FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
General Information
Though we welcome guests without a reservation, we highly recommend booking prior to arrival to ensure you’re able to book Hydrotherapy Access or a Massage Treatment. If the day you’re looking for Hydrotherapy Access is full, please join our Daily Hydrotherapy Access Waitlist day-of. Please note that you cannot add your name to future days and the waitlist is only for Hydrotherapy Access, not Massage Treatments.
We recommend booking Massage Treatments a minimum of 3 weeks in advance for mid-week appointments and 12 weeks in advance for weekend and holiday dates. There is a possibility of a last minute cancellation, please ask our team when you arrive for possible changes.
If the pools are closed due to weather (thunderstorms/lightning, extreme temperatures) and the delay is less than 60-minutes, guests who wish to end their visit will forgo the right to a refund.
If the weather conditions cause the pools to be closed for more than 60-minutes consecutively, and you choose to leave the spa after 60-minutes, the reservation will be refunded.
Cancellation requests inside 24-hours due to a severe weather forecast (thunderstorms/lightning, extreme temperature [+35 degrees Celsius or -25 degrees Celsius]) will be accommodated.
Please note, rain, snow, sleet or hail are not considered serve or extreme weather.
Massages: 8:15AM – 8:30PM
Hydrotherapy: 9:00AM – 9:00PM
Please note that re-entry is not available. The Bistro will be open to satisfy any cravings.
Kananaskis Nordic Spa is located in a woodland setting, behind the Pomeroy Kananaskis Mountain Lodge. To get to us via car, take the Kananaskis Trail/Highway 40 South Highway from the TransCanada Highway, turning right at the Kananaskis Village/Nakiska Road intersection. Travel 1.0 km, turn left and proceed up the hill to Kananaskis Village. Follow posted directions to the Pomeroy Kananaskis Mountain Lodge. Driving time from Calgary International Airport is approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes. On-site parking is available.
Please note that to help us ensure a clean and sanitized environment, re-entries are not allowed.
As a guest of the spa, you are welcome to stay with us as long as you like during your hydrotherapy session. Wind down, reset and let your mind and body achieve complete relaxation. Kananaskis Nordic Spa supports independent rejuvenation on your own terms and getting the most out of the hydrotherapy experience.
To view our waitlist for Hydrotherapy Access, and to add your name, please follow the link below. Please note that our waitlist is only for day-of access, you cannot be placed on a waitlist for future dates.
Complimentary visitor parking is available onsite for guests of the spa within the property’s public parking lots. Please note that in June 2021 the Kananaskis Conservation Pass was implemented. To learn more or to purchase your pass, please visit them online.
Beginning June 1, 2021, Alberta Parks requires all vehicles stopping in Kananaskis Country and provincial sites in the Bow Valley Corridor to have a Kananaskis Conservation Pass, which can be purchased online. By purchasing a pass, you’re helping keep Kananaskis Country beautiful and protected for generations to come. Learn more about the Kananaskis Conservation Pass today.
We will gladly issue a full refund if your cancellation is made 24 hours prior to your reservation (hydrotherapy or massage). Please note that we will charge the full amount inside of 24 hours prior to your reservation.
Unfortunately, in order to ensure a clean environment, we are asking guests to leave the robe and slippers at the spa before leaving. Hotel guests will receive a locker key upon check-in to expedite their check-in process.
A clean robe, slippers and towels will be provided. Please bring:
- Water Bottle (non-glass)
- Bathing Suit
- Sun Protection (hat, glasses, sunscreen)
While the Spa is not responsible for lost or stolen items, we do keep track of all items left behind here. Fill in the information and we will contact you as soon as possible if we have found your item.
KNS Policies
No. To respect the privacy of all of our guests, we ask that you leave your cell phones and cameras in the lockers provided to you.
Kananaskis Nordic Spa is an adults-only (18+) facility, however, The Pomeroy Kananaskis Mountain Lodge has several babysitting and childcare options for our spa guests with children. Please check the hotel website for the latest information.
Please note that all Kananaskis Nordic Spa gift card purchases are FINAL and may not be redeemed for cash.
Service animals are allowed in the massage rooms, the bistro, and pool decks. They are not allowed in the kitchen, the pools, steam rooms or saunas. We will request to view the service animal’s government issued identification. If a guest fails to provide their government-issued ID, we cannot allow access for the service animal.
As a guest of the spa, you are welcome to stay with us as long as you like during your hydrotherapy session. Wind down, reset and let your mind and body achieve complete relaxation. Kananaskis Nordic Spa supports independent rejuvenation on your own terms and getting the most out of the hydrotherapy experience.
Please note that we have a no re-entry policy in effect.
Bathing suits are required when using Kananaskis Nordic Spa. Note that all baths and facilities are for communal use for all genders.
About The Facilities
The locker rooms, showers, and massage treatment rooms are all accessibility-friendly and located within our Spa Lodge. Our other on-site facilities, including our wellness bistro, pools, steam and sauna cabins, and relaxation building are accessed via stairs only.
Two Trees Bistro offers a menu of delicious snacks and shareable, wholesome plates to order and enjoy with a variety of coffees, refreshments, and alcoholic beverages. All patrons must be 18 years of age or older and no pets are allowed.
