A conversation with MELT co-founder Kathryn Drewlo

<p>This February, Butterfield &amp; Robinson is heading to <a href="https://www.butterfield.com/un-corporate-travel/melt">Oaxaca with Melt</a>, the infrared-heated studio in Toronto’s Annex known for its Pilates, yoga and sculpt classes. From February 7 to 12, 2027, the six-day Melt Oaxaca trip will bring movement into conversation with the region’s food, art, design and culture, with time to experience how each shapes a sense of place.</p><p>Leading most of the week’s classes is <a href="https://www.meltstudios.ca/">studio</a> co-founder Kathryn Drewlo, a Toronto-based movement instructor with more than a decade of experience teaching yoga, Pilates and strength-based practices. She’ll be joined in Oaxaca by fellow co-founder Helena Campos, who will host the group throughout the trip. We spoke with Kathryn about what draws a studio built around the senses to Oaxaca, and what travellers can look forward to along the way.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><br>&nbsp;</p>

<h3>How did the collaboration between Melt and Butterfield &amp; Robinson come about?</h3><p>It started through a shared connection. We have Melt members who are part of the Butterfield &amp; Robinson team, so there was already a natural relationship between our two worlds. From there, the conversation grew organically. We realized there was a lot of alignment in how we think about experiences and what we want for our students and travellers. Neither of us wants to do something halfway; we want people to walk away having had an impactful experience. Bringing movement and travel together felt like a natural next step.</p><h3>What made Oaxaca feel like the right first destination to take Melt beyond the studio?</h3><p>Oaxaca felt like a natural first step because it embodies so many of the things we value at Melt. It’s a place that engages all of your senses, with incredible food, design, craftsmanship, history, ritual and a strong connection to place. At the studio, we’re always thinking about how the lighting, heat, scent and music shape the movement experience. Oaxaca offers its own version of that through the food, fresh air and surroundings. For us, this trip is about expanding what Melt can be beyond the studio: movement, but also travel, discovery and connection.</p>

<h3>How does the rhythm of the trip reflect what you create at Melt?</h3><p>What I love is that it has the same balance we try to create at Melt. Not every class is a ten out of ten where we’re going super hard. You can do your strength work and mat Pilates, then find something softer through yin and sound. The trip has those same peaks and valleys: more energising movement, followed by the softness of a sound bath or time to slow down and take in your surroundings. B&amp;R has been really intentional about how the classes fit with the activities, so we’re not doing a sculpt class, then a hike, then Pilates. There’s room for exploring the markets, getting to know the food and culture, and resting afterwards. It’s that balance of effort and restoration that we really value at Melt.</p><p>&nbsp;</p>

<h3>Who is this trip for, and how much movement experience do they need?</h3><p>You don’t have to be a super athlete. Sometimes people hear “intensity” and assume they need to be, but the movement will be adapted to your level, wherever you are. I want everyone to feel welcome. It’s really for someone who wants a travel experience, not just to sit on a beach and do yoga a couple of times a day. There’s nothing wrong with that, but it’s not what this is. We’ll be getting to know the <a href="https://www.butterfield.com/get-inspired/travel-journal/why-oaxaca-is-mexico-s-best-kept-secret-for-cultural-and-active-travel">culture</a>, food and people, with movement led by someone from home through Melt as well as practitioners in Oaxaca. It’s meant to be a wonderfully all-encompassing experience.</p><h3>Who will be leading the movement sessions throughout the week?</h3><p>I’ll be leading most of the classes. We’ll start with a gentle yoga and mobility flow after the flight: stretching, little twists and nothing excessive, just opening up our bodies after so many hours of sitting. I’ll also lead the sculpt-style Pilates class and the other yoga sessions, including the closing practice and the class by the petrified waterfalls. Practitioners from Oaxaca will lead the cacao ceremony and sound bath, and I believe the session at the ruins will be led locally, too.</p>

<h3>How will practising in Oaxaca feel different from being in the studio?</h3><p>It will feel more immersive. At Melt, the room creates a very specific energy, but in Oaxaca, the landscape becomes part of the practice. Most of the classes are outdoors, so my teaching language and the music will probably shift with the setting. It won’t be so much about the grind of hitting every pose, but about feeling the movement and listening to the sounds around us. Someone might walk past and we’ll make a joke about it. I love the studio, but this will be more organic, and I think that invites everyone to be a little more present and connected to where they are.</p><h3>What are you especially looking forward to?</h3><p>I’m especially excited for the Sierra Norte hike and the temazcal. The hike is an opportunity to slow down, be present and connect, which comes back to that balance we try to create at Melt. I’m also really looking forward to the outdoor yoga at Hierve el Agua. There’s something pretty incredible about taking movement out of the studio and into a setting like that. Practising yoga surrounded by those natural springs and the landscape of Oaxaca feels like it will be a really grounding moment in the trip.<br>&nbsp;</p><h3><i>Join us in Oaxaca</i></h3><p>Melt Oaxaca runs from February 7 to 12, 2027. <a href="https://www.butterfield.com/un-corporate-travel/melt">Explore the full itinerary</a>.</p>

MELT co-founder Kathryn Drewlo on the inspiration behind Melt Oaxaca, a six-day wellness trip created in collaboration with Butterfield & Robinson.

