Excellent Eco Spas

www.pureandsimple.ca - Toronto, On
What it offers: A day spa that provides facials, cellulite treatments, skin treatment/repair packages, hand and foot treatments, waxing, massage, makeup and more.

What it uses: Products are, of course, pure and simple — and free of chemicals. Choose from a number of organic and all-natural names: John Masters, Dr. Hauschka, Naturopathica and Pure + simple’s own skin-care line, among others.

What it costs: There are a number of packages available (see website). The popular Skin Rejuvenation Package ($235) — an Urban Renewal Facial with two Classic European Facial treatments — improves the look and health of your skin. Or receive 20 minutes of reflexology for $35 — and the more sessions you book, the more you save.


Verity
www.verityspa.ca - Toronto, On
What it offers: A day spa with a full range of services, including massage, facials, aromatherapy, herbal wraps, reflexology, manicures, pedicures and other esthetic services.

What it uses: The Trilogy line of products, which is unique to Verity. Made in New Zealand, Trilogy contains natural extracts with a high concentration of nutrients such as essential fatty acids, anti-oxidants and vitamins to create and nurture skin cells.

What it costs: The Deluxe Verity Day includes an Intensive Hydrating Facial, Serenity Wrap, Swedish Massage, Spa Manicure and Pedicure, and Spa Lunch ($425). You can also opt for the Verity Day (4.5 hours; $289) or Half Day (3.5 hours; $209). Single treatments are available. The Verity Organic Facial, for example, uses organic ingredients to leave your face feeling nourished and healthy (60 minutes; $85).


Ste. Anne’s Country Inn & Spa
www.steannes.com - Grafton, On
What it offers: A day spa with accommodation. Ste. Anne’s provides a full range of services: heat and hydrotherapy treatments, massage, esthetics (facials, manicures, pedicures). Before you go, you fill out a questionnaire, called Elemental Nature that tailors your treatments. These help you discover your dominant natural element (earth, water, fire, air or infinity), based on Ayurvedic principles.

What it uses: Only Aveda products, which contain pure plant and flower ingredients. Ste. Anne’s 570 acres of land has natural aquifers that provide the spa with therapeutic waters used in mud treatments.

What it costs: You can book a specific treatment — for example, an hour of Swedish massage ($110) — and there are also a number of different day-spa packages (see website). All include use of the hot tub, steam room, indoor and outdoor (seasonal) pools, a fitness facility, walking trails and lounge areas. Carpe Diem Full Day Spa (eight hours; $165) includes lunch, afternoon tea, two group fitness classes and $100 of spa treatments you select yourself. Ste. Anne’s provides standard rooms ($375/night double occupancy), luxury rooms and suites.


El Monte Sagrado Living Resort and Spa
www.elmontesagrado.com - Taos, New Mexico
What it offers: A day spa with accommodation. The resort has 36 suites and casitas with decor inspired by Native American culture, foreign lands and local artists. Services include body treatments, body polish, facials, massage and body therapies, as well as fitness classes. There is also a wide range of special offerings, including an Ayurvedic health, diet and lifestyle consultation (see website).

What it uses: All-natural products include Osea, Naturopathica, Desert Blends of Taos and Plenish Skincare.

What it costs: The Sacred Time for Skincare package (2.5 hours; US$290) includes a body polish, a full-body massage, a lymphatic face treatment, a scalp revitalizer and an aqua latte hair rinse; the High Desert Body Polish (30 minutes; US$60) softens your skin, using blended plants and flowers cultivated in Taos and the surrounding area. The themed rooms include the Native American Suite and the Japan Suite (US$895/night double occupancy).


Daintree Eco Lodge & Spa
www.daintree-ecolodge.com.au - Queensland, Australia
What it offers: Set amid the splendour of Australia’s ancient Daintree rain forest, 100 km north of Cairns. The spa offers a selection of body wraps, massages and beauty treatments. You can book just one treatment, but chances are, you’ll want to stay in one of the villas perched in the forest, since the environment is a central part of the whole experience.

