Hank K.
Yelp
I was very excited about Thermea in Whitby since it was announced because I was a massive fan of Nordik in Chelsea when I lived in the National Capital Region. After moving back to the GTA, it's nice to know that I don't have to drive all the way to Gatineau/Chelsea (or Scandinavia at Blue Mountain) to enjoy a proper getaway, so I bought the tickets for my mother and me since summer 2022, before the facility was even open to the public. Unfortunately, there was an outbreak of staph and pseudomonas in October 2022 (in the Kalla pool, specifically), so we were apprehensive. After monitoring it after the outbreak, we decided to still give Thermea a chance, given that the company has been very transparent about health concerns (transparency is always a good sign). We've been seeing that the facility is taking this issue very seriously, and I've also heard good things after. We finally got to visit Thermea yesterday, and here are some of my thoughts:
Pros:
1. The staff were accommodating and friendly throughout the facility, especially those that performed the special rituals. I could see that they put much work into their performances and ensured the guests had a wonderful stay.
2. The entire facility made me feel VERY safe, especially seeing how the multiple staff diligently tested the water's quality over and over again throughout my 6 hours stay. I understand this may be an interim thing due to the recent outbreak, but I hope they will continue to do this. Taking water quality and health seriously really made Thermea stand out from all other Spas I've been to (including Nordik in Chelsea). Seriously, kudos to all the workers at Thermea in Whitby. They all deserve free spas at the Groupe Nordik facilities.
3. I really like the Kelö sauna room.
Cons:
1. Unlike Nordik in Chelsea (where it has different parts of the facilities with varying noise levels) and other spa places, there's no rule regarding noise levels and photos throughout the entire facility. Many visitors were very loud and constantly conversing in the sauna rooms, steam rooms and baths (and some were even on the phone, taking videos etc). I think it would make a lot of sense to have a rule to limit guests' noise level and phone use, or like Nordik to set up different zooms for socials and silence.
2. The resting area is extremely limited in this facility. As a matter of fact, there was no any dedicated indoor area to rest when I visited (December 13, 2022). The only place that was closest to it would be the second floor of the restaurant, but then 1) it's a restaurant - it's loud (while people are dining) and it has no lying beds, 2) the temperatures there were not monitored nor controlled well & I often got overheated or frozen. I found it hard to find a spot in the entire facility to take a nap, which was very absurd at a day spa facility. The outdoor resting areas were often too cold as well, though there were fire pits and (very weak) heaters. This was probably one of my biggest disappointments for sure since it disrupted my usual thermal cycle routine as I cannot have my usual periods of rest. I remember visiting Nordik numerous times in the middle of winter (below -10), but I have never had this issue.
3. The showering room only provides basic body wash, shampoo and conditioner. It doesn't have any other toiletries like most of the spas out there (not even lotions or q-tips). This was very underwhelming, considering the Thermea is in a higher price range compared to other spas.
4. Some facilities, like the three small saunas at the north end, were not finished during my visit.
5. The price was much higher than in other places, such as Scandinavia Spa at Blue Mountain. We paid around 120 CAD per person, but the facility is far smaller than Nordik in Chelsea, and the service is very limited and definitely not worth the price.
In conclusion - I really want to like Thermea because I see how hard the staffs work there. Still, I won't be back until some of the issues are addressed above, while also knowing that the facility will continue to maintain its rigorous health procedures.