by Elliott McLaughlin

In the middle of July my partner Kasia and I made our way to the charming village of New Denver, in the heart of the West Kootenays, to meet up with old friends. We were delighted to accept their invitation to stay at Villa Dome Quixote, a multiple award-winning monolithic dome lodge built from mill ends.

Driving into the picturesque town of New Denver from the south along Hwy 6, we slowed down at the town’s only flashing traffic light. As we turned right onto Hwy 31A, the curves of Villa Dome Quixote came into view. At first sight the multi-domed structure is disarming; most think of Tolkein’s shire and Hobbits. We were soon to discover it to be far more than that first impression.
The lodge complex consists of four inter-connected monolithic domes as opposed to geodesic. The main entrance opens into a warm colourful reception area with a central staircase leading up to a spacious circular common room on the second floor. This spectacular area with no corners is 7.5 metres high. Curved, textured walls, beech flooring and rice paper lampshades create a sense of harmony and serenity. We would spend many enjoyable hours in this relaxing space.
We were both immediately taken with the interior design and decor of Dome Quixote. It is very contemporary; with great colours, lighting and furniture. Everything has clean modern lines creating a kind of elegant simplicity, with of course lots of gentle curves. The effect is comforting and womb-like. One must experience first hand the sense of space inside such a structure, intimate yet wide open. There are no TVs or radios and no outer stimuli save for well-selected ambient music.
Kootenay slate flooring of golden and rust hues meanders through curved hallways to a cedar sauna, large outdoor whirlpool area and two residential domes with 10 bedrooms. An adjoining spheroidal dome with hardwood flooring creates a beautiful space for workshops, meetings and celebrations. When standing near the geometric centre, the acoustics are exceptional, inviting one to chant.
After a tour, we check into our comfortable room with curved wall, dormer window, hardwood floors, cozy duvets and private washroom. Revived by a cup of organic green tea we prepared in the guest kitchen, we are eager to explore the town and its spectacular setting.
The heritage village of New Denver is situated on the shores of Slocan Lake, a pristine body of water flanked on its western shore by the spectacular Valhalla Wilderness Reserve and the New Denver Glacier. Strolling down the main street towards the lake, we discovered buildings dating back to the end of the nineteenth century. Like many of the West Kootenay towns, New Denver was originally a mining town and a thriving concern in the late 1800s. Now it is a quaint low-key village with eclectic shops, coffee houses, museums, beautiful lakeside parks and gardens and a developed network of hiking and cycling trails. The Nikkei Internment Memorial Centre with its Japanese gardens, and the Kohan Reflection Garden makes you think about Canada’s history. Local galleries and the bustling colourful Friday market, from June through October, are visible signs of an active community of artists, artisans and organic gardeners.
New Denver is surrounded by three provincial parks with spectacular hiking trails beckoning. Guests of Villa Dome Quixote will find New Denver a jumping off point for adventures to alpine meadows, snowfields, natural hot springs and ghost towns.
Slocan Lake with its undeveloped natural shoreline has excellent kayaking, canoeing, sailing and swimming. The non-motorized Galena Trail, a former narrow gauge rail line, passes within a kilometre of the lodge. One can cycle from the ghost town of Sandon to Carpenter Creek, along Slocan Lake past Summit Lake to Nakusp. A 15-minute drive east takes one to a narrow switchback road that climbs to a parking lot just below a ridge leading to Idaho Peak. From late June until the first snow, one can hike above the tree line, along the ridge amidst meadows full of alpine flowers while enjoying a spectacular 360-degree view of the valleys, lakes, snowfields and mountain ranges.
Nelson, recently rated as one of BC’s top three cities for quality of living, is an hour and 20-minute drive from New Denver. We enjoyed a great day trip and drove the Selkirk loop south through the Slocan Valley to the hip heritage city of Nelson, then up Kootenay Lake to Ainsworth hot springs, Kaslo and back to New Denver. I used to own an old mining claim behind Ainsworth near a provincial park called the Cody Caves. After a backcountry road drive and hike, we were amazed to encounter an old friend from my Banyen Books days at the cave entrance. Kevin Stanley, the gatekeeper of the caves, will take you for a spelunking trip through more than a kilometre of dissolving limestone wonder. www.codycaves.ca
After dinner in Kaslo, we drove due west over a mountain pass to New Denver. This windy, scenic drive took us along a tumbling creek, past waterfalls, beaver dams and small, high altitude lakes through the history-rich Valley of the Ghosts. When approaching other traffic and vehicles flash their headlights at you, it’s a signal that there are bears or deer ahead; we saw many deer and a mother black bear with two cubs. Back at our Dome Quixote retreat, we sat on a balcony and watched the sun set behind the snowfields of the Valhallas, another highly recommended outing.
If you’re looking for a break from the city hustle and bustle, Villa Dome Quixote and New Denver will provide rejuvenation and retreat. You’ll enjoy one of BC’s most interesting contemporary buildings in an area of unsurpassed natural beauty.
This unique wooden dome has captured the imagination of the public and has attracted thousands of visitors from all walks of life. In the last year Villa Dome Quixote has hosted cycling and outdoor adventure groups, yoga and wellness weeks, corporate and artists’ retreats and family reunions. If you are visiting the area and are interested in touring the facility, you will be welcomed. More cabin-sized domes are being built to both expand the lodge and continue the research on dome construction.
See www.domequixote.com or
www.canadianwoodendomes.ca