Where to stay · Ainsworth Hot Springs
Ainsworth Hot Springs Resort, Yaqan Nukiy Suites
Soak in a former silver-mine cave, then shuffle uphill to a balcony over Kootenay Lake.
what it is
lakeview resort suites (romantic)
the damage
from ~$309 CAD/night (Yaqan Nukiy Suites)
rated
★ 4.0 (393)
from Vancouver
~8 hours
The main event is a horseshoe-shaped cave you wade into, a former mining tunnel now full of mineral water warm enough to fog your thoughts. The 14 Yaqan Nukiy Suites sit about 100 metres up the hill from it, close enough that you can pad back to bed in a resort bathrobe without anyone filing an incident report.
Each suite opened in 2018 with a private balcony pointed straight at Kootenay Lake and the Purcell Mountains, which do the decent thing and stay put while you stare. The King room comes with a walk-in shower and those bathrobes. The building is two storeys with no elevator, so pack like someone who fully intends to carry it themselves.
The resort is owned and run by the Yaqan Nukiy, the Lower Kootenay Band of the Ktunaxa Nation, and the suites are decorated to honour that history rather than a hotel-chain mood board. After eight hours of driving from Vancouver, the cold plunge pool will introduce you to muscles you had forgotten you were renting.
The setting
On Highway 31 above the west arm of Kootenay Lake, roughly 20 minutes north of Balfour and 45 from Nelson. The pools, cave, and Ktunaxa Grill are all a short walk from the suites.
Getting there
From Vancouver it is around 700 km and a full eight hours east on Highway 3 through Hope, then 3A to Balfour and Highway 31 north. No ferry on this approach. On-site parking. A long-distance bus reaches the area but leaves you well short of the door, so bring a car.
good to know
Why it works
- Soak in a former silver-mine cave
- Balconies over Kootenay Lake and the Purcells
- Cold plunge, warm pool, and mineral cave
- Indigenous-owned by the Ktunaxa Nation
- Ktunaxa Grill a short walk away