The Sentinel

Such a treat! The facilities, food, staff, bed, sauna, Maloka… excellent!! This retreat space was perfect and the facilitators were exceptional. Glad I did this for myself. So many takeaways , and the expertly held container. Thank you so very much!!! See you next year!

I booked the Sentinel for my husbands birthday and we has the most amazing time! The location is outstanding, right on the water with mountain/lake views. The room was simple but perfect for what we needed, bed was comfortable, bathroom had a rain shower and the best of all was the wooden hot tub and sauna. We ended up having the whole place to ourselves, which was such a gift. Everyone that works there is so friendly and accomodatng. We will be back!

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at this establishment. I will try to break this down into three sections: staff, amenities, and location.

Staff - First off, the staff was amazing. They reached out several times to make sure all the details of our stay were correct ahead of time (since I had scheduled my partner and myself the “Love Couple’s Retreat” package. Janet, the general manager, was super welcoming, understanding, and helpful, working with us through small issues with pet fees, and enabling us to relax as well as possible while at our stay. They also have a live-in chef who prepares the food and every meal was so delicious and fresh! Every other staff member we encountered was also very friendly as they went about their tasks around the property.

Amenities - They are pet friendly and welcomed our pets as much as they did us, even adding them to the guest board with our names. As far as the rooms, I think you would get a slightly different experience depending in what actual room you are staying in. Regardless, there are no electronics (tv, radio, clock, etc.) in the rooms. The 5 more modern rooms attached to the main house (where we stayed) all have a great lake view, comfortable (though very firm) beds, adjustable heating, and adjustable heated tile flooring in the bathrooms. There was wifi access, though the wifi wasn’t really usable from the room we stayed in, as the signal was too weak. The main house does have great signal throughout and plenty of space to relax in any of the common areas and use it if you need to, however. I didn’t mind, as I was trying to disconnect from the world while I was there. There are a few tea stations (with an amazing selection of tea bags, loose teas, and sweeteners) and a coffee station with an automated espresso machine. All guests have access to the other building on the location as well, which include a big and beautiful yurt, and a large circular activity building with large glass windows facing the lake. Perfect for yoga, calisthenics, or any other group activity while enjoying the lake view. There is also a woodfire-powered sauna next to a cold plunge tub and a hot tub which are all also accessible to guests. These are outside and uncovered, but look to be well maintained, just remember to bring a light after hours as there didn’t appear to be any built in illumination that we could find. There is also a stone path that leads directly to a large dock area with seating by the Kootenay lake, if you fancy a swim. There are many great options to just relax while you stay.

Location - It feels really secluded and peaceful. Being right by the lake is great for just listening to the waters splash and slosh. The pines create a sort of natural insulation from the rest of the world. You can’t hear any traffic and it feels very peaceful. There is interesting artwork and sculptures everywhere you look as well, which makes the place interesting to explore or just exist in. There are also several pets (at least one dog and two cats) that live on the property who were all very friendly as well. The property also has many group seating areas to hang out and relax together. We really enjoyed our walks around the property.

All in all, we had a great time relaxing at the property and visiting the nearby town and hot springs. It was just a 2 night stay for us, but we enjoyed every second of it. We are interested in visiting during the summer months to see how the environment feels when it’s not so cold and rainy (November is when we stayed for this review). I would say that if you are looking for a place of peaceful seclusion to disconnect from the hustle and bustle of the fast-paced world, you should check this place out, slow down for a bit, and relax.

From the moment I arrived, I felt welcomed and safe. I was greated upon arrival by Janet, an angel in form, followed by another pillar of support, Lara, who is Kaslo's version of Starhawk. Marylynn in the kitchen nourished every single cell in my body with her food mastery. The Maloca was the perfect container for the process our group went through, supporting the alchemization of the process we were in together. The land...well...you will have to see for your self...STUNNING.

My stay at the Sentinel has been in the making for a number of years and it was everything I had dreamed of. The space pulses with Sacred energy and the staff is grounded in kindness. We were spoiled with nourishing and delicious food and my room was the perfect blend of central and private.
Thank you for the wonderful weekend, I can't wait for my next visit.