Ste. Anne’s Spa nurtures your body & spirit
Part of my job as a travel writer is to discover new places. And the best part of my job as a writer whose specialty is chocolate travel, is to discover new places that offer memorable chocolate experiences. All of those criteria were met during my visit to the Ste. Anne’s Spa in Grafton, Ontario, Canada.
This aerial view of the Ste. Anne’s Spa shows the spaciousness and character of the setting.
The Ste. Anne’s Spa is located 90-minutes by car, or just a short train ride from Toronto, but is truly a world away. I boarded the VIA Rail train at 11:30 am at Union Station, and arrived happily at Cobourg (the nearest) station at 12:41 pm. I was greeted by a smiling Ste. Anne’s staff member and within 15 minutes, arrived at the Ste. Anne’s Spa, just five minutes from the tiny community of Grafton.
What a thrill it was to be invited to experience the peace and serenity of this stunning location, but also to enjoy their seasonal chocolate treatments. But wait! It gets even better. Ste. Anne’s also has its own on-site bakery and chocolate shop. That put this chocolate-loving, pleasure-seeking traveller right on Cloud 9, and there was no way anyone would be removing me from this place of quiet ecstasy until 48 hours later, when I would take the return train to Toronto and re-enter the world of reality.
The grounds at the Ste. Anne’s Spa are stunning.
I was assigned the Garden Room, which was very comfortable, with a fireplace, a nice soaker tub and separate shower. I’m sure the view of the gardens in summer would have made my stay even better (which is hard to imagine) but I found the view to be most pleasing, even in March. And it sure was cozy with that wood-burning fireplace.
An extensive tea menu is available in the Ste. Anne’s Dining Room.
You have quite a variety of accommodations to choose from, including private cottages and rooms in the original wing of the Main Inn, and a newly constructed wing as well. If you’re flying solo, I’d recommend staying in the main building. If you’ve got a group together and want to create your own atmosphere, the cottages are a great option.
If you have a small group of gal pals, I recommend getting one or two of the private cottage units to enjoy your stay at Ste. Anne’s.
In addition to the spa treatments, there is an outdoor hot tub, and the spectacular grounds to stroll and fill your mind with peace and serenity. So I highly recommend coming to stay for at least a couple of days if you can swing it. That way … you get to taste the incredible culinary offerings in which Ste. Anne’s takes great pride. The food is creative, healthy, and delicious, and there certainly are a number of chocolate offerings on the menu, and available for take-away purchase in the bakeshop and in the spa’s giftshop. Remember to bring your own wine, as Ste. Anne’s doesn’t serve alcoholic beverages, but invites guests to bring their libations into the dining room with them.
Ste. Anne’s Spa truly is the perfect spa destination for chocolate lovers.
A highlight for me, was going to the gluten-free bakeshop (it’s in a separate building from the spa) and meeting the chief chocolatier at Ste. Anne’s. I had the pleasure of tasting a variety of handcrafted chocolate creations and was impressed. I think you’ll also be impressed with the beautiful baked goods available for sale. I know I was!
The chocolate spa treatments were equally delightful. I enjoyed the Hydrating (full body) Hot Chocolate Wrap. My skin never felt better! The following day, I was treated to a Warm Chocolate Swedish Massage. In each of the treatments, you get to choose your preferred aroma. I had peppermint in the wrap, and cinnamon/clove in the Swedish massage. I also enjoyed a Foot Therapy Treatment just prior to my departure that left me floating on a cloud.
The hydrating warm chocolate wrap leaves your skin feeling baby soft.
Ste. Anne’s has its own line of chemical-free botanical skin cream products that you can enjoy while on-site, and purchase for at home or as gifts. In my short two-day stay at Ste. Anne’s, I barely had a chance to fully get into the restful and rejuvenating vibe. I now truly understand why so many Ste. Anne’s customers return regularly and stay for several days at a time. And why Ste. Anne’s continually rates as one of the top spas in North America, the top spa in Canada for nine consecutive years, and is in the Hall of Excellence according to Trip Advisor members.
