The Ultimate Panorama Ski Guide

Little things go a long way on a ski holiday, so it’s a good thing secluded Panorama resort, overlooking the Rocky Mountains, has details down pat.

Why it’s a secret gem

Panorama is an oasis of sorts.

Panorama Mountain Resort — Drink in the view (and a hot chocolate) after a long day of hitting the slopes.

Its 1152 hectares of skiable terrain and 1225-metre vertical put it in the same league as North America’s largest ski and snowboard resorts, yet its uncrowded slopes are worlds away from the hustle and bustle of Banff to the north, or the Okanagan region to the west. There’s more to the oasis theme than serenity, what with Canada’s largest slopeside hot-pool complex on hand. It’s a wonder the place isn’t more crowded, with superbly balanced runs ranging from the recently revamped beginner slopes of the Discovery Zone to the steep-and-deep exhilaration of Taynton Bowl.

Our tip? Enjoy Panorama while you can.

Who will love it

If there’s a great divide in your group when it comes to skiing ability, Panorama pleases beginners and experts alike. Green trails are accessible from every one of the 10 lifts, but it’s the new Discovery Chairlift and surrounding Discovery Zone that are the biggest boons to new skiers and snowboarders. This learn-to-turn area is groomed daily, includes two step-aboard magic carpet lifts, and embraces progressive learning. This means newbies can start with very gentle terrain and graduate to slightly steeper slopes as their skills improve.

Three things you must do

1. Expert skiers know they’re in for a treat when heliski terrain is moved inside resort boundaries. Such is the case with Taynton Bowl, a powder playground with more than 280 hectares of challenging chutes, bowls and glades. Drop right onto Heli High from the 2365-metre peak of Panorama Mountain, or hike along the summit ridge to tackle the aptly named Devil’s Drop.

Panorama British Columbia — Conquer the mountains in Panorama.

2. The largest resort hot-pool complex in Canada, Panorama Springs lets adults relax in one of two enormous bubbling tubs while children cavort in an even larger warm pool. Indeed, with more than 150 square metres of pool space to go around, and a sauna to boot, there’s little chance your personal space will be invaded. All Panorama guests can access the springs with their room key card, with towels supplied and showers, lockers and blow dryers available at no extra charge.

3. A free shuttle connects Panorama to the nearby town of Invermere, where shopping and dining meet myriad outdoor recreation options. Foremost among the latter is the 34-kilometre Lake Windermere Whiteway, the longest ice-skating path on the planet. The trail runs all the way around the scenic mountain lake separating Invermere from neighbouring Windermere, and also includes groomed tracks for classic- and skate-style cross-country skiers, along with a pair of rustic warming huts.

Local secrets you should know about

Eateries at North American ski resorts are usually clustered around the base of the slopes, but not at Panorama.

Three outstanding options – the Mile 1 Hut atop the Mile 1 Express chairlift, the mid-mountain Elkhorn Cabin, and the Summit Hut – serve everything from local microbrews and cappuccinos to cheese fondue and homemade chilli.

Off the slopes

Where else can you hand-craft your own ski-trip souvenir? At Saffire Bead & Flameworks in Panorama’s resort village, art classes include bead- and jewellery-making over an open flame. You can show off your new bling at a Yoga on the Mountain class, or leave it on your dresser and join Toby Creek Adventures for a guided snowmobile tour through stunning Purcell Mountains terrain.

Best après-ski hotspots

You can’t go wrong with any of the aforementioned on-mountain options, but the Summit Hut stands out with its ‘Traditional Cheese and Chocolate Fondue’ apres-ski experience. Dip baby potatoes, roasted garlic, steamed vegetables and baguette in a decadent Swiss cheese blend, and then do likewise with fresh fruit and rich, melted chocolate. Sit with a glass of local riesling, watch the sunset, then click into your gear for a guided run down to the village below.

Skiers will love

RK Heliski

Based right in the resort, the region’s original heliski service gives guests access to 1500 square kilometres of pristine mountain and glacier terrain. Genuine bucket-list material.

Snowboarders will love

Panorama’s “Mountain Friends"

These yellow-jacketed locals meet visitors in front of the Ski Tip Lodge every morning and afternoon, to provide free tours of the slopes and free advice on where to find the best turns, best snow, and best bratwurst.

Recommended places to stay

Panorama Mountain Resort Village — All accommodation is located within the Panorama Mountain Resort village.

Budget

Pine Inn

Steps from the chairlift, this straightforward, hotel-style option includes a communal hot tub and gear storage.

Address: 123 Summit Drive

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Midrange

1000 Peaks Summit Lodge

Conveniently close to the lifts, village dining and shopping, and the Panorama Springs hot pools, these condo-style units overlook a pretty courtyard.

Address: 2070 Summit Drive

Family

Earl Grey Lodge

This rustic B&B-style lodge can accommodate groups as large as 11 and has a gourmet restaurant on-site, as well as a comfortable guest lounge and full kitchen.

Address: 2069 Summit Drive

Luxury

Panorama Springs Lodge

Two-bedroom, slopeside condos offer direct access to the Panorama Springs Hot Pools, with village amenities a short walk away.

Address: 2000 Panorama Drive

Canada is a hot one on the list, head here to check out everything else you can do in the great country up north.

Wellbeing means different things to different travellers. Here’s how to pick a hotel that gets it right for you.

