Your curated guide to a completely cozy, totally romantic 48 hours in

A quarter of the 18- to
29-year-old readers
surveyed say they would
have sex on a plane if they
knew they wouldn’t get
caught, while almost half
of those aged 30 to 49 say
they’d rather do it in a park.
GETAWAY TALES, GREAT ESCAPES & TOP TRENDS
I NSTA-L O VE
ROBIN O’NEILL (SCANDINAVE SPA); COURTESY CARTEMS DONUTERIE (DOUGHNUT)
Dreamy destinations will
always lure you back.
Take in the mountain
views from the
thermal waterfall at
Scandinave Spa in
Whistler, B.C.
P AC K I N G L I ST
Shearling
coat, Stella
McCartney
($2,475, at
Holt Renfrew,
holtrenfrew.
com); merinowool sweater,
Jonathan
Saunders
($605, at NET-APORTER.com);
leather gloves,
Danier ($49,
danier.com)
EDITOR’S POV
Trips are seductive. Before you go, there’s the anticipation (and, of course, the allure of what to pack); once you
arrive, there are the eye-candy views (insert your location trigger here—sunset-backed mountain peaks are one of mine) and the local
flavours (the Earl Grey-glazed doughnut at Vancouver’s Cartems Donuterie gets me every time); and then, while you count down the days
to departure (as you do), there’s the longing to return. You and travel: It’s meant to be. No lovers’ quarrels necessary. CHRISTINA REYNOLDS
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ESCAPE
Ski Whistler and
Blackcomb via the
Peak 2 Peak gondola.
haute-hotel meter (see the Four Seasons, Nita Lake Lodge), but the
Fairmont Chateau Whistler sweeps the “Wait—are we in an alpine
storybook?” category. The rustic-chic lobby sets the tone, with a
lofty peaked roof and evergreens laden with twinkling lights.
MORNING Start your day at the hotel’s Portobello Market & Fresh
Bakery, which features fruit smoothies (if you’re feeling healthy) and
the Belgium Hot Chocolate Experience (if you’re really not). Opt for
the creamy confection of caramel, maple, chocolate and whipped
cream—it’s so rich that Forbes would be tempted to profile it.
Next, suit up for the day—you can rent everything from skis to
stylish jackets at the Fairmont—and hit the slopes. There are two
major mountains to tackle: Whistler (1,530 metres high) and
Blackcomb (1,609 metres), both of which boast more than 100 runs
and award-stacked pedigrees that would make Meryl Streep blush.
The views on the mountain are similarly astonishing: Powdery peaks
rise in the distance like giant snowy linebackers huddled against a
cornflower-blue sky. (In addition to #nofilter, be prepared to add #nowayyy.) To switch mountains, take
the Peak 2 Peak gondola, which glides along for more
than four kilometres, offering gorgeous scenery and
the perfect opportunity to warm up and chill out—or
make out, depending on the state of your lips.
AFTERNOON On Whistler Mountain, stop for lunch
at Steeps Grill & Wine Bar, the most romantic restaurant in the sky. The locally sourced Hecate Strait
Halibut is a favourite, as is the Pemberton Beef Burger
with Tomato Jam and Caramelized Onion Aioli.
BY LAURA deCARUFEL Either way, order the Truffle Frites—at least once.
Looking for an après-lunch challenge? Whistler
Blackcomb is the only ski resort in North America
where you can ski or snowboard on a glacier. Add it to your bucket
list, and then cross it off with a swagger.
EVENING Back in Whistler Village, your well-deserved drink options feel as limitless as the mountain horizons look. Hot spot
Garibaldi Lift Company (affectionately nicknamed “GLC”) is
Take an evening stroll beneath the
worth dropping by for an icy pint, but if you stay long enough for
snow-covered trees surrounding
a pitcher, you’ll inevitably start counting “The Situation” lookthe Fairmont Chateau Whistler.
alikes. The Mallard Lounge offers a more refined après experience.
Sit by the fire in a pair of overstuffed armchairs and order the Root
Down, the bar’s signature cocktail, which is crafted from horseradish-infused gin, beet juice, lemon juice and maple syrup. By
your second drink, you’ll
need a little sustenance in
the form of lobster mac
and cheese (no judgment).
