RITUAL NORDIC SPA | BRITISH COLUMBIA'S FIRST URBAN NORDIC SPA OPENS IN VICTORIA

Ritual Nordic Spa has opened in Victoria, BC. Although it's the first Nordic Spa built on Vancouver Island, it's not BC's first Scandinavian focused spa. La Scandinave Spa opened in Whistler just in time for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.  

Inspired by the classic sauna tradition of Finland, Victoria's Ritual Nordic Spa reimagines the hot/cold/relax circuit -- creating a modern sauna experience in an urban setting. Located in Harris Green neighborhood just minutes from Victoria's Inner Harbour, Ritual Nordic Spa's features include:

• Indoor cold plunge pool
• Four saunas (including Finnish and infrared)
• Steam room
• Warm Himalayan salt lounge
• Nordic showers
• Outdoor patios
• Lockers | Robes-Sandals | Showers | Towels

Other wellness offerings include massage services, a generous lounge and outdoor space and a cafe bar featuring beverages and apres spa snacks. 

The newly-opened urban oasis is the vision of of Marci Hotsenpiller, Founder and CEO of Ritual Nordic Spa. "My first sauna experience was at age three at my grandmother's Muskoka cottage in Ontario, and I've been obsessed with the experience ever since," said Hotsenpiller. Growing up in a ski racing family who spent winters on the slopes of Austria and Switzerland, post-ski recovery in thermal baths and cold plunge pools was part of their program. "Ritual fulfills my dream of bringing all the amazing benefits of the hot sauna, cold plunge and massage under one roof in my hometown of Victoria," said Hotsenpiller. "With the opportunity for a cold beverage afterward." 

In Scandinavian culture, the sauna is a place to rest and cleanse your mind and body. The heart of Nordic spa involves moving the body through a cycle of thermotherapy: Hot | Cold | Rest | Repeat. The cycle's goal is to achieve temperature contrasts that boost immunity, mood and overall wellbeing. 

Ritual Nordic Spa was designed with the environment and sustainability in mind. Spaces were created to maximize natural light and utilize energy efficient water filtration, heating and energy recovery systems.

The Ritual Nordic Spa Circuit is a two-hour experience in a contemporary space. Guests move through the hot/cold/rest cycle offered by the spa's traditional Finish sauna, herbal-scented steam room, cold plunge pool, bucket showers and the chill-out zones of a Himalayan salt lounge and outdoor patios. The circuit may be completed on the guest's own time, independently or with others. Other offerings include massage services from a registered therapist in one of three treatment rooms and a unique Alpine dry-brush experience. 

Ritual Nordic Spa Circuit

$59 for mid-week visits, $69 on weekends

Series passes available

Ritual Nordic Spa

989 Johnson Street - #1

Victoria, BC 

778.440.9009

VICTORIA'S OAK BAY BEACH HOTEL VOTED TOP HOTEL IN CANADA

Victoria's Oak Bay Beach Hotel has been recognized with Conde Nast Traveler's 2021 Reader's Choice Award: 

#1 Hotel in Canada

#19 Hotel in the World 

 “It is a great honor to receive this recognition from Condé Nast Traveler’s esteemed readership. Personalized service and meaningful connections are at the core of everything we do. This award recognizes the best in the industry and is a great testament to the dedication, passion, and resilience our employees have embodied every day during this challenging year. From intimate getaways to wellness-inspired weekends, conferences, weddings, or events, the Oak Bay Beach Hotel is a beloved home-away-from-home for local and international guests alike. We look forward to celebrating this recognition with our team members and valued guests from near far over the coming months. Thank you!” 

Madone Pelan ~ General Manager

©SueFrausePhoto

I was a guest at the Oak Bay Beach Hotel several years after its opening in 2012. The 100-room luxury boutique property overlooks the Strait of Juan de Fuca and features the full-service Boathouse Spa and three heated outdoor mineral pools. Dining options include The Snug Pub for indoor/outdoor dining and the new FARO Handcrafted Pizza and Tasting Room. 

