Balcomo Salt Spa
As part of a broader rebranding of the Balcomo Hotel in Penticton, the Salt Spa draws on a name with local resonance, rooted in the family’s long history in the South Okanagan and referencing an original settler’s lodge. While the Balcomo title nods to this legacy, the project looks forward, introducing new wellness-focused amenities that expand the guest experience. Positioned prominently within the hotel’s established courtyard, the Salt Spa serves as both a destination in its own right and a focal point for guests enjoying the adjacent pool deck. More than an addition, the project reinforces the hotel’s identity while enriching its hospitality experience.
The architecture is defined by a restrained form: a hip roof lends quiet presence, while a linear monitor cuts through its ridge, introducing daylight deep into the building’s primary spaces. Exterior materials echo the language of the surrounding structures, ensuring continuity with the hotel’s established palette and brand.
Within the building, the program unfolds as a sequence of restorative environments—a Hot Tub and Cold Plunge, a softly lit Relaxation Room, and a Salt Room lined with glowing Himalayan salt. A tactile interior palette of natural wood, flagstone flooring, and carefully modulated lighting reinforces the sense of calm, enveloping guests in an atmosphere of retreat. Generous glazing maintains visual connection to the pool deck where desired, while clerestory monitor windows deliver a wash of natural light across the hot tub and lounge areas, balancing privacy with openness.
The result is a wellness pavilion that is at once understated and immersive, rooted in the architectural language of the hotel while creating a distinct realm of tranquility for its guests.
