Inspired by Swarovski Crystal, the new Sparkling Hill resort is a dazzler. (Toby Saltzman/QMI Agency)

Midnight is magical as you tuck into your suite at Sparkling Hill Resort.

Outside, blackness obscures the British Columbia mountains and valleys, leaving but a glimmer of moonlight dancing on the lake. Inside, neon rays from the crystal "fireplace" swirl around you while, above your head, crystals studded in the ceiling sparkle like stars against an indigo sky. Dreams come easily when you've been elevated to heaven.

Dawn is divine as you rise to see the sun's rays streak through the mist, illuminating the blue waters of Lake Okanagan framed by emerald forests and snow-dusted peaks beyond.

To start and end your days with such views only magnifies the pleasures of Sparkling Hill, destined to be on every spa aficionado's "must experience" list.

Set high on a cliff, the $122-million European-style spa resort suits its moniker well.

Inspired by Swarovski -- creator of the famed crystals -- its architectural form dazzles with crystalline details. The parade of crystal-accented pillars leading to the entrance merely hints at the interior. Awesome chandeliers: Long free-forms snaking across ceilings, crystal maple leaves and assorted crystal balls suspended like sculptures mid-air. Rock crystal fireplaces "lit" to illuminate public spaces as well as the suites and spa lounges.

Designed as the ultimate curative spa to calm your psyche while revving up your body and mind, Sparkling Hill's 3,716-square-metre Kur Spa features a stellar menu of pampering, relaxing and therapeutic treatments. Your main challenge is choosing.

Starting with an invigorating swim to tone my muscles, I was entranced by the effect of the underwater lighting as it turned my waves and ripples into kinetic neon art. Later, moving through each of the seven meditative saunas -- and feeling increasingly subdued -- I felt my cares vaporizing to mist.

Although tempted by a sensuous Ayurvedic massage in the oriental hamman (typically used for couples), I indulged in a treatment promising to rejuvenate my epidermis with a concoction of warm Austrian mud and pulverized volcanic stone. While the therapist polished my skin to perfection, my limbs relaxed to oblivion.

The next day, facing umpteen options for exercise -- including tai chi, yoga, fusion dancing classes as well as energetic hikes or mountain-biking -- I tested my mettle by golfing at nearby Predator Ridge. Knowing myself, that's par for the course.

Meanwhile, my daily routines peaked with bouts of Sparkling Hill's signature therapy in the cryotherapy cold sauna Ice Lab. Unique in North America, it is touted as an alternative therapy (after repeated use) for arthritis, rheumatism, depression and burnout.

Before allowing me to enter, spa director Tinus Pietersen checked my blood pressure. I donned fleece gloves, a nose mask and headband before being ushered through three adjacent chambers chilled to -10 C, -60 C and -110 C. Three frigid minutes later, I felt energized, my skin tingling, my feet bouncy as that battery bunny.

Dinner posed delectable temptations. Admittedly -- even after three days -- choosing was easy between the spa menu of gut-cleansing vegetable peel broth or succulent rack of herb-crusted lamb with thyme gnocchi, accompanied by ruby red wine from Mr. Gernot Langes-Swarovski's own Argentina vineyard, followed by a slice of the pastry chef's signature Viennese Sacher torte. A sweet finish before tucking into my sparkly suite at night.

-- Sparkling Hill Resort is in Vernon, a 25-minute drive north of Kelowna International Airport. Contact sparklinghill.com. For information on activities in Vernon, visit tourismvernon.com.