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travel / adventure / guides / winter 2005
| Travel & Adventure Guides |
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BY TRACY C. READ
Inspiring beauty notwithstanding, the Canadian winter
does take its toll.
Every activity demands just a little more energy, whether
it's negotiating
rush-hour gridlock through a frosty windshield in the
dark, hauling groceries up an icy sidewalk or finding
enough layers to keep the cold at bay.
If you're starting to take the creeping salt
stains on your leather boots personally, it's
time for a "pamper me" spa holiday. Here
are a few restorative getaways that are renowned for
their year-round attention to creature comforts. Each
offers more than endless indulgence for those suffering
burnout, and there are plenty of high-energy activities
once you're back on your feet.
The Hills Health & Guest Ranch | Temple Gardens Mineral Spa Resort Hotel |
The Briars |
The Fairmont Algonquin |
Ripplecove Inn
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THE
HILLS HEALTH & GUEST
RANCH
Wide open spaces have an irresistible
appeal when you're wrestling with a bout
of winter cabin fever, and British Columbia's
Hills Health & Guest Ranch (HHGR) is the miracle
cure.
Situated in the heart of 8,000 hectares of
beautiful Canadian wilderness and ranchland,
the HHGR specializes in indoor and outdoor
programs
designed to reacquaint you with your
best self. Its Canadian Wellness Centre features
massage and
spa treatment rooms and offers yoga,
Pilates, aerobics and aqua-fit instruction,
with personal trainers,
physiotherapists and lifestyle counsellors
on hand. Gourmet spa cuisine and ready access
to skating,
snowboarding and cross-country and
Nordic skiing round out an experience that
hosts Pat and Juanita
Corbett promise will fulfill all your
longings for "relaxation, reflection, revitalization
and rejoicing." The ranch specializes in
6-, 10- and 30-day vacation programs.
There are daily flights from Vancouver to Williams
Lake,
with a one-hour shuttle service to
the ranch.
I must go there! 108
Mile Ranch, British Columbia
Who can I call? 1-800-668-2233
or 1-250-791-5225
I have to see it now!
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TEMPLE
GARDENS
MINERAL SPA RESORT HOTEL
Since ancient times, humans have travelled
far and wide in their search for physical and spiritual
rejuvenation through water. But who would have
guessed that mecca was in Moose Jaw? When the owners
of the Temple Gardens Mineral Spa Resort Hotel
tapped into the water-soaked remnants of historic
seabeds some 1,350 metres beneath the Saskatchewan
prairie town, they put the city on the spa map.
Whether or not you believe in the health benefits
of a long, relaxing soak in a heated bath of mineral
water, you can't argue with its sensual pleasure
as you gaze from a rooftop pool at a starry night
sky. With 24 luxurious, hot-mineral-water Spa Jacuzzi
Suites and a spa program that features a tantalizing
selection of massages, reflexology, body treatments
and wraps, Temple Gardens gives big-city spas some
serious competition. With its 41/2-star rating
and a soothing quiet atmosphere, the hotel is truly
an oasis from a hectic life.
I must go there! 24 Fairford Street
East, Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan
Who do I call? 1-800-718-SPAS (7727),
or (306) 694-5055
I have to see it now!
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THE BRIARS
The Briars has been in the Sibbald
family since the late 1870s, but savvy innkeepers
John and Barbara Sibbald have brought the Lake
Simcoe heritage resort into the 21st century with
great panache. With the opening of its spa in 2000,
The Briars — 45 minutes from Toronto — provides
guests with just one more way to transcend the
pressures of postmodern life. A full range of body
therapies, a selection of hydrotherapies and holistic
treatments, such as reiki, hatha yoga and chakra
balancing, are all part of The Briars services.
And if you want to unwind with your better half,
indulge in the 60-minute, side-by-side massage
of your choice. Ah, togetherness! Refreshed, renewed
and re-energized, you can hike or ski groomed trails
or snowshoe or skate frozen Lake Simcoe before
enjoying a delicious dinner and retiring to your
elegant room.
I must go there! 55 Hedge Road, RR 1 Jackson's Point, Ontario
Who do I call? (416) 493-2173 (Toronto
direct) or 1-800-465-2376 (U.S. and Canada) or
(905) 722-3271 (local and international)
I have to see it now!
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THE FAIRMONT ALGONQUIN
Even landlubbers will be hard pressed
to resist the quaint charm of the historic town of St. Andrews, nestled on the shore of the Bay of Fundy's Passamaquoddy Bay, 90 minutes from Fredericton and
one hour from Saint John. If you're the sort who best appreciates a tourist destination without the tourists, put
The Fairmont Algonquin on your "to go" list this winter. Once the temperature drops, the hotel, a bustling seaside resort in high season, concentrates its energies on caring for those travellers searching for a quiet escape from the madding crowd. The hotel continues to provide its guests with a full range of services at more attractive prices and, with fewer rooms open, with enhanced intimacy. The recently revitalized and expanded spa offers "serene ambience" and a rich selection of soothing and healing treatments. Work off the pleasures of
the fine food with a brisk walk in the
sea air.
I must go there! 184 Adolphus Street, St. Andrews, New Brunswick
Who do I call? (506) 529-8823
I have to see it now!
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RIPPLECOVE INN
Since its beginnings in 1945 as a summer lodge for outdoorsmen, the Ripplecove
Inn has emerged as one of the Eastern Townships' most lavish year-round resorts. Innkeepers Debra and Jeffrey Stafford have it all: a location overlooking Lake Massawippi that offers cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and skating and is close
to both the Owl's Head ski resort and Mont Orford's hiking trails. The pièce de résistance, however, is Ripplecove's Well-Being Center, a new spa facility that features a full range of therapies and aesthetic treatments, including sea-salt body scrubs, seaweed-and-clay body wraps and thermo-massage baths with essential oils.
With its luxurious accommodations and amenities, friendly service and reputation
for fine food, the Ripplecove is the perfect place - 75 minutes from Montréal
and three hours from Ottawa and Québec - to replenish both body and spirit.
I must go there! 700,
rue Ripplecove, Ayer's Cliff, Quebec
Who can I call? 1-800-668-4296
or (819) 838-4296
I have to see it now!
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