Thanks to Ontario Travel for making this trip possible.
Have you been to the Ste. Anne’s Spa? If so, please share your experience with us. And if you have a favourite spa that you think compares to the excellence known at Ste. Anne’s Spa, please tell us about it!
Oh my goodness! A chocolate spa! How perfect for you, Doreen! Great post. I have heard so many wonderful things about Ste. Anne’s Spa. It sounds magical…and looks magical too. Love the aerial photo! Thanks for sharing this great info!
You’re most welcome, Sandy. Thanks for stopping by. Yes, Ste. Anne’s Spa is definitely a destination every spa-loving Canadian should visit. They do everything right!
Ok….you had me at Chocolate….this place look delicious in all senses of the word. How can you control yourself in such a venue. I mean did you take a little sip of the chocolate bath, Willie Wonka style?
Hi Mike and welcome to my blog! We weren’t talking about a chocolate bath here, so there was no chance to take a sip. In the chocolate wrap, you are covered in a rather dry mixture and then wrapped in plastic. In the Swedish massage, you are rubbed with a lovely oil that is smoothed into the skin. I have heard, however, that the Hershey resort in PA does have chocolate baths and I am hoping to get there soon to check it out!
ok….well as long as you got to eat some chocolate while you were wrapped in it, that works. and yeah that Hershey Chocolate Bath sounds like a must for your blog. Hey, it’s work right?!
Thx for your comment, Mike. I’m happy to say that after two years of hoping, I will finally get to the Hershey Spa next month. It will be pretty tough to beat the quality of service at the Ste. Anne’s Spa, but I’m certainly willing to give it a try! 🙂
I love chocolate. Absolutely love it. Then there’s this chcolate spa? I can imagine being in willy wonka and trying to stop myself from licking it off my hands. Id love to try it!
Hi Karla and thanks for your comment–and enthusiasm for chocolate! I hope you will subscribe to this blog, as we have many delectable posts here.
Yes, it does get quite tempting to put the chocolate into the body, as well as onto it while you’re immersed in it. So fortunately, many chocolate spas offer you a piece (or two) of chocolate to eat while you’re in the wrap, or after.
Doreen, this place sounds heavenly! Just based on your description and photos, serene seems to describe it very well. Sounds relaxing and rejuvenating… if you stay long enough.
Absolutely, Tracie! You will definitely find peace and serenity at the Ste. Anne’s Spa. Plus fun, if that’s what you’re seeking. Plus … It’s a. Dry photogenic place for you photographers!
Ste. Anne’s sounds like a wonderful place to get back into shape and relax completely. Have seen chocolate wraps advertised on quite a few spas. Have to admit though, that I have never asked what the benefits of such wraps are to your body and mind. Who better to ask than you? Why is chocolate a better choice than, say, mud?
Hi Catarina. On the whole, there are two major benefit from a body wrap treatment. One is to exfoliate, tone, and rejuvenate the skin. You feel and look more svelte!
With respect to the choice of chocolate as the key ingredient for your wrap, pls see the comment I posted in response to Jeannette. Try it, and let me know what you think!
That looks like a wonderful spot to spend a weekend away.
Hi Bethany. I’d actually like to go back for more than 2 nights next time. There were several ladies I spoke to there who said you can’t really appreciate the full benefits of a trip to Ste. Anne’s Spa without staying for at least a few days.
I am glad you enjoyed it there. What a neat looking spa,I am surprised at all the different items that people use as a skin treatment now.
thank you for sharing this with all of us.
Thx for your comment, William. Yes, it really is amazing as to the wide array of ingredients that are put into spa treatments these days! They have something to please everyone.
I’m so jealous!! This looks like the perfect getaway. So happy you were able to get there!
Thanks for reading,
Sarah
Hi Sarah and thx for your comment. Yes, Ste. Anne’s Spa really is a lovely destination. I hope you have a chance to visit on a future trip to Toronto.
