PHOTOS : WILLOW STREAM BY KK LAW . OTHERS COURTESY SPAS NAMED
Robin collects me from the lounge , ushers me into a treatment room and explains that she will be administering a Tranquillity Wrap , this spa ’ s most popular treatment . She swathes me in warm towels , briskly frisks most of me with an exfoliating glove , then applies a light , easily absorbed essential-oil medley ( by Comfort Zone , an imported , progressive , natural product line ). Out comes a sheet of thin plastic that she indeed wraps around me , and keeps me warm with linens as I begin to feel mildly comatose . All Robin ’ s movements are deliberate , rhythmic , flowing and calming . Tranquil , indeed . — LP
Miraj Hammam Spa
1495 W . 6th Ave . 604-733-5151 . mirajhammam . com Leave your troubles behind as you enter this Eastmeets-West spa . First step is the hammam , which involves relaxing in a steam-filled room , blissfully alone and naked ( towel optional , profuse sweating unavoidable ). Next is the gommage : an aesthetician uses black Moroccan soap to scrub your body from head to toe , while you lie nude on Jerusalem gold marble , with steam providing the only cover . The vigorous exfoliation stimulates the senses and leaves skin soft and supple . Finally , you don a robe and enter the Sultana Lounge , with its luxurious velvet beds . There you can relax some more while sipping tea and nibbling sweet cake . You may never want to leave . — SR
Float House
70 W . Cordova St . 604-253-5628 . Also in Kitsilano , South Surrey and Langley . floathouse . ca Imagine utter relaxation in a sensory-deprivation tank : floating peacefully in warm , heavily salted water , with no sights , no sounds , no smells . That ’ s the only treatment at Float House , and it ’ s been
proving immensely popular . All of the tanks are in constant use , filled by folks wanting to relieve stress , lower their blood pressure and recover from injuries . A float tank is also ideal for meditating , visualizing and fostering creativity . Who ’ d have guessed 90 minutes of nothing could be so enriching ? — SR
Willow Stream Spa
Fairmont Pacific Rim , 1038 Canada Place . 604-695-5301 . fairmont . com Serenity awaits at Willow Stream Spa ’ s lofty locale , five floors above the bustle of the downtown core . Decked out in marble and warm wood , this spa offers a dose of Zen with postcard water views . A signature restorative pick , the Energy Deep Cleanse facial combines K-Lift light therapy technology with the know-how of the therapist to combat ageing and plump skin . Lie back and relax : a peel , deep cleansing massage , masque and extractions quickly fill the hour . Afterwards , retreat to the terrace for Jacuzzis , an infrared sauna and meditation pods . — JVS
Chi , The Spa
Shangri-La Hotel , 1128 W . Georgia St . 604-689-2447 . shangri-la . com Eastern philosophy meets West Coast in warm , wood-panelled Chi , The Spa . Inspired by Shangri-La spas across Asia , signature treatments transport spa goers to exotic locales , and range from martial artsinspired Chinese Wushu Massage to the tensionrelieving Ayurvedic Podikkizhi Massage from India . Hailing from the Philippines , the Royal Duality Massage proves the old adage that two is most certainly better than one . Two masseuses rub every inch of the body in concert , for a treatment that feels twice as heavenly . Trust us , the real world is still out there , but there ’ s no better way to ignore it for a while . — JVS
Top , left : Miraj Hammam Spa
Above , left : Chi , the Spa
Above , right : Willow Stream terrace
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