Recline: Destination Rejuvination
Exploring local hotels and resorts that are hip to the latest spa trends
With the proliferation of resort and destination spas over the last five years, the most forward-thinking hotels and resorts now offer programs and treatments that go beyond pampering and looking good.
Travellers still want to escape from the stresses of everyday life but they also want their luxury indulgences balanced with health-conscious activities that promote long-term fitness and well-being, says Wanda Love, Director of Marketing at the Santé Wellness Group. “The spa lifestyle which focuses on wellness is just starting to come into vogue in Canada and America. This is a much more European approach to wellness and integrated wellness programs like our Living Better Program are definitely the start of a growing trend.”
Spa treatments are no longer an add-on service and all of the Coastlines’ featured resorts provide therapies and wellness programs as an integral part of a vacation.
A great spa resort is not just a place to rest your head but a place that will revitalize body and spirit.
Salt Springs Spa Resort
1460 North Beach Rd, Saltspring Island, BC, 250.537.4111, www.saltspringspa.com
Enjoy an alternative spa experience at Salt Springs Spa Resort, an oasis beside the sea near the town of Ganges on Saltspring Island. As well as offering traditional treatments including wraps, facials, massage and reflexology, the spa is one of the few on the West Coast to offer an extensive selection of Ayurvedic therapies and cleansing programs.
In Sanskrit Ayurveda means “knowledge of life” or “science of life” and it is an age-old system of medicine that has evolved on the Indian subcontinent. “Ayurveda is about the art of living in harmony with nature,” explains Radhika Sugden, one of Salt Springs Spa’s Ayurvedic practitioners. “Ayurvedic treatments are different because we go deeper and focus on the whole lifestyle and look at the physical as well as the spiritual.”
During pre-treatment consultations, therapists establish the client’s natural constitution or “dosha” before pinpointing and treating the diet and lifestyle issues that affect health. After a consultation, individual cleansing treatments are created to remove toxins and restore balance. Four and nine-day cleanses are available alongside Ayurvedic yoga, massage and specialist therapies such as herbalized steam treatment and eye-cleansing therapy.
The resort itself consists of chalets featuring wood-burning stoves, kitchens and mineral water spas. You can bike into Ganges and visit the art galleries or farmers market, or stay put and pick up a crab trap or clamming gear from the resort and enjoy the wholesome and relaxed resort ambience.
Santé Spa terrace mineral pool (Santé Spa Bear Mountain)
Bear Mountain Resort
1999 Country Club Way, Victoria, BC, 1.888.533.BEAR [2327], www.bearmountain.ca
At Bear Mountain you can golf in the morning, visit the spa in the afternoon and enjoy world cuisines all day long. Situated a 30-minute drive west from the Inner Harbour, this spectacular destination features a luxury hotel and spa, golf and country club and a residential and vacation village.
It’s not just the facilities that mark Bear Mountain as above-average, but also its range of wellness services available for those dealing with serious health issues. As well as offering a fully kitted gym, personal training sessions and a pool, the Mountainside Athletic Club runs aquatic and land-based rehabilitation programs for visitors living with chronic conditions, physical impairment or in need of post-operative rehab.
Relax on the links at Bear Mountain
(Courtesy of Bear Mountain Resort)Beginning in the fall, personal health consultations will be available as part of the Living Better program at the Santé Spa situated in the Westin Bear Mountain Victoria Golf Resort and Spa. The program will provide integrated fitness, nutritional and medical advice and is aimed at guests dealing with significant life changes, those who need to get in shape or improve the management of health conditions that affect quality of life. The program has already been a hit with guests at Santé’s Calgary location.
Named among the top-10 best spas in the world for Best Medical Program in the annual Spa Finder’s Readers’ Choice Awards, Santé Spa also offers regular spa treatments alongside medical esthetic therapies. Non-invasive skin rejuvenation treatments including Botox, medical microdermabrasion and chemical peels are all available under the supervision of a physician.
The biggest draw at Bear Mountain is of course the all-season golf. The par-71 Mountain course is a Nicklaus-designed course featuring a unique 19th betting hole, which offers views of Victoria and the San Juan Islands. Golf addicts who can’t get enough will soon be able to test their skills on the par-72 Valley Course which is currently under construction. The first nine holes are due to open in the summer of 2008.