©SueFrausePhoto

OAK BAY BEACH HOTEL

1175 Beach Drive, Victoria BC

250.598.4556

Oak Bay Tourism

Conde Nast Travelers 2021 Readers' Awards 

Top 15 Hotels in Canada as selected by Conde Nast Traveler's 2021 Readers' Choice Awards

1. Oak Bay Beach Hotel - Victoria, BC
2. Fairmont Waterfront Hotel - Vancouver, BC
3. Hotel 71 - Quebec City
4. Hotel Gault - Montreal,
5. Sofitel Montreal Golden Mile - Montreal
6. Fogo Island Inn - Newfoundland & Labrador
7. Rosewood Hotel Georgia - Vancouver, BC
8. Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac - Quebec City
9. Manoir Hovey - North Hatley, Quebec
10. Le Germain Hotel Quebec - Quebec City
11. Fairmont Pacific Rim - Vancouver, BC
12. The Magnolia Hotel & Spa - Victoria, BC
13. Loden Hotel - Vancouver, BC
14. Auberge Saint-Antoine - Quebec City
15. Pan Pacific - Vancouver, BC

Victoria's Oak Bay Beach Hotel offers Fall Getaway Promotion

The summer crowds are gone, the kids are back in school and autumn is an opportune time to spring for an autumn getaway. And with the US dollar getting more bang for its buck in Canada these days, Vancouver Island is an ideal destination.

The Oak Bay Beach Hotel in Victoria has a special Fall Getaway Promotion. If you haven't stayed at this beautiful property, located just minutes away from Victoria's Inner Harbour, you're in for a treat.

There is plenty to do once you're settled in. Oak Bay Beach Hotel has 100 rooms, all with outdoor balconies or decks; fireplaces; Canadian art; and bathrobes. In addition to the views, outside there's a pool and hot seaside mineral bath. Back in the hotel, The Snug Pub is a fun place to cozy up for a light meal or opt for something a bit more elegant in the Dining Room. 

For total relaxation, book a massage or facial at the Boathouse Spa & Baths. Yoga classes are held outdoors Sunday mornings (weather permitting). Movie Nights are held on Tuesdays, and there are dinner shows in the David Foster Foundation Theatre.

The Fall Getaway Promotion is for stays between October 3 - December 21, 2016 and includes:

• One night in an elegantly appointed room
• $40 hotel credit per night 
• Full access to the hot seaside mineral baths, steam sauna and fitness studio 
• Complimentary parking, Wi-Fi, movie channel and turndown service

For reservations, call 800.668.7758 and quote Promo Code or book online. Rates are in Canadian dollars (1 US dollar equals $1.32 Canadian dollars). For more ideas of what to do on the island, click on the Tourism Victoria website.

Photos by Sue Frause | October 2014

Canadian Skin Care Spa skoah Opens Locations in Seattle and Bellevue

skoah on Seattle's Pike Street. Photo courtesy skoah. 

I first met skoah face to face (pun intended) when it opened in Vancouver's Yaletown neighborhood in 2001. It was somewhat revolutionary in the spa world back then, specializing in smooth skin, melted muscles and "no whale music." I experienced the Facialiscious, a deluxe facial that includes cleansing, exfoliation, extraction, massage and moisturizing. And my skin felt as soft as a baby's bum! 

Chris and Andrea Scott's Canadian-based company has grown and expanded in the past dozen years, and now includes seven Canadian locations and two in Boston. Recently, they ventured south of the 49th Parallel again, opening three locations in the Puget Sound area: one in Bellevue and two in Seattle.

I had my first American Facialiscious a few weeks ago at skoah's Pike Street location (downtown Seattle, on Pike between Fourth and Fifth). They also have a location on Capitol Hill's Broadway, and one in Bellevue. Katie was my aesthetician, and she didn't disappoint. Not only did my face feel delightfully rehabbed, the masks and massages included in the treatment were most welcome. 

Since my debut at the Vancouver spa, skoah has developed its own line of skin care products, all made in BC's largest city. Through customer and crew feedback, its original product line of five has expanded to 70 products, plus a proprietary make-up line. The skoah spa menu has 10 customized treatments, from a $45 Quickie to a Mancial facial for men -- which includes exfoliation of the feet.

With its tag line personal training for your skin, skoah employs skin care trainers who provide customized facials that they dub "skin care workouts" (sweat-free). And just like a gym, skoah offers memberships, which include product discounts and other member-only benefits. Use the coupon below to experience skoah yourself -- just book and use before Christmas Eve. A perfect pre-holiday gift for you or a friend!

