Elmwood Spa – Toronto, ON
Tucked away on Elm Street in one of the busiest commercial hubs in the city, Dundas Square, Elmwood Spa provides a humble and peaceful escape for the urban woman. The spa décor has a light and airy feel with touches of aqua blue throughout and off white for a clean and relaxing feeling. With each visit and booking of a treatment one can enjoy complimentary use of the water therapies, a separate room complete with a swimming pool, steam room and hot tub and areas to lounge in either solo or with a friend. The pool is a comfortable temperature with a beautifully painted sky and cloud scene painted on the ceiling making one feel completely at peace when swimming.
While you read a book or simply rest on wicker loungers have a refreshing glass of fruit infused water or herbal tea, or snack on apples that are stocked in the water therapy lounge. If you are feeling really hungry before your treatment you can indulge in a more elaborate menu of smoothies, sandwiches, snacks or cocktails at the juice bar or splurge for a gourmet lunch at the Terrace Restaurant for just $25.
Before my treatment I was taken to a comfortable waiting area with serene spa music, plenty of reading material and plush chairs. Within minutes the spa attendant came to get me to begin the heavenly Li’tya Mala Mavi body treatment in my private treatment room that was dimly lit with calming music for ambiance.
Beginning with a warm foot soak in warm water with pink salt from an ancient river bad that has detoxifying properties, this was followed by a native Australian ritual known as smoking where lemon myrtle leaves, flowers and fruit buds are burned as incense in digging dishes made from coolamon trees and is then draped around the body in a figure eight motion representing infinity. This form of paying respect is believed to help open up the chakras so the rest of the treatment can make the most impact on the client. During this time I was also asked to close my eyes and choose both the essential oil and mud that would be used in my treatment. By not looking at it I was told I was allowing my body to choose it according to what scent attracted me most. I chose a reharmonizing essential oil with ylang ylang and a grey coloured pepper berry mud from Tasmania containing clay from the climate. I hadn’t even got onto the massage table yet and already I felt relaxed.
The rest of the treatment includes a luxurious full body exfoliation, followed by a mud wrap with the clay I chose that stays on for 30 minutes to cleanse and deliver nutrients to the skin. While waiting for the mud to soak in I was given a heavenly scalp massage with a native oil hair mask. Finally, after a cleansing shower the whole experience ends with a therapeutic massage technique called kodo to remove any tension from the body. For 90 minutes at $259 the entire experience completely transformed my state of mind and physical state for the entire week, so its definitely worth splurging on (the treatment is so luxurious you won’t need to book anything else). Combined with the water therapies, lunch at the pool bar and the body treatment, I was able to make it a full day affair, allowing me to restart my body and mind for the week ahead. Elmwood Spa is definitely an urban spa destination worth returning to again and again.
(get pampered)Elmwood Spa,
18 Elm Street
Toronto, Canada M5G 1G7
416-977-6751
elmwoodspa.com
