Thanks to the invitation from our Russian friends, we had the chance to visit and experience a…read moretraditional Russian-style sauna--the banya. Otherwise, I would have never dared to step into this place on my own. Taking photos inside the banya is not allowed--for obvious reasons. You need to bring your own swim shorts or swimsuit to enter the banya area. The area includes a cold water pool, a warm water pool, and most importantly, the banya room itself. A banya is similar to a sauna, but instead of being very dry like a typical sauna (which uses a stove), the banya is extremely humid due to the constant addition of water. As a result, even though the temperature, 70 degrees Celsius, doesn't exceed that of a regular sauna (around 90°C), it feels much hotter. In fact, I felt suffocated the moment I stepped into the banya room for the first time--I was shocked! However, after staying a little longer, I quickly got used to it. The heat penetrated my body inside and out, and I started sweating like crazy. You can't even tell whether the moisture on your body is sweat or steam from the air. According to Russian tradition, you're supposed to jump straight into the freezing cold water immediately after leaving the banya room. I didn't jump--I walked in slowly, afraid my heart might stop if I did that! I felt completely relaxed afterwards, and I could tell my metabolism had boosted. I highly recommend experiencing a banya during the blistering cold Canadian winter. There's also a restaurant offering Russian dishes (or more precisely, Soviet-style cuisine), so you can refuel with some hearty food after being "boiled" in the banya.

This is definitely a cultural experience you want to try at least once!…read more Banya Richmond Hill is a local spa and wellness space offering an authentic eastern European banya experience. It has a variety of saunas, steam rooms, and baths, including a Himalayan salt room, and provides a relaxing and social atmosphere. Beyond the traditional banya experience, Banya Richmond Hill also features delicious house made food and drinks, including traditional Russian dishes and kombucha. I loved the Lamb Pilaf and potato perogies. I highly recommend coming early on the weekend or preferably choose a weekday in the day time to enjoy the experience with less crowds . Parking is a bit limited as well so make sure to come early!

Gr8 setup. Relaxing and enjoyable. I like the experience for…read moremy first spa. Comes down to a good therapist.

For me, this is the best hidden gem in Ontario. There's nothing better than fresh fruit, an amazing…read moreleg massage and a nice hot dip in the whirlpool! If you haven't been here, you need to come and if you've been here before - you know how amazing it is. This is my 3rd time here and definitely not my last!

I am really regretting not getting a pass of 10 entries on day 1. You save quite a bit if you did…read morethis. I have yet again returned, this time on a Monday night after a late dinner in the area. I arrived around 11pm and stayed until 7:30am. Admission has gone up a bit. It was $75.95 and for staying after 2am it was still $15 extra. After 12% automatic service charge and HST, it came out to $115.10. The place was pretty quiet. I was told the restaurant is now open until 1:45am. I went straight to the hot tubs and the steam room and was the only one there. By around midnight it got busy so I explored the saunas and knocked out in the theater. Woke up around 6am and went back to the hot tubs where I was once again, had the whole place to myself. They offer complimentary sensodyne toothpaste and Madagascar centella ampoule face wash which I am in love with. After coming here for a few years it still looks new and clean to me. I'm pretty sure I'll be back again.

Upon entering, you will notice immediately, the place is grand! From large hanging chandeliers to…read morethe sheer amount of space. This place is huge. You check in and then take a really long escalator up to an area where you are greeted by a staff member who assigns you a locker for your shoes! That's right, this first locker only holds your shoes with their modern locking system unlocked by your wrist band. You are offered slippers and walked over to your respective change room where you are greeted by another staff member from behind a counter. This person asks which kind of outfit you would like - a thin silky robe or a comfortable pair of shorts and t shirt. You then find your locker and store your belongings and change into the provided outfit. Your walk through this change room alone is a spa like experience in itself. The women's change room has a sauna, steam room, hot tubs and showers with brand name soaps and shampoos. The water pressure in the shower was nice and strong, temperature control was easy making for a really comfortable experience. On your way out are a wall of vanity type stations fully equipped with hair dryers, q-tips, single use combs, mouth wash, any thing you can thing of all available for use at no extra cost. You're then free to wander the entire facility! The spa features: - many hot and cold rooms ranging in temperature. I recommend going in order so you really feel the difference in temperature changes. Each room is differentiated by unique wall decor - an infra red room - a gym where they provide running shoes. The gym has a few free weights, treadmills and other equipment - a movie theatre playing some old movies on a schedule (remember this used to be the FMP movie theatre) - a restaurant where the food was surprisingly superb! We tried the oysters, a rice dish, sushi and the hot drinks. Everything was delish. - billiard tables - a large lounge where you can work, chill or play board games which are available for rent! In this lounge, you are also able to purchase snacks and drinks The upper level is used for paid additional services such as manis/ pedis and massages. The admission price allows you to stay as long as you want (up to 24 hrs)! Unique experience worth checking out!

Excellent service. April is very thorough and professional…read more Both my wife and I have ben going there regularly and always happy with the service.

Such nice atmosphere and good service. Great leg massage by…read moreCeline and good shellac mani and reg. Pedi.

Ridi (not sure if I spelled her name correctly), was EXCELLENT! She gave a great facial, and head…read moremassage was worth the five stars alone!! Highly recommend, especially if you're looking for a non-toxic environment or have allergies/sensitivities!!