The best wellness holidays aren’t necessarily spent wrapped in a spa robe. Sometimes they’re found around a dinner table in Cambodia, on a hiking trail in New Zealand or after finally beating jet lag on the other side of the world. The hotel you choose is what makes them happen.

1. Easy access to good food

meals from Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20 — Taste delicious meals at Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20.

One of the quickest ways to derail healthy habits on holiday is to spend half of it working out where to eat instead of digging into the culture around you. Thankfully, Novotel has done much of the hard work already, with chefs building menus that lean into the flavours, ingredients and traditions of each destination.

In Sihanoukville, Cambodia, Korkor soup – often dubbed ‘Cambodian ratatouille’ – sits alongside raw blue crab dressed with lime and chilli, best enjoyed with views across the Gulf of Thailand.

In the lovingly chaotic city of Bangkok, the presence of food cranks up the sociability. At Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20, you can settle in with mango sticky rice and stranger-turned-friends beside the pool at Sky on 20 rooftop bar, or bring them along to tackle river prawns and stir-fried crab with holy basil at the buzzing Crab Paradise Dinner Buffet.

Then Novotel Dubai Al Barsha welcomes you with a laidback twist on the level of indulgence the Middle Eastern city is best known for up on Deck Se7en. Looking towards Burj Al Arab, the rooftop lounge has everything from Mediterranean-style dishes like seabass ceviche to Italian prosecco sundowners.

At the other end of the scale, in the hills that surround the Novotel Bali Ubud Resort, calm comes from nature. At Siralada restaurant, Balinese traditions shape the menu while thunder rumbles over the surrounding jungle – proving the setting is as nourishing as the food itself.

While at Novotel Nha Trang, chef Kieu Thi My Hanh and her team showcase Vietnam’s knack for balancing freshness, texture and fragrant herbs. Pho remains a favourite, while seafood salad with pomelo and mango brings those flavours together in one bright dish.

It’s all an approach backed by partnerships with expert food creators such as Alfie Steiner, whose plant-forward recipes prove healthy food should never taste plain.

2. Better sleep options

Novotel Bali Ubud Resort room — Sleep deeply with Novotel.

There are few travel experiences more disappointing than arriving in a new country, determined to seize the day, only to fall asleep fully clothed by 3pm.

For Australian travellers, jet lag is often an unavoidable part of the journey. That’s one reason Novotel runs sleep-focused initiatives that help guests adjust quickly without compromising on health. We’re talking partnerships with Sydney-based sleep specialist Olivia Arezzolo, known for her advice on everything from better sleep habits to beating jet lag, alongside features like pillow menus, in-room yoga content and tailored sleep guidance.

The sooner you’re operating on local time, the sooner you can get back to more pressing matters – like deciding which spa treatment to book.

3. More ways to move

woman hiking around queenstown new zealand — Stay at Novotel Queenstown Lakeside and explore local hiking trails. (Credit: GettyI mages/ naruedom)

Every place in the world has its own way of getting you moving: whether that’s hiking up ice-bitten mountains before a sauna or gentle stretching by the pool before a facial. From fitness centres to spas, Novotel recognises that wellbeing rarely looks the same.

At Novotel Queenstown Lakeside, activity is inescapable. Here, hiking trails, ski fields, bungee jumps, and white-water rafting have made the region famous. The hotel’s location on the shores of Lake Wakatipu means less time spent organising yourself and more time out there experiencing them. To top it all off, you can book a private hot tub for the evening before heading back into the wilderness tomorrow.

Bali, of course, takes a softer approach. At Novotel Bali Ubud Resort or Novotel Bali Nusa Dua, movement is less about conquering a mountain and more about a dance class between the tropical gardens and lagoon pools. Afterwards, the spa takes over, with traditional treatments like a Lulur body scrub: a combination of rice, turmeric, sandalwood, ginger and jasmine that’ll soothe muscles already relaxed by the Balinese heat.

4. Better connections

Kids will love a stay at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh.

One of the best things about travel is that it gives your family stories you’ll be telling for years. Novotel helps create them with activities that bring everyone together, whether that’s trying something new, learning a local skill, or simply spending more time together.

Go for a distinctly Thai twist at Novotel Phuket Vintage Park, where many of the family activities draw on local culture. Kids can try everything from beginner Thai boxing and language lessons to umbrella painting and – a pastime beloved by children the world over – pool foam parties. Everyone is welcome to join in, whether that’s getting splashed, covered in paint, or simply watching their children discover a new side of Thailand during the dedicated Family & Kids Day.

A different adventure awaits at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh. Kids could be perfectly content with discos, drawing classes and new holiday friends, but the Red Sea has other ideas. Sitting on the edge of Naama Bay, days here might involve snorkelling colourful reefs, taking a boat trip to Ras Mohammed National Park or heading into the desert by quad bike or camel for a Bedouin-style dinner beneath the stars.

5. Location is everything

Surin Beach, Choeng Thale, Thalang District, Phuket, Thaiföld — Explore Phuket’s gorgeous beaches. (Credit: Bence Biczo)

Everyone’s idea of wellness looks a little different. With more than 600 hotels across 65 countries, Novotel gives guests the freedom to choose the destination that suits them best. Whether that’s a beachside escape in Phuket, an alpine expedition in Queenstown or a city break in Bangkok, there’s a good chance a Novotel isn’t far away.

All that’s left? Choosing your version of wellbeing.

Discover stays to inspire your everyday at novotel.accor.com.