Downtown tranquility

A revitalization at The Spa at Four Seasons in Yorkville has put a fresh focus on guests’ journeys to wellness with new signature treatments and a design face-lift. “Our designers have curated a jewel-tone oasis with gold and stone accents, custom carpets, original artwork and an ethereal chandelier by local artist Alissa Coe,” says spa director Victoria Nickle. The boutique’s beautifully displayed specialty items from around the world are noticeably tailored to capture the interest of discerning customers and make après spa shopping all the more tempting.

Along with a 75-minute rose gold facial and the lime and macadamia scrub, there’s a Himalayan salt stone massage that I opt to field test on a rainy Friday afternoon? Sixty detoxing minutes later, after a warm stone massage and a generous lathering of organic whipped shea butter, my skin’s softer than a baby’s bottom…a marvellous re-boot after a serious work week.

fourseasons.com

Muddy in Rotorua

Rich in minerals, sulphur, calcium, sodium and silicon, all of which can do wonders for your skin, the geothermal waters and mud at the Polynesian Spa in Rotorua, New Zealand, have been part of Maori healing culture for decades. Soothing wraps and hot mineral baths on the shores Lake Rotorua are, we might suggest, downright dirty.

polynesianspa.co.nz

Healing technologies

Achieving reduced stress, increased energy and greater clarity in one 30-minute session seems like a tall order. To find out if it’s possible, Homefront’s forever curious editors paid Yorkville’s Soul 7’s alternative health pros a visit. After all, combining sound and frequency with neuro-scientific therapies to balance the nervous system and boost immunity has been a European “go to” for years. Our take…After a single session on founder Bob Berman’s magic “sleep therapy bed,” we’re totally relaxed and ready to take on the world again. Might these folks be on to something.

Soul7.ca