Canada is a country boasting unparalleled natural beauty. Possessing a variety of landscapes from mountains to prairies, lakes, rivers, and national parks, it’s no wonder it plays host to some of the greatest natural, unique, and luxurious spas that reconnect to nature and rejuvenate the soul.
Chelsea, Quebec
A twenty-minute drive from Canada’s capital city of Ottawa in the Outaouais region of Quebec, the Nordik Spa-Nature offers an escape from city life. Claiming to be the largest spa in North America, it offers relaxation and heat-therapy techniques that originated in Scandinavian countries. With multisensory experiences through a natural setting, the spa specializes in thermotherapy; a 2,000-year-old ritual involving alternating between hot and cold temperatures followed by a rest period.
Also on offer is the Källä Treatment. Similar to the weightlessness experienced when floating in the Dead Sea, the Källä treatment seeks to imitate that sensation in a salt-water pool, generating a sleep-like atmosphere while relieving stress, helping with inflammation, and increasing creativity.
Another not-to-be-missed experience is The Banyä Treatment. Taking its cues from a 1,000-year-old Russian tradition, the Banyä sauna places you for equal time in dry heat and humid sauna steam. This 60-minute treatment is completed in steps. First, a broom made from birch branches is infused in hot water. Next, your body is exfoliated with salts and essential oils before the whipping ritual begins using the infused birch veniks.
The Banyä ends with a celebratory Aufguss ritual. Aufguss (the German word for infusion) encompasses the senses of sight, scent, and feel using choreographed towel movements. The Aufguss circulates hot air created by melting snowballs infused with essential oils. A post-jump in the plunge pool offers a much-needed cool down after this intense session.
Nordik also houses ten exterior baths, nine distinct saunas, an infinity pool, exfoliation room, outdoor massage facilities, and hammocks for optimal relaxation. With a second location in Winnipeg, Nordik is set to open a third location in Whitby, Ontario, in 2020.
Edmonton, Alberta
One of the youngest major cities in Canada, Edmonton also happens to be one of the sunniest. Edmonton enjoys 325 days of bright sunshine each year. Opening its doors in August, with a premier downtown location, the JW Edmonton ICE District prides itself on luxury offerings. The Ice District is a newer area of downtown Edmonton, developed to surround Roger’s Place Arena, the home rink of the Edmonton Oilers hockey franchise.
After catching a game, you can indulge in curated services of The Spa by JW. Enjoy refreshments and a light snack in the cozy lounge while waiting for your treatment in one of the serene treatment rooms. Try the Rose Gold, a gemstone-infused premier collagen treatment with iced rose quartz wands infused in rose oil. The Jet Lag Cure is ideal for the constant traveler, blending shiatsu and Thai techniques with mandarin orange and juniper essential oils.
Then, in a dream-like state, relax and continue to melt away stress by the pool, hot tub, and steam room.
Sonora Island, British Columbia
Sonora Resort is a 50-minute helicopter ride from Vancouver, surrounded by pristine, majestic, and unspoiled areas of British Columbia. Each room is crafted from cedar stone and offers picturesque ocean views. Get into a plush robe, grab a glass of wine from your all-inclusive mini-bar, and use binoculars to be inspired by nature in its purest form – you might just see seals swim by and bald eagles soar overhead.
While at the Sonora Resort, enjoy revitalization at Island Currents Spa, where the signature treatment, the Therapeutic Channel Water Journey, includes alternating dips in warm and cool mineral pools overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
The Pacific Elements Experience features a dry exfoliation of the body along with a coastal beach stone massage, which is followed by a soak in the hydrotherapy tub. With 252 jets, the tub targets aches and tension while increasing circulation and metabolism. The tub also features chromo light therapy, said to alleviate stress caused by overexposure to fluorescent lighting.
