Tag: Blue Mountain

March 4, 2015

Escaping The Every Day Norm at Scandinave Spa #WinterWarrior

Nestled in the woods, roughly ten minutes away from Blue Mountain Village, the Scandinave Spa Blue Mountain offers an experience to remember.

One of the highlights of my Blue Mountain trip was heading over to Scandinave Spa on the morning before we left. When we had arrived at Blue Mountain two days prior, I had heard many of the visitors mention the spa and could not wait to experience for myself what every other visitor was talking about (two different groups in the lobby at check in were having a spa weekend!).

When you arrive at Scandinave Spa, the spa is located in an area that is heavily dense with trees and far back from the main road. You access the main building by a bridge and as you are passing over the bridge you have wonderful views of Blue Mountain. Light music greets you and welcomes you into the relaxation. Signs are posted welcoming quiet and peace which is the perfect reminder for all guests.

The lobby was warm, inviting and open. When I checked in I received my two towels and was able to head down into the change room areas. There was a separate coat and sitting area before walking into the change rooms. The change room area itself was large and clean with an abundance of lockers, washroom stalls, tables, private changing areas and even hair dryers. After quickly getting into my bathing suit and putting my robe on I was ready to head out to the baths.

Walking outside for the first time was an incredible experience in itself. Wearing a robe, sandals and carrying my water bottle with snow-covered trees and rocks I quickly headed over to the Steam Bath. The eucalyptus steam bath was incredible and almost felt like you were walking into a steam of Vicks! Sitting in the room (with my water bottle because of the heat) my skin was instantly sweating and my sinuses were clearing up fast. I had a sinus headache that had started that morning and the steam helped to quickly release the mucous buildup and tension in my head.

Each of the three hot baths offers a multi sensory experience that will relax and bring you peace. One of the hot baths allows you to smell the fire pits stronger, feel and hear the wind and hear the light music. The second bath allows you to hear the waterfall stronger and the sound of the music. The third bath nestled in the back and closer to the forestry brings to you the scent of eucalyptus from the Steam Bath and the sounds of the trees blowing in the wind. Each area is marked for silence and every patron was excellent at following those rules. I was so relaxed in the hot baths that I could close my eyes and almost drift off into sleep (if I wasn’t so excited!).

The Scandinave Spa Experience Includes:

Finnish Sauna
Norwegian Steam Bath
Thermal and Nordic Falls
Three hot baths
Three cold plunges
Three solariums
Outdoor relaxation areas
Hammocks
Outdoor fireplaces
Massage treatments (Swedish massage, hot stone therapy and sports massage)
Bistro
Boutique
Private yoga classes and retreats

The tradition of hot baths, cold plunges and Finnish saunas remains popular today in Europe. There are many therapeutic and personal benefits to using these baths and spas including stress reduction, detoxification and cleansing. The three-part cyclical routine of the spa (heat,cold and relax) allows an individual to benefit the most from the baths. Each part works to rejuvenate, revitalize and relax the body.

One of the best features of the Scandinave Spa is their commitment to being green. They encourage patrons to bring their own water bottles and have several water refilling stations throughout the buildings.

The Scandinave Spa is definitely an experience to help you unwind and escape from the daily pressures of life. You leave feeling relaxed, renewed and ready to face the world with a positive outlook.

You can connect with Scandinave Spa on Twitter and Facebook.

March 3, 2015

Fun Family Activities at Blue Mountain Village #WinterWarrior

After wrapping up three days at Blue Mountain (staying at the gorgeous Westin Blue Mountain) we were amazed at how much the village has to offer. Blue Mountain Village has something to offer for every member of the family, from the youngest to the eldest.

We started off our stay at Westin Blue Mountain by dropping off our bags early and hitting the Hike and Tube. It was a short walk (less than five minutes) to the location and easy to locate as it was right on the main road.

I haven’t had that much fun in a long time! The staff were fantastic and hilarious as they spun us down the hill. I honestly don’t know how they don’t go home sore from twirling people all day but it looked like they were having a fantastic time! Our youngest was terrifying me as he was laughing and telling them to spin him more. The ‘hike’ up the hill was short and easy to do for most individuals. Our youngest kept getting free rides up the hill by staying in his tube and getting us to drag him up (oh the joys of being young and lightweight!).

On our second day we were ready to hit the slopes (or in our case the novice course!). Blue Mountain has an incredible novice area with excellent and patient instructors. I would highly recommend if this is your first time trying out the sport to meet with an instructor and have them go over the basics with you – honestly this is so important both for your own enjoyment and for personal safety.

My eldest son took to snowboarding like it was nothing! He was doing his second turn across the open area while I was still navigating how to push the snowboard with one leg and pull my leg across without falling. I could not believe how much work it was – these guys make it look super easy.

