Victoria Gets Its Own Nordic Spa In The City (Win!)

An urban sauna experience has landed in the heart of Victoria, B.C. Ritual, the first Nordic Spa of its kind in the city, has opened its doors, bringing the favourite Finnish pasttime to cosmopolitan Canadians. Inviting you to hit pause on your busy life, to relax, immerse and rejuvenate, Ritual offers a circuit of hot and cold promising you’ll reemerge as your best self. We sat down with founder Marci Hotsenpiller to talk wellness, her new venture, and the rise of sauna culture. —Lauren Walker-Lee

Hi Marci! Why do you think the demand for urban wellness options is growing? And when did you spot the opportunity?

For cities with a large percentage of people living downtown, in condos or smaller spaces, it seems like the density has happened quickly, but the services to help make downtown areas great aren’t catching up. During Covid, I felt the need to get out of the house and move my body in a way that felt great. Unfortunately, there was too much Zoom time and digital screen time. I started doing cold plunges in the ocean but missed the heat of a sauna nearby to go with it. I also knew a lot of women in Victoria who would drive … hours just to visit a day spa with a steam room and a pool. I think I was waiting for a large destination Nordic spa to build on Vancouver Island. The lightbulb went on when I heard about smaller, modern, urban sauna houses and bathhouses being built in cities like Venice Beach, Portland, Brooklyn and even Calgary. I also noticed how quickly people were getting into cold plunge as a recovery practice for sports or dance. It went from being freaky—standing in the ocean or a bucket of ice water—to being an accepted thing. So, designing a modern space that had hot saunas, a cold plunge, a steam room, massage and a café became my mission.

How did you develop your expertise on Nordic sauna culture ?

My grandmother is Finnish. I grew up doing sauna with her, and ever since have been introducing friends to it and hosting sauna parties when we’ve had outdoor saunas on our property. You would be amazed how many times someone can be certain they don’t like sauna, or don’t like to sweat, who then try sauna with cold plunge and are converted. Travelling through Scandinavia, I  enjoyed saunas there with locals and friends over the years. I watched as the communal sauna—which used to be on every block in cities like Helsinki—faded away and then recently started to return, with the emergence of large, social saunas like Loyly near Helsinki. In developing Ritual, I worked with mentors and advisers who launched sauna houses and Nordic spas in U.S. locales such as Asheville, Seattle, Austin, Portland and California and closer to home, in Kananaskis and Calgary. So even in places where you might not expect to find it, sauna culture is coming on strong.

Can you speak to the pandemic accelerating the already shifting mindset for self-care and balance?

Before the pandemic, there was a shift around thinking about self-care and balance as more of a necessity than a frivolous luxury. Covid brought into real focus issues for many—especially younger people—around mental health, anxiety and depression. During the past two years, many people took self-care into their own hands and, when their usual routines were disrupted, they were willing to try new things, especially if it involved getting out into fresh air! As part of this, there was a huge uptick in people trying cold water swimming or wild swimming for the first time, with groups popping up around the world. As a result, saunas came into focus, too. I noticed many North American celebrities sharing their sauna practices, whether infrared or traditional, online, posting photos of themselves in their saunas, or talking about their passion for hot-cold therapy. Gwyneth, Kim Kardashian, Anthony Robbins and, for cold plunge, the Ice Man Wim Hof.

What exactly is sauna culture and what has North America has been missing out on?

In Finland, people say everyone looks the same in a towel or is equal in a sauna. That’s a fun communal aspect of sauna culture. You don’t have those visible markers of status or class in a sauna. I think we could use more of that.  But also, it’s just really great to have something fun to do on the weekend or an evening with friends that doesn’t necessarily involve a big expensive meal out or a focus on drinking. Also, it feeds some of the same needs we had before Covid, where people gathered for social things like book club once a month, or met each week in spin class. Sometimes having a standing evening event like that could be the one time you knew for certain you would see your friends.  And I see sauna or going for a regular cold plunge becoming that: a way to gather with friends regularly in a way that makes you feel incredible. Plus going to the sauna really does feel like a reward or treat after a challenging week, or a tough Cross-Fit class.

What sets Ritual apart?

We’re the first spa in Victoria with a cold plunge pool, and the first sauna-centric spa on the Island, with four different saunas. Also, our modern design approach; we’ve imagined what “urban Nordic” could look like with touches of vintage alpine chalet culture added in. Our space combines the modern blonde wood and sleek lines of minimalist Scandinavian design, with bold patterns of Finnish design house Marimekko, and original art by Vancouver Island artists who understand—and live—ski culture. (I remember one of the mood boards for Ritual had pine forests, Dwell magazine cabins and postcards of ski vests from the 1980s!) And, being delightfully unpretentious; I love that friendly feeling when you walk into a ski lodge or chalet after a day of skiing and people smile, because you’re all so happy to be on the mountain that day. I spent my early years on the ski slopes of Collingwood, Ontario, and training in the Alps during the summers. I’m hoping to generate that same atmosphere at Ritual. We aim to be a world-class spa that is completely unpretentious. You can chat with your friends in the sauna. We play music. Our massage offerings are straightforward and simple. Finally, affordability; a two-hour visit to our Nordic Circuit starts at $59. Our goal was to find a price point where people could visit once a month, rather than saving up all year and only going to a spa on their birthday.

ritualnordicspa.com

Win! 2 Passes For A Two-Hour Sauna Circuit Experience At Ritual Nordic Spa!

Congrats Lorraine G. of Vancouver, BC, who will receive two passes (for themselves and a friend) to enjoy a Two-Hour Sauna Circuit Experience At Ritual Nordic Spa in Victoria, B.C.! Please note: contest is open to all Canadians, but transportation is not included and the two-hour sauna circuit will be based on availability. Proof of vaccination required. Please note: if you are the winner, you will receive a DM (direct message) in Instagram directly from @vitadaily.ca. Please be wary of fake accounts, which often use similar handles with an extra or missing letter, number or symbol. We will never ask for a payment or for your credit card number, and we will never ask you to click through a link. If you are unsure whether you have been contacted, via Instagram, by us or a fake account, email us before responding.