Is there anything better than a girls day?
Recently, I had the opportunity to head to one of my favourite places on Earth (because y’know, I’ve been to Mars) for a little R&R with some of my best blogger pals, Steph and Cathy… I’m talking about Ste Anne’s Spa!
Located in Grafton, Ontario, Ste Anne’s is just a little over an hour drive from Toronto, making it a great spot for a day trip. If you are looking for a longer getaway, you can also stay overnight. It’s hard to not be instantly relaxed once you step foot on the grounds. There is something about this place that is truly magical.
I personally had a really busy summer and was so excited for our day trip because I needed a fresh start to the year. Maybe it’s because I work on a college campus, but for me I’ve always felt that the start of September or the academic year was more of a “new year” than the actual new year.
Whether your looking to start off the school year with some relaxation now that kids are back at school, looking for a re-boot after a busy summer, or just looking for a girls getaway, Ste Anne’s is the perfect place.
After a not-so-great summer weather wise, we really lucked in on the day of our visit! It may have been September, but it felt like the summer which was great because it meant the pool was open. I’m a total water baby, and I don’t have access to a pool year-round so I was really excited to be able to go for a dip and relax by the pool and nap in a hammock in-between some of my treatments.
Upon our arrival, we were greeted with the comfiest robes and smiling faces. We headed down to the locker room to get changed and ready for a day of relaxation and laughter. I opted to have two treatments, and my first one was shortly after our arrival.
The first treatment I had was an hour Swedish massage, and boy did I need it. Being the incredibly clumsy person that I am, a few days before our spa trip I tripped down the stairs. Nothing serious, no broken bones or anything, but man was I sore. I am hands down the clumsiest person in my family.
My registered massage therapist was a complete angel and able to work out some of those knots and kinks from my clumsy incident. I left my session feeling like a million bucks.
The second treatment I had was one of my all-time favourites: the eucalyptus body wrap. If you only have one treatment, make it this one. You start off by a quick steam, and then you get wrapped in warm towels. Next you get a scalp massage, a mini facial and a foot massage. It’s kind of like 3-treatments in one.
After what was the most relaxing morning, it was time for me to meet up with the girls for lunch.
We had lunch outside on the back terrace since it was so nice out, and as always the food was ah-mazing. I had a hard time choosing between two starters, so they were kind enough to bring me a smaller portion of both so that I didn’t have to miss out on one! The starters I picked was the soup of the day, a chilled spicy avocado soup, and the farmer’s salad. Both were incredible.
For my main dish, I chose what Matt had when we went to Ste Anne’s together in the winter, the Asian inspired noodle pot with shrimp. I kid you not, I have had dreams about it ever since I had it. Even writing this post now, I’m starting to crave it. For dessert, I went with the crème brûlée.
Gluten-free friends: you will not go hungry at Ste Anne’s. Not only are a lot of the items on the menu gluten-free, but they also have a dedicated gluten-free bakery on site.
After lunch, Cathy went for her treatment and Steph and I went to go find some quite spots to relax. I found a hammock in a gazebo. It was pure bliss. Later, we all met up again to hang out by the pool and go for a swim. After that, it was time for our afternoon tea, one of my personal favourite treats at Ste Anne’s.
After tea, it was time to visit the fieldstone grottos. There is a hot tub, a plunge pool and a lap pool. It was the perfect end to a perfect day, although I will say it was hard to leave! If I could stay there forever I would.
Before we walked out the door we were already planning our next visit. Ste Anne’s is such a gem, and makes for the perfect girls day.
While I was given the some of the services mentioned in this post for free, all of the opinions expressed are of my own.
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