Minnesotans know the importance of ice and fire—and guests at the Idlewild Spa inside the Omni Viking Lakes Hotel can experience both.

The Idlewild Spa is a full-service spa offering a Nordic spa experience, one with ancestral rituals rooted in Finnish traditions. They emphasize thermotherapy, encouraging their guests to cycle between hot and cold treatments whether it is the steam room or the ice fountain. Throughout their treatment menu are services that feature regional products, indigenous tools and healing techniques old and new.

They are filled with multiple relaxation spaces both indoors and outdoors. Guests can lounge in a halotherapy room, next to firepits or in a cozy indoor lounge. They can use the steam room, sauna, cold deluge fountain or the outdoor hot tub. Nearby is a fitness room and swimming pool. The spa is even available for corporate events or people who want to rent the entire facility out for an evening after it closes.

We caught up with Ann Zimmer, the Director of Spa, who shared with us what makes this Nordic spa so unique.

Why You’ll Love It: Our guests love having a place that they can spend time before or after their service that is relaxing and enjoyable.  They love that we are close to both Minneapolis and St. Paul, but a little farther out so that they feel like they aren’t in the hustle and bustle of the city.

Key Features: We have an outdoor whirlpool that is open year-round with outdoor seating and firepits for cool fall days, a sauna, a steam room, a large relaxation area with a gas fireplace and some lovely chaise lounges to relax on, and a Himalayan Salt room that is quite peaceful.

Bonus: We will perform some of our couples massage services in one of our Hospitality Suites which have floor-to-ceiling windows, a gas fireplace, and overlooks the Viking’s campus. The views are amazing and the room is very relaxing and special for our guests.

Insider’s Tip: Book a service during the week—we aren’t as busy as weekends so it is quite enjoyable.

Summer Offering Partnerships: For our Summer of Tea services, we have incorporated some tea from Well Rooted Teas, a local vendor. Our pedicure service includes a detoxifying tea soak while enjoying a glass of iced tea. Our body treatment includes citrus and Yuzu to help you relax and enjoy the citrus scent of summer.  

Snacks Served: We provide light snacks, flavored electrolyte water, tea, and we have bottle service available daily. We also have a light lunch menu that is available for our guests to order from Friday through Sunday.

Splurge Treatment: We have two rituals that we offer our guests. Our Nordic Revival Ritual includes a hydrating vitamin C whipped mask wrap and an application of vitamin C firming cream. This is followed by a Nordic Facial which is purifying and includes a glycopeel. We also have a Sea Restorative Ritual which includes a full-body exfoliation followed by an application of warm organic seaweed leaves. This is followed by an 80-minute massage using a seaweed-based oil. Both are very relaxing and lovely!

Unique Treatment: One of our more popular services is our Seaweed Leaf Wrap. This uses hand-harvested seaweed off of the coast of Ireland. This service includes a full-body exfoliation with a scalp massage, and a warm seaweed leaf wrap followed by an application of seaweed-based body oil. Seaweed has a high vitamin and mineral content and provides balance to the skin.

Wellness Offerings: We have CBD services as well as CBD enhancements that our guests can add to existing services if they wish. Many of our facial services start with an inhalation of essential oils to help calm the mind before the service. 

Featured Products: Our main skincare line is Natura Bisse, our seaweed line is Voya, and we carry Antara CBD products used in some of our services. 

For more information on Idlewild Spa at the Omni Viking Lakes Hotel, visit their website and follow on Instagram: @omnivikinglakes

[Photos courtesy of Omni Viking Lakes Hotel]

Omni Viking Lakes Hotel

2611 Nordic Way

Eagan, MN 55121

651-689-9800