Fairmont Hot Springs Resort

The staff were incredible, and there’s a lot to enjoy here. We stayed in a Deluxe Pool Facing King room, which looked straight out over the private Hot Spring pool. It was handy to see how busy it was and whether loungers were free. The public Hot Spring pool is large, with several places to sit, plus a lounge chair area. I believe there are also two Nordic spa pools, one cool and one warm, and a steam room. On site, there are restaurants with tasty food and fun mocktails, as well as smaller spots for ice cream and other treats. I’m sure I’ve missed some things. A couple of days or even a week here would be a nice treat.

We’d come back. Our family of four had a great time, and the hot springs felt very family-friendly. Winter was quieter and more relaxing when we visited, and the price seemed reasonable, especially since you can go back in several times in one day. There wasn’t a lifeguard, so watch the kids closely. The facilities were fairly standard, with some change rooms that didn’t lock, and I couldn’t find a water fountain.

The hot springs were lovely, and we had pretty good meals at the on site restaurants. We stayed in one of the cute little cabins and would book it again. My only change would be more comfortable seating in the living area.

We paid $300 per night, and this was nowhere near the relaxing stay we’d hoped for. The room had visible black mould and dead ants by the window. We told reception and accepted a partial refund, but later that evening live ants were crawling around, including on my partner’s shoulder while we were in bed. Customer service gave us a 50% refund, which we appreciate, but nobody offered to move us. Our friends also found mould in their room, so it may not have been an isolated problem. I slept badly and felt anxious about ants crawling on me. I won’t be visiting again. Check-in was smooth and the staff were polite, but that was the best part of the stay. For a resort marketed as luxury, the room’s hygiene and maintenance issues were very disappointing. The photo of the pile of ants shows only a fraction of what I killed.