One of my favourite things to do while traveling is going to spas. Come to think of it, one of my favourite things to do at home is going to spas. From the places I’ve been and the spas I’ve seen, I believe we’ve got one of the best right here in Winnipeg.
Ten Spa at the Fort Garry Hotel strives to deliver ‘a perfect ten’ to each customer. The owners spent years researching the world’s foremost spas to come up with unique treatments. The result is a wide range of classic techniques infused with a modern edge, designed to nurture the body, soothe the soul, and indulge the senses.
The experience begins with staff providing Italian spa sandals, Turkish bathrobe, and a locker. Both the men’s and women’s change rooms boast rain showers, and experiential stalls with cold fog and tropical mist. State-of-the-art steam rooms decorated in tiny metallic blue tiles are complete with aromatic vapours and light therapy, giving the illusion of twinkling stars glowing through hazy duskiness.
Before treatments, all guests wait in the lounge area furnished with comfy couches, plush pillows, and flowing drapery. Depending on time of day, complimentary snacks might be muffins, fruit and nuts, cucumber slices, cheese, pita, and other treats. For additional charge you can order wine, champagne, or spa lunch.
I know many who go to Ten Spa specifically for the Hamam bathing ritual. A tradition originating in Istanbul, the hamam is a sanctuary for physical and spiritual purification. It’s the ultimate sensory sensation, beginning in a private warming room with Moroccan mint tea and Turkish delights. Then it’s on to the inner sanctum of heated marble, ambient steam, and more twinkling lights. The surroundings are surreal, and the salt scrub and massage are almost transcendental. It’s the kind of experience you wish would go on all day.
Another treatment I wished would never end is Ten’s Custom Massage. What I liked best were all the special little touches – heated massage table, microfiber sheet and blanket, hot towels, Japanese mint aromatic oil, and energizing rose water. At the end of it all, the motorized table raises you into a seating position, making it easier to stand and eventually (albeit reluctantly) walk away.
I also enjoyed Ten’s Signature Deep Detox Facial, which is 80 minutes of cleansing, exfoliation, extraction, infusions, and other fun for the face. You’ll leave feeling like a million bucks, and a few layers of skin cells lighter.