After dinner, take your
digestif outside for a starry
evening stroll. h
WEEKEND in
WHISTLER
Your curated guide to a completely cozy,
totally romantic 48 hours in Canada’s
poshest ski town.
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BC TOURISM (SKIERS); COURTESY FAIRMONT CHATEAU WHISTLER (FAIRMONT CHATEAU WHISTLER & PORTOBELLO MARKET & FRESH BAKERY)
DAY 1: SKI Whistler’s luxury properties register an 11 on the
Order the Belgium Hot
Chocolate Experience at the
Portobello Market & Fresh Bakery.
2014-09-19 10:32 AM
ESCAPE
Choose a special bottle from
Araxi’s extensive wine list.
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Kick back in the hot pools
at Scandinave Spa.
Order the slow-cooked lobster
at Hawksworth Restaurant.
VANCOUVER BLACK BOOK
How to spend your stopover en route
to, or from, Whistler.
STAY OPUS Vancouver This winter, the
ultra-chic Yaletown hotel offers a $249 SkiScape Package, which includes a deluxe
room with a fireplace and fun extras such as
free ski storage and two hot buttered rums
served on check-in. #coolgirldestination
DINE Hawksworth Restaurant The city’s
most elegant dining option is also its most
daring. Executive chef David Hawksworth
constantly ups the culinary ante with unexpected ingredients and sophisticated
flavour pairings, such as the slow-cooked
lobster served with bacon, Parmesan,
cauliflower and thyme. #yesplease
SHOP Secret Location This ele­
vated concept boutique carries the
world’s most cutting-edge designers,
many of them exclusively in Canada.
On that list: Jacquemus, Anthony
Vaccarello and Delfina Delettrez. #major
STEVE LI (ARAXI); CHAD CHOMLACK (SCANDINAVE SPA); COURTESY HAWKSWORTH (HAWKSWORTH RESTAURANT)
an inalienable right along the lines of freedom of speech and sample sales. Sleep late and order breakfast in bed for two: Cradle your
creamy latte from the comfort of your Egyptian cotton while
watching early-riser skiers charge down the mountain.
MORNING A luxurious soak at Scandinave Spa is a restorative
essential following an intense ski day. Located inside the emerald
splendour of a spruce and cedar forest, Scandinave is like a lovely,
picturesque village, with hot and cold pools and a steam room
scented with eucalyptus. Complete the circuit several times, and
subvert the “no talking” rule by murmuring sweet nothings under
the thermal waterfall.
Next, take a shuttle to Nita Lake Lodge for Whistler’s best
couples spa experience. The Ila Couples Connect package is the
alpha and omega of treatments: The two-hour extravaganza includes
a body scrub with Himalayan salt crystals, a restorative Kundalini
massage and the signature Ananda facial. Post-bliss, take your organic tea to the outdoor hot tub to contemplate your Zen state—and
the happy fact of your now radiant, poreless skin. (Warning: Falling
in love with your facialist is a risk that you must both accept.)
AFTERNOON After an inevitable nap back at the Fairmont, wander arm in arm through the village and browse galleries, jewellery
boutiques and the charming family-owned Armchair Books. Each
December, the village hosts the Whistler Film Festival (WFF), a
major celebration of movies that attracts international talent and
screens films at local theatres. (This year, the WFF runs from
December 3 to 7.) Catch an early-evening flick, and then stroll to
your dining destination: Araxi, which is spoken of by those who
have experienced it with a breathy wonder usually reserved for
Beyoncé super-fans. Part of the reason for Araxi’s stellar rep is that
it combines a pioneering farm-to-table philosophy with a stylish,
clubby ambience—it’s the cool kid of Whistler dining.
EVENING Start your night-on-the-town with chilled champagne at
the Oyster Bar, where more than a dozen briny varieties arrive fresh
daily. Seafood is the star of the dinner menu too, from the Asianinspired flavours of the Vancouver Island Octopus with Toasted
Sesame Seeds to the Two-Tier Seafood Tower, an Insta-worthy selection of mussels, tuna and shrimp served on a spectacular ice
platter. Finish with the Valrhona Chocolate Fondant topped with
salted-caramel ice cream, or head back to the Fairmont’s Mallard
Lounge for a late-night chocolate fondue for two—an appropriately sweet finish to a dreamy Whistler weekend. n
JACQUEMUS
DAY 2: APRÈS-SKI When you’re on holiday, room service is
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