Treat Yourself Absolutely Fabulously! Spa Review and Giveaway!

Ab Fab Gift CertEnter to WIN a Massage! See details on how to enter below!
Back in January 2013, I had the pleasure of traveling to Vancouver on my Be That Girl™ book tour. I was fortunate enough to have my amazing cousin, Julie, accompany me on the trip.  She celebrated a big birthday while we were there, so we took the opportunity to book ourselves a spa day! Any excuse to book a day at the spa is a good one!
 
 
 
We booked into a spa called Absolutely Fabulous Urban Spa., conveniently located directly across from the hotel we stayed at, 910Beach.
 
We arrived early afternoon and were warmly welcomed at the door, and promptly escorted into the quiet room to fill out our client forms.

ab fab t and j wait roomThe dark wood elements, warm Egyptian rugs and furnishings, soft lighting, calming music and cozy chairs really set the mood for our spa day getaway. There was water and chocolates on the table, and we were offered hot ginger tea. I loved that tea…it was spicy, sweet and soothing.

 

We booked in for the Fabulous Escape, which included a 60 minute Relaxation Massage, Express Manicure and the Absolutely Fabulous Pedicure ($165, 2.5 hours) Just to make it even more delectable, we each added on a facial ($100).

ab fab massage roomI changed into my robe in the elegant massage room (complete with fireplace) while Julie got going with her facial. I opted for a Deep Tissue Massage with Fuku. It was an extra charge for this option over the Relaxation Massage included in the package, but it was totally worth it. If I lived in Vancouver, Fuku and I would be seeing each other on a regular basis. Her personalized, sensitive touch and incredible massage techniques not only relaxed me, but healed me and straightened me out! Julie also enjoyed her massage with Fuku, but did comment that she could hear the traffic quite loudly in the room.

Our estheticians...Barbara and Fuku
Our estheticians…Barabara and Fuku

 
The facial was next for me (Julie moved on to her massage), and I was introduced to Barbara, my Esthetician. The facial room was similarly calming and had white billowing curtains on the ceiling that made me feel like I was in a far away land of sand and sun. Barbara’s facial was so relaxing, it almost made the exfoliation portion fun (almost…and I know that deep cleaning is so important for vibrant skin). I really enjoyed the smell of the products they used. Barbara made sure to educate me on my skin type and help me select the right foods going forward to make my skin even more radiant.
 
Onto the pedicure. I was escorted to a large reclining, leather chair for my pedicure. The chair was very comfortable. Julie had her pedicure at the same time, but was seated in a reclining bed…no buzzy, vibrating chairs here. My room was packed with lots of great magazines, but of course I was writing away in my journal! The foot bath was a large steel bowl filled with warm water, and when I put my feet in I was pleasantly surprised to feel several small rocks in the bottom of my bath. It felt very natural and calming to my feet. The attention paid to my feet was lovely. This was not a traditional scrub and rub pedicure.
 
They have a no cell phone policy at the spa, and for good reason. At one point during my pedi, I answered my phone and was politely reminded of the policy…there was a massage in session. A spa is supposed to be a getaway from your life for a few hours!

ab fab mani spotsThe finale of our spa day was the manicure. Again, there were smooth rocks in our hand soaking bowls, a touch that I thought was very appealing. By this time, Julie and I were ravenous! We hadn’t eaten in hours. The spa staff took care of us by serving us handfuls of chocolate and sparkling pink wine! What a way to top off an incredible day at the spa. Next time, Julie and I agreed that we needed to bring food, or order something. Hours in the spa can really work up an appetite.

ab fab choc and wineWe left the spa feeling a little tipsy and a lot more relaxed and pampered. We were thankful that my niece Brooke had prepared a snack plate for us to chow down on as soon as we returned to the hotel.
 
The prices were very reasonable for the level of service we received. The warm and friendly staff and the cozy, elegant atmosphere at Absolutely Fabulous Urban Spa make this a place I’d go back to again.

Located in downtown Vancouver, BC right by the Granville Island Ferry terminal, this spa is fantastic for visitors and locals.

Check out Absolutely Fabulous Urban Spa at www.myspa.ca for more information.

My Vote: [rating=4]

Julie’s Vote: [rating=4]

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From One Spa-Worthy Girl to Another…Until next time!

Tina
Ab Fab Gift CertHere’s your chance to WIN a 45 Min Massage! To be entered, follow these easy steps:
1. Like Be That Girl on Facebook.
2. Like Absolutely Fabulous Spa on Facebook.
3. Leave a comment below, or on facebook, stating whether you have ever had a professional massage.
Contest closes on May 28, 2013. Good Luck, and may the spa be with you!