Over the holiday’s some serious relaxation was needed to end the year on a peaceful note, I gathered up some friends and family and we all headed to Go Place Spa in Markham. Go Place is a 24-hour spa and the only of its kind in the GTA, there are no reservations required unless you are booking a massage or service.
When we arrived we could tell it was going to be busy because the parking lot was full! We walked in and were right, it was definitely one of their busier days, we were put into an online queue and were able to leave and come back when it was our turn! We had a bit of a wait so we decided to take a walk in some of the nearby stores, specifically Chapters/Indigo and then we had some lunch. We were able to check our place in line from the website given, once we were done eating we were about 10th in line and started to make our way back to the spa. We got a text message that it was our turn and to meet an associate at the front desk. We checked in and got numbered wristbands, something to note is that you pay in full at the end of your visit, the entrance fee is approx. $70, but there are many things you can purchase throughout the spa and it is all charged to your wristband number so you don’t need to worry about carrying around money while in the spa!
Before we got our bands and entered they checked one piece of government ID, be sure to bring this with you when visiting. Otherwise, they make you pay a substantial deposit that you get back when leaving but the ID makes the process faster and easier! They then gave us entrance cards that we needed to use to get to the escalators, there was also a security guard checking our bags before entering for water, food, etc. There is no food or water allowed in, also you aren’t able to wear your own slippers, you can purchase them for $3, wear complimentary socks or go barefoot! Once we passed security we used our access cards to get to the elevator, then we went up and met with another employee that guided us to a few chairs where we were able to sit and take off our shoes, our wristbands had a number on it that corresponds with the shoe locker and your main locker in the changerooms. The staff member helped us find our numbered shoe lockers and gestured us to the correct change rooms. When we took off our shoes, I was expecting my feet to feel really cold because the floor was tiled but there were actually heated floors which was an amazing luxurious touch!
Then we headed into the changerooms. There was a desk in the changerooms that helped us locate where our lockers were based on the number on our wristbands and gave us cotton outfits to wear. The lockers were on both sides and the hot tubs were towards the back left corner, the hot tubs were also connected to the showers and bathrooms. We changed into our swimsuits and headed to the pool area. There were many large pools, two tubs were larger with the temperature shown, one was really warm and the other was comfortable. There was a long pool with pods and other jets! This was my favorite because it didn’t feel crowded at all, there was a pod for everyone and there was more than enough space!
The spa itself is huge, to be exact 68,000 square feet! So even though it was a really busy day, there were always spots to sit, free space in the saunas and there was no overcrowding of any sorts!
Next, after spending about 40 mins in the hot tubs, we spent a little time in their steam sauna then headed into the showers. The showers had really great amenities, the body wash and hair products were great and smelled amazing! I do wish that the shower curtains were a bit better. I felt a bit worried about the curtains moving. Once we showered and changed into our cotton outfits, there was a vanity station on the right side of the changerooms with Dyson hair dryers, body lotions, hand cream, perfume and more!
Once we got ready we headed into the main sauna and communal area, this is where we met up with the boys in our group! This space is beautiful, first you are led through a hallway of books and chairs, which is a great spot if you’d like to sit back, relax and take some time to read. The main chandelier is stunning and the first thing your eyes are drawn to when you enter the central space. The first thing we did was hydrate at one of the water stations and decided which sauna we wanted to go to first. We settled on the Jade sauna room. This room is lined with real jade minerals and is kept at an optimal high temperature to boost immunity, help get rid of headaches and protect skin! This was once one of my personal favorites, I really liked the temperature of this room. It was warm and the jade on the walls not only felt great on your back but really did help the overall relaxation of the sauna!
Next, we ventured into the Salt Room, this room was one of the most aesthetically pleasing rooms, it had a lower temperature when compared to the Jade room but was still warm and comfortable. When warmed up to the higher temperature, the salt rocks which are actually from Malaysia, improve the functionality of each organ and promote health preservation!
The next sauna we entered was my absolute favorite, the Volcanic Rock Room, this is by far the hottest sauna but is packed full with benefits! The heated volcanic rock was the largest sauna for a reason, it needed to be that large because it made it much easier to take deep breaths. When I was in the sauna, I really felt my body relax and muscles take a healing to the temperature. I didn’t feel tense or scared, it was by far the most impactful sauna at the spa!
After the Volcanic Rock Room, we gave our body’s a little chance to adjust to our normal temperature and relaxed in the infrared area. This wasn’t my favourite because it wasn’t closed off and it was located in the middle of the communal area, and everyone was walking by. It wasn’t loud but it also wasn’t quiet so I had a bit of a hard time relaxing here. Very similar to the Amethyst Room, it was near the tables and where everyone was playing games, talking and ordering drinks. It was a bit difficult to really relax here, I think adding some kind of frosted wall or something to visually block off the outside would’ve been really helpful!
Next, we ordered some drinks, there was a QR code at each table and you were able to order using your band number and they would bring it straight to your table, they would know which table it was because of the QR code you used! I had the Dragon Fruit lemonade with coconut jelly and it was awesome! It was tart and refreshing!
Then we headed back to try out the saunas we didn’t get a chance to test out yet, next up was the Ice room, I was expecting this to have a sort of cryotherapy effect but it really didn’t it was more of just a semi-cold room that didn’t have the best seating! Needless to say, this room didn’t wow me! Lastly, we checked out the Agate Room. This was also a sauna at a really comfortable temperature, I liked this room a lot, it had some awesome energy and was really relaxing!
Before we headed home, we took one last dip into the pool and took some time to get dressed and really feel ready to leave. We got our shoes and headed down the stairs to pay, after paying and returning your wristband you are given an exit card to use to open the barrier. It was an awesome time and I would absolutely recommend GO Place to anyone looking to relax and have a great day that is unplugged from your regular day to day!
Sincerely, Celine!
SincerelyCeline 