The Ultimate SilverStar Ski Guide

It’s all about balance at this family-friendly mountain, where world-class downhill and cross-country skiing mix with myriad other diversions.

Why it’s legendary

SilverStar is the ‘Goldilocks’ of Canadian skiing.

It isn’t overwhelmingly large, yet its 1328 hectares make it the third-largest ski area in British Columbia. The colourful gold rush-themed village is nestled on the slopes of the resort’s namesake mountain, where 130 designated trails encompass pleasingly balanced terrain: 40 per cent is intermediate, with the rest split between beginners and experts. Visitors seeking a break from the slopes have their hands full with a wide range of indoor and outdoor diversions, including one of the largest and best cross-country skiing networks in North America. Then there’s the one factor you simply can’t overdo on a ski holiday – each year on average, SilverStar receives more than seven metres of fluffy Okanagan powder. Now that’s “just right."

SilverStar British Columbia — SilverStar’s small village is cute and cosy.

Who will love it

If variety is truly the spice of life for you, SilverStar is your perfect resort. An all-inclusive My1Pass lift ticket does more than get you up the mountain – it also covers cross-country, snowshoeing and fat-tyre biking on dedicated trail networks, as well as ice-skating and tubing. Indoor excitement, meanwhile, is the name of the game at Pinheads Bowling Alley or on the climbing walls of the National Altitude Training Centre.

Three things you must do

1. SilverStar has a sterling reputation for cruising runs, thanks to one of Canada’s top grooming teams. Whooshing down the aptly named Milky Way, right after it’s been groomed for night skiing on Fridays and Saturdays, will definitely make you late for dinner.

2. Go cross-country after dark down SilverStar’s four kilometres of illuminated Nordic trails, which make up a tiny fraction of the area’s 105-kilometre network. It provides a tranquil alternative to downhill descents.

3. Of all the unique dining packages offered at SilverStar, the Snowshoe Dinner Tour is the best for working up an appetite. Snowshoe through glistening forests to the resort’s Wild Horseman’s Cabin, where a lavish buffet dinner awaits. After dessert, a horse-drawn sleigh carries you into the night and back to the village.

Local secrets you should know

Several resorts in British Columbia offer free get-to-know-the-mountain tours, but only SilverStar extends these guided outings to fat-tyre cyclists. Friendly locals in distinctive blue jackets will take you out on the 15 kilometres of dedicated fat-bike trails, where oversized tyres roll through the snow to hilarious effect.

Off the slopes

Not even Whistler has a bowling alley. In the back of the Final Run Bar and Bistro, Pinheads Bowling is home to four lanes of tenpin action.

Pinheads Bowling SilverStar — Head over to Pinheads for a few rounds of bowling.

If you favour serenity overstrikes and spares, the full-service Ousia Day Spa offers massages and skincare treatments using all-natural products, while drop-in yoga classes at the Pinnacles Suite Hotel will keep your chakras in balance.

Best après-ski hotspots

Local favourite Long John’s Pub vies with the Den Bar and Bistro for the attention of the taps-and-apps crowd, while the Red Antler adds late-night live bands to the merry mix. Fine dining is similarly well represented, with the Silver Grill and the 1609 Restaurant and Lounge favouring locally sourced menus, craft brews and the Okanagan region’s renowned wines.

Skiers will love…

Going over to the ‘Dark Side’

No, this isn’t a Star Wars reference – it’s the local nickname for the mountain’s Putnam Creek area, where Gypsy Queen, Bon Diablo and other challenging groomers meet double-black-diamond drop zones like Gong Show and Cowabunga.

Snowboarders will love…

SilverStar Terrain Park

Covering a whopping 6.5 hectares with all manner of tabletops, step-up jumps, boxes and rails designed to boost park riding skills steadily and safely. It’s split into four lanes, ranging from small (or beginner) to XL, where pro slopestyle events are held.

Recommended places to stay

Budget

Vernon Hostel

A short drive away in downtown Vernon, this hostel has a mix of the dorm, private and family rooms with two communal areas, a dining room and kitchen, and, yes, free wi-fi.

Address: 3315 30th Avenue, Vernon

Midrange

Bulldog Hotel

A cosy 25-room property steps from the lifts with plenty of patio space, a large communal hot tub and ample equipment storage.

Address: 142 Main Street, Vernon

Bulldog Hotel Vernon — The ever-so-charming Bulldog Hotel.

Vance Creek Hotel and Conference Centre

All 18 condo-style units feature balconies and full kitchens, with a rooftop hot tub and heated ski lockers also on site.

Address: 148 Silver Lode Lane, Vernon

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Family

Pinnacles Suite Hotel

These slopeside suites and townhouses welcome both families and pets.

Address: 9885 Pinnacles Road, SilverStar Mountain

SilverStar vacation homes

Homes with three to six bedrooms are available here, all right on the slopes, and all with their own room configurations and features, as well as private hot tubs.

Address: SilverStar Road & Monashee Road

Luxury

Snowbird Lodge

These gorgeous ski-in/ski-out condos range from studios to three-bedroom units and combine a prime, central location with private balcony hot tubs, an on-site fitness room and 24-seat cinema.

Address: 170 Silver Lode Lane, Vernon

Check out our ultimate guide to exploring Canada here.

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.