Day at the Elmwood Spa, Toronto

For hubby’s birthday, I arranged a couple’s spa day at the Elmwood Spa in Toronto. It was a great gift – since *I* got treated too! Hubby enjoyed it a lot – it was something that he’d never have done for himself – and he deserved it. He’s always working, so he needs to get blissed out once in a while!

We had a 3 course lunch in their dining room. I had a Mozzarella and Beet salad, Pan-seared Salmon with Wild Rice, and Assorted Fruit with a Mango Sorbet. Hubby had a Butternut Squash soup, Pan-seared Tilapia with Salad, and Apple Flower with Vanilla Ice cream. I really wanted to like the taste of beets and wild rice, as they are so good for you – but I haven’t acquired a taste for them yet. My salmon was perfectly done – so fresh and filling. The mango sorbet was delicious, but some of the fruit it came with was unripe. Hubby’s apple flower was out of this world – it was a pie-like pastry – filled with cubed apples, cinnamon and buttery goodness.

After lunch we went to the Water Therapies floor, which had a swimming pool, jacuzzi, light therapy room and sauna. We had fun floating around in the mineral-enriched swimming pool. It was lightly heated, though hubby still felt a little cold. We then warmed up in the jacuzzi. After showering, we sat in the light therapy room (a room near the window, with a UV lamp). We also hung out in the lounge and read magazines while sipping the complimentary fruit-infused water. We had a lot of fun chilling out here, and enjoyed the classical music playing throughout the room. However, the tiled pool and jacuzzi looked a little bit…grotty? I guess I’m spoiled by the water therapy area in my old gym – Holmes Place Canary Wharf (in London) – and prefer natural stones to tiles.

The final part of our spa day was a couples Swedish massage in the Sapphire room. For an additional charge you can book this room, which has a fireplace and is very cozy. We both really enjoyed our massages – they were performed by RMT masseuses (which means we can claim some of it back from our health insurance). My masseuse said that I carry a lot of tension in my upper back, and recommended soaking in Epsom Salt baths.Thoughts: We really enjoyed our day here. It was fun having a whole building devoted to our Spa experience, and shuffling from floor to floor in our bathrobes and slippers. We felt like we had a mini-holiday.Would I go back: Although I would highly recommend booking a package to any of my friends, I’m still looking for a place with a more beautiful pool/jacuzzi area. I want to feel like I’m in a resort – not a hotel pool from the 60s. Also – one small gripe: their spa sandals are so slippery – they are an accident waiting to happen – especially in the Water Therapy area. They should switch to waffle-weave slippers with stronger grips.Extras: When I went to check out, we got a discount on our bill, as they are currently running a promo where you get 20% off if you bring a male. I was pleasantly surprised, as I hadn’t known about this when I booked the package. Also, if you park at their designated parking garage (Atrium on the Bay), you get a full-day’s parking for $10.Disclaimer: I paid for this spa day myself and was not reimbursed for reviewing it.Here’s what I wore today (although I spent most of my day in a swimsuit and bathrobe LOL!) Sweater and pants from Chado, Shoes from Payless, Pink leather bag and peach coral necklace from a shop in Naples, Italy. Oh – and I’ve lost 5 pounds since I started working out! 8 pounds to go and I’ll be back to my pre-baby weight 🙂