Finnish-invented TipCup co-designed by owner of Victoria's Silk Road

What's being described as a "revolutionary teacup" was co-designed by Daniela Cubelic, a Victoria, BC tea master and owner of Silk Road. The Finnish invented tea cup, called the TipCup, is 11 cm in diameter (4.5"), making it ideal for two-hand holding. It features an inbuilt removal strainer for in-cup tea brewing and easy cleaning, along with a dual-angled, triangle shaped bottom. You simply tip one side to brew and the other side to drink.

Cubelic, a highly acclaimed tea master with more than 20 years in the industry, calls the tea cup's design extraordinary and innovative. With more than 4,000 years of recorded history, she says it's the first tea cup with the dual tipping feature -- comparable to when teapots or teaballs were first invented. Silk Road has the sole Canadian distribution rights of the Magisso TipCup, which is now available at Silk Road's storefront on Government Street in Victoria ($29.90 CAD), in either black or white. 

Cubelic compares the tea cup to wine glasses. "It's well known that temperature and the vessel’s lip thickness and shape affects the taste of wine – the same is true for tea,” said Cubelic. The tea master collaborated with inventor Laura Bougdanos and head designer Vesa Jaasko on the cup's design. Although a newcomer on the tea-culture block, the Magisso TipCup  has already won an honourable mention at the reddot design awards for 2011.

Silk Road has been a fixture in Victoria’s historic Chinatown for nearly two decades. The store features a large selection of premium, organic loose-leaf teas; a host of brewing essentials, from teapots to kettles and specialty cups; a tea-tasting bar; and a tea-inspired natural spa. All the store’s organic teas are blended locally in Victoria, with its products available at a number of Canadian spas, retailers and hotels. 

Vancouver's Top 10 Spas come in all styles and sizes

Victoria and Toby Carr of Vancouver's Breathe Spa
Photo by Sue Frause

Vancouver is my favorite spa city in North America. Among my favorites are Absolute Spa, Breathe Spa, Miraj Hammam, Skoah, Spruce Body Lab, The Spa at the Wedgewood Hotel and Vida Spa (several locations). In fact, I'm so hooked on having my eyebrows tweaked (OK, tweezed!) by Asuncion at The Spa at the Wedgewood, I plan my trips to Vancouver around the state of my 'brows!

Two new luxurious hotel spas also make my list, offering top quality treatments: Willow Stream Spa at Fairmont Pacific Rim and CHI, The Spa at ShingriLa. When I was in Vancouver in January, word was that Tom Cruise, wife Katie Holmes and daughter Suri were staying at the ShangriLa during the filming of Mission Impossible 4. I didn't see them, but the sightings were frequent.

Among my favorite small spas is Breathe Spa, owned and operated by Victoria and Toby Carr. Victoria trained in beauty therapy in her native England, where she owned and operated her own spa. With 14 years experience, she also managed a spa for one of the world's exclusive cruise lines. Her husband Toby is a registered acupuncturist, with more than five years experience in health and bodywork.

During my latest trip to Vancouver, I booked a Hawaiian Organic Body Scrub with Melissa. Knowing that I'd be going to the Big Island of Hawaii the next month, what better way to get into the Aloha spirit? The treatment started with a warm water foot bath, followed by a Malie Organic Liliko and Lemongrass Body scrub, Plumeria Body Mist, application of warm towels and finishing with Malie Organic Lilikoi and Lemongrass Beauty Oil. The treatment was lush, and I left feeling relaxed and ready for my upcoming Hawaiian adventure. 

Quickie With Montreal: Cheat on your city!

Tourism Toronto and Tourisme Montréal have paired up and are doin' a little cheatin' on each other. Here's the deal.

According to a recent survey, Torontonians love to cheat on their city a la Monreala. A whopping 85% have had an affair in La Belle Provence at least once, and nearly half of those who have cheated don't always fess up to their friends.

So now the two cities want everybody to know that it's really OK to cheat. And even better, they're encouraging quickies with each other's city all summer long.

So what about Montrealers? Mais oui! They are even less likely to admit their indiscretions, with more than half (675) admitting they only tell their friends about their indiscretions sometimes. Yet 76% of respondents have traveled to Toronto at least once before.

Now through June 7, Toronto and Montreal are hosting mobile confession booths where residents can profess why they would cheat on their city. The booths are set up in a mock hotel room (complete with bathrobes), and the videos are being uploaded to QuickieWithMontreal.com. Visitors to the site may vote for their favorite confessions.

