The Perfect British Columbia Ski Trip for Beginners
Fairmont Hot Springs in British Columbia is the perfect place for to go as a beginner on a ski trip, or as a family! We stayed at the Fairmont Hot Springs Resort to check out the Fairmont Hot Springs Ski Area in February of 2023 on a hosted stay in exchange for content.
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Getting There
We made the journey all the way from Edmonton to spend 3 nights at Fairmont Hot Springs Resort, and it took us 6 hours to get there. Once you get into the mountains past Banff, you will start getting spotty service, and lose it entirely while driving through Kootenay National Park. So be sure to download your maps prior to losing service if you aren’t too confident in where you’re going - it is a straight-thru road though so you shouldn’t get lost! You will regain it once you get close to Radium Hot Springs.
On our way in, we decided to stop at the Natural Spring Pools in Radium, and I was so glad we did. Nothing felt better than soaking in the healing mineral water after sitting in the vehicle for over 5 hours. After our soak we made the final ~25min stretch to Fairmont Hot Springs.
Where to stay in Fairmont Hot Springs, British Columbia
We stayed at the Family Villas by Mountainside Villas, which is just a hop, skip & jump away from the main resort. The Mountainside Villas are situated on the Mountainside Golf Course, with some of the units being timeshares, and some being owned by Fairmont Hot Springs Resort. When staying over in the villas, you still have access to the main Hot Springs pool, as well as a facility they have at the Mountainside Villas Check-In/Rec Centre Building - although the other amenities in that building are just for timeshare holders.
Evan and I shared a Two Bedroom Villa with Rowan (@rowanexplores), her husband George and daughter Stevie, and it was perfect for us. Here are a few amenities/features in our villa:
Sleeps up to 6 people
Fully-equipped kitchen with full-size appliances
Semi-private loft upstairs
TVs/DVD players
In-suite laundry
2 bathrooms (both with either a shower or bathtub)
Patio with outdoor furniture
Gas BBQ
Tons of storage for all of your belongings
Lots of nature light
And of course the most important point of all, beautiful views!
Where to eat at Fairmont Hot Springs Resort
Because you have a fully-equipped kitchen at your disposal when staying in the Mountainside Villas at Fairmont Hot Springs Resort, you have the option of packing all of your own food, and cooking it in your villa. We brought quite a few of our meals, and lots of snacks. With being further away from the main resort, it can be difficult to pack everyone up and drive over there, especially if you have a large group or children. Packing your own food to cook in your villa definitely can add convenience to meal time, which is usually what you want on vacation!
Not saying that eating out doesn’t add convenience either - no prep work, no clean-up, just enjoying a meal - which is why we still decided to enjoy 2 lunches over at the Bear’s Paw Bar & Grill. Some of the items that were ordered and enjoyed while we were there were Nachos, Pulled Beef Stuffed Yorkshire Pudding, Prime Rib Burger, Poutine and Caesar Salad.
For other dining options, also have:
Antler’s at the Lodge (Breakfast, Dinner)
Steamers Cafe (Open 7am-2pm)
Desperados (at the Ski Chalet)
Dapper’s Landing (Closed for winter - at Golf Course)
Mountainside Grille (Closed for winter - at Golf Course)
Poolside Snack Bar (Closed for winter - at Hot Spring Pools)
What to do in Fairmont Hot Springs
GO FOR A DAY ON THE SKI HILL
Fairmont Hot Springs Ski Area is the perfect hill to learn on, or go as a family. This family-friendly ski resort gives you panoramic views of the Purcell and Rocky Mountains. With a total of 14 runs, ranging from green to black in skill level, this ski hill provides an ideal beginner/family experience.
Here are the prices for lift tickets based on Full Weekday/Full Weekend & Holidays:
Adult: $62/$72
Youth: $50/$60
Junior: $34/$44
Senior: $50/$60
Under 5 and 75+ ski free!
All tickets include same-day membership to the hot springs, and season pass holders get a anytime membership pass to the hot springs.
While we were there, they had an awesome Night Skiing event, that Rowan and I obviously took part in, and we had a lot of fun. We lined up our boards/skis with dollar store lights and shined our way down the hill after dark. They also have a rental shop, chalet with food and beverages, and a ski school. Once you are done your day at the ski hill…
SOAK IN CANADA’S LARGEST OUTDOOR HOT SPRING
Having the hot springs on-site is a game changer for when you’re finished with your ski day. The mineral water is just so healing - you could spend hours here. The water temperature in their soaking pool is maintained at an average of 39°C (102°F) and the large swimming pool and dive pool are just slightly cooler at 32°C (89°F) and 30°C (86°F). The dive pool hasn’t been opened any of the times that I have been to Fairmont Hot Springs, but I’m hoping we can return in the summer and it’ll be open!
In this Hot Spring, there is 1.2 million gallons of fresh mineral water flowing through Fairmont’s pools daily, and it doesn’t smell like that typical ‘Sulphury’ smell of other hot springs.
Here’s a fun “Did You Know?” fact from the Fairmont Hot Springs Resort website: “The water in the hot springs originate from rain and snow melt. The water seeps into the ground through tiny holes in the landscape’s porous limestone and is heated as it travels underground, so get ready to enjoy last year’s rainfall in your bathing suit!”
They also have the natural Hot Spring bathhouse still standing at the back of the property, and in the summer this is small heated pools above the bathhouse, but they were frozen over the winter. This place holds a ton of history. You can click here to read all about it!
