Beautiful Spa Mont St-Hilaire

  

An oasis for rejuvenation

  

by Nancy Snipper

 

As soon as you set foot on the grounds of Spa Mont St-Hilaire, your entire body settles into blissful relaxation. Walk around outside and your senses are immediately transported into a garden of paradise.

 

This spa offers a myriad of natural ways to bring serenity into your life, starting with Mont-St-Hilaire looming overhead.  The breathtaking beauty of Spa Mont St-Hilaire is inimitable. Wrapping you in a natural cocoon is just one of the ways the spa gently sets you on your personal path to rejuvenation. It’s a seductively stunning journey. 

 

There is the sound of cascading water coming from the rock waterfall, two outdoor heated whirlpools and a Nordic cold one. These you can settle into before or after your treatments.

 

 

 There is also a yurt, a cedar round house where mattresses beckon your body to lie down and contemplate the wondrous sensation of doing nothing. Listen to the birds singing to you as you enter the treed grove nearby.  Sit down in the grove on one of the high-back wooden chairs, swing in the hammock or just sit anywhere to enjoy the verdant views of the gardens.  

 

 Is it any wonder there is a huge Buddha face smiling back at you; you can spot him right by the waterfall near the hot pools.

 Indoors lies another part of the rejuvenation experience.  It comes in the form of 12 different kinds of massage therapies, 5 kinds of facials - each one including pressotherapy or hand care, plus clinical care treatments that come in the trio form of presso-comfort, argyle and seaweed wraps. The exfoliation treatments number in four and are most popular. There are a host of packages that combine up to three of these therapies, and one even includes an organic lunch – normally purchased on site right beside the dining room area.

 

What I loved about this spa was the personal attention, care, and gentle voices of the staff. You need only meet Gabrielle Fournier, supervisor of the spa’s 41 massage therapists to know you are in caring company.  Tranquility and quietude infuse your soul.   In fact, the entire place encourages silence. This fosters relaxation and the avoidance of daily vocal clatter that comes into our heads and which sets us in stress mode. Spa Mont St-Hilaire was my much needed remedy; I would have hours of peace and the opportunity to benefit directly from hands-on care. I signed up for a Swedish massage.   

 

 Sylvain Veilleux, my masseuse, put me right at ease. He was highly respectful and obviously passionate about helping people.  He applied a great non-oily product, called Biotone, and began rubbing me using the Swedish massage technique. Sylvain was skillful and very experienced in spotting problem areas. He found knots I did not know I had, and pulled and pressed in ways that gave me great relief. From face to feet, Sylvain addressed the kinks and pains that had been plaguing me for the past three weeks. I was grateful at the end of the hour, and immediately headed for the stunning Oriental room in the basement whose candles Bhuddas carried me into a worry-free land. I did not want to leave, so I booked the energy facial for the following day.  I returned to my lovely Rive Gauche Hotel, totally relaxed and happy.  

Before taking the facial, I decided to sit a spell in the hot, steamy vapor room which is akin to a Turkish sauna.  Then I stepped inside the spacious cedar walls of the dry sauna.

 

Everything was so clean and perfect, including the changing rooms and showers. My facial was equally pleasurable.  Tia Zakaib was the esthetician responsible for giving me my energy facial – as it is called. It involves about 20 different steps.  Using Algologie products, she applied non-greasy oils, sprays, exfoliants, a mask, a multitude of mysterious creams and non-drying astringents; she massaged my hands, fingers and arms. She touched my face using her magical fingers. This was 75 minutes of sheer heaven. Forty minutes into the facial, she started the pressotherapy which is essentially akin to huge blood pressure machine wrapped around your legs. The covering gently tightens and then relaxes. Tia explained that this improves circulation and reduces water retention. It was comfortable. Tia accomplished what I wanted and she made it all seem effortless. 

She said at the start:  “This facial is an energy boost for the skin.  It allows your skin to find its natural hydration and radiance.”

 

Looking at myself in the mirror, daring to touch my face, I felt like my skin was brand new. I was rejuvenated.  I have to thank Précille Dulude, President of Spa Mont St. Hilaire and her amazing team. They make rejuvenation a remarkably pleasurable experience!

Spa Mont St-Hilaire is located at 641 chemin de la Montagne, Mont St-Hilaire (Québec) J3G 4S6

For all information on Spa Mont St-Hilaire, visit their website at: www.spamontst-hilaire.com