Earlier in December, I had the pleasure of flying out to Vernon, BC to test drive Buick’s brand new 2018 Enclave. If you remember awhile back, I joined GMC in Calgary for the Calgary Stampede to test drive some of GMC’s 2017 releases, and I had such a lovely time that I obviously had to say yes when Buick reached out to me for the 2018 Enclave Press Trip. If you’re not familiar with Buick, it’s a North American automobile retailer that falls under the GMC family.
I’m not typically the biggest fan of 24 hour trips since the flights back and forth usually take quite the toll out on me (blame the aging me for not being able to cope with quick-haul trips), but when the itinerary included some driving time in the new Buick Enclave (coupled together with a spa experience), the obvious answer was an emphatic yes!
As always when it comes to experiences with GMC, the minute we landed, we were greeted with the loveliest hosts who already had the vehicles ready to whisk us off. Our final flight landed in Kelowna, but the actual resort that we would be staying at was another hour-ish outside of the city and far up in the mountains – perfect for us to experience the cars as passengers and to relax after a long flight. I have to note that the back seats are incredibly spacious. As a regular passenger (I love to fall asleep in cars for long rides as opposed to being the one driving), I’ve had quite my fair share of cramped back seats, but the Enclave was definitely anything but.
Our flights had landed a little later than intended due to some delays during our layover, so we had to instantly dive into to our first activities. From the various ones that we were able to chose from, Mel and I both decided to sync up our schedules so that we would be able to spend the next 24 hours together. Our first appointment of the day was a quick trip to the spa!
Since there were so many of us, our appointments were slightly staggered so that we would have the chance to experience the pools and saunas in between waiting for our sessions. I’m impartial to pools since almost living in one for 6 years of my life as a lifeguard, but when your view overlooks the mountain and valley, it’s hard to refrain. It was easily one of the most relaxing and invigorating experiences that I’ve ever had, and I’m already dreaming of a trip back. No photos of my massage though since we weren’t actually supposed to bring in any cameras (oops!), but I promise you that it was ridiculously relaxing.
After my massage, I checked in to my room and was greeted to a beautifully twinkling sight. You can’t stay in a Swarovksi owned resort without having sparkles wherever you go! Rumour has it that one of the Swarovski patriarchs was staying at the resort the same weekend that we did! Seriously, Swarovksi everywhere! With a few hours at hand to freshen up and take in the view from our rooms, I felt that a nap was warranted.
Waking up from my nap I freshened up and rejoined the group back downstairs for a little tour of the place. The entire resort is decked out in Swarovksi crystals. The Sparkling Hill resort even has these really cool crystal pieces that look like a chandelier from afar, but if you look directly up it from underneath, you can make out a maple leaf. After touring the space and learning a bit more about the 2018 Buick Enclave, we rejoined the GMC team in the lobby for a surprise unveiling of the new 2018 Buick LaCrosse. Stunning. No other words can describe how beautiful the car was. At this point, I was already beyond excited to be driving the Enclaves the next morning.
The FOMO of driving a car completely dissipated as soon as we were told that dinner was up next on the itinerary. We joined the Buick team down into their lower level for an intimate dinner overlooking the valley (which was magical, just magical). And then back to sleep I went—would you expect otherwise? You guys know how much I love my sleep ahaha!
The morning after proved to be just as relaxing as the previous, as Mel, Darlene, and I spent the majority of the morning lounging in the pool taking photos before leaving for a culinary experience with Jennifer Schell. Of course on our drive up to Tantalus Winery, we stopped a few times to both admire the view and to take some photos. A trip didn’t happen unless you took photos—am I right?! Just kidding. But no seriously, pictures had to be taken. The view was too breathtaking that it would be a sin if you didn’t stop to take it all in. We had such a great time test driving the new Buick Enclave, and I can’t wait to share the experience with you as we also took drove it on a recent trip back to Ottawa/Montreal/Quebec City over the holidays!
After a lovely time chatting with the Buick team over a delicious farm-to-table lunch, we quickly made our way back to the airport to head back home to the East Coast. Never had I wanted to stay in the West Coast so bad! In between the stunning scenery, the warm temperatures, and the delicious food, for the first time ever I wasn’t looking forward to going home. Here’s to hoping that I’ll be able to make it back to the West Coast some time soon!
Photography Credits: Mel Inspired
