In November 2001 hands-on managers Chris Scott and Jamie McKeough opened Skoah with the slogan, “No whale music, No bubbling cherubs, No pretentious attitudes. Just sweet skin facials and melted muscles massage.” Obviously, they took a different approach to the spa atmosphere.

It’s just what two friends with big stress and little time needed – no worrying, no thinking and no hassle.

Despite its location in trendy Yaletown, Skoah managed to escape the pretentious attitude found in neighbouring spas that kept us at bay. At Skoah you get in and out service, pampering without the poodle talk and no strange looks if you ask, “Do I disrobe fully?”

In the minimalist lounge – think Ikea meets Soho – we filled out paperwork, drank bottled water and relaxed in over-sized chairs. Two massage therapists who looked more like 1950s flight attendants greeted us and lead us into a double massage room.

The room felt more like a hip hotel room than a fru-fru spa. The room had the requisite low lights, candles and robes, but the subdued colours, cool jazz and bare walls made the room – and us – feel stylish yet relaxed. A perfect setting for two friends in dire need of some quick relaxation, not a romantic getaway.

The massage therapists left the room, to giving us time to change and slip under the covers of our individual beds. Yes beds. With constant heat radiating from below and incredibly warm and soft blankets this wasn’t a hard, impersonal massage table – it was heaven. Waiting for the masseurs to return, the tension in our bodies and minds faded away, despite our uncertainty about would happen next.

I have visited many well-known spas, and Skoah was surprisingly different. It didn’t follow the traditional spa routine: lounge for an hour, read magazines, listen to waterfall music, inhale an overwhelming vanilla scent, lie uncomfortably on a hard bed until cold hands start their job and achieve relaxation only after you’re out the door.

Instead, we rested comfortably to smooth, hip music that put us in a more restful state than singing cherubs ever could.

With a knock on the door and an OK from us, the masseurs returned to the room. They asked each of us which scented massage oil we each preferred – invigorating, calming or relaxing. At 4PM with a wedding dinner to attend, my friend chose invigorating. I, however, wanted nothing more than the sweet smell of relaxation. This was our only decision and for good reason – as soon as the masseurs placed warm, scented cloths over our eyes, we were out.

For the next fifty minutes we received our Melted Muscles Massage ($85 Canadian) which delivered on the promise to “melt away stress, tension and achy muscles.” The massage turned me into a pile of mush and looking over at my best friend, I saw it had done the same to her.

I asked her how she felt and she told me fabulous. Did it work? Yes she said. Are you ready to get married tomorrow? I asked. No, she said, I’m ready for a really great nap. I knew how she felt.

We changed, paid and completed the mission in just over an hour. We were de-stressed, relaxed and smiling – even with an impending wedding.

Now that’s a good massage.

Skoah Spa

1011 Hamilton St. in Yaletown
T 604 642 0200

Like any good traveller, I always have an idea of what I want to do and see before I leave for a place; the restaurants that sound fabulous, the off the path sites, the great hotels to stay in. But also like any good traveller, I leave my itinerary and mind open to doing new things, which came in particularly handy during non-stop travel month of February.

Whilst staying at the Four Seasons Henri V in Paris (just off the Champs-Elysees) I discovered their elegant and well equipped spa, open only to guests. By the time I arrived at this hotel, I had already been on 4 planes, 1 train and done a weeks worth of driving. I was stiff, a bit tired and congested and in need of some desperate pampering. At first I thought perhaps doing the spa would be a waste of time; there’s walking to do, cafe’s to sit in, French to be spoken! But I (my body really) gave in, and an early evening appointment was made for one of the best massages of my life.

The soothing experience lasted an hour but I lingered in the spa a half hour more, to sip tea, eat fruit, enjoy the relaxation room and basically just rest. I realised that I often forget to rest on trips, instead sometimes feeling like I must do, do, do to get the most out of a trip.

But that massage was exactly what I needed. I needed a break to regain my energy and most importantly, to enjoy the experience of travel. It encouraged me to slow down and really take things in, and with all the knots in my neck gone, this was much easier to do!

A week later I was in Dallas, at the Hotel Crescent Court and was treated to a Vichy Rain Massage Therapy and a specially designed Yon-ka Aromatherapy Facial. For two hours I was pampered and I came out glowing like a baby with my limbs as relaxed as one. That spa time helped remove 9 plane trips, stress, bad skin from recycled air and a cold. The stress of travelling was removed and I was sold on getting pampered while vacationing.

Shortly I’ll be leaving on another trip; the hotel is booked as is the massage and afternoon tea. Now instead of reminding myself to relax, I’ll have to remind myself to sightsee!