Banff Springs Spa - Willow Stream Spa Bliss

On a recent weekend of indulgence, we booked a spa session at the Banff Springs Hotel's Willow Stream spa. We had never been to the Banff Springs Spa before and knew that we needed to get in there and really check it out so that all of the visitors to this website can make an informed decision about where to go and what to do (our job is tough, we admit!).

In a word, the Banff Springs Spa is phenomenal. Sure, it is not cheap but you really do get what you pay for here. My wife and I both got seasonal treatments (it was late spring), for which the Willow Stream Spa uses ayurvedic oils and techniques. To begin with, we were taken on a tour of the facilities which include both a co-ed relaxation area with newspapers, magazines, a fireplace, muffins, coffee, citrus and cucumber waters and nice, relaxing and reclining leather chairs. There is a similar relaxation area for men or women only just beyond the locker rooms for the respective sexes. Each locker room is fully equipped and we donned out bathing suits, put on our robes and slippers and were met by our estheticians/masseuses. The seasonal treatment started with a foot soak and rub in a copper basin, followed by back, neck and face treatments and massages. I cannot remember any of the names of the oils as blissful relaxation had a hold of my mind, body and spirit, I just know that I loved the dry brushing treatment on my back and arms (it makes your skin feel alive, like when you roll in the snow and then jump in a hot tub … which might just be a Canadian thing).

After the treatment, we had full run of the spa areas for as long as we wanted. You could book the cheapest treatment and still get to use all of the facilities for as long as you want, if you so chose. There is a steam room, sauna and hot tub just beyond each locker room, both of which empty into a phenomenal, atrium like mineral pool with three plunge pools of different temperatures (hot, medium to cool) and windows facing out onto the mountain scenery beyond. There is also an outdoor hot tub for Spa users as well. We spent at least an hour floating and plunging and lazing. Sigh. Bliss.

We rate the Banff Springs Spa a full 5 stars out of 5.

For locals of Canmore and Banff, we hear that the Spa puts on an appreciation weekend sometime in November, where for 25 or 30 dollars you can have access to the Spa pools and amenities (treatments and massages extra, of course). Keep an eye out for that one for sure!

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