beginning Sept. 15.
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The facility – an interpretation of a traditional bathhouse – and the first of its kind within Banff National Park, has been two decades in the making. The new wellness centre is a part of a $130-million transformation of the heritage property, which includes renovated guest rooms and a redesigned Fairmont Spa.
Reservations for access into BASIN Glacial Waters – at this time, available only to hotel guests – open Friday, July 18, at 10 a.m. Access passes for non-hotel guests will be added at a later date.
Guests will engage in self-guided circuits of traditional Finnish and Bio Saunas, an Aufguss Sauna, Steam Rooms, Hot Stone Massage Room, and Silent Salt Relax Room. There is also a series of diverse temperature pools, including the Reflexology Pool, Infinity Pool – spanning onto the outdoor terrace – and Kneipp Walk, for standing contrast bathing. There are two wet treatment rooms, one of which is modelled on a traditional Turkish Hammam for full-body exfoliation.
Guests can opt to follow one of five curated wellness “trails” for a preferred wellness outcome. For example, the ‘Stillness Trail’ is meant to soothe the nervous system and set the body into the perfect state for a deep rest, while the ‘Presence Trail’ can counteract jet lag and calm anxiety. The ‘Aufguss Ceremony’, with roots in European sauna practices, will be a signature option. Led by “sauna masters” performing traditional oil-infused steam rituals to small groups within the outdoor Aufguss sauna, ceremonies will take place throughout the day.
In addition to the spa and treatments, there is a communal lounge with a selection of elixirs, tonics, nootropics and adaptogens, as well as Champagne and craft beverages.
“Our vision with this concept was to create an all-sensory space that felt both intentional and immersive, where guests can slow down, take a breath, and feel genuinely restored – all the while, set against the exquisite backdrop of Lake Louise,” says Emma Darby, global vice-president spa & wellness, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts. “The BASIN experience is not prescriptive but is instead deeply connected to the landscape and focused on the guest’s mindset.”
The centre was designed by Milan’s Matteo Thun & Partners, with inspiration from natural springs, thermal waters, and long-established wellness practices of Nordic sauna culture – all with a luxury element. Adjacent to the majestic chateau, BASIN overlooks the turquoise waters of Lake Louise and the Victoria Glacier – the source of the facility’s mineral-rich water.
“Capturing the spirit of Lake Louise was at the heart of the architectural intention, to respect the richness of the landscape with a design that represents simplicity, purity, and the uniqueness of the location. Nature and the beautiful surroundings of the lake and the forest become the protagonist – architecture and interior the stage,” Matteo Thun stated in a press release.
From opening, BASIN will be accessible daily and year-round, the indoor-outdoor nature of the thermotherapy experience shifting with the season.
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