1 | Wellness Coordinator Ensures a Healthy Stay
Watermark’s health and wellness coordinator, Kelsi Bissonnette, brings a holistic approach to fitness that caters to mind, body and soul to ensure guests are relaxed and rejuvenated during and after their stay. Kelsi has led Pilates and group workout classes for more than two decades, and for five years owned and operated Breathe Studio in Osoyoos – making her the perfect person to oversee the 25 various classes on offer at Watermark.
From beach yoga in the summer to meditation, Pilates and group fitness lessons that incorporate TRX, Step & Sculpt and Yogalates, there is something for every guest and fitness level. Keen to encourage visitors on their wellness journey, Kelsi also runs workshops, retreats and seminars throughout the year, focusing on everything from detoxing to creating desire maps and offering activities like golf and SUP yoga.
Guests can rent paddleboards to explore the water or take a bike tour to see the scenery at their own pace, while yoga alongside Canada’s warmest lake offers a unique place to do sun salutations.
New for 2017 are yoga SUP packages themed around the full moon and summer solstice that take exercise out of the studio and onto the lake.
2 | New Wellness Packages Bring a Holistic Approach
Guests are encouraged to get in touch with the spiritual side of fitness with new holistic packages for 2017. Harness the healing power of the full moon with a Starry Skies SUP and Yoga Package on May 10th, June 9th, July 9th, August 7th and September 6th when guests can make the most of the monthly glow.
Packages include a guided moonlit SUP tour on Canada’s warmest freshwater lake; an evening yoga class of moon salutations under the stars for two people; and a star gazer lesson with a guide from The Royal Astronomical Society of Canada.
Finish off the fun with a moonlight local wine & cheese picnic basket on a Watermark blanket and relax with two nights’ accommodation in a lake view one-bedroom suite, with packages starting at $679 plus tax (double occupancy).
Celebrate the sunshine with a Summer Solstice 2017 Weekend Yoga Package, available June 23-25th, 2017. Enjoy two nights’ accommodation in a one-bedroom lake view suite and two days’ admission to the Summer Solstice Festival at Covert Farms, which includes floating yoga on the farm’s reservoir, hiking, organic farm tours, meditation, healers, a marketplace of local artisan products, organic food and wine, and live music. Package guests get to take home their “ITFIT” Yoga Mat and Yoga Mat Bag as a memento of the special weekend, which starts from $989 plus tax (double occupancy).
Revitalize body and soul with Watermark’s Hike and Healing Yoga Package, which is available May to October 2017, from $849 (plus taxes, based on double occupancy). Enjoy two nights in a one-bedroom lake view suite that includes a fascinating First Nations plant tour hike of the Bluff, a restorative yoga class that uses essential oil therapy and an Herbal Healing Body Balance Scrub and Massage at on-site Levia Spa that uses the power of natural ingredients to soothe.
3 | Devour! Festival Puts the South Okanagan on the Culinary World Stage
The world’s largest culinary film festival, Devour!, returns to the South Okanagan for its second consecutive year, May 5-7 2017. Co-founded by Watermark Beach Resort in 2016, Devour! Osoyoos was inspired by the original Devour! The Food Film Fest, which was created by Chef Michael Howell in Nova Scotia as a celebration of cinema, food and wine culture, and made its first cross-country stopover in Okanagan wine country at Watermark Beach Resort last year.
New for 2017, the event is expanding across the South Okanagan to celebrate the bounty of the region and Watermark is once again proud to take part in the festival, which will feature a film-inspired gala dinner showcasing leading BC chefs, tasting tours, cooking demonstrations, a champagne brunch and cocktail reception.
4 | Levia Spa Creates Farm-to-Table Spa Treatments
Opened in May 2016, Levia Spa brings a fresh approach to relaxation with signature treatments themed around a ‘farm to treatment table’ concept that includes the use of fresh homegrown herbs such as lavender, rosemary, mint and basil in herbal footbaths and body exfoliants. Scrubs are custom blended in-house with pink Himalayan salt or raw organic sugar, and all Levia treatments incorporate the use of the ancient jade stone, which is believed to bring wisdom, balance and peace by relieving anxiety.
Signature spa treatments include Raindrop Therapy, a detoxing combination of reflexology, vitaflex, and massage techniques that use specific essential oils along the spine for stress relief, detoxification, pain relief and enhanced immunity (60 minutes, $140). Unwind Your Mind treatment includes a tandem facial and foot reflexology to provide ultimate relaxation (60 minutes, $195) and couples can experience a Peaceful Retreat with a detoxifying herbal bath soak paired with organic wine tasting and followed by relaxation massages (90 minutes, $245).
5 | Herbal Hiking Tour Heals Body and Mind
Rejuvenate body and mind with Watermark’s Hike and Healing Yoga Package, which is available May to October 2017, from $849 (plus taxes, based on double occupancy). Enjoy two nights in a one-bedroom lake view suite and experience daytime activities designed to soothe the soul.
