An Ideal Hideaway
The Northern Lights Resort & Spa
Nestled in the picturesque Yukon River Valley, miles away from the hustle and bustle of the city, the Northern Lights Resort & Spa has welcomed guests for close to a decade.
While it officially opened in January 2012 the journey began long before that when Owners Wolfgang and Renate Bublitz first visited the Yukon in 1995. They fell in love with it and started coming back almost every year. While they started thinking of emigrating from Germany in 1999 and starting a business it took a decade until they moved in 2009.
They bought the land, cleared and cleaned it and started building in the summer of 2010. When they opened in 2012 there was one cabin and one room in the main lodge. Over the years they added three more log cabins and in 2018 they built the three Aurora Glass Chalets. In 2019 they added the spa.
The property is on 145 acres and is surrounded by pine forests and ringed by mountains. The main lodge is 4,000 sq. ft and the chalets are approximately 360 sq. ft each.
“I designed the main lodge before we came to Canada. We built the entire resort ourselves with help from contractors for projects such as log work. But everything from finishing to landscaping etc. was done mostly by my wife and myself,” shares Wolfgang.
The Northern Lights Resort & Spa allows guests to relax in the luxury outdoor Jacuzzi or in the spa/wellness areas with Finnish sauna, infrared sauna, gym & relax room and massage room after a day of adventure and outdoor activity. The open area surrounding the lodge allow unobscured views of the Aurora Borealis.
A wide range of packages are available depending on the season, including guided Northern Lights viewing, massage/spa treatments, hiking tours, photograph excursions, museum trips and cultural events. Guests can explore the property on hiking trails in the summer and groomed cross-country and snowshoe trails in the winter.
“Our motto is “Relax – Enjoy – Feel Good”. In line with that we offer guests wellbeing and indulgence and our own special way of pampering them. For years the satisfaction of our guests has been the driving force of everything we do. The wellbeing of our guests and the personal service provided by our attentive staff is very important to us.”
The log chalets are built in the log cabin style while the Aurora Glass chalets are modern and contemporary. The resort combines high aesthetics with great comfort.
It is ideal for travellers seeking relaxation and authentic experiences close to nature but away from tourists hubs. It is an ideal location to experience a unique countryside and enjoy the quiet of a large property with no nearby neighbours.
“We really like meeting people from other cultures, and this has led us to our current occupation. We enjoy travelling ourselves (mainly overseas), so we understand the needs of our visitors. We will always do our very best to ensure that the guests’ stay with us is a most enjoyable one.”
This is well fitted for the demographic with mainly age from 45-80. There are a lot of couples and honeymooners.
Due to the pandemic the resort hasn’t been able to welcome many guests this year. They closed in mid-March and were closed for all of the summer season as the Yukon borders were closed. They were able to open in September and October at reduced capacity as the BC/Yukon bubble opened. However, the borders closed again in November and the resort had to close again but they hope to open in February and March if the bubble is opened again.
Despite this setback they still have plans for the future. They were planning on an expansion of the spa with additional services in 2020, but that was put on hold when the pandemic hit. However, they plan to do the expansion in 2021 and offer new treatments as well as upgrading the facility.
The Bublitzes love the land and what the north has to offer, and even though this year was a hard one for them the Northern Lights Resort & Spa will be around for years to come.
“We have built our resort with pride in the midst of one of the most beautiful places on earth – the Yukon. When we first came here we knew we had found something very special. We were awed by the serenity and beauty of the land and by the people living here. The Yukon is simply beyond words.”
By Nicole Sherwood Eastern + Western Hotelier