An hour and a half outside the hustle and bustle of Toronto, wellness seekers will find a haven of serenity. Being able to escape to a small-town destination not only highlights its charm and local character but gives visitors a chance to slow down and revel in a cozy atmosphere designed for reconnecting and unwinding.
For more than forty years, Ste. Anne’s Spa has been a peaceful destination in Grafton, Ontario. Its fieldstone castle is the centerpiece of five hundred acres of undulating hills, woodlands and countryside. Guests can enjoy a leisurely stroll through lush gardens and scenic walking trails, relax sore muscles in thermal pools, saunas and steam rooms, join a wellness class or indulge in myriad of spa treatments. This all-inclusive country retreat gifts guests with delectable dining, wellness and nature and is the ideal location for girls’ vacations, tranquil retreats, and quality time spent together.
Ways to Stay
Guests can choose to spend a night on site at Ste. Anne’s in one of the historic Main Inn rooms, the contemporary styled new wing, or Spa Cottage rooms, allowing easy access to dining and the spa facilities. An ideal option for guests who want to spend extra time in a state of serenity is The Grafton Village Inn. The spa’s sister property has been part of the historic village of Grafton for many generations and is just a short drive from the Main Inn—perfect for the girls’ weekend escape. Exuding the elegance of a historic country residence, Grafton Village is a fantastic choice for an overnight stay, while still being able to take advantage of everything the spa has to offer. As the Inn develops and the restoration concludes, a restaurant and event space, will soon be created.
Visitors who choose to stay at the Grafton Village Inn can choose from a selection of packages including: a full overnight escape, a Spa Lite Package with access to spa facilities, lunch, afternoon tea and a spa and wellness allowance, or just reserve an overnight and enjoy the Inn and its surroundings. This flexibility enables visitors to customize their vacation, whether they are seeking a wellness retreat, a restful overnight stay, or something in between.
Guests can choose to stay in a cozy room at the Petit Point Guest House or, for a larger group, give into comfort and charm at Barton Cottage. Featuring three bedrooms, a living space and a kitchen well stocked with coffee and tea that can be enjoyed on the spacious porch after a quick drive to Ste. Anne’s (gluten-free) Bakery to pick up a light breakfast and sweet treats. Barton Cottage allows its dwellers to disconnect from the outside world and invest in meaningful connections.
In addition to these charismatic overnight options, the spa is currently adding something special to its roster of lodgings. With the goal of continuing to enhance the guest experience while staying true to what makes Ste. Anne’s so special, they will be adding a small wellness village adjacent to the spa that includes additional overnight accommodations designed to blend naturally into the landscape. These new spaces will allow more guests to experience Ste. Anne’s while maintaining the peaceful atmosphere.
In addition to the overnights, the spa will be expanding several wellness amenities, including a significantly larger eucalyptus steam room and a dedicated yoga studio, allowing more flexibility for wellness programming while ensuring guests continue to enjoy comfortable, spacious facilities.
These projects have been thoughtfully curated to grow with guests’ needs. As wellness tourism continues to evolve, Ste. Anne’s wants to continue providing experiences that encourage people to slow down, reconnect with nature and spend meaningful time together.
Always Coming Back for More
Ste. Anne’s Spa is a place people return to because no two visits are the same. Guests celebrate birthdays, anniversaries and milestones, friends reconnect, mothers and daughters spend quality time together, or individuals simply take a well-deserved break. Every day staff are delighted to see the impact that taking time to slow down can have on people. Guests often arrive carrying the weight of busy schedules, work and family responsibilities, and by the time they leave, they seem lighter, more relaxed and more connected to themselves and their companions.
The spa has also grown into a close-knit community with a strong culture of belonging. Many guests know the team by name, and over time, guests become familiar faces as well. It creates a very genuine relationship that makes Ste. Anne’s feel less like a hotel or spa and more like a place to call their home away from home.
As for first-time guests, people come in looking for meaningful experiences close to home—places where they can truly disconnect without needing to board a plane. Once they experience the warmth of the Ste. Anne’s team, the natural beauty of the property, the hydrotherapy facilities and the overall pace of life, they understand why so many guests return.
