Scandinave Spa: An oasis away from the city

Life can get pretty hectic. Between work, family, and the stresses of daily life, sometimes you just need to recharge. Scandinave Spa is an escape from the grind, an oasis in the mountains that will take you away.

Things at Vancity Buzz can get pretty hectic, so when I had the opportunity to spend a day at Scandinave Spa in the middle of my workweek, how could I say no?

Located in Whistler, a quick jaunt on the Sea-To-Sky highway gets you there from downtown Vancouver in less than two hours. Complete access to their famous pools, a 60-minute Swedish massage and a Peak 2 Peak gondola ride were on the agenda for the day. This is called the aptly named Peak 2 Peak & Scandinave Massage Package. There’s also an option without a massage, but with full access to the baths.

One of the unique aspects of the Spa is their complete and total dedication to serenity and relaxation, which means the pools are completely silent. Signs dot the grounds politely reminding people of their no-talking and no-phone policy. It’s about disconnecting completely from the day-to-day world.

As such, in order to respect the rules, I could only take photos of the baths from a vantage point at the top of the stairs leading down to the grounds.

Scandinave Spa recommends a three step system with the baths: first you start out in a hot bath, steam room or sauna for 10 to 15 minutes before moving on to a cold bath (think around 20 degrees celsius) for 15 seconds to reinvigorate yourself and then resting. They say to repeat the cycle three to four times.

Entering a cold bath after being in a lovely, hot steam room, sauna or pool seems strange, but it truly wakes you up and is an integral step in the process. I tried the eucalyptus infused steam bath, the sauna, and one of the hot baths in each cycle, with the steam bath leading the pack for me.

For active people who enjoy the many trails Whistler and Blackcomb have to offer, sore muscles are inevitable. Hydrotherapy and a Swedish or deep tissue massage are a surefire way to restore and relax tense muscles.

They recommend to stay hydrated throughout the process, with water available in the comfortable lounge/foyer to fill your bottle.

After repeating the hot-cold-rest cycle three times, it was time for a massage. Time in the baths passes by far too quickly – it’s easy to stay in there all day.

The 60 minute full body Swedish massage is heavenly, with just enough power to work out kinks in your problem areas, and yet relaxing enough that falling asleep is a very real possibility. The room is quiet and filled only with the sound of serene music.

Finally, to cap off a perfect day, the Peak 2 Peak gondola ride takes you from the peak of Whistler to the peak of Blackcomb, offering jaw-dropping views of the mountains and trees.

The Peak 2 Peak package is a fabulous deal that’s normally valued at over $200. Scandinave Spa is located close enough to Vancouver that it makes the perfect relaxing day or weekend trip after a long week of work, or an amazing post-hike relaxation treatment to soothe your aching muscles while you’re staying in Whistler. No matter which package you choose, Scandinave Spa will bring you to a place of peace and harmony.

For more information on the Peak 2 Peak packages, visit their website at scandinave.com.