5 Vancouver Spas That Will Save Your Sanity Over the Holidays

Duck in from the dizzying hustle and bustle of the holiday season for one of these spirit soothing spa treatments.

Shangri La Hotel Chi Spa

Can’t swing a tropical, exotic vacay this time of year? You may just fool your mind into thinking you’re in India, even for an hour, when you step into one of the dreamy, private spa suites at this chi-chi Alberni Street hotel. Book in for the Ayurvedic Podikkizhi, traditionally part of Panchakarma – an ancient Ayurvedic detoxifying ritual. Warm, fragrant compresses are filled with coconut stems and aromatic oils, and then used to massage your entire body – releasing toxins and soothing tight muscles. $260 Monday-Friday, and $270 for Sat, Sun and Holidays.

The Absolute Spa at Fairmont Vancouver Airport

Bit bloated from all that eggnog and shortbread? Treat yourself to a Pink Grapefruit Wrap geared to drain those unwanted toxins.  A one-hour treatment promises to reduce fluid retention quickly with pink grapefruit, juniper berry and rosemary. Just arrived at YVR? This is ideal for jet lag recovery. $140

Vida Spa at YYOGA

Vida Spas has a few locations, but the YYoga location downtown has just launched a package called the Wellness Warrior, which I like the sounds of. Includes a full YYoga class, plus a 60-minute massage and infrared sauna treatment, for $90. Want to treat your sweetie? Side-by-side massage treatment rooms are available, so you can get your zen on in tandem.

The Spa at the Wedgewood Hotel

One of the best kept secrets in Vancouver, and with a regular client list of locals and visiting celebrities, the Bamboo Machine-Free Micro Dermabrasion Facial, $180, is ideal this time of year. Epicuren organic skincare products are super soothing and get your complexion gorgeous for the party season. You’re glowing? That’s because esthetician Anny is a super-pro.

Fairmont Hotel by James KM Cheng Architects; Westbank

Fairmont Pacific Rim – Willow Stream Spa

Baby it’s cold outside. If you’re just plain chilled to the bone, nothing beats the RX Back Soother treatment, $195. Starting with a back exfoliation, a layer of high-in-soothing-minerals Moor mud follows, and then a moist heating pad filled with Jade stones is the final layer. While that does its deep heating magic, your feet, scalp and hands are massaged with organic ginger oil. The spa practitioner suggests you dive into the treatment ‘as a vacation for your mind and body’, so who are we to argue with the experts?

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