If you’re on the hunt for a moment of zen, here are a trio of places to find it.
The Underground Oasis: Spa Soleá
Where: 900 W Georgia St.
“Hidden” and “underground” are usually words to describe an after-hours club, but in this case, it’s a luxurious, newly renovated spa. Underneath the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver is Spa Soleá, an escape in the middle of the city that has everything from massages and facials to hair and nail care.
There’s even a meditation room where you lie down on a heated chair with a sound and sensory experience. Your treatments also grant you access to the infrared sauna, eucalyptus steam room and relaxation lounge with snacks and tea. Talk about a peaceful retreat.
The Root Reset: Heaven Head Spa
Where: 4345 Dunbar St.
If your favourite part of getting a haircut is the wash and quick complimentary head massage, then you’ll love a 60-minute classic head spa and hair-washing session at Heaven Head Spa.
Lie under layers of warm, weighted blankets and let soft hands do the rest. The neck and shoulder massages, hot stones and essential oils are a precursor to the mane event: scalp exfoliation, head massages (by hand and with the waterfall ring) and double hair washing.
When it’s time to open your eyes, sit back with a cup of tea and a foot massage while they blow-dry your hair. Expect to have an amazing hair day and a still-clean scalp the next day.
The Hot House: AetherHaus
Where: 1768 Davie St.
While many of the most-hyped circuit spas of today are based on Nordic practices, AetherHaus more specifically has roots in the German concept of “aufguss,” a ritual where aromatic steam is circulated through the sauna, and Russian banya, a communal bathhouse tradition known for heat, steam and social connection.
Expect more wafting than at Scandinave (here, staff are armed with big, swooping fans to whip the hot air around), and more chatter, too. The sauna is made from Himalayan salt bricks instead of cedar, though warm wood benches wrap around the room to seat dozens of heat seekers at a time.
Like the other hot spots in town, it’s an experience designed to truly relax you, starting with a good shvitz surrounded by eucalyptus-scented steam as staff ladle hot water onto the sizzling rocks. Pools are, as expected, icy cold and offer a pleasant shock to the system post-sweat, surrounded by candles.
