Artesia
Artesia – Whistler’s Spa of Light
By Chris McBeath
With the arrival of Hilton Hotels in Whistler, British Columbia, the countdown to the 2010 Winter Olympics just got a little more intense. And the fact that spa is part of the hotel’s official designation is, in large part, because of Adele Anderson, a specialist in developing boutique spas for four-star properties and Artesia’s spa director.
“Hilton wanted to work with a hands-on, local operator who could evolve the spa into its own identity while still meeting Hilton’s protocols for service and operation,” explains Adele, who was involved in every aspect of the spa’s design, choice of furnishings and modus operandi. With barely 1700 square feet to work with, it took 23 layout plans to get it right so that Hilton Corporation put spa into the resort’s name. “There were trade-offs but they’ve actually worked in our favour,” says Adele. “For example, we built in the pedicure station and reduced the number of treatment rooms from 10 to six to accommodate separate changing rooms for men and women, complete with wheelchair accessible showers - in preparation for the 2010 Paralympics.”
Named for Artemisia, the Greek Goddess of Light, it’s the intimacy of Artesia’s size that is so inviting. The calming décor includes lots of natural light, earth pastels softened with candlelight and personal touches such as handmade bed covers, facial gowns and headbands. Quality is Artesia’s signature from start to finish, including a guest appreciation gift of hand-made bath salts.
“People who are passionate about their work will always deliver an exceptional experience,” says Adele. As a licensed homeopath and massage therapist, she is well versed in anticipating the needs of clients and staff alike and in delivering products and services that are genuinely holistically beneficial. “We have a team that is living its dream at Artesia, and empowered to create,” she adds. “That’s why we’re able to provide a ‘wow’ factor to the Artesia experience.”