What it uses: Treatments are based on therapeutic botanicals, an array of native herbs and berries, and mud and water from the rain forest and surrounding areas. Daintree only uses the Li’Tya range of products, made in Australia from indigenous plants.

What it costs: Treatments range from the Milkanga Kaday (Come Back to the Mind) Aboriginal head massage (30 minutes; $55) to a lime and ginger salt exfoliation to a massage tailored to your specific needs (90 minutes; $130). See website for further options. The 15 villas are secluded and well equipped ($485/night double occupancy). The Spa Villa includes a private jacuzzi on a balcony ($530/night double occupancy).


The BrookLodge & Wells Spa
www.brooklodge.com - Wicklow, Ireland
What it offers: Located in the green Wicklow countryside, one hour south of Dublin, this is Ireland’s only wholly organic resort. The pure wells on the land provide spa treatments including mud chambers, aroma baths and Finnish baths. There is a wide variety of other treatments such as stone, seaweed and body masks. Book one treatment, a day or a package that includes accommodation (see website).

What it uses: Decléor aromatherapy face and body treatments, which contain natural essential oils, and prescriptive face-care treatments from CARITA, both made in France.

What it costs: The Macreddin Escape includes two nights’ B&B with one evening meal, a skin consultation, half-hour back massage, one-hour facial, one-hour Hammam body treatment, a pedicure, scalp treatment and a light organic lunch ($700-$770 per person). Single treatments include vitalizing cosmetic baths (45 minutes to one hour; $80 to $110). Room options are standard or suite ($260 to $400/night).

Note: Prices for both Daintree Eco Lodge and BrookLodge & Wells Spa have been converted into Canadian dollars, and are therefore approximate. Accommodation rates for international spas may vary, depending on the season.
">Unique places to relax and renew

In the hustle and bustle of today’s hectic world, visiting a spa is like a dream come true. Green Living has found some of the best eco-friendly spas around, both close to home, for instant revitalization, and abroad, for a total escape. All of them focus on organic, all-natural ingredients.

Pure + simple
www.pureandsimple.ca - Toronto, On
What it offers: A day spa that provides facials, cellulite treatments, skin treatment/repair packages, hand and foot treatments, waxing, massage, makeup and more.

What it uses: Products are, of course, pure and simple — and free of chemicals. Choose from a number of organic and all-natural names: John Masters, Dr. Hauschka, Naturopathica and Pure + simple’s own skin-care line, among others.

What it costs: There are a number of packages available (see website). The popular Skin Rejuvenation Package ($235) — an Urban Renewal Facial with two Classic European Facial treatments — improves the look and health of your skin. Or receive 20 minutes of reflexology for $35 — and the more sessions you book, the more you save.


Verity
www.verityspa.ca - Toronto, On
What it offers: A day spa with a full range of services, including massage, facials, aromatherapy, herbal wraps, reflexology, manicures, pedicures and other esthetic services.

What it uses: The Trilogy line of products, which is unique to Verity. Made in New Zealand, Trilogy contains natural extracts with a high concentration of nutrients such as essential fatty acids, anti-oxidants and vitamins to create and nurture skin cells.

What it costs: The Deluxe Verity Day includes an Intensive Hydrating Facial, Serenity Wrap, Swedish Massage, Spa Manicure and Pedicure, and Spa Lunch ($425). You can also opt for the Verity Day (4.5 hours; $289) or Half Day (3.5 hours; $209). Single treatments are available. The Verity Organic Facial, for example, uses organic ingredients to leave your face feeling nourished and healthy (60 minutes; $85).


Ste. Anne’s Country Inn & Spa
www.steannes.com - Grafton, On
What it offers: A day spa with accommodation. Ste. Anne’s provides a full range of services: heat and hydrotherapy treatments, massage, esthetics (facials, manicures, pedicures). Before you go, you fill out a questionnaire, called Elemental Nature that tailors your treatments. These help you discover your dominant natural element (earth, water, fire, air or infinity), based on Ayurvedic principles.

