Launching this week, the RITUAL Nordic Spa ushers in a new era of urban wellness for Victoria. Inspired by the classic sauna tradition of Finland, RITUAL Nordic Spa reimagines the hot/cold/relax circuit for a modern sauna experience in a stunning urban setting.
RITUAL will be the first Nordic Spa built on Vancouver Island—and one of the few new standalone day spas built in the region since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. With the opening of RITUAL, Victoria joins a growing number of North American cities seeing a wave of interest in innovative wellness options and a new style of modern, urban, co-ed, sauna-focused Nordic spas, banyas, and bathhouses.
Located in Victoria’s Harris Green neighbourhood, RITUAL Nordic Spa is an urban oasis featuring an indoor cold plunge pool (9°c), four saunas including traditional Finnish and Infrared saunas (up to 90°C), steam room (45°c), a warm Himalayan salt lounge, Nordic showers, and outdoor patios. RITUAL embodies the shifting landscape of the spa retreat, with enhanced wellness offerings such as massage, generous lounge and outdoor space, and a café bar area featuring non-alcoholic artisanal beverages and licensed offerings such as local craft beer and fresh apres-spa snacks.
RITUAL Nordic Spa is the vision of Founder and CEO Marci Hotsenpiller, who grew up with sauna culture as part of her DNA.
“My first sauna experience was at age three at my Finnish Grandmother’s Muskoka cottage in Ontario, and I’ve been obsessed with the experience ever since,” said Hotsenpiller. “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 fulfills my dream of bringing all the amazing benefits of the hot sauna, cold plunge, and massage under one roof in my hometown of Victoria….with the opportunity for a cold beverage afterward.”
In Scandinavian culture, the sauna is a place to rest and cleanse your mind and body. The heart of Nordic spa involves moving the body through a cycle of thermotherapy: hot, cold, rest and repeat to achieve temperature contrasts that boost immunity, mood, and overall well-being.
“With RITUAL Nordic Spa, we are on a mission to deliver an elevated wellness experience in an urban setting specifically designed to rejuvenate, heal and uplift guests during this critical time,” emphasized Hotsenpiller. “Self-care and wellness need not be a luxury but a NECESSITY that should be available and approachable for all.”
The RITUAL Nordic Circuit is a two-hour experience in a beautiful contemporary space. Guests move through the hot-cold-relax cycle offered by a traditional Finnish sauna, herbal-scented steam room, cold plunge pool, bucket showers, and the chill-out zones of a Himalayan salt lounge and outdoor patios. Guests complete the circuit on their own time, alone or with others.
For those who prefer a quieter sauna experience, two bookable sauna suites offer privacy as part of an authentic sauna experience. Guests can enhance their Nordic Spa experience with a massage from a registered therapist in one of three treatment rooms or experience RITUAL’s unique Alpine dry-brush experience.
The rejuvenating ritual extends beyond the treatment and sauna rooms to RITUAL’s relaxation lounges and outdoor patios where guests can rest and refresh or visit the cafe for Scandinavian-inspired snacks and beverages. In addition, an outdoor “snow station” generates crystal clear snowflakes for guests to form into balls and place onto their skin for an additional cooling thrill.
A leader in spa sustainability, RITUAL Nordic Spa was designed with the environment in mind. Each space maximizes natural light and utilizes energy-efficient water filtration, heating and energy recovery systems. Guests can further contribute to a sustainable spa experience with the “Hold the Robe” program, where RITUAL purchases carbon offset credits when a guest chooses to skip the robe and utilize only a towel instead.
For more information, hours of operation, or bookings, visit https://ritualnordicspa.com