Please note, food and drink cannot be brought into the spa, and alcoholic drinks can only be consumed within the the Two-Storey Lodge. Alcohol is strictly prohibited in all other areas of the spa.
The nature of our circuit using hot and cold therapy to stimulate the body has been known to increase blood pressure and circulation. We would encourage all expectant mothers to seek advice from their medical practitioner prior to using our facilities.
The outdoor pools at KNS are either hot, warm, or cold – and you’ll want to cycle through them all to get the full hydrotherapy experience. KNS has two hot pools, two warm pools, and one cold pool.
Hot Pool + Elements Pool: Celsius 35-40 ºC | Fahrenheit 95-104 ºF
Gathering Pool + Reflection Pool: Celsius 32-38 ºC | Fahrenheit 90-100 ºF
Cold Plunge Pool: Celsius 5-10 ºC | Fahrenheit 41-50 ºF
Hydrotherapy is the cycle of alternating between hot, and cold baths followed by periods of rest. This traditional Nordic sequence stimulates blood flow, eliminates toxins, reduces stress, allows the mind to unwind, and gently increases the heart rate for an instant feeling of head-to-toe wellbeing.
Hot. Cold. Rest. Repeat
We encourage you to check out our Youtube page to view videos on the hydrotherapy cycle.
Preparing for Your Visit
Spa shoes, a robe, two towels and a locker will be provided to you. Lockers are provided in both our women’s and men’s’ changing rooms (located on the ground floor of the Spa Lodge) to store personal belongings. Please ensure that you do not leave any valuables in the lockers. We cannot guarantee the safety of your personal belongings.
Consider bringing:
- Non-glass water bottle
- Sunscreen, hat and sunglasses
Water Quality
Our pools are run by automated controllers. We take readings every two hours during operation and manually test our water four times to ensure the water quality information matches our automated controllers.
Once a week. we send out water samples to the provincial health lab for microbiological water analysis.
We use a municipal water supply from the Kananaskis Improvement District.
In three of our pools, the Gathering, Hot, and Cold Plunge pools, we use the following chemicals:
- Chlorine (the only approved sanitation product as per Alberta Health Services)
- Muriatic Acid (Used to balance pH)
- Sodium Bicarbonate (Baking Soda, Used to balance Alkalinity as per Alberta Health Services)
- Cyanuric Acid (To control Chlorine level from breaking down in UV light)
The Reflections and Element pools, we use the following chemicals:
- Salt (Saltwater swimming pools draw on dissolved salt in the water to generate chlorine. The salt cell or generator utilizes a process called electrolysis to break down or separate the salt also known as sodium chloride or NaCl in the water. The CL or chlorine is used to sanitize the water and the NA or sodium is just a by-product in the water. This means a saltwater pool is not actually chlorine free)
- Chlorine (Used as backup in case Salt system does not keep up sanitation levels and when high bather loads are experienced as per Alberta Health Services)
- Muriatic Acid (Used to balance pH)
- Sodium Bicarbonate (Baking Soda, Used to balance Alkalinity as per Alberta Health Services)
- Cyanuric Acid (To control Chlorine level from breaking down in UV light)
Chlorine – Our aim is to maintain our chlorine levels between 3.0 – 5.0 ppm
pH – Our aim is to maintain our pH between 7.2 and 7.6
Alkalinity – Our aim is to maintain our Alkalinity between 60 and 100 ppm
Massage Treatments
All massage therapists are minimum 2,200-hour registered therapists. It is our responsibility here at Kananaskis Nordic Spa to ensure our Massage Therapists are registered and in good standing with their Associations. In addition, we are to provide all massage guests with an RMT receipt with the massage therapists legal name and their Provider ID.
With regards to insurance companies, as coverages differ, we cannot guarantee that your Massage Treatment will be covered. Prior to booking your visit, we recommend connecting with your insurance company to gather further information and confirm your benefits.
We offer a minimalistic menu of massage therapy. Guests will enjoy their massage on the top floor of the Spa Lodge. All massage therapy treatments provide guests with full access to the spa facilities as a complimentary add-on to your experience.
Access to the hydrotherapy pools are included with your massage booking. You will not have to pay an additional day rate.
We recommend enjoying the pools before and after your massage to take advantage of the full experience and benefits.
Please note that we have a no re-entry policy.
Please note that reservations are required for all massage services. Due to high demand for massage services, we recommend booking a minimum of 3-weeks in advance for a mid-week appointment and a minimum of 12-weeks in advance for a Friday, Saturday or Sunday appointment.
A 24-hour notification to change or cancel a massage reservation is required to avoid being charged for the service.
Hotel Guests
The spa is open to day guests, as well as overnight guests of the Pomeroy Kananaskis Mountain Lodge. If you are visiting us for the day and not staying at the hotel note that access is on a first-come, first-served basis during all operational hours.
If have booked a Spa Package at the Pomeroy Kananaskis Mountain Lodge, you will receive a confirmation from the Lodge (this email will be different from the confirmation email you’ll receive from Marriott) which outlines the steps needed to book your visit to the Spa.
Access to the Spa from the hotel is available via the pedestrian bridge.
We recommend booking online to view our most up to date availability. If we’re currently at capacity, you’re more than welcome to add your name to our Hydrotherapy Access wait list as well.