What it uses: Only Aveda products, which contain pure plant and flower ingredients. Ste. Anne’s 570 acres of land has natural aquifers that provide the spa with therapeutic waters used in mud treatments.

What it costs: You can book a specific treatment — for example, an hour of Swedish massage ($110) — and there are also a number of different day-spa packages (see website). All include use of the hot tub, steam room, indoor and outdoor (seasonal) pools, a fitness facility, walking trails and lounge areas. Carpe Diem Full Day Spa (eight hours; $165) includes lunch, afternoon tea, two group fitness classes and $100 of spa treatments you select yourself. Ste. Anne’s provides standard rooms ($375/night double occupancy), luxury rooms and suites.


El Monte Sagrado Living Resort and Spa
www.elmontesagrado.com - Taos, New Mexico
What it offers: A day spa with accommodation. The resort has 36 suites and casitas with decor inspired by Native American culture, foreign lands and local artists. Services include body treatments, body polish, facials, massage and body therapies, as well as fitness classes. There is also a wide range of special offerings, including an Ayurvedic health, diet and lifestyle consultation (see website).

What it uses: All-natural products include Osea, Naturopathica, Desert Blends of Taos and Plenish Skincare.

What it costs: The Sacred Time for Skincare package (2.5 hours; US$290) includes a body polish, a full-body massage, a lymphatic face treatment, a scalp revitalizer and an aqua latte hair rinse; the High Desert Body Polish (30 minutes; US$60) softens your skin, using blended plants and flowers cultivated in Taos and the surrounding area. The themed rooms include the Native American Suite and the Japan Suite (US$895/night double occupancy).


Daintree Eco Lodge & Spa
www.daintree-ecolodge.com.au - Queensland, Australia
What it offers: Set amid the splendour of Australia’s ancient Daintree rain forest, 100 km north of Cairns. The spa offers a selection of body wraps, massages and beauty treatments. You can book just one treatment, but chances are, you’ll want to stay in one of the villas perched in the forest, since the environment is a central part of the whole experience.

What it uses: Treatments are based on therapeutic botanicals, an array of native herbs and berries, and mud and water from the rain forest and surrounding areas. Daintree only uses the Li’Tya range of products, made in Australia from indigenous plants.

What it costs: Treatments range from the Milkanga Kaday (Come Back to the Mind) Aboriginal head massage (30 minutes; $55) to a lime and ginger salt exfoliation to a massage tailored to your specific needs (90 minutes; $130). See website for further options. The 15 villas are secluded and well equipped ($485/night double occupancy). The Spa Villa includes a private jacuzzi on a balcony ($530/night double occupancy).


The BrookLodge & Wells Spa
www.brooklodge.com - Wicklow, Ireland
What it offers: Located in the green Wicklow countryside, one hour south of Dublin, this is Ireland’s only wholly organic resort. The pure wells on the land provide spa treatments including mud chambers, aroma baths and Finnish baths. There is a wide variety of other treatments such as stone, seaweed and body masks. Book one treatment, a day or a package that includes accommodation (see website).

What it uses: Decléor aromatherapy face and body treatments, which contain natural essential oils, and prescriptive face-care treatments from CARITA, both made in France.

What it costs: The Macreddin Escape includes two nights’ B&B with one evening meal, a skin consultation, half-hour back massage, one-hour facial, one-hour Hammam body treatment, a pedicure, scalp treatment and a light organic lunch ($700-$770 per person). Single treatments include vitalizing cosmetic baths (45 minutes to one hour; $80 to $110). Room options are standard or suite ($260 to $400/night).

Note: Prices for both Daintree Eco Lodge and BrookLodge & Wells Spa have been converted into Canadian dollars, and are therefore approximate. Accommodation rates for international spas may vary, depending on the season.