Brentwood Bay Lodge and Spa
849 Verdier Avenue, Victoria, BC, 250.544.2079, www.brentwoodbaylodge.com
Soothing spa room at Brentwood
Bay Lodge and Spa (Brentwood
Bay Lodge and Spa)Oenophiles will find much to love at Brentwood Bay Lodge and Spa on the Saanich Inlet near Victoria. Not only is the coastal retreat within reach of Cowichan Valley wine country, the Essence of Life spa has gained a reputation for its innovative vinotherapies. They include massages with red wine and vine grapes, the decadent-sounding Vino Bath and a number of wine-inspired wraps and scrubs.
For those who can pull themselves away from the intoxicating lure of the spa, there are numerous outdoor activities available at the Eco Adventure Centre at the resort marina. Brentwood is a PADI Dive Resort and dive trips and courses are available all year round. If you prefer to see your wildlife without getting wet, single and double kayak rentals are also available.
Five star accommodations are available at the award-winning boutique lodge, which is an exemplar of West Coast contemporary design. All 33 rooms feature ocean views and original works of art by BC artists. Additional resort amenities include a 50-slip marina, an art gallery, fine wines and spirits shop, a grill and wine bar, sushi and sake bar and a pub.
Coastal Trek Health and Fitness Resort
1800 Forbidden Plateau Road, Courtenay, BC, 250.897.8735, www.coastaltrekresort.com
The Lodge at Coastal Trek Health and Fitness Resort
(Jim Scholari)Life is a little more intense at Coastal Trek Health and Fitness Resort in the Comox Valley on the central east coast of
Vancouver Island. It’s the ideal destination for anyone wanting to kick-start a healthy lifestyle. The resort has a team of fitness instructors and hiking guides who provide guests with an invigorating West Coast workout. “People come here thinking it is going to be a bit more of a boot camp than it actually is,” says resort co-owner Andrea Stuchbery. “The days are quite structured but we make sure they’re fun and full of lots of activities. People come here to lose weight and others come to get a healthy routine set up, but they really, really enjoy themselves at the same time.”
Situated at 2,200 ft on the Forbidden Plateau, it is a great place to get outdoors. Hiking is at the heart of the fitness programs which are tailored to accommodate individual abilities and goals. As well as daily hikes on local trails, Coastal Trek’s premier intensive 7-Day Health, Hiking and Fitness Program incorporates early morning yoga and stretch classes, full body massages and healthy cooking sessions with the in-house chef.
Guests on a hiking workout at Coastal Trek Health
and Fitness Resort (Jim Scholari)When you’re not working off the pounds you can admire the views across Georgia Strait, relax in the steam room or the hot tub with a view or chill out in one of the lodge’s 12 rooms.
Pacific Palisades Hotel
1277 Robson Street, Vancouver, BC, 604.688.0461, www.pacificpalisadeshotel.com
The Pacific Palisades Hotel allows you to get away from it all without leaving the heart of downtown Vancouver. Visitors can enjoy the hotel’s South Beach vibe while maintaining their daily fitness routines.
Yoga kits are available free for guests who can then follow an instructional video on a dedicated channel at any time of day or night. Personal yoga and Pilates sessions can also be booked with trained teachers.
For something a little more high energy, there’s the MBody Fitness + Wellness Spa with a 55-ft pool, cardio studio and weights and stretching room. Guests can book sessions with personal trainers or join drop-in sessions that include Swim Fit, Boot Camp and cardio and core conditioning classes.
Guests get free yoga kits at Pacific
Palisades Hotel in Vancouver
(Pacific Palisades Hotel)If you prefer to take it easy, MBody has a range of treatments to suit all needs. Everyone is welcome to try the poolside cabana where Foot Ritual Treatments provide respite and rejuvenation for weary and neglected feet.
There are separate facial, pedicure and massage treatments for men and women, a collection of treatments for 5- to 11-year-olds and sessions available for couples. There’s even a Pampered Pooch package, which includes a one-hour massage for owner and canine.
Every room at this four-star boutique hotel makes a fashion statement and for travellers looking for something stylish and quirky, the Palisades provides the perfect urban retreat.
