Our Story - Ravelon Quinthar Hotel | Luxury Mountain Resort & Spa

It Started with a Dream

Back in 1987, Eleanor Quinthar stood at this very spot with nothing but pine trees and possibility around her. She'd spent years dreaming about a place where folks could escape the noise - somewhere that felt like coming home, even if you'd never been there before.

Her grandfather Ravelon had been a mountain guide, and she grew up hearing his stories about these peaks. When the property came up for sale, she didn't hesitate. Sold her bakery in Vancouver, borrowed from anyone who'd listen, and got to work.

The first winter was brutal - she lived in a trailer on-site while the main lodge took shape. But Eleanor had this vision, y'know? She wanted to build something that honored the mountain's raw beauty without trying to tame it.

Building Something Real

We opened our doors in March '89 with just twelve rooms. Eleanor insisted on sourcing everything locally - the Douglas fir beams, the stone for the fireplaces, even the quilts on the beds were made by artisans from the valley.

Guests started telling their friends, and word spread organically. No fancy marketing campaigns or anything - just honest hospitality and incredible mountain views. By '95, we'd expanded to thirty rooms, and Eleanor brought on her nephew Marcus to help manage operations.

The spa came later, in 2003, after Eleanor visited a thermal spring in Iceland and had this lightbulb moment. "Why aren't we doing this?" she asked. Six months later, we'd broken ground on what's become one of the most sought-after wellness centers in British Columbia.

"I wanted people to leave here feeling like they'd found a piece of themselves they'd forgotten about." - Eleanor Quinthar, Founder

Recognized & Celebrated

We're honestly humbled by the recognition, but what matters most? That's the thank-you notes from families who've made this their annual tradition.

Canadian Luxury Travel Awards

Best Mountain Resort

2019, 2021, 2023

World Spa & Wellness Awards

Excellence in Alpine Wellness

2020, 2022

Green Hospitality Award

Environmental Stewardship

2018, 2021

Today & Tomorrow

Eleanor's still around - you'll catch her in the lobby most mornings, chatting with guests over coffee. She handed over the day-to-day operations to Marcus back in 2015, but this place is in her bones.

We've grown to 78 rooms now, added that conference center everyone kept asking about, and partnered with some incredible local adventure guides. But here's the thing - we've never lost sight of what made folks fall in love with this place.

It's still about that feeling when you arrive. When you step into the lobby and smell the cedar, see the mountains through those floor-to-ceiling windows, and realize you can finally exhale. That's what we're protecting here.

Our Promise to You

We're not gonna promise you'll find enlightenment or whatever. But we can promise that our team - many who've been here for over a decade - genuinely cares about making your stay memorable.

We source 80% of our food from within a hundred-mile radius. We've got solar panels on half the roofs. We partnered with local conservation groups to protect the wildlife corridors around our property.

And yeah, we've added modern touches - the WiFi actually works now, the beds are ridiculously comfortable, and the spa's got treatments that'll make you wonder why you ever lived in a city.

But the heart of this place? That's still Eleanor's dream of creating a home in the mountains for anyone who needs one.

Come Write Your Own Story

Whether it's your first visit or your fifteenth, there's always something new to discover here. And honestly? We can't wait to meet you.

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