Canada Spa Guide: The Best Spas in British Columbia
British Columbia, Canada. [Photo credit: Ching Wei]
British Columbia is the western-most province of Canada and is home to metropolitan hubs like Vancouver, inspiring mountain towns like Whistler and Kelowna, and waterfront havens like Vancouver Island—all of which have their own menu of local cultures, outdoor recreation, and wellness offerings for those that need a bit of respite.
Canada Spa Guide: The Best Spas in Vancouver
Vancouver sits right on the English Bay on its west side and Vancouver Harbor on the northeast, the two bodies of water split by the city’s famed Stanley Park that juts out like a peninsula from the downtown area. The city also has the world’s longest, uninterrupted waterfront pedestrian path—the Seawall—that spans nearly 18 miles in length. It starts at the Vancouver Convention Centre, goes around Stanley Park, and ends at Kitsilano Beach. The city also has its claim to fame as the host of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
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Across the Salish Sea from Vancouver is Vancouver Island, dotted with mountains and rivers with cities like Nanaimo and Victoria claiming the coast for access by air and sea from the mainland. Nanaimo is on the northeastern side of the island, rich in history as the traditional territory of the Snuneymuxw Nation and peoples. Victoria is the capital of British Columbia and sits on the south end of the island, best known for its abundant parkland and outdoor activities.
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Whistler is located about a two-hour drive north—or a 45-minute seaplane ride—from Vancouver and is home to the renowned Whistler and Blackcomb mountains that visitors from around the world visit to ski, snowboard, mountain bike, and hike. Whistler Village sits at the base of the mountains and is home to a plethora of boutique shops, restaurants, hotels, and day spas.
To the east is Kelowna, about a six-hour drive from Whistler, though it has its own Kelowna International Airport for easy direct access. The downtown area sits right along Okanagan Lake and is framed by mountains in all directions. Here, visitors will find a plethora of dining, shopping, wellness outlets, lodging, and outdoor recreation.
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Consider this a guide to the best medical and day spas in some of British Columbia’s most recognizable cities—you might just need a bit of pampering after a day spent biking the Seawall, hiking on Vancouver Island, skiing down the mountains in Whistler, or simply strolling the lakefront streets of Kelowna.
Keep reading our Canada spa guide to discover our top picks for the best spas in British Columbia and discover the best deals on flights when planning your next getaway.
Kelowna
RachaWadee Thai Massage and Spa
616 K.L.O. Road, Suite 2, Kelowna, British Columbia, V1Y4X4, Canada; +1 (778) 478-1991
Rooted in the traditional wellness and massage techniques of Thailand, RachaWadee Thai Massage and Spa blends its Thai methods with Swedish and Chinese styles. The Thai Oil Massage is a fusion between traditional Thai and Swedish massages, focused on relaxation; while the traditional Thai Massage focuses on joint and muscle relief. Its foot massage uses Chinese reflexology and Thai massage techniques to relieve sore feet.
Traditional Thai massages have largely been influenced by India’s ancient Ayurvedic methods, which prioritize herbal medicine and holistic treatment of the body and mind. In addition to the traditional Thai body massages, the spa offers hot stone therapy, an Aroma-Foot Combination massage, a Thai Herbal Compress Massage, and others.
Vancouver
Medical Rejuvenation Centre
1281 W. Georgia St., Floor 7, Suite 701, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6E3J7, Canada; +1(604) 763-7546
Located in downtown Vancouver’s Coal Harbour district near the Vancouver Convention Centre, Medical Rejuvenation Centre is a physician-directed medical aesthetic facility founded by Dr. Robert Morrell.
Founded in 2001, the business specializes in non-invasive skin care products and procedures—from Botox and lip filler injections to HydraFacials, chemical peels, and thermage. It can also assist in targeting specific conditions or concerns from customers like acne, migraines, and hyperpigmentation, among others.
The center’s Di Morelli Skin Care line features a menu of cleansers, serums, and sunscreens. Its Discovery Kit features the “daily skin care essentials” and includes a cleanser, vitamin C serum, moisturizer, and an SPF 35.
Sabai Thai Spa Coal Harbour
571 Cardero Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6G3L2, Canada; +1 (604) 568-6227
[Photo credit: Emma K. Young]
Also located in Vancouver’s Coal Harbour district, Sabai Thai Spa Coal Harbour blends traditional Thai healing methods with modern spa services. Visitors can customize their treatments to their own preferences and goals, all of which use plant-based spa products.
