Cool Winter Treats for the Winter Wearied

Winter getting you down? Sick of getting stuck in snowbanks and trudging through the snow and slush? Sounds like you deserve a winter treat.


Luckily for us all, this is the time of year when most spas are offering many deals to entice spa goers to seek refuge from the storm with them. Here are some of the deals you and your loved ones can take advantage of:

Elmwood Spa:





1. Bring along a male companion and you both could receive 20% of your spa services ( a la carte services only). This deal only applies to visits between Monday and Thursdays and will only last for the months of March and April.

2. Mom + Teen Retreat: You both can enjoy a 75 min lava shell massage, water therapies, teen facial for your teen and Beaute Neuve Facial for mom. This $535 package (valued at $570) also includes lunch for two in their beautiful Terrace restaurant.

Camden Spa:



This spa, located in the heart of downtown Toronto, was voted winner of the 2007 Canadian Spa Beautifully Best Spa Facial Award!

Camden Spa is offering a March Break Special for both your face and body. Your service starts off with a 30 minute exfoliation treatment followed with their award-winning 60 minute Camden Spa Facial. Both treatments for just $120.

Ste. Anne's Spa:





This beautiful destination spa, located in Grafton, Ontario, was rated one of the top 100 spas in the world and #1 in Canada. I have been here once before and ABSOLUTELY fell in love with it. I highly recommend this spa for those who need a short getaway from the city. Ste. Anne's is only about 1 -1.5 hour east of Toronto.

They have many winter specials, some day trips and some overnight deals. The one special I recommend is perfect for first timers to Ste. Anne's. It's a great way to be introduced to this amazing spa and the best bang for your buck. Their Pure Bliss Day Spa includes a gourmet lunch, afternoon tea, $100 spa allowance, 1 group wellness class (these can range from yoga, tai chi to therapy ball exercise classes), and complete use of their facilities. They have beautiful grounds which include miles of hiking paths, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, an outdoor grotto and hot and cold plunge pools. One of my favorites is their euclyptus steam rooms.

This package normally costs $185, but their seasonal promotion only costs $165. Only hitch, is you have to go between Sunday to Thursday to take advantage.

Budget Tip: If you use your $100 spa allowance towards a massage with an RMT you can get a receipt for any EHB benefits claim for reimbursment.

I'll be heading out to Ste. Anne's next month and can't wait to share my experience with you.

So, don't let the winter blues get the best of you. Treat yourself to these winter deals to helpyou get through the rest of this cold Canadian winter. And remember, only 4 more weeks till the official start to Spring!!!!!

Beat The Winter Blahs with a Caribbean Escape

I recently visited Civello Spa on Queen Street to get out of the cold and into a Caribbean dream. I spoiled myself to their signature Caribbean Therapy Body Treatment. It was such a sweet experience.

As with all services, I started my retreat with a cup of their delicious Aveda Tea. My treatment then began when I was asked to lie on their famous heated water pillows. It almost felt like I was drifting away on Caribbean waves. Then, I was given the choice of 3 scented oils which are typically found in the Caribbean. I had my choice of Tangerine, Vanilla and Jasmine. I found the Vanilla scent sweet and pleasing and chose to use it with my treatment.

My experience started with a full body exfoliation with scrub gloves, which I get to take with me to continue at home. Then a Caribbean mask was applied to my back and feet. The self heating mask is composed of various ingredients such as green and red algae, ginger, lime juice, sea salt and of course seaweed. This smoothing mask greatly detoxifies the body. I almost drifted off to sleep while waiting for the mask to settle. I felt like I was floating away on the Caribbean waters with the warm sun heating up my back. Heated towels gently wiped away the mask.

To hydrate and smooth the skin, Caribbean Therapy Body Creme was massaged into my arms, legs, feet, back and stomach. You can purchase a bottle to take home for $41. To end of the treatment, I enjoyed an extremely relaxing scalp and face massage with their Caribbean Therapy Flower Water. I have never experienced a scalp massage like this before. The flower water is applied all over the scalp (note: Give yourself some extra time to wait for your hair to dry after the treatment if heading outdoors in the cold to go home). Then, my therapist twisted and gently pulled strands of my hair. It is the most relaxing feeling to have this done and I highly recommend it to everyone.

I felt so relaxed, rejuvenated and nurtured after this treatment. The massage you receive is not a deep tissue massage so do not be expecting to have your sore muscles relieved. It is meant to relax instead of invigorate. The only complaint I had was with the duration of my treatment. The treatment is advertised at $120 for 75 minutes on their website. When I called to book my treatment, the telephone representative said it was actually a 90 minute service. But, I was only in the treatment room for 60 minutes, so I felt a little jipped. My disapppointment was overshadowed with the sweet experience of my Caribbean treatment. With all the winter storms we've been having lately, this Caribbean escape is just what I needed.

Overall, I would recommend the Caribbean Body Treatment to anyone needing to get out of the cold and feel rejuvenated and ready to break free from this winter's blistery blahs!