Lakeside Spa - Unfortunately Underwhelming!

It all started about a month ago.

I was referred to this clinic by a friend of mine (being said that it was a hit or miss location), and thought that although I have not had phenomenal sessions at spas in the past, that this could be the turn around.  I called the spa, and booked my early Wednesday appointment (10am), and after claryifying that I would be seeing a 2200 hour therapist), I eagerly waited for my appointment. Maybe I was too optimistic.

This little spa is located off of Acadia Drive in the southeast of Calgary. Found on the second floor of the Bonavista Mall, it is a beautiful and quiet location, and is quite easy to access from either Deerfoot Trail, Macleod Trail, Anderson Drive or Canyon Meadows Drive. Once inside the mall, I found the spa, and was greeted by a friendly receptionist who gave me the health form. After completing the form, I awaited my therapist.It was quite quiet in the spa, and I believe that this was also due to the fact that I was the first appointment of the day.

Once I was escorted to the room, I was asked to confirm that I had booked a 1 hour relaxation massage, and that this would be a light to moderate depth and would be a full body session. I agreed, and was left to get onto the table.

The room was quite calming, having neutral color tones on the wall, a corner shelf for some towels, a main shelving unit that held a roaster pan for hot stones, and some candles on a wall shelf. The music, which was broadcast throughout the entire spa, was a mix of water elements, birds, animals, and instrumental undertones. A bit too earthy for me, and was all over the place, but, it did not distract too often from the massage.

My therapist, who has been practicing for 3 years, is a graduate of Mount Royal College and had received her certificate/diploma of 1200 hours (not really the 2200 hours that I had requested). A lot of people have asked me why this is important, and I can explain why. There is a standard that is starting to spread over this country in regards to Massage Therapy, and it is very exciting that this is 2200 hours. This is one of the highest standards across the globe, and we should be happy to see a profession that can have such a powerful and profound effect on the human body raised to the highest standards. Now, aside from the potential argument that can arise in Alberta (due to the potential implementation of regulation in the near future), I am always happy to see standards raised, and love to support therapists who have taken the steps to refine and raise their level of education.   For these many reasons, I have concerns over receptionist and staff at clinics and spas who are not aware of the differences between the many levels of education available to Massage Therapists. I have met therapists in the City of Calgary who have 100, 250, 500, 1000, 1200, and 2200 hours of training. It will be a great day when there are no variations, and individuals who decide to study and practice this profession will all be equal in their basic trainings.

Back to my session....

This was an interesting evolution of a session! The massage started with my back, then to the back of my legs, feet, arms, and then neck.  What is it with therapists who massage the feet and then work other ares?? I get it... they are my feet, and I clean them, and I know where they have been, I just don't think that it is really relaxing to have them massaged, and then progress to my neck! I seem to be alone in this thought though, as so many therapists out there like this method.
I was also asked if I like the smell of lavendar, as my thearpist had a lavendar foot lotion, and wanted to know if I would be okay with it being used. I agreed, and found the scent quite relaxing. However, it was then also used for my hands and neck massage, which made me a bit queasy, after being told that it was a foot lotion.

I will say, that this was a quite a cool room as well. Although there was a duvet style blanket on top of me the entire time, a very distinct breeze kept chilling my body, and kept me awake, aware and uncomfortable. Sure wished that there was a heated blanket, or a hydrocollator offered to keep me comfy.

One of the techniques that we teach in school is the concept of keeping in contact with your client throughout the entire massage.  This is why we learn to either have our lotion attached to our body via a holster, or we find ways to keep it at hand on the table. This allows us to remain in constant contact with our clients, and gives them a sense of relaxation since they never have to wonder where we are, or that the massage seems disjointed and fragmented. 
This was the main distraction in my massage today! My therapist kept leaving the table to get her lotion, which she kept on the shelving unit up near my head. I was constantly aware that she had left the table, and seemed to want to open my eyes, look around to see where she had gone.

Throughout the disjointedness of the session, I kept thinking, "What will make this all better will be the scalp and face massage.. just wait for it, just wait for it.. There will be redemption". And yet, it never came. When I am told that this will be a full body relaxation massage, and that it will address the whole body, I don't necessarily expect the glutes or abdomen to be treated, but not doing a scalp or face massage in a relaxation session is sacrilege.  I think that I was hoping that if it were to be omitted, that I would have been given the option.


Overall, I was quite under-whelmed, and am not eagerly looking at to go to another spa location for a while, unless I have some good referrals. This is not intended to say that all spas are bad.. obviously I have just been unlucky enough to find some less than appealing ones lately. I will be striving to find those phenomenal therapists in Calgary, and hope to have some amazing stories to tell in the months to come!!!

Lakeside Spa

www.lakesidespa.ca