The winner will receive:

Round-trip transportation for two via Air Canada from Toronto to Montréal (up to but not exceeding a value of $2000)

Two nights’ accommodation for two in a four-star hotel (valued at approximately $400)

$200 gift certificate at Spa, Scandinave Les Bains Vieux-Montréal

Dinner for two (2) at a DNA restaurant (a value of $150 CA)

Tickets or passes for various Montréal attractions

The cuisine and restos of Montreal are memorable
Photo by Sue Frause

BC Ferries introduces spa services on two boats

BC Ferries. Photo by Sue Frause.

I thought it was cool when cruise ships like Holland America added spa services to their list of things to do while sailing on the high seas.

Now BC Ferries has joined in on the spa trend, offering shipboard pampering while traveling the waters of British Columbia.

Beginning in mid-May 2010, travelers aboard the Spirit of British Columbia and Spirit of Vancouver Island will be able to enjoy manicures, pedicures and chair massages.

BC Ferries has partnered with C Spa to make the three services available on Thursdays-Mondays on the 7AM, 9AM, 11AM and 1PM sailings from both Tsawwassen and Swartz Bay. Appointments are on a first-come, first-served basis. Prices are $30 CDN for a manicure, $40 CDN for a pedcurei and $65 CDN for a mani-pedi. The rate is $20 CDN for a 15-minute chair massage.

The new C Spa is located in a stateroom on Deck 6 of the Spirit vessels. To book an appointment, sign up at the tour operator's desk on Deck 5.

"Live and Learn" packages at British Columbia's April Point Resort & Spa and Painter's Lodge

Two of BC's special destinations are offering Live and Learn packages this spring and summer.

Both Painter's Lodge in Campbell River and the nearby April Point Resort & Spa on Quadra Island have put together some cool programs that include two nights' accommodation and all instructions. Rates are per person, based on double occupancy.

Here's a sampling of the offerings; the complete descriptions may be found here.

Intermediate Bridge: May 10-12 ($199)
Photographers at Painter's: May 14-16 ($329)
Blossom With Yoga: May 18-20 ($199)
Bird Watching: May 18-20 ($199)
Ballroom & Latin Dancing: May 24-26 ($199)
Drawing With Soul: May 24-26 ($199)
Belly Dancing: June 2-4 ($199)
Making Sense with the Sense of Humor: June 8-10 ($199)

You may even see some wildlife!

Sunset at April Point Resort & Spa
Photo by Sue Frause

Top Spas in North America: Canada makes the list

Hot stone massage at April Point Resort & Spa on Quadra Island, BC. Photo by Sue Frause.

Conde Nast Traveler has come out with its list of Top 240 Spas and no surprise that Canada is in the mix. Here are Canada's top five resort spas:

• King Pacific Lodge, Princess Royal Island, British Columbia
• Wickaninnish Inn, Vancouver Island, British Columbia
• Willow Stream Spa at The Fairmont Banff Springs, Alberta
• Four Seasons Resort Spa, Whistler, British Columbia
• Willow Stream Spa at The Fairmont Empress, Victoria, British Columbia

I've only been to two of the five, so it looks like I need to do some more research! Although not on the list, another favorite and unique spa is at Rockwater Secret Cove Resort on BC's Sunshine Coast.

Le Scandinave Spa Whistler opens for the Vancouver Winter Olympics

La Scandinave Spa

Le Scandinave Spa Whistler opens Jan. 30, 2010. I visited Le Scandinave in Mount Tremblant, Quebec a number of years ago and felt right at home. After all, I'm a Daughter of Norway!

Scandinavian baths are known for their energizing and relaxing properties. The unique spa experience includes a eucalyptus steam bath, wood-burning Finnish dry sauna, outdoor hot baths, thermal and Nordic waterfalls, cold baths and cold showers, solariums, relaxation areas and an outdoor fireplace.

12 Pacific Northwest Getaways (BC included)

No surprise that among my list of 12 Pacific Northwest Getaways that I'm posting on my Examiner.com website, two from British Columbia have already made the list: Vancouver, BC and Vancouver Island's Oceanside Region (Parkside and Qualicum Beach).

