Came here for the first time recently for a RMT Swedish massage.
The lobby is stunning with lots of waterfalls everywhere (I guess "Stillwater" is a bit of a misnomer). I had booked my appointment over the phone. At reception, they gave me a leather case with my "spa itinerary" -- I guess this is more useful for those who book multiple services. And the case also had a health sheet -- pretty standard survey of medical conditions, medications, etc. The guy told me not to worry about filling it out right away, as I could do so later in the Tea Lounge. He showed me around, gave me a key to the changeroom and a pair of slippers.
In the changeroom, I went to my designated locker (they are numbered) where there was a terry cloth robe and bath towel. Nice lockers -- a separate drawer for small items (e.g. watch, glasses), lots of hangers, and you lock it by picking a 4 digit code (like hotel safes) so you don't have to worry about carrying around a key. Since I was an hour early, I took a shower and used the jacuzzi and wet/dry saunas. It was a weekday afternoon and for most of the time, there was no one else there so it was blissfully quiet. I also enjoyed the little beds/TV viewing stations... I've never seen this before and it is sort of a weird concept to me (I thought the point of spas were to get away from technology?). But it was kinda fun to get my CBC fix while waiting for my massage. The change room has toothbrushes, razors, combs, cotton swabs, etc. in case you forgot something.
The Tea Lounge is pretty big with couches as well as an area with tables and chairs that almost looks like a restaurant. There's lots of tea, cucumber water, biscotti, and apples. There wasn't a great selection of reading material and several people seemed to have brought their own books/magazines.
The massage itself was wonderful. My masseuse was Leah and she was thoughtful, professional, and pleasant. You get a choice of music ("spa music", chill out, classical, piano, jazz). I chose piano and must say... it was kinda hokey. I thought it was gonna be Chopin or something, but it was more like new age-y/easy listening fusion. Next time, I'll try classical. You also can choose unscented/lavender/eucalyptus/grapefruit massage oil. I went with lavender, which was nice and not too overpowering. The massage table itself is heated. Sooo nice. During the massage, I was wrapped up in a duvet. It's like getting tucked into bed when you're little! At the end, she puts hot towels over my feet - it felt super-relaxing. I think I fell asleep for a bit near the end. Pressure was just right for me. I did hear the subway rumbling by a few times, but I'm used to falling asleep to the sound of a streetcar so I didn't mind. The sound of public transit is oddly soothing to me... After the massage, you leave your treatment room and there is a curtain in the hallway so that it's not as jarring to go from the dark massage room to bright lights outside. Leah gave me back the leather case thing, with a separate receipt I could use for insurance purposes.
In summary, a wonderful oasis of calm in the city, highly recommended! The facilities are very nice, clean, and aesthetically pleasing but for me, what makes Stillwater stand out is the impeccable service. It is expensive, but if you have health benefits that pay for RMT massages, this is a great option. read more