Don’t be surprised by the occasional shriek at the new Nordic spa in Victoria.
It may be coming from a guest who’s been drenched in chilly water dropped from an overhead bucket, in what’s called a Nordic shower — one of the experiences available in a two-hour, self-directed circuit at the Ritual Nordic Spa on Johnson Street, which opened Monday.
Proponents of the Scandinavian-style hot-cold-relax process believe moving from a steam room to a plunge pool to a warm relaxation area — in this case a lounge lined with pink Himalayan salt blocks — is rejuvenating, increases immunity and mood and provides a feeling of well-being. In fact, many Greater Victoria residents regularly take dips in local marine waters, saying the cold temperature is a stress buster.
While interest in Scandinavian-style spas is growing, many in Canada so far are in the east, especially Quebec, although Scandinave Spa has a location in Whistler.
Ritual Nordic Spa owner and chief executive Marci Hotsenpiller recalls enjoying a sauna as a small child at her grandmother’s Ontario cottage and then running into the nearby lake.
”It really was part of my life growing up as a fun thing to do with family and friends,” she said. “Growing up in a ski-racing family, we spent winters training on the glaciers of Austria and Switzerland, with our post-ski recovery taking place in the thermal baths followed by a cold plunge.”
Ritual Nordic Spa opened in 3,000 square feet of indoor space and 800 square feet of outdoor patios, where a snow machine lets guests make snowballs. Hotsenpiller recommends placing a snowball on the nape of the neck.
Guests choose options they want during a visit, which costs $59 mid-week and $69 on weekends.
The 3,000-litre plunge pool is 9 C and can be entered via steps — or the all-in plunge method.
Some people choose a quick in-and-out dip, while others will stay in a little longer.
The spa is located in the Harris Green neighbourhood, where multi-family buildings have been going up and more are planned.
Hotsenpiller said an urban Nordic spa is in the Finnish tradition of having a sauna in the neighbourhood.
Prior to the pandemic, there was a rise in interest in self-care, she said, and that’s only grown since.
