A new bathing experience called Basin Glacial Waters will open at Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise in Alberta, Canada, on 15 September.

Basin Glacial Waters takes its name from its setting: Lake Louise is a natural basin fed by a direct glacial water source, the Victoria Glacier.

The 539-key hotel, owned by Oxford properties and a capital partner, is set within more than 6,500sq km of protected pine forest in the heart of Banff National Park, a UNESCO heritage site.

The new bathhouse has been developed as part of a CA$130 million (US$95 million, €82 million, £71 million) across the property which has included the renovation of guest rooms and a redesign of the Fairmont Spa.

The bathing concept

The new 1,719sq m bathing facility has been in development for two decades and the building is by internationally recognised architect Matteo Thun. The facility has been constructed on the site of the property’s outdoor pool, which was in use from the 1920s to the 1980s, meaning the resort’s footprint has not expanded.

The design is inspired by the geological shifts and natural waterways that have shaped the landscape over time. In addition to the glacier, these influential water sources include a hot spring that was first discovered by railway workers in 1885, which led to the area becoming Canada’s first nationally protected park.

Matteo Thun and Partners used natural and locally sourced materials, such as stone and sustainably-sourced Canadian wood for high-rise beams – as well as native plants that will cover the roof as they grow.

Basin Glacial Waters is expected to be a multifaceted wellness experience unlike anything else in Canada, marking a “wellness first” for Fairmont Hotels and Resorts. Accor, which owns operating company Fairmont, wants the site to define how visitors seek overall wellbeing in the Canadian Rockies.

Emlyn Brown, senior VP of wellbeing, strategy, design and development at Accor said, “Basin sets a new worldwide standard for thermal spa luxury, and will be a flagship for Fairmont’s new wellbeing platform. We’re confident this is the most exciting wellness opening of 2025, representing a groundbreaking shift in the meaning of wellness set within the breathtaking Canadian Rockies.”

For Matteo Thun and Partners’ first Canadian project, the firm partnered closely with local architect MTA of Calgary. Barr + Wray were the hydrotherapy and thermal consultants and IBI worked on the landscape architecture, RJC provided structural engineering and WSP is the environmental consultant. Amy McDonald of Under a Tree consulted on the project for the owner in its early stages.

The thermal facilities

Basin Glacial Waters will offer three distinct journeys, curated to guide guests through the facilities, based on a wet, dry or combined experience.

There is a low-lit calming passageway at the start, with dramatic arched windows to mirror the original style of the hotel’s exterior, allowing natural light to flood the space. From here, guests will have uninterrupted views of the lake and the glacier above.

For dry heat, traditional Finnish and bio saunas will provide a choice of higher or lower humidity experiences. A 20sq m outdoor Aufguss sauna, with capacity for 24 guests, will form part of Basin’s signature experience – offering small group ceremonies.

Two additional steamrooms will enhance the wet circuit, one of which will feature aromatherapy oils.

The 170sq m infinity pool ranges from the interior to the outdoor deck, to ensure the view of the mountains and lake is not obstructed.

There will be a series of pools that connect the thermal bathing experience, including a circular reflexology pool, water feature pool and a 17.7sq m Kneipp Walk for standing contrast bathing. The colder facilities include an outdoor ice-temperature plunge and cold bucket drop.

Relaxation facilities include a silent relaxation room with a Himalayan salt wall, a hot stone room with heated stone slab beds, an expansive outdoor terrace and an indoor Glacial Lounge where small dishes of freshly prepared food will be served. This will include salads, sharing plates, a selection of nootropics and adaptogens and there will also be a bone broth bar.

A spokesperson for the property told Spa Business that in order to maintain a calming ambience, Basin Glacial Waters will keep to a set capacity of just 90 guests at any one time.

Emlyn Brown continued: “The oldest wellness practice is bathing, it’s a universal wellness language across traditional cultures, from The Romans to indigenous peoples.

“The demand for hot springs and glacier-fed lakes have long been gathering places and Basin is the evolution of this tradition. It brings modern-day modalities and contemporary thermotherapy together with timeless wellness practices rooted in nature.

“There is simply no better location for Basin Glacial Waters than the Canadian Rockies and we believe it’s poised to become the world’s next natural wonder of bathing, joining the ranks of Iceland’s Blue Lagoon and Switzerland’s Therme Vals.”

Treatments and the existing spa

Basin will have two wet treatment rooms (one of which will offer hammam-style treatments). These will be in addition to the treatment rooms at the existing spa, located in the hotel’s lower lobby. The Fairmont Spa Lake Louise has eight treatment rooms, a hair salon and two manicure/pedicure stations.

The Fairmont Spa will offer complementary wellness experiences for guests using the Basin facilities, such as the CA$429 (US$315, €267, £229) 2.5-hour Glacier Lake full-body ritual that involves dry brushing for exfoliation, a scrub, a wrap and a full body massage.

The turquoise water at Lake Louise

Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise has some of the purest drinking water on the planet – sourced naturally from the overlooking Victoria Glacier. As the ice melts, it flows down the mountainside into the basin of Lake Louise. The salts and minerals it collects gives the lake its revered turquoise hue.

The hotel has a dedicated on-site treatment plant that draws water from the lake and purifies it through 72 filter membranes and two high-powered UV lights, then lightly treating it before it flows across to the Chateau Lake Louise.