Not your average "fat farm"

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Not your average “fat farm”

© By Mike Keenan

The old European spas in Baden-Baden, Germany, Bath, England and Hungary were once called "fat
farms." They focused on losing weight. Modern spas have acquired a new
cachet. They come equipped with nutritionists, personal trainers, guided
imagery to combat stress and they focus on preventative health, the leading
edge of health tourism. In the United
States, some spas operate with
"longevity centres" where clients receive a full medical work-up
including blood tests.

     Niagara-on-the-Lake offers some of the best spas in Ontario. The White
Oaks Resort's Spa neighbours Niagara College
which developed a partnership with Brock
University at their Glendale
campus vineyard and serves as a practical lab for students which motivated
White Oaks to incorporate the burgeoning Niagara
wine industry into their program.

     Here, I sampled the "Nectar of Niagara"
signature treatment, aromatic balm for the troubled spirit. They employ red wine
by-products for facial exfoliation. Hernder Estates Winery agreed to allow the
use of the clayish material that purifies wine by extracting sediment that
clings to it - material that would normally be dumped. The natural acids remove
dead skin. After a scrub, to replenish and nourish skin, antioxidant wine with
poly-phenols mixed with honey containing amino acids and vitamin B for
viscosity, is liberally applied. This scientific emulsion induces a smooth skin
surface. It constituted a deliciously warm and fragrant massage.

     With multiple local wineries and 19,000 acres of
grapes harvested in the peninsula, the White Oaks "Nectar of Niagara"
treatment is an appropriate innovation. Another signature treatment concocted
features non-pasteurized, pure, maple syrup from sap loaded with
anti-inflammatory ingredients.

     At White Oaks, they pioneered hot stone therapy in Niagara, a massage with heated, flat, smooth rocks. The
stones are used in a gentle stroking motion, therapeutic to tight muscle
tissue. One stroke equates to ten of the regular Swedish variety. There are
different sized stones for each body part including small stones employed for
the sinus cavities and in between fingers and toes.

     Other treatments include aroma therapy massage, employing
soft, essential oils, touch and scent that clients find relaxing. For those who
desire a vigorous treatment, there is deep tissue massage.

     Spas Ontario
sets the industry standards. Since 1999, there has been a 127 % increase in the
spa industry. A spa has to have some water element to qualify for membership
such as a Vichy
shower massage. There must be a minimum of 5 treatment areas and hydro-therapy
on the premises plus certain other professional standards. There are currently
36 member spas in Ontario.


     Next I visited the Vintage Inns spas at the Pillar and
the Post Inn and the Prince of Wales Hotel. Allen Gelberg, Director of Sales
& Marketing notes that the Pillar and Post's
100 Fountain Spa has been successfully operating since 1995 and was
recently voted one of Ontario's best spa resorts by Condé Nast Traveler magazine.
"When we fashioned the Secret Garden Spa at the Prince of Wales, we wanted
to compliment the services we already had. We developed seven treatment rooms
decorated and themed after various flowers."

     Spas have rapidly formed part of the contemporary Niagara lifestyle, catering to people from ages 19 to 80
with the 25-58 demographic forming the bulk of the market and male clientele
now up to 33%, their ranks growing with the advent of corporate groups who
visit spas to de-stress.

     Inside the Prince of Wales'
ornate Secret Garden Spa, I was treated to the "Soft PAC"
signature treatment, one of only three in Canada. I was wrapped and floated
on an amniotic surface releasing the pressure on joints and muscles. The lights
were dimmed. Harps played in the background, and like Icarus gliding on a cloud
(before his waxed wings melted), I mellowed for the rest of the day.

     On a Saturday morning in the Pillar and Post's 100 Fountain Spa, the waiting area is crowded
with white-robed patrons awaiting treatments. Many are in their mid-thirties
from New York State, taking advantage of the currency
exchange rate. Four youngish ladies from Rochester
willingly share their bliss; one freshly emerges from the heated outdoor pool.
"We all live in the same neighbourhood. Coming here is far cheaper than
anything back home. It's a treat and
we deserve it!"

     At White Oaks, clients do not feel rushed. They have
installed a soothing meditation room for before and after treatments. The focus
is on rest and relaxation. Fish lazily drift inside a large aquarium. The room
is dimly lit, quiet and subdued. There are soft, comfortable sofas from where
one may casually sip herbal tea or juice. Another reading room sports a gas
fireplace.

     "We want to take it to another level, involve the
whole mind-body." Accordingly, soft coloured wallpaper with a tactile
component allows clients to feel comfortable by appealing to their senses. All
ungainly equipment is concealed behind stylishly-crafted cabinets. They have
developed an inviting "couples" treatment suite.
"Price-Waterhouse research discovered that most couples rearing children
and working are lucky today to spend 8 minutes of quality time together each
week. We are responding to that need."

     An average 55-minute treatment at these Niagara spas costs approximately $110 with many options
available.



Mike Keenan writes a
weekly newspaper column for the St. Catharines Standard and has been published
in the Globe and Mail, Buffalo Spree, Stitches, West of the City and Pulse
Magazine. He is editor of the zines, What Travel Writers Say: www.whattravelwriterssay.com and
Synapse Magazine: www.synapsemagazine.ca.
Mike is an award-winning poet and former President of the Canadian Authors
Association, Niagara and Vice-President of the
national body. He belongs to the North American Travel Journalist Association
and the Travel Media Association of Canada. In his "spare"
time, he is Executive Officer and founder of The Council on World Affairs of Canada: www.cowac.org.



Photo credits

Pillar & Post 100 Fountain Spa, courtesy of Colin Sines, White Oaks Resort
Spa, courtesy of Patricia Jones.



When you go

Niagara-on-the-Lake Spas

White Oaks Resort Spa: http://www.whiteoaksresort.com/spa.htm Ph: 905.688.2550

Prince of Wales Secret Garden Spa: http://www.vintage-hotels.com/niagara-on-the-lake/spa/prince-of-wales.php

Pillar & Post 100 Fountain Spa: http://www.vintage-hotels.com/niagara-on-the-lake/spa/pillar-and-post.php



Other Niagara Spas

Doubletree Lodge & Spa Fallsview: http://www.spalifeonline.com/1160.html


Oban Inn and Spa: http://www.obaninn.ca/


Senses Spa at the Americana Conference Resort: http://www.americananiagara.com/


Serenity Spa by the Falls: http://www.niagarafallsmarriottspa.com/

Spa on the Twenty: http://www.innonthetwenty.com/ott_spa.htm

The Spa Port Colborne: http://www.thespa-portcolborne.com/



What's happening, money,
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