Happy February 1st, everyone! I hope you enjoyed my latest post about 12 romantic Ontario restaurants for a special Valentine’s Day dinner. I’m already getting excited for the upcoming holiday! I’m pinning some fun, Valentine’s-themed dessert recipes to make, and I’ve dressed up our bar cart with some cute seasonal decorations.
With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, you may be thinking of gifts to get your significant other, kids, or other family members. As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, Tania and I have (for the most part) eschewed the exchange of material gifts in favour of gifting each other experiences. We both love this for a number of reasons. First, it takes the pressure off of finding the perfect gift for someone – for both the gifter and the giftee! Not only can it be difficult to shop for someone else, but half the time I don’t even know what I want for myself. If someone asks me what I want, I feel pressured to come up with an idea and pick something – anything – even it’s not even something I really need. And the idea of simply exchanging ‘wish lists’ doesn’t seem very romantic to me. Second, it cuts down on clutter. Both Tania and I frequently ‘edit’ our belongings, selling items we no longer want or need on Facebook Marketplace. (At the end of the day, how much stuff do we really need?) And finally – my favourite reason – it’s a way to spend quality time together, which is the entire point of Valentine’s Day! Now, don’t get me wrong: occasionally we will surprise each other with gifts if we know there’s something particular the other wants, but in general, we prefer to go the experience route. If you’re also looking for a fun experience to treat your significant other to this Valentine’s Day, my best suggestion is always a spa date! A day at the spa is relaxing, romantic and luxurious – what better way to spend Valentine’s Day? One of my favourite local spas that I always recommend to people is the Grand Wellness Centre.
Located in Brantford, the Grand Wellness Centre is a massage therapy clinic and day spa that offers a variety of services, from acupuncture to facials to body wraps, and much more! They also offer a couple of particularly unique services that set them apart from your typical day spa: halotherapy in their healing salt cave, and bath soaks in their very own “beer spa” (read on if you’re intrigued!)
Last winter, Tania and I purchased a Groupon that included a 45-minute salt cave session and a bath soak for two. The spa has a variety of bath soaks that you can choose from. I chose the Healing Himalayan Salt soak: composed of Dead Sea salts and topped with fresh flower petals, it’s especially made for reducing inflammation and muscle tension. Tania opted for the signature Beer Soak, which is made with fresh beer ingredients and topped with crushed and whole hops from Ramblin’ Road Brewery; this soak is excellent for your hair, skin and nails.
When we arrived at the spa, we were guided to a private suite where our baths – and beverages – were waiting. (If you’d like to enjoy a beverage during your soak, you can purchase them beforehand as an add-on to your experience.) I enjoyed a glass of Howell Road cider, and Tania had a glass of rosé from Burning Kiln Winery. The spa offers non-alcoholic options as well.
First, let me say that the cedar soaker tubs are so gorgeous – I wish I had one (or two!) at home. The bath salts smelled amazing and the water had an almost silky texture; my skin was so soft afterwards! We spent a leisurely 45 minutes soaking and enjoying our drinks, and the temperature of the tub stayed consistently hot the entire time. (How do they do that!?)
A staff member knocked on the door a few minutes before our ‘tub time’ was over, so that we could dry off and get ready for the remaining half of our spa experience in the halotherapy cave.
For those unfamiliar with halotherapy, it’s just a fancy word for ‘salt therapy’. It simply involves sitting in a salt-filled room (or ‘salt cave’) and breathing in the salty air. Not only is it very therapeutic and relaxing, but it’s a popular alternative treatment for many conditions such as asthma, bronchitis, allergies and various skin concerns. The history of salt cave therapy dates back to the 12th century, where it was popular in Eastern European countries. In recent years, salt caves have experienced a resurgence in popularity. Salt is a natural immunity-booster and anti-inflammatory, and aside from its health benefits… sitting in a salt cave is just a cool experience overall!
The Grand Wellness Centre keeps their salt cave at the same temperature as a real salt mine (approximately 65-68°F) so they recommend dressing warmly (though they do also provide blankets for your comfort.) The salt cave isn’t a private experience, so you may be sharing the room with other guests. Luckily, we happened to book at a time when there were no other guests in the cave, so we had it all to ourselves!
We took our seats in the zero-gravity chairs, cuddled up with our blankets and relaxed as we took in the atmosphere around us. Pardon me for being ‘Captain Obvious’ here, but I couldn’t get over how much salt there was…there was salt literally everywhere. Loose salt covering the floor. Salt stalactites on the ceiling. Shelves lined with salt rocks. Salt lamps illuminating the space. A Halogenerator infusing even more salt into the air. If only I’d had a plate of French fries… (kidding, kidding.)
I loved the ‘skylight’ on the ceiling, which had been painted to appear as if you’re looking up at the stars.
If you’re interested in trying out both the halotherapy cave and the bath soaks at the Grand Wellness Centre, I highly recommend getting the same Groupon we did! It includes a 45-minute salt cave session and a 45-minute bath soak for two for just $120, which is a great deal.
Do you have any favourite local spas to recommend? Please share them with me; I’d love to hear your suggestions!
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