Issue link: http://publications.winnipegfreepress.com/i/514227
39 In the mood for a great escape? Urban and wilderness spa retreats blend time-honoured traditions from around the world with the latest therapeutic options to restore your mind, body and soul. Day 1 Start your tour with the ultimate cleansing ritual, a Turkish hamam at the Fort Garry Hotel's Ten Spa. The elaborate hot-air bathing experience in the spa's mosaic and marble steam rooms is inspired by ancient Turkish and Moroccan rituals that nurture the spirit and comfort the soul. Sip mint tea and sample Turkish delight in the oasis of serenity, where you can choose from a range of cutting-edge treatment options including facial scrubs, warm-mud body cocoons and polar stone massages. Enjoy a spa lunch and a glass of champagne and spend the night in one of the historic hotel's luxurious rooms. A hot breakfast in the elegant Broadway Room overlooking Broadway is a must before you continue your journey. > tenspa.ca Day 2 Take a peaceful drive to Riding Mountain National Park and the Solstice Spa at Elkhorn Resort, Spa & Conference Centre, where you can revitalize skin and soothe sore muscles with a therapeutic wellness soak in the Equinox mineral pool and hot tub. Alternative treatments range from Reiki to reflexology to Tibetan sound bowl therapies. Try the Clear Lake Cleanse, a detoxifying treatment using rosehips and juniper berry essential oils in a heated body wrap. All Solstice Spa treatments include the use of the mineral pool, steam rooms and Swiss showers and organic, natural products are used wherever possible. Enjoy dinner at the resort's restaurant and take a stroll to watch for wildlife before calling it a night. > elkhornresort.mb.ca Day 3 Return to Winnipeg for more pampering at the Urban Oasis Mineral Spa at the Clarion Hotel. Start your treatment with a rejuvenating, therapeutic soak in the spa's signature mineral bath. It contains Dead Sea salt to relieve stress, improve circulation and skin tone and slow signs of aging. You can customize your experience with à la carte services that may include a mud wrap and an exfoliating body polish, or try a sampler package that includes a Swedish massage, facial, hydrotherapy soak and a spa lunch. In the afternoon, get a little retail therapy across the street at Polo Park, Winnipeg's largest mall, and end the day with cocktails and dinner at one of many restaurants surrounding the mall. > urbanoasismineralspa.com > polopark.ca Day 4 Stay in Winnipeg and head to The Forks. Spend the morning shopping in The Forks Market and Johnston Terminal. After lunch — whether it's sushi, fish and chips or perogies — unwind at the Riverstone Spa in the Inn at The Forks. Along with Reiki and chakra-balancing massage treatments, the spa offers a signature indigenous hot stone massage that was developed under the guidance of aboriginal elders. The sweat lodge-inspired treatment uses volcanic basalt stones and a smudge of sage, cedar and sweetgrass to banish old, negative energy and invite new spiritual energy in. Try a Sacred Nature organic face and body cocoon with full-body exfoliation, hydrating body wrap, mini facial and hand- and-foot therapy. Or opt for the Tranquility Escape, a two-hour package that includes hand and foot therapy treatments and a facial, all performed in a zero gravity chair that invites deep relaxation. > riverstonespa.ca Day 5 Head north to Lake Winnipeg and you'll be in seventh heaven at Salka Spa in Lakeview Hecla Resort. The Icelandic- inspired site is close to scenic wildlife viewing areas, cross-country ski trails, cultural landmarks and one of Canada's best golf courses. Relieve stress and revive muscles with a soak in the jetted hot tub, stimulate circulation with a dip in the Nordic plunge pool or give your immune system a boost with a session in the aroma- infused steam room. > lakeviewhotels.com Day 6 Back in Winnipeg, the new Thermëa by Nordik Spa-Nature offers massage and body treatments along with a hot-and-cold Scandinavian experience in the south end of the city, adjacent to Crescent Drive Golf Course. Warm up in a steam bath or Finnish spa, where an Aufguss master pours water enriched by essential oils onto the hot stones to create a burst of rejuvenating vapour. After your warmup, take a quick dip in a cold or temperate pool or pass under a cooling waterfall, then spend 15 minutes lounging in a relaxation area, before repeating the entire process. > thermea.ca I nternational SPA tour RIVERSTONE SPA, INN AT THE FORKS 39