I've only posted a third of my dozen destinations to date, so keep checking my Examiner site for the remainder of the list. And yes, British Columbia will be in the future mix!

Summer sunset at Tigh-Na-Mara Seaside Spa Resort, Parksville, BC
Photo by Sue Frause

Closet Canuck's Great Big Canadian Train Adventure FINAL DAY 13: Homeward Bound to Vancouver, BC

Among the highlights of the trip were all the people I met aboard the Canadian, like this couple from Hamburg. Currently residing in New York City, we plan to meet up again in the coming. Every passenger had a story, and with four days/nights to fill, there was plenty of time to get to know folks.

Getting close to Vancouver, BC and no surprise it's grey and rainy!

Raindrops keep fallin' on my head. But my 5,006km VIA Rail Canada journey (3,111 miles) from Halifax to Vancouver was mostly under blue skies.

First on my agenda in Vancouver was a cappuccino at Caffe Artigiano, just a few blocks from the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver.

After lunch at The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, I enjoyed a wonderful massage at Absolute Spa, located on the lower floor.

My train adventure wasn't over, as I caught the 5:45 PM Amtrak Cascades from Vancouver to Seattle. Sadly, the food aboard Amtrak wasn't nearly as good as on VIA Rail. I stuck with snacks and wine, and watched the latest Harry Potter movie. What a wonderful adventure I've had!

Photos by Sue Frause

Vancouver's St. Regis Hotel offers 'Just The Most Perfect Massage' at special introductory rates

Vancouver's St. Regis Hotel is now offering what they're calling Just The Most Perfect Massage program. A private studio suite is the hotel's new venue for on-site massage treatments. They are available both for guests and locals beginning Oct. 18, 2009.

The massage program is led by staff therapist Mishal Rijal, trained and certified in four distinct styles of massage: Traditional Thai, Polynesian (Balinese), Swedish and Deep Tissue. Rijal works with clients to identify the best massage treatment, whether it's a gentle release of daily stress, recovery from hard exertion or relieving pain from chronic conditions.

Born in Nepal, Rijal trained in Thailand and Dubai, eventually moving to Canada. While working through the immigration process, he had a one-year contract with the spa at the Radisson SAS Dubai. While there, his clientele included several members of European and Asian royal families.

Rijal moved to Montreal and opened up his own clinic, where he was certified in massage therapy by the Natural Health Practitioners of Canada. He has since relocated to Vancouver where he's on the staff of the St. Regis Hotel.

Special introductory rates are in effect through Jan. 1, 2010: $30 for a 30-minute massage and $60 for a 60-minute massage. The St. Regis Hotel is located in downtown Vancouver at 602 Dunsmuir Street.

Executive suite at the St. Regis Hotel

BC's Hasting House offers 3 for 2 special

One of British Columbia's most elegant inns, Hastings House on Salt Spring Island, is offering a 3 for 2 special this fall. Simply put, pay for two nights and the third is free.

Included in the special are overnight accommodations, an English breakfast, afternoon tea and a picnic lunch. The offer is valid through Nov. 7, 2009 when the inn closes for the season. It reopens April 2, 2010.

Here are a few of the activities going on this autumn at Hastings House:

Shelley and Callie are busy planting hundreds of bulbs on the grounds. That means a glorious display of flora and color in the spring of 2010.

There is an abundance of fruit at Hasting Hosue this year. The kitchen staff will be harvesting the pears in October, so look for some special desserts and other menu items incorporating pears.

Chef Marcel Kauer is preparing a yummy Autumn Bisque, using local organic produce delivered to the Hastings House by Charlie Eagle of Bright Farms.

See more of my photos from my 2007 stay here.

Late summer roses in bloom at Hastings House
Photo by Sue Frause

Villa Marco Polo Inn - Victoria, BC

The award-winning inn is located in the Rockland area.

The 1923 built home features four suites and a spa.

Alexandria, Persia, Silk Road, Zanzibar. Which suite??

The Persia Suite's exotic garden-like tub room.

Suites include flowers, robes and chocolates.

Breakast in this sunny room or the dining room.

Enjoy the reflection pool, fountain and statuary.

Villa Marco Polo Inn
1524 Shasta Place, Victoria (Vancouver Island)
250-370-1524
Photographs by Sue Frause

More crazy questions about O Canada!