I am a total non spa person, BUT can I enjoy it vicariously through you? You obviously had such a delightful time, that I kicked back, read with pleasure and pretended to be with you!
Hi Rose. I was never a spa person before I got involved in travel writing. And I must tell you, once you have experienced a few good spa treatments, you do get hooked!
I like the whole idea of being spoiled, Doreen!
Me, too, Rose. I’m thrilled that after 2 years of trying to get there, I will finally experience the Hershey spa and be able to compare its offering to those I experienced at the Ste. Anne’s Spa. that will be hard to beat!
Oh man!! I don’t usually have a strong urge to drop everything and head home… but for this resort and spa with that bakeshop I’m thinking a trip home may be in order! Thanks for sharing this!
Hi Carolann and welcome to the blog! You are fortunate that you live near the Ste. Anne’s Spa. I would definitely recommend a visit!
This article is good enough to eat. I sighed when I saw it was a spa critique. I really want a spa day! I miss the extremely cheap massages of South East Asia!
Hi Gemma and thx for your comment.
I’ve not yet been to SE Asia, but I’ve heard the spas are amazing!
Doreen — glad you had such a good time. Can you explain why chocolate is used in massages and wraps? Is there an ingredient in chocolate that provides a specific benefit? Prior to your writing about it I had never heard of chocolate being used in that way.
Hi Jeannette and thx for your comment. Cocoa has amazing qualities that make it good for the hair and skin. Think about some of the luxurious skin creams you may have tried. Many of them contain cocoa butter. It makes your skin silky smooth. As well, the aroma you inhale from a chocolate wrap makes you high in a pure and natural way because the body absorbs the cocoa and produces those same endorphins and serotonin you will get from eating pure chocolate. Try it!
I hadn’t thought about all the products that contain cocoa butter. Being submerged in chocolate would be a dream!
A dream I will FINALLY experience, Jeannette! I’m booked for the Hershey Spa next month, and you can bet I’ll be experiencing that Whipped Cocoa Bath! Stay tuned for my report!
Are you serious? I am FROM Toronto and had no idea this place existed! It sounds perfect for me and the private cottage just looks like a dream… guess where I am asking to go for my birthday?
I’m glad I could help point you in the direction of Ste. Anne’s Spa, Kimberly. Let me know how you like it!
How cute are those cottages?!?! I’ve got to get some friends together and head up there!
Hi Valerie: Yes, the Ste. Anne’s Spa really does have a variety of options to help us create just the right ambiance for our stay. I may not want to stay in one of the cottages in the dead of winter, as there’s a little trot to the main building where you eat and get the spa treatments, but it would definitely depend on who I was with and what our expectations for privacy where. I hope you get a chance to check it out.
I am soooo jealous! This spa looks absolutely marvelous and I love the European feel to Ste. Anne’s. I can just imagine myself parked in one of those lawn chairs with a good book!
You’ve definitely picked up on the vibe, Marquita! Ste. Anne’s Spa is a true sanctuary.
I’ve never heard of a chocolate spa! I can’t imagine what it would feel like, sounds sticky. There’s a tanning salon in Santa Monica that gives chocolate spray tans! I thought that was pretty novel.
Hi Pamela: No, the chocolate wrap is not sticky at all. They’re usually kind of pasty when first applied, and then you get wrapped and the substance gets kind of crusty and takes some work to wash off!
I’ve never heard of a chocolate spray tan! Will have to look into that! Thx for sharing.
I came across a chocolate spa in Bali once and thought it was a great idea. It was not as luxurious as St Annes but with chocolate everything on the menu it had my interest from the get go. You do have a very cool job.
Thanks, Tim. I do love what I do. 🙂
I’ve not yet been to Bali, but it’s definitely on my list. Thx for the tip!
You had my mouth watering for chocolate. It looks like a simply lovely place that I must visit someday.
Thanks for your comment, Tara. Yep. I’d put Ste. Anne’s Sap on your Bucket List for a special time away from the kids!
Hot chocolate wrap? I would feel like a Smores! Sounds like a luxurious destination.
