Tl;dr – If you find yourself in the south end of the Okanagan Valley, then Spirit Ridge is where you stay. It’s a solid hotel with a bunch of amenities. The real treat is the property’s fantastic scenery.
For my basecamp for wine-tasting adventures in the Okanagan, I stayed at Spirit Ridge, a hotel that’s part of Hyatt’s higher-end soft brand, The Unbound Collection. I rock with this hotel – it’s conveniently located in wine country with stunning views, the rooms are solid, breakfast is laughably generous, there are several quality amenities – including an onsite winery – and the service is also solid. Let’s dive into the review!
Spirit Ridge, The Unbound Collection by Hyatt
Spirit Ridge is located in Osoyoos, BC – a town that I just only started to pronounce correctly about a year after my trip to the region. The property sits adjacent to Osooyos Lake and is a whopping 12-minute drive from the U.S./Canada border.
(Side note: If you’re wondering what that ‘Anarchist Protected Area’ is all about, it’s named for Anarchist Mountain, which itself takes the nickname of prospector John Haywood, who called himself an anarchist and carried a stick of dynamite in his boot.)
The hotel has an interesting ownership story. Spirit Ridge is located on land owned by the Osoyoos Indian Band and is part of the Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Centre. Initially developed and managed by Bellstar, the resort is now owned and operated by the Osoyoos Indian Band.
I booked a two-night stay at Spirit Ridge on a cash rate. Spirit Ridge is notably a Category 4 Hyatt property, meaning it makes for a fantastic use of a Category 1-4 Free Night Award.
We visited during bonafide low season, and rolling up to the hotel felt like driving through a pleasant ghost town.
Check-in occurs at the Spirit Lodge, the same building where you’ll find the resort’s restaurant, located at the end of the main road that cuts through the property.
Check-in was painless – we received a map of the property, some vouchers for the complimentary Globalist breakfast, and our room keys, and we were on our way. As a Globalist, I received a slight room category upgrade, I think. Upgrades are always great, though in this case, it was not the least bit surprising as there appeared to be extremely low occupancy at the property.
The Room
Our room was spacious yet simple. We ended up with a ‘One-Bedroom Lake View Condo With a King Bed,’ which comes with a full kitchen, fireplace, balcony, and outdoor hot tub. There was a Globalist welcome gift on the counter when we arrived – some sparkling water and dried apple rings.
As a heads up, if you’re visiting Spirit Ridge now, I’ve heard rumors that the hot tubs may no longer be available (I’m writing this review a year and a half after my visit). I could certainly believe this, as the hot tubs were weatherized and closed for the season when we visited, and I wouldn’t be surprised if management decided to eliminate them altogether to reduce maintenance costs.
Inside the room were two cozy robes that came in clutch for staying warm while hustling in and out of the resort’s pool or simply hanging out on the balcony.
The best was also super cozy.
Spirit Ridge’s Native American essence is evident throughout the property, including the subtle touches in the guest rooms. The “do-not-disturb” slip is playfully labeled as a dream catcher.
The highlight of the room was the views.
We spent a lot of time on the balcony sipping BC wine, while looking out at Lake Osoyoos and the vineyards leading up to it.
On a few occasions, we’d encountered some of the residents, a family of deer that continually made its way up and down the property.
Dining
Spirit Ridge excels in the food game. There is one main restaurant on the property, The Bear, The Fish, The Root & The Berry, which focuses on Native American cuisine.
I should mention that there is a smaller market but it was closed for the season during our visit.
We ate dinner at the restaurant once, and had breakfast twice – everything was delicious.
Labeled as ‘vineyard cuisine inspired by indigenous roots,’ I especially enjoyed the fry bread platter, which featured traditional Native American fry bread served with an array of spreads and dips that showcased local flavors.
Really great drinks as well…
The portions at the hotel were generous, so much so that we made sure to only order one breakfast entree on the second day.
As this is wine country, there’s also an impressive array of local and non-local wines.
Everything was well-seasoned and tasted super fresh. Given that it takes some effort to venture into town to get food elsewhere, I appreciated the variety on the menu and the quality of the food.
Resort and Amenities
If the hiking, wine-tasting, fruit picking, boating, and lake activities of the surrounding region aren’t enough for you, there’s a lot to do at Spirit Ridge. The resort’s campus is big – between the rooms and suites, vineyards, and amenities scattered about, the property takes up a few acres.
There are free bikes you can ride, though they’d seen better days when we visited.
There are a few wet areas, including two pools, hot tubs adjacent to each, and a steam room next to one. One pool was closed for the winter but the other was open. It was fun to do a makeshift hot/cold water treatment by going back and forth between the two hot tubs and the pool amidst the cold BC night sky. There’s also a waterslide for families or grown-ups who are ‘big’ children at heart.
If you’re a golfer, the Sonora Dunes golf course is a par-35, 2523-yard set up for you to practice your game. It’s one of at least four golf courses in the nearby-area.
There may be as many as two fitness centers – the resort’s map suggests as many, though I only came across one. Next to the pool area, was a smaller cardio room with a few free weights to the side. The other fitness center is allegedly behind the Spirit Lodge.
You can also ‘chill’ while staying warm near the firepit on the patio near the pool deck, or underneath space heaters on the veranda.
For more relaxation, you can visit the Solterra Desert Spa, which offers a full range of services.
During summer hours, the hotel’s rooftop deck is open where you can take in the sights and scenery.
Just outside the resort’s gates you’ll find some stables, where you can ride horses through the beautiful scenery.
The onsite Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Centre allows guests to experience and explore the rich living culture of the Osoyoos Indian Band.
Additionally, if you’re here at work or looking for a fun place to plan a corporate getaway, the resort does have a conference center on campus.
My favorite amenity (and arguably the best) is the winery. Nk’Mip Cellars, the first Indigenous-owned winery in North America, is right next door to the Spirit Lodge, and it’s a great place to wind down a day of adventuring with a taste or a glass of wine.
Conclusion
Although it was brief, I enjoyed my stay at Spirit Ridge and would return. Despite visiting during the slow season, I still saw enough of the property to convince me that visiting during peak season would be both enjoyable and worthwhile. It really is a beautiful property.