Teacher Michelle Woitzik from SenPokChin School in Oliver guides guests on a hike of the majestic Bluff, giving a First Nations interpretation of local plants in the area and the medicinal properties that they have served for generations. Back at Breathe Studio, guests can relax after the hike with a restorative yoga class that uses essential oil therapy to create a calming and therapeutic environment.
The relaxing adventure continues with an Herbal Healing Body Balance Scrub and Massage at Levia Spa, which uses natural ingredients, such as local plants, to release the power of nature to heal.
6 | Private Chef’s Dinner in the Penthouse
Groups of four or more foodies staying in the Penthouse suite can now experience an exclusive dinner prepared by a member of Watermark’s acclaimed culinary team. The new in-room Chef’s Table Dinner is a four-course wine paired meal that is made using all local, fresh ingredients.
The featured chef and dedicated server will provide dinner in the comfort of your Penthouse suite, starting at $199. With no set menu, diners will enjoy a personalized dinner that makes the most of regional ingredients that are in season at the time, and can have their dietary preferences accommodated. Guests are highly encouraged to book in advance.
7 | Pet-Friendly Getaways for Furry Friends
Watermark Beach Resort is pleased to welcome four-legged canine buddies to the resort’s pet-friendly location, which is close to hiking trails and doggie beach access for great swimming, walking or fetch. Pet guests are charged an additional fee of $25/night (up to a maximum of $150), and must notify reservations agents when booking so that dog treats and a welcome packet are provided upon arrival, giving furry friends a very warm welcome to their stay.
Altogether Osoyoos and the surrounding area has six popular dog-friendly areas to take pets for exercise, socializing and fun; clean-up bag dispensers and garbage cans are located at each of these parks and trails to keep the scenery special.
8 | Okanagan Wine Country: Our Sonoma of Your Napa
The South Okanagan is one of the top wine destinations in the world and like Sonoma, California, it has retained a boutique charm where visitors can speak directly with winemakers and discover hidden gems. Here, each glass tells a story of the passion and dedication that viticulturists have put into making award-winning wine at the 40-plus wineries in the Oliver Osoyoos area.
Watermark offers an extensive array of top local wines at the restaurant to best showcase the region, and wine packages take visitors out on guided tours in everything from self-drive adventures to luxury limos for tasting and sightseeing in style.
9 | Picture Perfect Wedding Venues
Watermark Beach Resort’s picture perfect lakeside location makes it a popular choice for couples looking for a romantic, sunny scene for a wedding. From elaborate weekend-long destination weddings, complete with rehearsal dinner, breakfast, ceremony, reception, and gift opening, to elegant and simple small affairs, Watermark has a range of venues on-site that offer indoor and outdoor options for special occasions. With 153 suites, the resort can accommodate an entire wedding party and couples can choose from venues such as the Vineyard Ballroom, with a capacity of 144-seated guests, a more intimate stand-up reception for 20 guests in the Penthouse, or an outdoor Penthouse Patio ceremony that seats 12.
To complement the amazing location, Watermark’s culinary program allows wedding guests to discover regional wines, specialty cocktails and fresh food created with the finest local ingredients.
10 | Family-Friendly Experiences
There’s fun for all the family at Watermark, where spacious suites provide all the comforting home away from home amenities, including full kitchens with all the necessary equipment, living room, dining room, a private four-piece bathroom for each bedroom, and washer and dryer.
Shopping and family attractions are all within walking distance along with the beautiful sandy beach and warm water perfect for swimming.
Watermark offers the ideal destination for multi-generational family vacations with babysitting options, a family-friendly outdoor hot tub, a waterslide and pool, steam room and pool-side showers, lawns to play on and volleyball courts on the beach. Family fun continues at the Marina where guests can rent a boat, or take watersports lessons from sailing to wakeboarding, ideal for all ages.
11 | Cultural Experiences in the Desert
Osoyoos is renowned for its wine offerings but the region is also rich in history and traditional culture. Visitors can discover more about the Nk’Mip people who have long called the desert home at the interactive Nk’mip Desert Cultural Centre, which is just a short drive around the lake from Watermark.
A 10-minute drive takes guests to the incredible Spotted Lake; an amazing natural phenomenon of circles of water that is sacred to the indigenous people.
While the daytime activities in the South Okanagan are endless, the nighttime brings a special sense of magic as an infinite span of dazzling stars light up the clear night skies of this serene destination.
The best way to relax after a long day of adventuring is on the patio of Watermark with a glass of wine in hand, watching as evening falls to the serenade of circling nighthawks over Osoyoos Lake. Guests feel like they can almost reach out and touch the stars, brilliant against the ink-black sky of a true Canadian desert. Osoyoos and the South Okanagan are an ideal location for stargazers, as the dark skies – free of light pollution due to a law passed in 1963 that prevents any lights in the town from pointing upwards – are perfect for spotting the planets and galaxies.