Hi Charles: Well, the chocolate isn’t TOO hot when they do the wrap. Otherwise, you’d start to cook when they wrap you up! It’s just slightly warm, and then once you’re wrapped (it can be in plastic here in North America, or in banana leaves if you’re in the tropics) the heat starts to build. Relief comes when they unwrap you!
What a lovely break! The chocolate wrap sounds absolutely wonderful… being a fan of chocolate and spa treatments in equal measure, this is right up my street! 🙂
Gabby
Hi Gabby. Yes, I’ve been quite the fan of chocolate spa treatments! I was never much of a spa goer prior to embarking on this tasty journey of chocolate adventures, but I’ve got to tell you … I’m now hooked!
The idea of a massage involving chocolate just sounds wonderful! I can’t get to Ste Anne’s anytime soon, but I’ll definitely look to see if any spas near here offer it. I’d have to eat some at the same time, to avoid licking it off my body!
Right on, Rachel! Let me know if you find any good spas that offer chocolate treatments. the staff at Ste. Anne’s will be hard to beat, but the experience anywhere will undoubtedly bring you pleasure. 🙂
Oh my gosh that place looks heavenly. I don’t know what would be best, the gorgeous accommodations, getting covered in chocolate for a spa treatment or eating the chocolate. But I’m definitely jealous. 🙂
Hi Susan. I know you would love the Ste. Anne’s Spa. The food is excellent and ambiance of the entire property is enchanting.
Hmm. I think I might choose the chocolate soap over the chocolate body wrap—I’m just not into spa treatments—certainly nothing against chocolate. In fact, if it were ordained that I HAD to have a spa treatment, I’d insist on the chocolate wrap. Do they leave the sugar out?
Hi Suzanne, and welcome back to the site. It’s been quite awhile since your last visit. I hope you like the changes. 🙂
The formula for the chocolate wrap is different at every spa, but it is always a pure and healthy formula that might include ingredients such as mud, seaweed, and the wonderful cocoa butter. It is always aromatic and leaves your skin feeling like you’ve been reborn.
Wow, I’m a huge fan of chocolate but haven’t experienced any spa treatments with it yet. It looks delicious and relaxing.
Hi Megan. Yes, you’d be surprised what you can find at spas nowadays! It really can be quite a holistic experience that satisfies all your senses. 🙂
Doreen, I would love to go to St. Anne’s Spa and have the chocolate wrap. What an experience. Here I am, living in Ontario and I’ve never heard of it. Must tell my daughter-in-law about this – she’s a chocoholic – maybe she’ll invite me to go with her to the Spa – I can dream, right?
RIGHT ON, Lenie! Ste. Anne’s Spa has many mother and daughter groups who come to visit. There’s no better place to spend time together and just chill out. Refer your DIL to this post, and make sure she reads the comments! 🙂
The ability to take the train to St. Anne’s was the clincher for me. No 401 stress and a beautiful environment to sink into when you arrive.
Right on, Virginia! And I quite enjoyed that train ride, too. The food was pretty darn good, and riding in biz class gave you complimentary wine as well. And free Wifi. Plus lovely scenery to enjoy along the way. Thx for stopping by the blog and sharing your experience.
WOW – sounds amazing Doreen. And I’ve never heard of a chocolate wrap. Sounds terribly decadent but I bet it felt really good too.
It absolutely IS a decadent experience too have a chocolate wrap, Kathy. But that’s part of the fun! 🙂
I was already thinking how wonderful Ste. Anne’s Spa seemed, and then you mentioned a gluten free bakery. I’m totally sold. I wish it was close to me so I could just run away there for the weekend.
Hi Erica: Yes, I was surprised at how many different products and services they do have. I forgot to mention the handmade soaps in my post!
Chocolate inside and out – A visit to the Ste. Anne’s Spa sounds like heaven!
It is indeed heaven, Anita! I must find a way to get back to Ste. Anne’s Spa. 🙂
It sounds as though I need to make a return trip to Ste. Anne’s Spa – the chocolate treatments, bakery and store are all new since my last visit and sound delicious!