Melt Yoga + Pilates co-founder talks trip to Oaxaca in collaboration with B&R

Discover Mexico

<p>Mexico offers far more than just beaches—especially when your journey winds through the culturally rich heart of Oaxaca and the storied landscapes of the Yucatán Peninsula. In Oaxaca, the rhythm of life is rooted in centuries-old traditions: vibrant street markets brim with textiles, pottery and smoky mezcal, while ancient Zapotec ruins like Monte Albán rise above the valley. In Yucatán, a different cultural tapestry unfolds. Cities like Mérida pulse with music, pastel-coloured buildings and a thriving arts scene. Beyond the cityscapes, dense jungles guard majestic Mayan ruins like&nbsp;Chichen Itza. Cenotes—natural limestone sinkholes filled with crystal-clear water—offer a mystical alternative to the beach. And the food and the people? Equally unforgettable.</p>

A spicy adventure

Cycle Oaxacan mountain villages and walk Mayan ruins and cenotes on small group or private bespoke trips through Mexico, with mezcal tastings.

Mexico Bike & Walking Tours | Butterfield & Robinson

Luxurious Stays

Off the Beaten Path

Exclusive Access

<p>Mexico hums with colour, flavour and culture. Where smoky mezcal flows from generations-old distilleries and markets pulse with energy. Kayak quiet mangroves and unwind in design-forward haciendas that feel blissfully off the map. Hike and bike the Sierra Norte’s quiet foothills, wander Monte Albán’s ancient heights and embrace the warmth of the people—and the food. Vibrant, layered and full of soul, Mexico doesn’t follow a script. It dances to its own rhythm.&nbsp;</p>

Bike Maya ruins, kayak cenotes and hike Yucatán jungle trails on a tailor-made itinerary. Private archaeological access and experiences most travellers miss.

Mexico Private Tours: Maya Ruins, Cenote Kayaking & Yucatán Jungle

Authentic Food

Active Adventure

Local Connections

<p>Oaxaca is Mexico's tastiest secret—mezcal trails, ancient ruins, and mole worth crossing borders for. Pedal past giant cypress trees, hike between Zapotec mountain villages, and explore vibrant markets,&nbsp;hidden canyons and the sun-soaked Pacific Coast. With boutique stays and locals who turn every encounter into a fiesta, this adventure serves up Mexico’s soul—with extra salsa.&nbsp;</p>

Preview the itinerary

Experience Designer

Spend 6 nights in Mexico City and Oaxaca in a small group for B&R's 60th. Baroque churches, Aztec pyramids, world-class cuisine and access that changes how

Mexico City & Oaxaca Tour: Baroque Churches, Aztec Pyramids & Fine Cuisine

Immersive Cultural Experiences 

Multi-Active Adventure

<p>Step into Oaxaca when it’s at its most magical: <i>Día de Muertos</i>, when streets glow with colour, music fills the air, and ancient rituals honour the dead. From bustling markets and hands-on cooking workshops to candlelit altars and late-night parades, every day blends active adventure with intimate, immersive encounters—celebrating life, honouring the past, and creating memories that will linger long after the candles burn out.</p>

Spend 5 nights in Oaxaca in a small group. Zapotec ruins at Monte Albán, mezcal distilleries and a food culture with more chefs per capita than anywhere in

Oaxaca Walking Tour: Zapotec Ruins, Mezcal Distilleries & Día de Muertos

Authentic Food & Mezcal

<p>A different side of Mexico unfolds in Oaxaca, where culture, craft and landscape are inseparable. Cycle through mezcal country, hike misty mountain trails in the Sierra Norte and explore ancient Zapotec ruins on a journey through Oaxaca’s rich cultural heart. Along the way, discover vibrant markets, family-run workshops and exceptional local cuisine, all set against agave fields, colonial cities and hidden valleys—an experience shaped by movement, flavour and connection.</p>

Experience Oaxaca’s vibrant culture on a multi-active small group tour. Cycle mezcal country, hike ancient trails and enjoy authentic local connections with B&R.

A conversation with MELT co-founder Kathryn Drewlo

Mexico

Including the inspiration behind Melt's wellness driven trip to Oaxaca in collaboration with B&R, and a glimpse of what travellers can look forward to.

Company

Essentials

Connect