Man oh man did I need to get away last month. I don’t know
if it was the crazy long winter that got my mood down, life, or just general
stress around tax time; whatever it was, I needed a break!
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| No makeup selfie:) |
Lucky for me, since I’m heading in the retreat planning direction;
Health & Wellness retreats; Couples Retreats; and Business Meetings or Professionals retreats, I was invited to explore the beautiful SteAnne’s Spa. I met Marketing Manager, Wanda at the Ignite Business
Expo earlier in the year and let her know I was venturing into retreats; before
I knew it, she arranged for a glorious spa getaway for me to experience the
magic first-hand. In addition, my dear photographer friend, Joee Wong gifted me
a gift certificate, which got me a second night and several wellness
treatments!
So, without further thought, I jumped in my car and off to
Grafton I drove, for 3 full days and 2 nights at Ste Anne’s Spa, just 90
minutes East of Toronto.
Once I got off the highway and entered the dirt road winding
over to the Spa, there were very thoughtful and fun messages disguised as road
signs: ‘Yield to your inner self’ or ‘Take a deep breath…and relax’. Of course,
this just made me super excited and I knew that if this trip didn’t get me to
‘chill-out’, nothing would. Parking was
free and once I got in to check-in, they addressed me by name, gave me a tour
of the property and treated me as if they had known me forever. Just the type
of experience I was looking for…pure comfort from the get-go.
My room, just a short drive away at the Birdsong Spa Cottage, was beautiful. The Eagle’s Nest Suite was huge; in fact, the bathroom was as big as my living room!! Take a look at the photos. I loved the homey feel to it, from the colours to the fireplace. So calming!
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The Property itself is huge. It stretches over 400 acres and
includes a fitness facility, several cottages, their very own stables, trails,
gardens, bakery and the main building. The main building is where the action
happens. It houses a gift shop, hydrotherapy spa with Eucalyptus Steam Room,
massage rooms, an outdoor pool, waiting rooms, living room, reading room, spa
rooms, steam room, sauna and hot tub in the change rooms and wellness rooms.
The Spa is incredible. Ranging from Purifying cleansing treatments
to holistic treatments and everything in between! Now, you don’t have to get a
spa service to use the facilities. The Hydrotherapy Spa: Eucalyptus Steam, Hot
Tub, Cold Plunge Pool and Lap Pool are at your fingertips all day; as are the
massage chairs, fitness facility (down the street) featuring a pool treadmill,
hot tub and sauna as well as full Gym Equipment.
The Spa & Wellness Services I took part in for both days
were the Nidra Yoga and Meditation, I also chose the Chakra Balancing as my massage
option. I had never done Nidra Yoga before and thought it would be something
interesting to try as it promised to clear my mind. That is exactly what it
did… in fact, the second day; I actually fell asleep during the session. The
Chakra Balancing was amazing. It combined, aromatherapy, reflexology, light
massage and chakra balancing to relax and balance my mind and soul. Combined with
the meditation, believe me when I tell you that I felt like a whole new person!
The Restaurant is fine dining meets country cooking at it’s
best! Aside from them being incredibly accommodating to my dietary needs, the
food is all-fresh, homemade and impeccably presented; the taste is DELECTABLE!
I admit, I did have a cheat or two… I couldn’t help it; the desserts and breads
are amazing. Did I mention they are all Gluten-Free! In addition they offer
culinary classes, a private chef experience and their very own Bakery (near the
Birdsong Cottages) that will cater to absolutely all your needs. If you have
very specific dietary needs, give them 48 hours notice and they will do all
they can to create something for you.
And finally, the Staff! Where do I start with the service?
These people collectively make the resort what it is. Without them, it would
not be the same. They are all-accommodating and all went out of their way to
make my experience exceptional. I could tell they loved their work and were
genuinely happy to help.
Overall, this is an ideal location for a local honeymoon, a reconnecting trip pre-wedding or just a trip to rest with your Bestie or Mom.
Overall, this is an ideal location for a local honeymoon, a reconnecting trip pre-wedding or just a trip to rest with your Bestie or Mom.
My top 5 highlights of Ste Anne's Spa:
1.
They make their own granola and it is amazing!
2.
Teatime is my favourite time and at Ste Anne’s
it is fantastic! They have a tea menu that is extensive and original that taste
delicious.
3.
The walking trails are something I’ll do next
time for sure. It was way to muddy when I was there as it had been raining.
4.
I was in one of the living rooms and a wellness
therapist came in and offered
me a hand massage complimentary. It was
wonderful.
4. All the sitting areas were sooo incredibly comfortable, but my fave was the library/games room.