Hi Michele and thanks for your comment. Lucky you, in that you live close enough to visit Ste. Anne’s on a regular basis. They have oodles of customers from the GTA who take the train out for a fun or relaxing getaway. It can be whatever you want from it!
I’m liking Ken’s idea a chocolate hot tub with marshmallows on the side, I don\’t think we have anything like this in the UK, but I am going to have to chekc now.
Hi Rosalind: I didn’t check into chocolate spas when I was in the UK back in 2011 researching volume I of Chocolatour. But I’m liking the research for volume II even better, as I’m focusing on all sorts of chocolate adventures and experiences. Stay tuned for much more!
PS…posting my comment was easy peasy this time! 😉
So glad to hear your posting problems have been resolved, Linda! We always love hearing from you.
Oh my! Lovely photos. Ste. Anne’s Spa looks like a special place indeed. I was uwing and awing till I got to the part about the chocolate wrap. Somehow that seems like a waste of good chocolate to this ol’ gal who’d much rather slurp it than slather it. But that’s just me. It is cool to see young people getting into artisinal creations. That ensures the continuation of the craft. Nice post, Doreen.
Glad you enjoyed the post, Linda. And don’t knock a chocolate wrap until you’ve tried one! they really are pretty intoxicating! You smell the chocolate and it seeps into your pores and then you get the same intoxicating high as if you’ve eaten the chocolate! Plus … most spas will have chocolate for you to eat during or after your chocolate treatment. Which makes the process even better!
I get it…total immersion! 😉
Sounds pretty sweet!
Ste. Anne’s Spa sounds great. The chocolate Swedish massage appeals to me.
I’ve got a feeling you’d love it, Donna! And there are several different aromas you can choose from for your massage oil. Heavenly!
How tempting to take a little lick here and there of those chocolate treatments! Never heard of this treatment and would love to try it. The place looks beautiful, too.
Hi Jacquie. You’d be surprised as to how many spas are now offering chocolate spa treatments. I’ve had chocolate wraps at at least 6 different spas so far, and chocolate massages as well. Have a look at the spa menus in your city. You just might be surprised! And if you do make it to the Ste. Anne’s Spa, you won’t be sorry!
Warm chocolate wrap sounds amazing! Glad to hear it wasn’t a waste of chocolate rather than eating it! LOL!!
Hi Natalie and thanks for your comment. Having chocolate applied to your skin truly is as delectable as ingesting it. Trust me. We get the same dopamine effects from being wrapped in chocolate as we do from eating it. Plus, the wrap helps you tone the skin and look and feel awesome. Try it if you get a chance!
Just don’t tell me that the hot tub was filled with chocolate. Not sure about the spa treatments. The bakery sounds a better bet for me.
Hi Ken. I was quite surprised at the number of men at Ste. Anne’s Spa. Most of them were with female companions, but what a way to go! I’m sure everyone there enjoyed the amazing array of baked goods. I know I did. Especially the scones with clotted cream!
Looks like a great getaway. Maybe it’s just my mind playing tricks, but I think those chairs in the second photo look like they could be made of chocolate.
Thx so much for your comment, Veronica. Right on, about the chairs of chocolate! Every thing at Ste, Anne’s is done in natural and soothing tones and textures. Primarily wood and stone, you really feel in tune with nature in this setting.
Your site is lovely. A chocolate spa? Interesting but I would try (nearly) anything once.
Thx for your comment, Paula. It’s definitely worth trying a chocolate spa treatment if you get a chance. It’s truly a decadent experience!
Those chocolate spa treatments at Ste. Anne’s Spa in Grafton, Ontario, Canada, sound good enough to eat! Funny that I was just sucking on a wonderful dark milk chocolate from Omnom chocolate in Iceland as I was reading it.
Thx so much for your comment, Carole. Yes, Omnom chocolate is really delectable. And yes, Ste. Anne’s Spa is a really sweet destination! Thank goodness life is full of those kind of tempting diversions.