5 of the best spas to visit this winter

Dry, chapped skin? Vitamin C deficiency? Just too damn cold? These dreamy winter spa retreats are the cure-all for any cold-weather woe.

Nordik Spa-Nature, Ottawa

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The largest spa in North America, 10 minutes from downtown Ottawa, is expectedly impressive. It’s home to a whopping seven Scandinavian-style outdoor baths (including the saltwater-based Källa, which feels like floating in the Dead Sea), nine different saunas, a restaurant serving up Canadian and Mediterranean dishes, and an outdoor terrace lounge complete with cocktails and European small plates. To meet demand, the spa is also introducing non-spa activities like foodie get-togethers and social nights — but we'd forgive you if you spent most of your time here just wading in the stunning infinity pool, which overlooks the twinkling city of Ottawa in the distance.

Fairmont Banff Springs

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This 1888 baronial castle is straight out of a Scottish folk tale — but you'll find it much closer to home, in the thick of the Canadian Rockies. Snow-covered pines, pristine lakes, and looming mountains are the backdrop for Willow Stream Spa, whose mineral pools are fed by hot springs, whirlpools by waterfalls, and 23 treatment rooms duly accommodate the demand from the resorts whopping 768 rooms. We can think of nothing better to counteract spirited hikes in the surrounding Bow Valley than a soak in the mineral bath followed with snuggling by the fire swaddled a thick, comfy robe.

The Spa at Norwich Inn, CT

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Despite its star-studded past (the original 1930 inn hosted the likes of Sinatra and the Prince of Wales), you’ll still find The Spa at Norwich Inn, in southeastern Connecticut, a timeless New England hideaway. A peaceful forest gives way to manicured gardens, fountains, and a destination spa resort that offers 100 guest rooms, including 49 in its Georgian Colonial inn, as well as healing rituals for any ailment — from hand, foot, and facial therapies to massages, walks, meditation, and classes on nutrition and fitness — not to mention a beauty salon where Hilary Swank stopped by. The afternoon tea and scones, and evening wine tasting, are the icing on the cake — whether you come with family, friends, a partner, or just yourself.

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