It was truly amazing to see the amount of young children on the course. They took to the skiing and snowboarding like it was second nature to them. They were fearless in getting up the mini hills and gliding back down the hill. My son had tried snowboarding before in the past but I was so grateful for all the time and energy our instructor spent on teaching my son the basics. It truly made a big difference.

The Kids at Blue Mountain located out of South Base Lodge is the perfect opportunity for your youngest members (ages 3-5) to learn in a quieter environment with the focus solely on children. A short walk (roughly ten minutes) or you can take the shuttle from the Westin hotel lands you at South Base Lodge and the Kids at Blue Mountain area. The children were adorable as they stepped out on the skiis and up the ‘carpet’. The instructors were fabulous as they came down the hill behind the children holding on to the jacket and guiding them through each stage.

The Plunge Aquatic Centre is located just adjacent to the Westin Blue Mountain. It took us under five minutes to walk there from the hotel. The Plunge Aquatic Centre contains both an indoor and outdoor pool (with access through the pools), indoor water playground, hot tub, rope swings, slides and basketball nets. Swimming outdoors in the cold temperatures (-26C) was an experience to remember. Your face could barely feel the cold but your eyelashes would have frost on them! The steam from the pool would become thick at times and you could sometimes only see a couple of feet in front of you which was pretty awesome! There were plenty of lifejackets and the pool space was quite spacious. Each pool is kept quite warm so you never felt cold.

The Ridge Runner Coaster is an exciting single person (or you can go with your children) that runs through the mountain. The coaster takes you on a 1,085 metres down the mountain. It was fun, scary and exhilarating all at the same time! At times you felt like you were going to fly over the side of the mountain. While I screamed the whole way down the mountain both of my children laughed the whole way!

We also spent an afternoon at Crock A Doodle painting our own ceramic creations. There was a wide variety of ceramic options to choose from and which you can settle in right away. Your creations are left over night and can be picked up the next day after four or for a small fee can be mailed to your home. We just received our creations in the mail today!

Here is a collection of some of my favourite photos around Blue Mountain village:

What are your favourite winter activities? What activity would you love to do at Blue Mountain?

Come back again tomorrow for more Blue Mountain fun!

March 2, 2015

Fun For the Entire Family at Westin Blue Mountain #WinterWarrior

Winter vacations are some of the most fun and thrilling experiences you can have as a family. They are a time for new adventures and venturing out of your comfort zone. Just North of Toronto you can find all this and more at Blue Mountain! And the perfect place to stay while you play? The Westin Blue Mountain.

Last week, my family and I ventured the two hours North of Toronto to Collingwood (talk about a beautiful drive up there) to test the hills and see the beauty of Blue Mountain during the winter months. We had always been hesitant of a winter family ski vacation because of our children being so young but I was pleasantly surprised to see so many young children on the hills and in the village (putting my skills to shame that is for sure!).

We checked in at Westin Blue Mountain and what a beautiful sight it was! Standing tall and prominent against the hills and village of Blue Mountain, Westin Blue Mountain made us feel like we had escaped to another country.

We stayed in a large two bedroom suite that came with a complete kitchen, two bathrooms, balcony and stunning views from each room overlooking the pond and village. It became habit for me to open the curtains wide right around the living room so that we could enjoy the panoramic view of the village, hills, pool and pond.

The interior of our room was stunning. The suite had a dining room table and the kitchen came with all the utensils and appliances you would need to cook during your stay. The large windows give a light and airy feel to the rooms while instantly connecting you with the outdoors and Blue Mountain village. It was awesome to stand at the window and watch the village wake up as well as watch the night life!

One of the best features of the room? The bathroom! I could have lived in the shower alone – the shower head was incredible and felt like you were standing outside in a light rain shower. It was calming and soothing – the perfect way to relax both in the morning and evening.

The Westin Blue Mountain features:

outdoor pool and hot tub (an incredible, must experience activity!)
fitness studio
Kids Club (with mini arcade and play room)
New Balance gear lending
Westin Well Being
In Room Spa services
Dining in the hotel at Oliver and Bonacini
pet friendly hotel
valet services
ski concierge

The hotel also has close access to Plunge Aquatic Centre and Le Scandinave Spa.

And the staff? Incredible! I have never been to a hotel where the staff were so helpful and happy. If we became lost or unsure there was always a staff member to help us out. Several staff members that greeted us on our first day were around for our last day and remembered us which was such a nice surprise. The amazing staff really helped make our stay perfect.

The Westin Blue Mountain hotel is the perfect place to spend your Blue Mountain family vacation. Watch out this week on the blog for more Blue Mountain fun including: Family Activities, Dining at Blue and Le Scandinave Spa.