Sunset at April Point Resort & Spa in British Columbia. Sue Frause photo.

I don't know where these email forwards originate from, but a native of Montreal who now lives in the Pacific Northwest sent me this one. Apparently it's from an international tourism website.

That in itself sounds a bit phony, but supposedly the questions are real ... and of course the answers are a joke. Thanks to all the Canadians who have such a good sense of humor about all this silliness.
Q: I have never seen it warm on Canadian TV, so how do the plants grow? EnglandA: We import all plants fully grown and then just sit around and watch them die.
Q: Will I be able to see polar bears in the street? USAA: Depends on how much you've been drinking.
Q: I want to walk from Vancouver to Toronto. Can I follow the railroad tracks? Sweden
A: Sure, it's only 4,000 miles, take lots of water.
Q: Is it safe to run around in the bushes in Canada ? SwedenA: So it's true what they say about Swedes.
Q: Can you give me some information about hippo racing in Canada? USA
A: A-fri-ca is the big triangle shaped continent south of Europe. Ca-na-da is that big country to your north...oh forget it. Sure, the hippo racing is every Tuesday night in Calgary. Come naked.
Q: Which direction is north in Canada? USAA: Face south and then turn 180 degrees. Contact us when you get here and we'll send the rest of the directions.
Q: Can I bring cutlery into Canada? EnglandA: Why? Just use your fingers like we do.
Q: Can you send me the Vienna Boys Choir schedule? USAA: Aus-tri-a is that quaint little country bordering Ger-man-y, which is...oh forget it. Sure, the Vienna Boys Choir plays every Tuesday night in Calgary, straight after the hippo races. Come naked.
Q: Do you have perfume in Canada? GermanyA: No, WE don't stink.
Q: I have developed a new product that is the fountain of youth. Where can I sell it in Canada? USAA: Anywhere significant numbers of Americans gather.
Q: Can you tell me the regions in British Columbia where the female population is smaller than the male population? Italy
A: Yes, gay nightclubs.
Q: Do you celebrate Thanksgiving in Canada? USAA: Only at Thanksgiving.
Q: Are there supermarkets in Toronto and is milk available all year round? GermanyA: No, we are a peaceful civilization of vegan hunter/gatherers. Milk is illegal.
Q: I have a question about a famous animal in Canada , but I forget its name. It's a kind of big horse with horns. USA
A: It's called a moose. They are tall and very violent, eating the brains of anyone walking close to them. You can scare them off by spraying yourself with human urine before you go out walking.
Q: Will I be able to speak English most places I go? USAA: Yes, but you will have to learn it first.

Window on Canada: Echo Valley Ranch-Spa

Echo Valley Ranch and Spa is located southwest of 100 Mile House in British Columbia. It's a dude ranch, spa and great place for group getaways. Sue Frause photo.

Oak Bay Marine : Story & Photo Contest

If you have a photo or story from a trip to an Oak Bay Marine Group resort in British Columbia, share it! Not only will it be published in an upcoming issue of Salmon News, there are other prizes, too.

Send your story or photo with caption by e-mail to photocontest@obmg.com or by regular mail to:

Story and Photo Contest
Oak Bay Marine Group
1327 Beach Dr
Victoria, BC V8S 2N4
Canada

Resorts in the Oak Bay Marine Group include Painter's Lodge, April Point Resort & Spa, Canadian Princess Resort, King Salmon Resort, MV Salmon Seeker, MV Charlotte Princess and MV Marabell.

Sunset at April Point Lodge on Quadra Island
Photo by Sue Frause

New Holt Renfrew store in Vancouver is a real beauty

Skybridge en route to Holt Renfrew. Photo by Sue Frause.

Sorry to say that that although Holt Refrew's new store in Vancouver opened more than a year ago, I hadn't popped in until my most recent visit to Vancouver. It's a real beauty! Having outgrown its space in Pacific Centre, it's now just across the skybridge in a new bright and airy space.

It's Holt Renfrew's first new store in more than a decade and also features Holts Salon & Spa Vancouver. The day spa carries the Sisley Paris line of luxury treatments and cosmetics and is the first in North America to offer eight exclusive Phyto Aromatique facials.

Holts is also the first in Canada to offer the Halcyon Day Spa philosophy by providing non-surgical anti-aging treatments, as well as a complete array of massage and beauty services and luxurious amenities.