Your girlfriend, it turns out, is onto something. The spa is indeed a heck of a place to spend some time, and as growing numbers of men opt for the spa treatment, local spas are tailoring their offerings to the gruffer, hairier sex. Here, some of the finest man-friendly treatments in town.
Scandinave Les Bains
Does the Viking Package ($118) live up to its hyper-manly moniker? After an hour of deep-tissue massage and a stint in the profoundly relaxing, monastery-like silence of these high-design Scandinavian baths, you likely won’t care. (Pictured above.) 71 De la Commune St. W., 514-288-2009.
Mann
Let the locker room talk flow at this men-only grooming destination. Mann offers everything from sports massages to nail buffing to manscaping. We recommend the Blade Runner ($30): a good old-fashioned straight-blade shave, with mini facial and hot-towel treatments thrown in. 449 Viger St. W., 514-395-0707.
Balnea
This one’s a 50-minute drive from Montreal, but Balnea’s 90-minute Abenaki Ritual ($225) involves trippy oils, an awesome smoke ceremony and the busy hands of three massage therapists. (That’s right, three.) Get thee to that sweat lodge. 319 Lac Gale, Bromont, 450-534-0604.
Spa Espace Nomade
The ultimate male wilderness experience goes all La-Z-Boy at Montreal’s new all-organic spot. The Field and Stream Spa and Massage Package ($195) entails a powerful Swedish massage, skin-softening cedar-and-spruce exfoliation and a skin-tingling sandalwood, lime and cucumber facial. Your girlfriend will prefer how you smell anyway after this expedition. 4650 Saint Laurent Blvd., 514-842-7279.