Its signature service is the True Wellness Package, a 75-minute program that begins with a gentle foot cleansing with a warm towel, followed by a soothing full-body oil massage that incorporates stretching and targeted-pressure techniques to optimize energy and blood circulation. The package also includes a hand massage; aromatherapy; and a head, shoulder, and scalp massage.
Spa Profile: Everything You Need to Know About Sabai Thai Spa
For Vancouver visitors looking for facial treatments, Sabai’s selection spans different purposes and benefits. The Balancing Skin Facial targets uneven skin tone, blemishes, and dehydration caused by factors like environment and hormones.
The Calm Skin Facial aims to relax irritated and sensitive skin using ingredients that target redness, itching, and stinging. Alternative options include the Clear Skin Facial and the Firm Skin Facial. Additional services guests will find at Sabai include an Ancient Thai Massage, reflexology, and several others.
Vancouver Island
Breze Aveda Concept Salon & Day Spa
3200 North Island Highway, Suite 10, Nanaimo, British Columbia, V9T1W1, Canada; +1 (250) 758-6822
[Photo credit: Leah Nickel Photography]
Get off the mainland and head to Nanaimo on Vancouver Island for a day of relaxation and rejuvenation. Breze Aveda Concept Salon & Day Spa is just north of the downtown area and specializes in full-service hair treatments, vegan Aveda beauty products, and luxury massages and facial regimens.
At the salon, guests can get a haircut; hair wash; blow dry; hair and scalp treatments for repair and hydration; and mini facials using a hot towel, cleanser, toning mist, and cream. Customers can choose their stylist, and price ranges from person to person. At the day spa, give your body a bit of TLC with treatments ranging from dermaplaning and lash tinting to massages and foot care.
Bliss Skincare & Wellness Spa
2569 Penrhyn Street, Victoria, British Columbia, V8N1G2, Canada; +1 (250) 658-0333
Support local with a visit to Bliss Skincare & Wellness Spa in Cadboro Bay Village in Victoria. The business was started and owned by Nicole Philibert, a 30-year licensed esthetician who has a soft spot for facial treatments—though has a passion for every aspect of the wellness regimen.
Bliss features a diverse array of opportunities for guests ranging from skin care and acupuncture to waxing, foot care, and massages. It also offers spotlighted feature treatments that rotate each month. Skin care treatments include a slew of facial options, from collagan booster therapy to hydrabrasion.
Relax your muscles with one of several Shiatsu, Swedish, and hot stone massages. The Shiatsu therapy is a Japanese traditional massage focused on acupressure and stretching, all done on top of clothing with no oil used. Take it a step further with the Shiatsu & Swedish Massage Blend, a fusion of the Japanese and western massage methods using essential oils of lavender and peppermint.
The Hot Stone Massage places heated stones along the muscles and joints to reduce stress, melt away tension, and promote deeper sleep. Additional body services include cupping massages, Registered Massage Therapy (RMT) massages, jade stone massages, and more.
Whistler
Whistler Day Spa
4299 Blackcomb Way, Whistler, British Columbia, V8E 0X3, Canada; +1 (604) 966-5540
[Photo credit: Pascale Gadbois]
Located in the heart of Whistler Village, Whistler Day Spa offers a refuge from the hustle and bustle of the mountain enthusiasts and shoppers strolling the street-front stores. Massage menu options include the Restorative Massage for muscle relaxation, the Deep Muscle Relief Massage for holistic muscle tension release, the Head-to-Toe Massage using custom aromatherapy, and the Mountain Recovery Massage to target the legs, calves, feet, and back.
Customers can select from an array of signature packages, such as the Tranquility Ritual consisting of an 80-minute therapeutic massage using Ayurvedic techniques; the Detox Mud Ritual using thermal waters from Tuscany, Italy, a blend of essential oils, and Fucus and Laminaria Algae—all to remove toxins and restore skin vitality.
Other packages include the Alpine Escape Ritual and the Deep Tissue Alpine Escape Ritual. All facials are focused on cryotherapy to boost hydration, each then using varied products and techniques to reach supplemental goals beyond skin hydration.
[Photos courtesy of spas and resorts]
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Amanda Christensen is a writer and editor based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with experience covering a range of business, lifestyle, and tourism topics. She has a passion for traveling and experiencing the world through a multitude of lenses, using her work to share with readers how they might best accomplish that themselves. View her work at christensencollective.com.