Sparkling Hill Resort

-Our appointment to the Cryogenic Chamber was cancelled the day prior due to "unforeseen maintenance" when we called back to see if we could book something else nothing was offered to us and no return phone call. My wife was really looking forward to the Cryogenic Chamber (The Big Highlight of this trip) but sadly was let down and no other service provided. - Valet Parking was a scramble and not friendly at all, no one welcomed us to resort.. including front staff. - Check-In was terrible. Was told we would have to pay for our room plus a $200 deposit, we were told " this is policy" when I booked the reservation on the phone I specifically asked if any charges would occur before hand like a hold or damage deposit and I was told that "charges would occur at check out" Different staff, different enforcement on their "policies". -Our room was very nice, sanuas and pools were great, enjoyed the showers in the sauna room. Breakfast was very good and staff at The Peak restaurant were courteous and overall service was good. - People were partying in the hallways from 10pm-11:10pm and room hopping, slamming doors, yelling etc... (Front Desk did deal with the issue) Overall, a disappointing experience for a place that seems to hold much potential and our expectations were definitely not met with the poor communication and lack of customer service.

We stayed last year for my boyfriends birthday and were absolutely blown away with the resort, our room, and service. Sadly this year we noticed some major changes that we weren't overly impressed with. For starters, in the reservation we noted we were staying for a birthday. Upon arrival we noticed a card in our room that read "happy anniversary" which was definitely disappointing as it wasn't our anniversary. Last year we were given a birthday card with macaroons and faux rose petals. Our room was a superior mountain view. Last year we loved our peaceful mountainous view. This year we were given the same.. but closer to the front parking area. For the price I paid for superior mountain/ parking lot view I would expect no traffic nose, car alarms, and people outside smoking. Our room was gorgeous with the crystal fireplace and soaker tub for two. Our tablet sadly didn't work as well as one of the over head reading lights. Maids were ok.. we tidied up the room ourselves after the first day. The spa was amazing. The rose steam room is by far our favorite. One thing we noticed this year the resort was WAY more crowded than last year. It definitely takes away from the experience when sauna and steam rooms are at capacity and there is no space for you. We also noticed people were extremely loud in the steam and saunas.. definitely takes away from relaxation when you're over hearing somebody scream and swear.. you would also think they would leave the spa to have a heated argument. We did the dine and stay. The food is always so amazing. The restaurant is beautiful, the ambiance is lovely. We were impressed both nights with our three course meals. Service was great both nights as well. We went down to happy hour on Monday and the two of us were seated at the same time as a party of 8 women. The women were given menus, greeted, and ordered drinks and food before we were even acknowledged by any of the staff in barique and java. We sat for about 10 mins and eventually walked out. If you want to miss out on business then that's great. We've both worked in the service industry for years and are usually extremely laid back and understanding, even at not so good service. But this was unacceptable. It would have taken 2 minutes for somebody to have stopped and said "I will be right with you" but nothing. Its also pretty bad when another table is already ordering food before you've been given a menu.. especially when you sat down before them and came in at the same time. Save your time and money and bring wine and snacks with you. I'm not going to wait 15 mins for a glass of wine when the restaurant is basically empty. We would like to try sparkling hill again one more time to see if it's back at the standard of last year and hope its amazing. Unfortunately this time we noticed a lot of corners cut.

This place is very relaxing and if you pay for a Deluxe lake view room the views are stunning. Though my stay was very good, there are areas for improvement and it’s mostly to do with food Service. All in all still a 4/5 star or more if you don’t eat at the resort! Pros - beds are extremely comfy with generous amounts of pillows - cleaning staff were great - room is of big size and had a great run with miraculous view and a nice glass shower - grounds are nice for walking -pools and saunas were all great and kept clean, there’s really something for everyone - we also tried the Crystal Cranium and foot massage. Both were well done and quite relaxing - staff greet you everywhere and are very attentive - rooms are well appointed and common areas well decorated - try Pallinos Italian restaurant in Predator Ridge to avoid high cost hotel food Cons - the buffet breakfast was lacking. I’ve had much better buffet breakfasts at hotels that cost half the price and that don’t market themselves as luxury. If this was premiere there would be a carvery and or a manned omelette station. Basic Things were also never refilled like water, juice and eggs - bring yourself snacks, as there’s nowhere to get even a simple bag of chips or a snack bar. You have your choice of the Java shop or the main restaurant both of which are very costly. - they stop serving room service at 930 and restaurant seating at 9pm so forget a late night bite. Only thing avail then is a cheese platter - valet for an upscale resort was quite the wait

