Scandinave Spa Whistler

Located less than two hours from Vancouver, the Scandinave Spa is an up-scale Nordic-themed spa in Whistler. It has hydrotherapy pools and massage services.

The facility also has saunas, a steam room and solariums. It’s a wonderful place to spend a morning, afternoon or evening spoiling yourself!

This article contains the following information about Scandinave Spa:

Costs | What to Expect | Video | Tips & Advice | Other Information

Whistler’s Scandinave Spa

Scandinave Spa is a world-famous spa. It’s located at 8010 Mons Road which is less than a 10-minute drive north of Whistler Village.

Some people go for just a massage. Many go for just the pools and other self-serve-style relaxation facilities. People wanting an extra level of pampering go for it all!

How Much Does Scandinave Spa Cost?

Admission rates to the facilities at Scandinave vary depending on when you go, and massages cost extra. Weekdays are usually less expensive than weekends. “Regular season” rates are from mid-spring until mid-autumn. “High season” rates are from November until March. “Peak season” rates apply on Thanksgiving, Remembrance Day and Valentine’s Day weekends, plus a couple of weeks over the Christmas holidays.

As of May, 2024, posted rates for a thermal journey without a reservation are the following:

$100 (Mondays to Thursdays until June 30th)
$110 (Fridays to Sundays until June 30th)
$135 (Peak dates)

Rates as of May, 2024 for people wanting to make an advanced reservation for a thermal journey are as follows:

$135 (Mondays to Thursdays until June 30th)
$145 (Fridays to Sundays until June 30th)
$180 (Peak dates)

What to Expect at the Spa

You can expect to thoroughly pamper yourself at Scandinave.

We haven’t had any of their massage services, but we have spent time in their pools and other spa facilities, and we found them wonderful! Our first visit was in the summer of 2020. We hope to go again one day, perhaps in the winter, and maybe next time for a massage!

On our visit we didn’t see anyone with cucumbers over their eyes, mud packs on their faces or toe nails getting polished. We did see lots of happy people soaking in hot pools though, and lying happily comatose in hammocks, reading books in deck chairs, relaxing in silence and looking forward to their massage treatments.

Scandinave Spa in Whistler — The Grounds at Scandinave Spa

The Spa Setting

The spa at Scandinave is set in the woods. You arrive, park your car and then enter the lobby. After checking in and paying, you are given your robe, towel and basic instructions on how to use facilities. You then head downstairs to change and shower.

After changing into your swimsuit, you head outside. There you’ll find pathways that wind their way around the venue, past pools, small buildings and areas with deck chairs and hammocks.

One of the first things you’ll notice at Scandinave is that it’s a beautiful place. The second is that it’s wonderfully quiet! The surrounding area is full of trees. You feel like you’re in the middle of the forest. Even the buildings have roofs with grass and other vegetation on them.

One of the rules at Scandinave is that there is no talking, which makes it wonderfully peaceful. People might whisper to one another occasionally, but you don’t hear chatter and conversations – only blissful silence! Cell phones and other electronics also aren’t permitted at the spa, although Kindles and other electronic book-like reading devices are allowed.

The Spa Cycle

At Scandinave there are hot pools, cold pools and relaxation stations. When you arrive you are told that the best way to experience the spa is to (1) relax in a hot bath, sauna or the steam room first, then (2) have a quick dip in one of the icy cold pools, and then (3) spend some time in one of the relaxation areas. After that, you then repeat the hot-cold-relax cycle another two, three or four times.

Expect to be at the spa for between two and three hours, although some people stay for practically the entire day!

There are a couple of hot pools and they are very nice. When we went they were about 40 degrees Celsius (or 104 degrees Fahrenheit). The cold pools are very cold! We were told they range between about 5 and 15 degrees Celsius (or between around 40 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit). When we went the sign said it was 15 degrees C, but it felt like zero!

The cold pool was so freezingly cold the first time! After the second and third times it got better, though, and we actually started to like it. It was, what can we say, “very refreshing.” The frigid water was very nice after spending time in the hot bath, especially as it was a warm day. Just 15 seconds or so, though, was long enough!

The relaxation stations in the summer were patio-like areas with reclining deck chairs and hammocks. All you did was lie there for 10 to 20 minutes, but boy was it nice and relaxing! We almost fell asleep! It also made us want to buy a hammock, and return to the spa another day!

Scandinave Video

To give you an idea of what Scandinave Spa looks like, check out the following video. It was taken in the winter of 2022.

In the video you’ll see what the view looks like from the cafe at the spa and main building at the entrance.

Cameras are not permitted at the spa. You can only take photos and film from inside the main entrance building and from just outside its two exit doors. This is why the video doesn’t show any close-up footage of the actual pools or inside any of the other buildings.

Tips & Advice

Below are some suggestions to help you make the most of your visit to the spa.

TIP #1: Take a reusable water bottle. There are a couple of drink stations where you can help yourself to cold water or a hot herbal tea.

TIP #2: Take flip flops or deck shoes. You don’t have to, but they are nice to have.

TIP #3: Take a book. When we went a fair number of people read books while relaxing in the deck chairs.

TIP #4: Plan to spend at least two hours at the spa, but likely closer to three. If you take a book to read, you could be there for even longer!

TIP #5: Be careful when walking around from one station to another. There are lots of steps here and there, and smooth surfaces can get slippery.

TIP #6: The spa is for adults ages 19+. Children are not permitted.

TIP #7: Be warned: the pools and many of the relaxation stations are outdoors and there isn’t a lot of shade. If you burn easily, don’t stay out in the sun for too long, and if you’re thin on top you might want to wear a hat.

TIP #8: Go at a non-peak time if you can. Weekdays are less busy than weekends. The place is wonderful anytime, and it is open rain or shine. On especially busy days you might have to wait to get in, though, or wait a few minutes for your turn on a hammock or for space in a pool.

TIP #9: If you like hot tubs, pools, saunas, pampering yourself, and beautiful, quiet and peaceful places, you should go to this spa! It’s very popular and highly recommended!