If you ever do one thing just for yourself – go to a resort spa.
I had never been to a resort spa before in my life and now I am incredibly aware of what I’ve been missing for all those stress-riddled years. Sure, I’ve had the odd body wrap and facial, plus my esthetician girlfriend gives me manicures and pedicures when I visit– and that is so pampering. But, those are just teasers compared to the real thing!
After two years of back pain, subsequent surgery, my battle for compensation and final win, I decided I needed a real break – and last week I finally got the chance. I have been wanting to go to the Kingfisher Resort in Courtenay ever since they opened about 11 years ago and I finally did it. I did a bunch of research on their packages and found a great deal – and it was the best thing I ever did for myself.
Just look at that view! (I had to Photoshop 3 photos together to make this)
Kingfisher Resort Spa
2-Night Spring Celebration Package
For two people and about $350 night includes 2 nights accommodation in an ocean view room where you each get:
- $75 restaurant credit
- $100 spa credit
- One visit to the Pacific Mist Hydropath
- $25 gift card
- One fitness class
My Hydropath Experience
The first day we did the Hydropath in a private grotto-like atmosphere where the decor is entirely carved sandstone with a driftwood-matted ceiling. The Hydropath has eight unique water features and I never knew you could do so many different therapeutic things with water – it was a truly awesome experience.
- Starting at the Swiss shower jet Massage Rinse, every feature is timed and your water glass is constantly being refilled with refreshing lemonized water.
- Then you soak in a Mineral Massage Pool for a bit, which is similar to a jacuzzi, only the jets are set around the perimeter progressively from the lumbar to the top of the shoulders – plus, one for your feet.
- Next is the Waterfall Massage, which is like a little cave with closets where you sit and let four different flow types of showering water fall all over your head and body.
- Now it’s time for the Steam Cave where can just sit with your chilled ‘lemon-eau’ and let the steam and eucalyptus draw toxins out of your tissues and down the drain.
- Here’s where you get to show your true brave form – or not. To get the whole benefit from the Hydropath experience, a douse from the Glacial Waterfall will help boost your immune system.
- For something totally different it’s the River Walk, which is extremely beneficial for circulation and lymph glands. It’s two side-by-side path-like pools where the water is about hip deep. The first path is warm water and the second is cool water and there are jets along each side at levels progressing fromthe ankles to the upper thigh. You walk kind of straddled to each set of jets and stand for a count of 30 seconds before moving forward to the next.
- One of my favourites is the Sea Mineral Soak, which is a pool full of water that is at a perfect temperature and has 104 trace elements. You can do a ‘float and soak’ while your buoyant body soaks up all those elements as they bubble all around you and a warm ‘rain’ falls down through the ceiling at the center.
- The last feature is a neato Tidal Bath where you cover your skin with a salt-type paste and lay in a warm pool of water carved like a tub to fit one. It’s good to have a partner to do your back.
Once you’ve gone through all the features of the Hydropath, you will be totally oblivious to anything other than how really good you are feeling. You’ll find that along with your body floating on cloud nine your mind is, too and you will just want to savor that sensation.
All you have to do now is shower, moisturize, put on your fresh robe and sandals and head for the lounge where you can lie down and just ‘be’.
What a wonderful experience!
Seriouly…if I had known how therapeutic and rejuvenating the resort spa experience was I would have done it long time ago. I also believe adopting that as a habit long time ago may have prevented my back problems, too.
Now, I still have a long way to go if I’m ever going to heal from my back injury, but I’m off to a good start now that I’ve gotten past the worst of it.
I’ve cleared a lot of stress toxins out of my system and renewed my life focus – my health.
To your health.
