Who knew Whistler was so magical in May?
I was invited to experience the All About Me Women’s Retreat as a partnership with Fairmont Chateau Whistler. This is an honest account of the weekend and all opinions are my own.
I hadn’t realized how much I needed a few days away. This time of year always feels naturally joyous with all the flowers blooming and warmer, longer days. The social calendar fills up as everyone comes out of winter hibernation and the collective stress of tax season fades. We’ve been having the nicest weather and this sunshine has kept me in a near perpetually good mood. The problem is, that things tend to get busier and stressful without notice. That was until I reached that fresh mountain air and had room to breathe.
I picked up Alex at the crack of dawn on a Friday to head up to Whistler. We’d been invited to experience a women’s retreat at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler and desperately needing a break, we both vowed to make it as recharging as possible.
Which is exactly why we were driving at first light toward Scandinave Spa. The outdoor spa is truly one of my favourite places on earth and it was such a treat to spend the entire morning in the pools, and then in a hammock, swaying with the breeze reading a romance novel to the soundtrack of nature and running water. Literally the perfect morning.
After a leisurely patio lunch at their Mallard Lounge, we were checked into our rooms and found ourselves each in one of the newly renovated Fairmont Chateau Whistler suites. I was completely blown away. The updates are modern but cozy, keeping the space bright and inviting. There are gorgeous mountain views, the familiarity and comfort of a Fairmont, but with a boutique hotel feel. My room had a dining area, living room, separate bedroom and two freaking bathrooms. I normally live in a 700 square foot apartment that I share with a man. You bet I used both bathrooms just because I could (though that did complicate the getting ready process, it was still worth it for extravagance). In all honesty, I could have spent my 48 hours just chilling in the hotel room alone.
Though we were post-spa zen and feeling the allure of napping on the plush bed, the afternoon was too beautiful to spend indoors. Alex and I set out on the short 10-minute walk to the village to wander around for a few hours before the retreat really began. We had a glass of wine on a patio in the middle of the village and soaked up that early evening sun.
I was admittedly a little buzzed (such a lightweight) and slightly nervous for the rooftop Weekend Kickoff, as this was my first retreat of any kind. But, it was actually a great way to start things off. A ton of the speakers took a minute to introduce themselves and that helped narrow down the itinerary for the weekend. There was such a variety of things to choose from like wellness talks, fitness classes, meditation, hikes, painting, etc. We then feasted on a delicious and healthy buffet, which I was really happy featured lots of vegetarian and vegan options for me. We met some lovely ladies and enjoyed the musician that played as the sun set.
Our friend Lynn was leading a candlelight Yin Yoga class that night and we had a much needed evening stretch. I love a good Yin to relax the mind and body.
They call this the Secret Season in Whistler. You can still ski a little, but it’s so warm that the likelihood of patio weather is high. The hoards of summer tourists aren’t here yet so you can avoid massive wait times and crowds. It’s honestly ideal.
We woke up on Saturday completely refreshed. There’s truly nothing that rivals sleeping in a Fairmont bed alone. I woke up feeling like a well-rested Kween.
Alex and I wasted no time, suited up and went straight down to the pool even before coffee. We snapped some pics and lounged around before grabbing breakfast. There was an early afternoon wellness talk and then we somehow ended up back at the pool for the remainder of the afternoon. It was just so warm for the beginning of May, how could we not? We had blended cocktails and talked about life and enjoyed the hot tub. As the theme of the ‘All About Me’ weekend is to make space for what you need in life, it was fitting that we were carving out a bit of time for ourselves poolside.
Realizing I rarely go out anymore, it sure was nice to get a little dolled up for the longtable dinner and soiree that evening. We had a great time getting to know the women we ended up sitting with and the live band was awesome! They gave out some prizes and after multiple courses of delicious food (more vegan goodness, I was so impressed) we got to squeeze in a bit of dancing before calling it a night.
After a patio breakfast, our last talk was about the pelvic floor, and adorably called ‘Kegels and Coffee’. Since my LEEP experience and joining the BC Women’s Hospital Foundation Young Women’s Council (more about both of these things very soon), I’m extremely passionate about helping women feel empowered about taking control of our health. Kim was amazing. Her talk was engaging, educational, and opened my eyes to the fact that I might have to visit a pelvic floor physio for slight correcting after my LEEP. Again, I’ll have a separate post dedicated to this soon.
Not to sound too dramatic, but we left the Fairmont Whistler feeling incredible. We relaxed, sure. But it was also about connecting with other women and taking the time to learn something new. The Women’s Retreat was much needed and I have a few girlfriends that are already plotting for us to all go together next year!
Be sure to go check out Alex’s recap over at To Vogue Or Bust and a big thanks to Fairmont Chateau Whistler for partnering with us! If you’re interested in attending the All About Me Women’s Weekend next year, there’s more information here!