Had the most amazing experience yesterday! Enjoyed the 'Two is better than one" body scrub and…read morewrap that left me feeling euphoric all day long! My skin was left so silky smooth and shiny that I couldn't keep my hands off myself! haha The technician, Nikky, was very efficient, professional and sweet and ensured that my comfort and modesty were maintained throughout! The setting was beautiful and calming and I felt very much at home from the moment I walked through the door. This was my first visit to Bloom Organic Spa, but it sure as heck won't be my last! I would recommend this spa to anyone looking for experience and competence and incredible value!

Consistently great experience, from the host to the services…read more Make sure to arrive early to take advantage of the water therapies

I am hottub, sauna, spa connoisseur! My aging body demands quality hot water and saunas. I was…read morevisiting Toronto from the U.S. on a work related trip and was desperate for hot water so paid the full $85 ($90 with tax) to get in for the last 45 minutes and was sorely disappointed. The sauna was barely warm. The main pool was luke warm; albeit relaxing to move in, as I was the only one using it. The supposed "hot" pool was not warmer than my hottub at home that we keep at 104, so must've only been around 101 my guess. And yes, the 2 other women that were there were chatting up a storm, so not your relaxing, spa type environment. The staff, though, were very kind and helpful. I'd say if you have time and the same amount of money, head an hour east to Thermea spa, which is well worth the time and money!

This bathhouse is modeled after a Russian Banya and contains a dry sauna, wet sauna, steam room,…read morecold plunge & bucket, resting/common area, and a dining room. With the entrance fee, you are given a towel, bathrobe, and a bracelet for a locker. You can also opt for different add-ons for your experience such as an exfoliator/scrub or a sauna hat. They do not offer slippers so bring your own if you prefer them. I found the saunas hot enough as I have a low heat tolerance. The cold bucket plunge was also refreshing after the sauna. The cold plunge is a well that states a one person limit, though many people went in with 2-3 people at a time. The entire atmosphere reminds you of a cottage getaway. Afterward, we went to the dining area where they offer complimentary tea at the cutest tea station. They also make homemade kombucha and offer pickle vodka shots. We ordered the borsht, cabbage rolls, dumplings, herring, and the sourdough pancakes. Right off the bat, everything was delicious. The borsht was probably one of the best I've ever tasted, especially with the sour cream and the tanginess of the broth. The cabbage rolls were juicy and seasoned well, the sourdough pancakes tasted like fried dough and had a rich buttery flavour as opposed to the sweet, cakiness you would expect from a pancake. But the most surprising was the herring, which came with pickled cabbage on top and was incredibly tasty. Definitely give this a try if you visit. The drinks were also made strong, despite the low price ($11-15 for a cocktail). We all agreed that we should return just for the food alone!

I had an absolute blast at women's night which is every Tuesday at Southwestern Bathhouse!…read moreAdmittedly because it was my first time I was confused as hell and the front desk didn't really walk me through any of the rooms or what their functions were or what to do first etc, but all the info was on the website and there were only three rooms and one cold plunge so it ended up being kind of self explanatory. Scrubs are five dollars for purchase which actually is kinda crazy considering the size but I came for the full experience so you bet I bought one for the steam room. The sauna and steam rooms were INSANELY hot and the cold plunge was INSANELY cold. It was FANTASTIC lol! It was so foggy in the steam room I literally could barely see anyone else and my nostrils were burning from the heat. The water in the pool was nice and cold though and really helped keep cool in there. The larger sauna was super relaxing temperature wise and more for chilling out. If the cold plunge was too extreme there was also a chain and bucket that release cold water that was not nearly as freezing. There was a lovely cozy rest area with dim lights and a tv and in the nook of the dining area a plethora of stunning herbal, aromatic and fruity teas. As for the food itself, AWESOME. There were plenty of options for me as someone who only eats halal meat and has to otherwise be vegetarian or pescatarian in the event meat is not halal. I had potato pelmeni and the bowl was LOADED. I was in absolute BLISS. The mushroom julienne was a pool of cheese, cream and mushrooms, what was there not to like there??? The bread was the only meh part of it all. The sour cream cake was lovely and fluffy. Very homemade vibes. I loved the experience and would absolutely come back again!

We came here a few days after their Grand Opening and were impressed by the top notch customer care…read moreand the quality of their service. You can choose between different aromatic oils for the forehead massage; each oil had different effect like: relaxing, headache relief, energetic. You can choose between 60 and 90-minute treatment sessions. They have single or couple massage rooms. They'll scan your scalp once at the beginning of the session and once the treatment is done and they also provide feedback on how oily or sensitive your scalp is. The treatment includes scalp and forehead massage, shoulder massage and hair wash. I felt so relaxed during the session that I felt asleep and when I woke up, I felt completely relaxed and refreshed. Definitely worth the 60/90 minutes spent. They currently have great promotions for their Grand Opening.

Just had the most relaxing spa experiences at Chill Head Spa. The place had a soothing atmosphere,…read moreyou're welcomed with slippers and tea while filling out a questionnaire. You also get a scalp analysis before your treatment. I felt so relaxed and my hair has not been this soft in so long!! Everyone was very friendly and attentive during the session, there's also snacks and tea afterwards too! Definitely recommend for a self-pamper session or as gift.