A Day of Relaxation at Koena Spa

Have you been to the newest spa just 5 minutes from downtown Ottawa? Koena spa opened last Fall and Sashien and I were so excited to check out this new nordic spa.

Koena spa is located in Gatineau, Quebec on the grounds of the Double Tree by Hilton Hotel. Koena is the Hawaiian word for balance. The whole spa has a Hawaiian relaxation theme to it with pools and saunas spread across a 40 000 sq ft facility including indoor and outdoor space. The entire spa experience is inspired by the four elements: air, water, fire and earth.

Here’s a breakdown of the Koena experience:

Air

The spa houses two dry saunas called Mahana and Wela. These are great places to relax and the heat on a Fall or Winter day is just lovely. The spa also offers five relaxation rooms some of which are outdoor.

Fire

There are many fire elements in the form of fire places and fire pits located throughout the spa. Fireplaces can be found in the garden pavilion, the Ahi Room and at the KŌENA Bistro. The spa also contains outdoor lounging space with natural sunlight, you can sunbathe in the Ho’o.la room or lie down on a deckchair on the spa’s terrace.

Earth

A hidden treasure at the spa is the ‘A.pona room. Here you can grab a handful of salt and exfoliate your skin or head straight in to the Eucalyptus steam room. We decided to try the steam first to relax and finished off with the salt exfoliation. This room is located in the lower, basement area of the spa. The spa also has a Himalayan salt room called the Pa’akai room, which is located above ground.

Water

Koena offers 3 hot baths and one cold bath. We especially enjoyed the warm baths, I could literally spend a day in the water. My favourite part of the hot baths was the Pohina Bath Cave located in one of the  baths. It was so relaxing with the hydromassage jets.

In addition to the steam rooms, baths and saunas the spa also offer massage therapy and aestethic treatments. You can choose from massages such as the Swedish Massage, Hot Stone Massage, Lomi Lomi or Mom-to-be massage. For aesthetics Koena offers a wide range of facials, mani/pedis, body wraps and waxing services.

The Food

The Spa offers a selection of food, soft drinks, wine and cocktails at their restaurant Bistro Koena. The food choices are healthy and filling. We shared the Hoisin Barbecue Chicken Wrap and it was more than enough for us. We tried some Riesling and Chardonnay,  as well as some Prosecco, because no trip to the spa is complete without some bubbly!

The Experience

We really enjoyed our day at Koena. The staff were warm and welcoming, the facilities were brand new, clean and the experience was so relaxing. I highly recommend treating yourself or a loved one to a spa day. Koena is now open for massage therapy treatments and the thermal experience. Don’t feel up to a spa just yet? You can always purchase a gift certificate.

Thank you to the staff at Koena for hosting us.