The harbourside capital of Nova Scotia thrives thanks to its proximity to water, so it comes as no surprise that the best spas in Halifax have great hydrotherapy facilities. Sample treatments ranging from chocolate massages to marine wraps, then sip a sundowner in the hot tub as you look out over the glassy seafront. With hotels located no more than a kilometre or two from the world’s second largest ice-free harbour, you can stroll from the boardwalk bordering the Atlantic Ocean to a session in a heated swimming pool and sauna. These hotels with spas in Halifax are luxurious bases for a blissful break.
Spa Hotels in Halifax | Enjoy a Blissful Break in Nova Scotia
One of the Best Spas in Halifax, Named After a Prince
After a good night’s sleep on crisp linens in an elegant guest room at the The Prince George Hotel, enjoy a leisurely morning with a creamy coffee from your very own Keurig machine. Inhale the caffeinated aroma as you flick through your free daily newspaper while deciding on the morning’s itinerary. If you choose to start with the spa, the indoor heated pool—set in a room with an Art Deco-style semi-circle window—is waiting. Soak away your cares here or in the whirlpool before detoxifying your skin in the sauna.
Sit with a local beer and a small dish pairing, like a Rickard’s Red dark ruby ale and a rich duck soup, under the chic lighting at the polished LevelBar. Alternatively, lounge in the patio area for alfresco nibbles on sinkably soft sofas. For something different, scan the sweeping horizon from the saltwater ferry that takes passengers across the water to Dartmouth—known as the City of Lakes—or pick up produce from North America’s oldest farmers’ market at the Halifax Seaport. The Prince George Hotel is connected to a series of elevated walkways that join up several buildings, known as The Downtown Halifax Link, so it’s easy to get to different destinations around the city.
The Prince George Hotel
A Harborside Location at One of the Best Spas in Halifax
Start your morning at the Halifax Marriott Harbourfront Hotel with a fresh walk by the sea, fresh coffee and donut from the Balancing Rock Coffeehouse in hand. If you’ve chosen to indulge in the hotel’s full-day spa package, make the most of the experience with a session in the indoor pool surrounded by leafy plants. Next, it’s time to prep for seven hours of pampering with the Interlude Indulgence package. Treatments include a relaxing massage, facial and marine body mask, along with a manicure, pedicure, haircut and makeup session. Extra touches like dermaplaning hair removal and lash lifts will have you ready for a fancy dinner out.
Tuck into fresh-caught seafood with boardwalk views at The Harbourstone Sea Grill and Pour House, the hotel’s signature restaurant. Dishes like line-caught haddock nod to Halifax’s maritime history. After your meal, settle into your comfortable room for the night. These waterfront-facing spaces, with their stylish marble bathrooms and plush pillow-top bedding, are decorated in warm tones for a cozy feel.
Halifax Marriott Harbourfront Hotel
Holistic Massages at One of the Best Spas in Halifax
Let the scent of the ocean breeze wash over you at the waterfront Delta by Marriott Hotels Halifax. This hotel’s rooftop courtyard, lined with green shrubs and housing an Art Deco-style pool house, is the ideal spot for a refreshing morning stroll before a session in the spa.
After dipping into the water under the atrium glass ceiling in this light-filled space, treat yourself to a hot-stone massage. Intensive therapies such as sports massages and myofascial release—which helps to relieve muscle pain—are also available here if you want more of an in-depth treatment.
End your day in your room’s huge, inviting bed after a meal at the yacht-inspired Harbour City Bar and Grill, which is all light woods and white-painted chairs. Team your dinner choice with the sommelier’s recommendation from an extensive wine list, including bottles from 10 of Nova Scotia’s vineyards. If you want something a little more casual as a nightcap, you can prop up the black granite bar with a local craft beer instead.
Hotel Halifax
One of the Best Spas in Halifax With Sweeping Views of the Water
The Courtyard Halifax Downtown‘s Spirit Spa is a sanctuary in the centre of the city. Unwind in the hotel’s curved indoor pool, hot tub or steam shower while deciding which treatment to book. Will it be a soothing full-body scrub or a hydrating wrap? For more than one therapy, go for a package. Options like the Ultimate Spa Day treat you to a restoring Fire and Ice facial followed by a deep mud massage, as well as a spa lunch in between nail care and hair styling.
Complete the idyllic experience by resting on the harbor-facing terraced viewing platforms, which have sweeping views across the glimmering ocean. Alternatively, soak up the very same panorama from your room—your airy space has a color scheme that reflects the light blues of the water and cool grays of the buildings outside.
For dinner, Shuck Seafood + Raw Bar specializes in sustainably sourced oysters served in a sea-inspired setting. CUT Steakhouse, meanwhile, grills up expertly cooked meats, including mouthwatering dishes like a butter-basted rack of lamb.
Courtyard by Marriott Halifax Downtown
Healing Saltwater and a Whirlpool Hot Tub at One of the Best Spas in Halifax
With a prime location in the Halifax Seaport District and multiple spa facilities, the The Westin Nova Scotian is a calm retreat on downtown Halifax’s doorstep. Watch the ships come and go across the Atlantic from your refined room, complete with an understated colour scheme and sleek marble bathrooms. Alternatively, set sail yourself on a dinner cruise aboard the Harbour Queen boat for panoramic views of the city skyline.
Experience the healing properties of salt water at the hotel’s indoor pool, feel the relaxing currents of the whirlpool hot tub and then rest peacefully on a poolside chaise lounge. A long list of Eastern-inspired therapies, such as acupuncture and reflexology, gives the opportunity to make your ‘me’ time stretch even further.
Try comfort food at hotel restaurant Elements on Hollis, with international dishes such as Jamaican jerk chicken or homegrown options like rich Nova Scotian chowder. Sipping on a beer from one of 10 local microbreweries or a zesty cranberry gimlet is an ideal way to finish off your evening. The creative cocktail menu makes the Roy Lounge in-house restaurant and bar an elegant urban spot.
The Westin Nova Scotian
One of the Best Spas in Halifax in a Verdant Setting
Stay opposite Halifax Common’s lush parkland at the Atlantica Halifax. Drop your bags off in your room, then take stock of the hotel’s main dining options. Pick a table beside the floor-to-ceiling windows for verdant views while eating responsibly sourced food such as the local lobster roll.
After lunch, it’s spa time. Work off calories in the indoor swimming pool surrounded by foliage, then lie back and relax in the hot tub or sauna. Rest and repeat before making your way up to your room to refresh with your in-suite NEST Fragrances bath products. Rooms are decorated in elegant gold and taupe colors and furnished with sumptuously soft Cloud beds featuring triple sheets. Connect your smartphone to the clock radio so you can wake up gently to your own playlist.
Spend the next day indulging in the spa all over again or take the opportunity to get to know Halifax. The Maritime Museum of the Atlantic lets you discover the area’s rich seafaring heritage, while Pier 21 gives an introduction to the stories of immigrants who arrived in Canada via the city’s harbour.