Oasis in The City – Take the plunge at Vancouver’s Fairmont Pacific Rim’s new Nordic spa experience
by Laura Goldstein
Photos: Fairmont Pacific Rim & Nootka Saunas
The Scandinavians and Finnish have been doing it for 2000 years. With their long, dark winters, sauna and cold water plunging are a communal activity that have been proven to lower seasonal depression, help muscle and joint pain relief and give an overall boost to full body rejuvenation. Canadians, who share an affinity with the Nordic climate are finally taking up this wellness trend. But what’s taken us so long?
It may be because a sauna followed by ice bathing or rolling in the snow, (yes, that’s a real thing in Finland,) starts early and are considered family activities in Finland and the Scandinavian countries, not just enjoyed by adults. “We’ve really been inspired by the Nordic countries making the experience inviting but we’ve restricted the sauna and plunge pools to 13-years-of-age and over,” says Fairmont Pacific Rim Spa Director, Kim Carmichael who has travelled to Sweden. “I’ve done a bit of research and Norway, with a population of 5 million has something like 3 million saunas, many inside their homes. Although we’re nowhere near that in Canada, it’s starting to become far more prevalent and trendy in North America as people discover the health benefits of a Nordic Spa.”
When designing the self-guided Nordic Spa experience outdoors on the 6th floor of the hotel, the hot tub and heated pool already existed. So by adding the sauna and cold plunge tubs it creates a circuit of restorative activities. “ It’s recommended to start with the sauna for about 15 minutes then step into the full cold plunge from anywhere from a minute to three minutes or longer if you can handle it. Then alternate between the heated pool and hot tub and then start the whole circuit again,” Carmichael explains. Open from 8:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. daily, guests can relax on sofa loungers under a canopy of oversize patio umbrellas, sip on green tea or hot chocolate and warm-up alongside heaters and fire pits surrounded by harbour and mountain views.
It’s 8 degrees Celsius outside, drizzling and I feel like I’m dressed for an expedition to the Arctic: bathing suit and spa robe under a provided parka with a hood and holding an umbrella. I’m slightly embarrassed as the weather hasn’t deterred many die-hards from frolicking in the heated pool and hot tub. I decide to make a dash for the sauna.
Ahhhh- the cedar scented air is delightful and I even stripped down to my bathing suit! Designed and built by Squamish company, Nootka Saunas, (see Wellness Trends article in Boulevard,) it resembles a gigantic cedar-plank barrel – think Hobbit House with a higher ceiling. By pushing a button it’s heated electrically which I’ve never experienced before. I felt a much drier heat than the more traditional wood-fired saunas that use igneous or volcanic rocks over which you pour water from a bucket to increase the steam and humidity. That requires a lot of hands-on attention and is more popular at chalets and lakeside cottages.
After about 10 minutes in the sauna and feeling like I’m about to implode, I gather my courage and decide to take the invigorating cold plunge. This is one situation in which double-dipping is de rigueur.
I watch a husband and wife who jump and completely submerge into two deep acrylic and fiberglass tubs filled with cold water then head back into the sauna – twice. Looks simple enough.
YIKES! Full disclosure: I dipped up to my knees instead of plunging. The circulating water temperature is about 10-15 degrees Celsius and I jumped out in 20 seconds. Oh why didn’t I keep my parka on? Then, deciding to reward myself for bravery, I make a beeline for the loungers to order bone broth and a warm truffle grilled cheese sandwich the ideal comfort foods from the menu designed by Fairmont Pacific Rim’s Executive Chef, Damon Campbell.
In addition to The Nordic Spa experience, one-hour yoga classes are offered poolside twice a week and daily access to the holistic self-care Willow Stream Spa amenities that include a mineral bath, steam rooms and ladies hydrotherapy shower amongst other treatments. All are open to the public as well as the hotel guests. Prices and upgrades vary and reservations are required.
“I think overall, people are looking to experience how to live better and longer. I like to think of Fairmont Pacific Rim’s Nordic Spa as an oasis in the city to do just that,” Carmichael adds.