B.C.'s Eleven Revelstoke Lodge is a boutique hotel for adventure seekers in all seasons

Globe and Mail

2 days ago

Revelstoke is one of my favourite B.C. ski towns. In 2021, I spent a week floating through deep powder and steep treed runs of Revelstoke mountain, an otherwise terrible year marred by pandemic shutdowns.
So when I returned to Revy on a sunny June day, I was already half in love with this gritty little town of 8,000, a mecca for skiers and boarders. The other half was slightly bewildered by the mountain bikes, hiking shoes, climbing gear and canoes on display. A summer Revelstoke? This would require some adjustment.
The elegant and decidedly upscale Eleven Revelstoke Lodge helped make that painless.
Why you should visit
Unlike the other heli-skiing adventure lodges owned by Colorado-based tour company Eleven, which are scattered in remote parts of Iceland, Patagonia and New Zealand, the Revelstoke property is on a main street in the middle of a former mining and logging town in the interior of B.C.
The 1911 heritage red brick building has been a tobacco shop, a billiard hall, a bowling alley and a dentist's office, among other things, before the latest renovations by design firm Twelve Interiors (yes, you read that right).
With 12 bedrooms and space for 24 people, Eleven is a boutique hotel, grand but unassuming from the outside. The magic starts when you enter. The hotel is a feast for the eyes, with vibrant colours, refurbished furniture, varying textures and elegant finishings with a mid-century-modern-meets-boho appeal.
Marlin Fontaine, a 53-year-old hotel guest from Regina, was on a road trip with a friend when they stumbled across the lodge.
'I saw the beautiful front doors and the wooden bar and thought that someone had put a lot of thought into this place,' Fontaine said.
The rooftop terrace has a fire pit, hot tub, red cedar sauna, steam room and ice plunge. The outdoor seating is casual, with plenty of cushions amid potted plants and stunning views of the surrounding mountains that, yes, did make me momentarily ache for my skis.
The cozy third-floor indoor space is where I spent most of my time. A wooden bar stretches across one end, with a Nespresso coffee maker for us early risers, a plush couch and cozy armchairs facing a wood-burning fireplace. There's a record player and a collection of vinyl tucked in the corner.
An L-shaped couch facing a large television anchors the adjoining room, with wrap-around window views of the snow-capped Monashee Mountains. The entire space has plush carpets and an array of books on topics from nature to architecture, biographies to fiction and, yes, skiing.
My two-storey suite had a main-floor mini-bar fridge stocked with water (in a reusable metal container), a portable radio, a couch, chairs and more books. Upstairs, I was delighted by the reading light and cellphone charging pad by my king-sized bed, which brought new meaning to the word comfortable.
Many guests come to Eleven looking for adventure – and the staff takes that seriously. They've partnered with local vendors to book any outdoor activity your heart desires and your legs can handle for an extra fee.
I spent an afternoon white-water rafting with Apex Rafting. After a short bus ride and good deal of instruction, our group geared up and set out for a half-day of adrenalin-pumping action. Our guide calmly propelled us 26 kilometres down a glacier-fed river, through churning water, rocks and rapids, and, at moments, gentle waters, all of it framed by jaw-dropping natural beauty.
That's the thing about summer Revy: It kept surprising and delighting me.
Long seen as a pit stop for travellers winding their way from Vancouver to Jasper, Alta., Revelstoke is quietly emerging as a warm-weather destination, says Nina Frohlicher, general manager of Eleven Canada, a Swiss native who settled in Revy seven years ago.
'This town is up and coming for summer. We're a destination on our own – there's so much to do here and we want people to stay longer,' she said.
Breakfast for lodge guests is included in the adjacent restaurant, the Quartermaster Eatery. The shrimp toast with avocado was delicious but the potato rosti that accompanied the eggs was my morning highlight.
There's a tiny cocktail bar for guests tucked away in the basement of the lodge, which opens sporadically, as well as a gym and wellness area, where you can book a massage.
Room for improvement
If you're someone who likes to unpack their clothes, you'll find the layout of the three Eleven suites frustrating – there's a narrow space to hang some clothing on each side of the bed. To reach the one chest of drawers, you'll have to go up and down the stairs.
Given that Eleven Revelstoke is surrounded by buildings, there are limited views from the bedrooms. My suite faced a parking lot so I kept the day shades lowered. Similarly, the rooftop lounge overlooks electrical wires, and you can hear and see the train from the hot tub space. I found it charming, but not everyone will.
Since you're in the neighbourhood
From December to March, only heli-skiers who book with Kingfisher Heli-Skiing can stay at Eleven Revelstoke Lodge. But in the summer months, it's open to all guests.
And if extreme outdoor adventure is not your jam, there are scenic walks and light hikes you can undertake in or near the bustling town, home to shops, restaurants and cafés, as well as a growing music and arts scene.
The take-away
Revelstoke Lodge isn't geared for small children or large families. The rooms are set up for two people, and the vibe in the shared spaces is decidedly adult. Older kids could comfortably stay, since three of the bedrooms offer split king beds.
But it's an ideal place for couples with communal or opposing passions; say, one goes hiking while the other fly fishes, then they meet up for dinner and a rooftop soak.
Me? I'd happily travel there with my skis or my hikers.
The writer was a guest of Eleven Revelstoke Lodge. It did not review or approve the story before publication.