Then you and your sweetheart should head to Spa Eastman in Quebec's charming Eastern Townships, where a couple can escape for a few days of "together time" while also enhancing their health and wellness.
About an hour's drive from Montreal, this vacation spa provides not only a complete range of massages, facials and wraps to pamper you into a state of bliss, but also a gym, fitness classes, a pool, a hammam (Turkish bath) and 15 km of hiking trails.
Before you even think it -- the food is delicious, prepared with local ingredients by chefs who understand taste and nutrition. And yes, there's an excellent wine cellar with a selection of organic wines.
Distractions are kept to an absolute minimum. There are no phones or TVs in the rooms. PDAs have limited access. Unfortunately, I was alone on a recent visit, but the whole weekend I missed my hubby and thought what a wonderful place it would be to experience together. It's a place to relax, recommit to wellness goals and just focus on each other.
Spa Eastman is also listed as one the world's Top 10 spas for best environmental practices by SpaFinder.
My day started at 7:45 a.m. with a guided brisk walk amid beautiful scenery and in the shadow of Mont Orford. It got my heart pumping and woke me up.
Depending on your interests and goals, Spa Eastman will design a program of activities such as aquagym (low-impact exercise in the shallow end of the pool), supervised exercise in the gym, stress relief and detox sessions, naturopathic consultations, plus a full range of spa treatments.
After a healthy breakfast, hair analysis confirmed I had been over-dying and over-drying my hair, leaving it dull and brittle. The technician made some suggestions, which have definitely helped since my visit.
Over the next couple of days, I walked and swam, and pampered myself with a back massage and a maple facial.
The peace and quiet created a place where I calmed down and took a break from my busy life at home. The staff was helpful and instructive. I left feeling really refreshed, armed with nutrition and fitness ideas that I put into practice at home with excellent results.
Nearby is Spa Nordic Station at Magog, a thermotherapy concept borrowed from Finland. Situated in a gorgeous, wooded setting beside a quick-flowing river, there are Finnish saunas, California hot tubs, a Hammam and Nordic waterfalls, as well as indoor and outdoor relaxation areas.
The repeated cycle of alternating heat, cold and relaxation is therapeutic for body and mind, and produces an intense feeling of well-being.
Frankly, I handled the hot pools (38C) and steams better than the cold stuff (6C). It was winter, with lots of snow on the ground, and the cold air and pools were just too much. While others were completely immersing themselves in the frigid water, I never got past my knees.
So, while I wasn't executing the process exactly right, I still left an afternoon session relaxed and totally refreshed. And isn't that the point?
MORE INFORMATION
Spa Eastman has various packages available including: A two-night package from $440 per person, based on double occupancy, which includes accommodation, three physical activity sessions, workshops, three meals per day, health-break in the afternoon, three guided walks per day, and access to pools and hammam bath; and a five-night a la carte package (with activities but not meals) from $499 until Feb. 28. See spa-eastman.com. Admission to the baths at Spa Nordic Station is $38 per person. Baths and a one-hour massage, $96 per person. See nordicstation.ca. For more information on Quebec, see spasrelaissante.com, easterntownships.org and bonjourquebec.com.
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