As a year-round destination, Ste. Anne’s has a multitude of reasons to visit during every season. Fall offers guests a colourful countryside experience, making it one of the most beautiful times to visit, but it also makes it a remarkably busy time as guests tend to book months in advance. Fall is also a wonderful time to reconnect with family and friends before the hectic holiday season begins.
During the holiday season, the atmosphere turns into a winter wonderland of intimate warmth with festive touches throughout the property, comfort food inspired by local ingredients and curated experiences designed around rest and connection.
One of the newer traditions has been welcoming guests on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. The spa introduced these holiday experiences two years ago in response to guest requests, as many people were looking for a peaceful and meaningful way to celebrate or simply enjoy time to themselves during the holidays. The response has been incredibly positive, and it has quickly become a favourite of many returning guests. Whether it’s a romantic getaway, time with family or friends, or a personal wellness retreat, the slower pace of winter offers a unique opportunity to relax, reconnect and enjoy the season without the usual rush.
The Spa Experience
It’s no secret that Ste. Anne’s is known for relaxation. Your day begins with picking up a comfortable spa robe and keepsake bag before heading to the lockers to change and begin your meditative state. Next, head outside for your hydrotherapy experience, designed to offer relaxation and rejuvenation through various therapeutic cycles that include the Upper Lazy River Pool, Below the Falls Sitting Jet Pool, Standing Jets and Waterfall Thermal Spa, Yukon Plunge Pool, a sauna and steam room. Now that you’ve worked up an appetite, stay in your robe and head to the dining room for a delectable, farm-to-table inspired three-course lunch. The dining scene at Ste. Anne’s doesn’t include your typical spa fare. The menu is extensive and offers a great variety of options from fresh hearty pasta to cod, duck, seared pork belly and lamb.
Executive Chef, Michael Stevens-Hughes, leads the culinary team with a passion for creating menus that celebrate the seasons and using exceptional ingredients available throughout Ontario and Canada. Whenever possible, he sources from local farms and producers, while also seeking out the finest ingredients from regions renowned for the quality of their produce. Many of the herbs used in the kitchen are also grown on the property during their growing season.
Like the seasons, the menus are always changing to match the shifting landscape and shine a spotlight on the best ingredients. Autumn and winter comprise carefully chosen ingredients that highlight the flavours of the comfort season, spring and summer focus on the wealth of the fresh local harvest.
For Chef Michael, the menu is more than exceptional food; it’s about creating a dining experience that extends beyond the spa. Sharing a thoughtfully prepared meal made with seasonal ingredients is an important part of the Ste. Anne’s experience. His culinary approach also reflects their broader commitment to sustainability, from being mindful of food waste to making thoughtful choices about the ingredients used. Ste. Anne’s stands firm in their belief of leaving things better than how they found them, and that philosophy extends from their gardens and kitchens to the overall guest experience.
With a focus on health and wellness, one thing to note is Ste. Anne’s Spa does not serve alcoholic beverages. Instead, it offers a thoughtfully curated selection of non-alcoholic options to complement your visit. However, if guests want to have a drink with their meals, you can bring a bottle of wine that can be chilled and served while you dine. The best part? There is no corkage fee.
After lunch is the perfect time to take a gentle stroll through the walking trails and gardens or grab a book and lie by the pool or sit in one of the strategically placed chairs overlooking the tranquil landscape before heading off to experience one of the many treatments designed for your well being. Whether it’s a Customized Body Polish, which begins with a full body exfoliation followed by some time relaxing under the warm rainfall of the Vichy shower and finishing with a gentle relaxation massage using a nourishing body butter, or a glowing and revitalizing Jet Peel Essential Facial, one thing is for sure: Zen and serenity will be at their peak. Float back to the dining room for afternoon tea featuring a selection of finger sandwiches, scones and sweets before wrapping up a day of rest, relaxation and rejuvenation.
Ste. Anne’s Spa continues to evolve with the ever-changing seasons, transforming not only menus but the whole guest expeience. There is always something new to discover, giving guests many reasons to return year after year.
