Sometimes all it takes is one well-executed, creative idea to shift your life into an entirely new direction.
For Tyson Leavitt, that idea came in the form of a colourful and whimsical playhouse inspired by his children and entered into the 2014 Lethbridge home and garden show. At the time, Leavitt was running a successful landscaping business and wanted to create something ‘stand out’ for the show.
A year later, he’d build an even more extravagant Rapunzel-themed playhouse for a client and opted to enter it into the 2015 home and garden show. Turns out that was an excellent business decision, even if he didn’t quite realize it at the time. The playhouse received not only national recognition but international praise too. It even caught the eye of reality television network TLC, and inspired the program Playhouse Masters.
Trading in his garden gloves for power-tools, Tyson found himself working side-by-side with wife, Audrey Leavitt, and their three young children in their new business, Charmed Playhouses. However, Audrey knew that wasn’t quite the end of their story and in the spring 2021 the family opened Charmed Resorts.
“We love building custom luxury playhouses but we always knew that we wanted to make our product more attainable for everyone,” Audrey says. “We wanted the experience to be accessible for all families and that’s why we created Charmed Resorts.”
Two years later, the resort now features 11 stunning cottages (with six more on the way!) across two sites in Blairmore, Alta. The Leavitts take inspiration from popular children’s novels like Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan and Beauty and the Beast. What makes them so unique is the immense amount of detail and research the family dedicates to each and every one of their fairy tale-themed cottages.
“Our team has grown a lot since 2015 and is now incredibly efficient. We can build a project start-to-finish in around a month at this point,” Audrey says. “While our production time has greatly reduced, the level of detail in each cottage has actually increased over the years. We have a concept artist, a draft designer, and of course our toughest critics, our kids.”
Highlights from the Leavitt kids’ favourite cottages, Hook’s Pirate Ship, the Lost Boys’ Treehouse and Belle’s Cottage. Photo courtesy Charmed Resorts
Followers on Charmed Resorts’ Instagram, Facebook and TikTok accounts also play a integral part in the design and decision-making process. Audrey and her team frequently ask for their fans’ input on which fairy-tale cottage should be built next, what details should be included and what new amenities should be added to their sites. Keeping viewers so actively engaged has led to many viewers feeling connected with specific cottages they’ve helped design.
“One of the greatest joys of the job is that our audience is so involved and we love letting them join in on the adventure,” Audrey says. “They help us decide what to build next, they give us amazing design suggestions and it’s really added a different element to the business.”
With 11 cottages already completed and six more on the way, one big question remains? How do you decide which cottage to stay in?
Audrey’s top pick: Wendy’s Townhouse:
“Picking favourites when it comes to the cottages is always tricky but Wendy’s Townhouse is my personal favourite so far, for a few reasons,” Audrey says. “While designing the cottage I got to learn a lot about Victorian architecture and as a result, this cottage was a lot of fun for the entire team to create. Anyone familiar with the classic London townhouse and Victorian-era design will see that influence throughout the cottage, along with specific details directly inspired by the original book and play by J.M. Barrie.”
Wendy’s Townhouse, one of three Peter Pan-inspired cottages at Charmed Resorts and a personal favourite of co-owner Audrey Leavitt. Photo courtesy Charmed Resorts
Tyson’s favourite: Rumpelstiltskin’s Tower
“Tyson’s favourite place to ‘pretend to sleep’ in our social media posts is Rumpelstiltskin’s tower,” Audrey says. “It actually has three front doors but only one of them works because Rumpelstiltskin is a bit of a prankster. When staying in his cottage guests will notice a variety of other nods to his tricky ways but Tyson’s favourite feature is the tower itself, with its story-telling artwork, a beautiful view of the resort and a rather dramatic ceiling.”
Rumpelstiltskin’s tower at Charmed Resorts, a favourite of co-owner Tyson Leavitt. Photo courtesy Charmed Resorts
And the Leavitt kids?
“Picking favourites is just as hard for the kids as it is for us but currently Emmett’s favourite is The Lost Boys Treehouse, Miles’s favourite is our latest completed build, Hook’s Pirate Ship, and Lydia’s favourite is Belle’s Cottage,” Audrey says.
The Leavitt family did agree on one favourite feature at Charmed Resorts: Marina the mermaid figurehead on Hook’s pirate Ship.
“Marina the mermaid was actually carved by a local chainsaw artist Marina Cole and she did an unbelievably good job,” Audrey says. “We got our social media fans to help vote on a name and the entire process was just really special. Marina the mermaid really tied the whole look of Hook’s Pirate Ship together and is now the official good luck charm for the entire resort.”
If you go:
There’s plenty to do onsite at Charmed Resorts, with each of the cottages coming with its own fire pit and private, wood-fired hot tub and all the little details in each of the cottages to discover.
There’s also lots explore off-site around Crowsnest pass, including historical sites like the Frank Slide Interpretive Centre, Leitch Collieries Provincial Historic Site and the Bellevue Underground Mine.
Outdoor enthusiasts will enjoy seasonal activities like mountain biking, golfing at the Crowsnest Pass Golf & Country Club, fishing and hiking, plus winter sports like skiing and snowshoeing!
Find more off-site adventure suggestions at gocrowsnest.ca and crowsnestpass.com/playing-here/what-to-do.
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