From the moment I walked into Ste. Anne’s Spa, I instantly felt I could let my guard down for a weekend of relaxation and quiet. Just an hour and a half east of Toronto, Canada’s largest destination spa offers all-inclusive day and blissful weekend getaways that rejuvenate your body and soul.
As soon as you enter the lovely grounds in Grafton, Ontario, the clothes come off! You can put on your robe with your bathing suit underneath and enjoy the day simply free at probably the most relaxing spa in Ontario!
You’re able to arrive early at Ste. Anne’s and use the lockers to store your items until your room is ready, for overnight visits, or during the day for day spas. I arrived around noon and stored my items in the locker.
I grabbed a coffee one of the several sitting areas and waited for my appointment for an Aroma Stone Massage. There are several quiet rooms to enjoy with a cup of tea and a good book, or a game of chess or a puzzle.
The massage therapist used hot basalt stones and essential oils. I was able to choose two scents for my massage – vanilla and cinnamon. The entire massage is performed using the stones with just enough pressure to make it enjoyable. The soothing heat and the feeling of the stones plus the aroma from the essential oils makes it a favourite of mine and one I’ll go back and do again. It was the first time I’d ever received a hot stone massage and let me tell you, it was an hour of complete bliss!
This is how I look when I’m relaxed:
There are 16 rooms in The Main Inn which feature private bathrooms and many have fireplaces. These rooms are close to the dining and spa facilities. There are also six cottages located nearby which is nice if you want extra privacy or larger groups – I’m talking about a girls weekend, or even a romantic getaway with your partner.
The dining room is warm and inviting. Usually with packages you can get a three-course lunch, an afternoon tea, a spa and wellness allowance which can go towards one of the many spa services and complete use of all of the facilities. If you’re staying overnight, you’ll also have breakfast and a four-course dinner in the dining room.
What impressed me the most was that the dining room only offers a gluten-free menu! With someone like me with so many dietary restrictions, they were so willing and capable of adjusting my meals.
The spa also offers wellness classes throughout the day including yoga. For $10, I took part in a meditation class – you can sign up for classes when you arrive to guarantee a spot. I just may have traveled to another realm in this photo:
My accommodations were so lovely – I stayed in the Eagle’s Nest room at the Bird Song Cottage which is just a few minutes away from the Main Inn. It offered a large bathroom with a deep soaking tub with jets, a queen size poster bed and a fireplace. It’s just a few doors down from Ste. Anne’s gluten-free bakery!
The facilities at Ste. Anne’s are wonderful. In addition to the main inn, you can also enjoy a workout or swim at the new fitness facility located at Maison Santé. Maison Santé is equipped with an outdoor endless pool, which allows you to swim against smooth currents and includes an underwater treadmill.
The hot tub, steam room and dry sauna are accessible in the women’s locker area. But the Fieldstone Grotto and Eucalyptus room are the big highlight of the Inn.
The Fieldstone Grotto is open year-round and features a hot tub, a plunge pool for cooling down after heating up in the hot tub, and a lap pool where you can swim against a current. In the middle of winter, it was amazing to be sitting in the outdoor hot tub. I think I made it in the plunge pool to about my knee!
The Eucalyptus Steam Room is infused with eucalyptus (pure essential oil) which can be helpful in relieving many respiratory symptoms. The eucalyptus is dispensed automatically. I found going straight from the hot tub to the eucalyptus room was the most enjoyable.
The Ste. Anne’s philosophy focuses on creating an atmosphere to help rebuild your strength, recapture your energy, and reflect on what’s truly important in your life. And that is does, above and beyond your expectations!
I’ll be going back with my mom, and another time with the husband for sure. I also think it’s a great destination for a group of girlfriends.
You can enter to win an overnight stay for two in a private cottage at Ste. Anne’s Spa here.
7 Comments
Wow, that whole experience sounds so amazing, you radiate when you’re relaxed!
Sounds like you had an amazing time!! Thanks for sharing!
I love how relaxed you were! I would love to visit that Eucalyptus steam room!
I was recently at Ste. Anne’s for the first time ever. In addition to what you have said, I would add that the staff are just absolutely lovely. Every single one of them was not only more than happy to do whatever you needed to make your stay wonderful, they seemed to truly love their jobs.
The hot stone massage sounds divine and the lunch and tea would be an added bonus!
wow look at the Eucalyptus Steam Room. I would never want to come out of that
That was really an awesome experience. Definitely worth trying… 🙂