Four hotels in the Canadian Rockies offer freedom from electronics for $500 a night
Sarah McGinnis
Sun
The Fairmont Whistler Resort is offering relief to anguished Crackberry addicts from all over the world. Photograph by : Fairmont
CALGARY – BlackBerry addicts and sufferers of cellphone-itis may soon find respite at four hotels in the Canadian Rockies, now that one savvy company has created “electronic rehab getaways” for guests in need of professional help to disconnect from work.
The Fairmont Hotel and Resorts has just launched “electronic rehab getaways” at its resorts in Banff, Lake Louise, Jasper and Whistler.
Clients who sign up for the specialized package hand over their cellphones, BlackBerrys and other mobile devices, which are then locked up in the hotel safe. The guests sign a waiver pledging to go off-line for the duration of their stay.
“People are looking for the opportunity to disconnect. They want somebody to say, ‘Come here and unplug. . . . Slow down and enjoy life,’ ” said Lori Grant, spokeswoman for The Fairmont Hotels and Resorts.
As part of the package, which starts at $499 a night, BlackBerry and cellphone junkies checking into The Fairmont Banff Springs are treated to herbal teas, a meditation book and complimentary access to fitness classes and spa mineral pools.
Further west, technophiles can enter a minimum two-day “digital detox” at The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, which also includes hiking with a mountain heritage guide, herbal teas and a paddle on the famous lake at a cost of $459 per night.
Those signing over their mobiles to staff at The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge are treated to fresh fruit and herbal teas, a guided hike and breathtaking views with a package price starting at $529.
“I think it’s a great idea to break me away from the addiction,” said Trevor Sziva, a salesman for a roofing products company said in Calgary on Wednesday.
Sziva checks his well-worn BlackBerry at least 20 times a day. He’s also been known to take it along on vacation – much to the chagrin of his wife, who turns around and walks away when he uses it off-hours.
Handing over the device to a hotel clerk would make fighting the urge to turn it on for a quick second that much easier, he said.
A Statistics Canada study released in January says Albertans worked an average of 1,880 hours a year in 2004, the highest of any province.
Alberta also had the highest proportion of people working more than 2,300 hours a year – with 12.5 per cent consistently putting in extra hours.
© Calgary Herald 2008
