RICK MACDONNELL
 The hot pools at Panorama Mountain Village offer the perfect ending to a great day on the slopes. RICK MACDONNELL/SnowSeekers |
PANORAMA, BC — When the SnowSeekers crew landed in Panorama Mountain Village, we checked into our unit at the 1000 Peaks Summit Lodge and, as I do with every hotel/lodge/chalet we stay at, I immediately flopped on the bed. There's no faster or more accurate barometer for the quality of a hotel than the comfort of its beds.
It felt amazing after driving all morning, and I started to wonder whether or not Barb (our editor and content director) books our accommodations solely on bed comfort.
Once we stepped outside on our balcony, though, we quickly realized that the Summit offers a whole lot more than comfy beds.
Panorama's ski hill is, literally, Summit's backyard. You step out of your back door and within two minutes you're on the Mile One quad chair. Not to mention the Panorama Springs hot pools, rental shop, guest services, restaurants, and the village gondola.
Full amenities
"The location is absolutely fantastic," said Glenna Walbauer, the Summit's sales operations assistant. "You won't ever have to walk more than five or seven minutes to get anywhere, no matter where you're going."
 The 1000 Peaks Summit Lodge is only steps away from Panorama's main Mile One quad chair RICK MACDONNELL/SnowSeekers |
As for the condo itself, each of the Summit's rooms features a full kitchen, living room, gas fireplace, TV, DVD player, a full bathroom, and balcony. The building also has a common laundry area and underground parking. All guests also have access to the Panorama Springs hot pools and the fitness centre at the Pine Inn.
"No matter where you stay in the village, you have 4,000 vertical feet right at your doorstep. And when you're done for the day, there's the hot pools right there waiting for you, or one of our amazing restaurants. Everything is so accessible. It's a big part of why I love it here."
Back to the fold
Walbauer is heading to New Zealand in none too short a time to experience the ski season down under. Not even the lure of Middle Earth can pull her away from Panorama for too long, though. She's scheduled to be back in Panorama by the fall in order to gear up for another great season.
"New Zealand will be great, don't get me wrong, but I can't see anything that would pull me away from Panorama. Coming from Edmonton I just fell in love with the mountains and the village. I've met people here who had planned on coming to Panorama for a year or so and have now lived here for 20."
Whether that happens to Walbauer remains to be seen, but one thing's for sure, Panorama sucks you in and works its hardest not to let you go. From the accommodations, to the food, to the hill, it's not hard to lose yourself in Panorama Mountain Village.
Get more info on Panorama on our SnowSeekers' destination page.