If heaven were to exist in Canada, Sparkling Hill Resort would be the place! It was like discovering a little piece of heaven high above civilization, atop a secluded mountain top! Designed with the spirit and essence of Swarovski crystals, this palatial resort dances and sparkles both day and night with crystal bling seemingly in every corner! For example, guests are greeted under a magnificent, gorgeous and modern crystal chandelier. The desk management were superb and made the welcome feel personal and intimate. I arrived far later than expected due to a 7-hour flight delay (thanks to WestJet!), and it felt as if the team made sure that my accommodation needs were met. Unfortunately, I was assigned to a room (room 215) that I found to be less than extraordinary since it overlooked the parking lot! Similarly, there was a fabulous, window ledge bathtub that was meant to have a glorious view of the mountains, but similarly, it too had a view of the bustling parking lot where smokers also found sanctuary as it's a non-smoking hotel. I think that I even caught one nosy onlooker snapping a photo of my room with her cell phone! In my opinion, this room would be a voyeurs paradise, but not for me! On day two, I was graciously moved to a far more private and secluded room with an equally spectacular view of the mountains (room 231)! For the room prices that we paid and the promise of a 'Mountain View', this more private room more than met expectations! The restaurant food was delicious, particularly the inclusive buffet breakfast! The restaurant staff were extraordinary and went well beyond all expectations to ensure that we were well looked after. For example, upon arriving late in the evening due to flight delays, I found myself craving a nice, warm meal. I had heard from my travel companions that the chicken carbonara was out of this world, delicious! But, I arrived just minutes after the kitchen closed, late on the Sunday night. Therefore, the only food options were cheese platters and dessert! I begged and pleaded with staff team members, Nick and manager Wyatt, to please help me get a last, late order into the closed kitchen. They were both remarkable by sneaking in one last kitchen request for this weary traveler! The chicken fettuccine Carbonara is by far the best thing that I have ever eaten in Canada! Quite possibly, I would return to this resort just for this dish and the impeccable service! The coffee bar, turned wine cellar at night, was also a great haven! The staff, particularly Adam, were amazing! Daily happy hour from 4-7 is a treat! The window-side views are incredible. The abundance of gorgeous spas, meditation rooms, saunas, tea rooms, steam rooms, hot tubs and pools were out of this world, incredible! I loved the no electronics policy in the spa area, which really helped encourage silence and calm, which arguably you can't find anywhere else on this planet! I would seriously encourage everyone to stay at this palatial paradise, which undoubtedly will help bring peace and calm to our busy lives!

TLDR; while it's not perfect - it is a beautiful, relaxing place to stay - even if you just stay in your room. Would definitely recommend and stay again.  Stayed April 13th-15th 2018 "Couples Romantic Getaway" package  Drove from the Fraser Valley (about 4 hours)  Brought 15lb dog The drive wasn't as great as we were hoping for in mid-April; dense fog, snow, ice, rain, sunshine - rinse and repeat.  (this is nothing against the resort, just notes for others driving) Having a dog, we were put in a "pet-friendly" room on the floor  -2 (ground floor).  Our room was on the ground floor, equipped with a sliding glass door that led to a rock garden.  Our stay package included 2 cocktails, 2 three-course dinners, $300 to spend at the spa, buffet breakfast, valet parking, and access to the Kur Spa facilities.  We did the Empress Sissi treatment at the spa (A milk and honey bath followed by an hour massage) - it was AMAZING! We really enjoyed all of the food we ate. We also enjoyed our two signature cocktails, as well as the champagne and chocolates (dark salted caramel) that came with the Empress Sissi. Dinner Tips: Plan for about 1.5 hours for a 3-course dinner. The Honey Panna Cotta was actually our favourite dessert on the menu - followed by the Chocolate Block (and I *love* chocolate).  Loved all of the crystals through out the resort. It was incredibly beautiful and serene. The rooms are amazing - took lots of baths in the big feature tub. Good variety of spa activities.  Room Complaints/Critiques: -unfortunately you can only get to floor - 2 from one elevator - the same elevator that most guests use to enter the spa. (read: it's very popular so there's lots of waiting for it)  -The glass shower doors could use magnet catches. It's really easy not to close and get water everywhere.  - the lighting for the vanity mirror is a joke (a single over head light).  -no thermostat? Or at least if there was one, it's not obvious by any stretch of the imagination Spa Complaints/Critiques: -The tea room was pretty bad. No cream. No sugar. The tea room at the Olympus Spa in Lynwood, WA is waaaay better (This is probably why, to me, the tea room was so disappointing).  -Staff appeared to give up after 8pm. There were no cups for water. No laundry bin for dirty linens.  -The bowl with cold cloths offered in the spa was left empty for over an hour during the morning session.  -Loud, drunk guests were not handled by spa staff -I felt like guests should be educated on how to open a door to a sauna. Far too many guests open the door completely (almost as if waiting for the steam to dissipate) and/or leave it open - totally ruining the heat and humidity of that room.  -No soap in any of the spa showers  -Could not hear the underwater music in the indoor pool Resort Complaints/Critiques: -The water in the area is very hard - bring lotion for at least your hands and face. -The water in the area doesn't taste that amazing (of course, this depends on what water you are used).  -my husband wasn't impressed with the quality of the toilet paper.  - Free plain coffee (outside of breakfast) would be appreciated  Pet Friendly Complaints/Critiques: -my dog wasn't too happy having to pee on the rocks right outside our room - so I usually took her out for a walk, instead. A pile of dirt probably would have been nicer since grass doesn't seem to exist out here - The exit at the end of floor -2 is a "no re-entry," but has a doggy station right outside, so one would assume that area was meant to be used by guests and their dogs. Well, the only way back into the building is to jump down (about 6 feet) to the next path. I actually left a formal complaint with management about this and was honestly surprised when I was told that no guests had mentioned it before.  -bring a flashlight for after sunset dog walks. The trails are not well lit.  -with being "pet friendly" but not wanting you to leave your dog in your room alone - you would think that the resort would partner with a local doggy daycare. We ended up taking our dog to Fun 4 All Pet Resort in Vernon. At the end of her daycare session, the owners even drove her back to us at the resort! It was wonderful! She was throughly worn out and we got to relax - without stressing about her being in a crate for hours on end.