Dol-Άs Spa – Spacation

A hidden paradise on Canada’s East Coast

For many Canadians, the Maritimes represent the simple life; taking in the wonder of the picturesque landscape and the feeling of the sea breeze on your skin. For tourists looking for an East Coast escape, Dol-άs Spa, a 2016 Canadian Spa and Wellness Awards winner, is the perfect fit — and that’s not just because its name, Dol-άs, means “escape” in Scottish Gaelic. 
The Fox Harb’r Resort, home of Dol-άs Spa, is located in Wallace, Nova Scotia, right along the coast of the Northumberland Strait. Aside from the spa, the massive resort is home to multiple golf courses, riding stables, a junior Olympic pool, trails, and greenhouses, with options to rent or own on-site property. 

“Dol-άs Spa provides Fox Harb’r Resort guests with an additional luxury amenity that positions us as a world class destination resort,” says Kevin Toth, Fox Harb’r President.

Classic East Coast Hospitality

East Coast residents are best known for their hospitable nature, something Joann Patriquin, Spa Director, takes to heart. Patriquin personally welcomes the guests who visit the spa and says each day she hears from guests how bright, warm and inviting it is.

“From every window of the building, you can see the ocean,” says Patriquin. “The setting of the whole resort is overwhelming with its beauty.”
Spa amenities include a lobby where guests can sit and relax while enjoying complimentary Wi-Fi, a fitness centre, hot tub, and a number of pools, including a saltwater mineral pool. “It’s like being in a tropical location,” says Patriquin.

Treatments are marketed to both genders, as the resort is often visited by male golfers and corporate executives. Patriquin says getting men through the spa doors is the hardest part, so Dol-άs Spa created a Men’s Executive menu, with names like “Sports Pedicure” and “MAN-icure.” 

“The more they get in tune with it, the more they realize it’s not about the women’s world and more about refreshing the body,” says Patriquin. “We do what we can to entice them with our marketing abilities, but massages are most common with the type of gentlemen that come here.”

An Exclusive Treatment

Out of all of the spa’s treatments, the most unique is the Fox Harb’r Signature Facial. It uses the Swiss skincare line, Cellcosmet, which was designed exclusively for Dol-άs by Cynthia Audet, President of Audessa Health Care Products. “We are the only spa east of Montreal permitted to carry this line,” says Patriquin.

Audet approached Patriquin about designing the facial treatment at Fox Harb’r after the two met at a show where Patriquin sampled the Cellcosmet line. The signature facial is designed to work in combination with Dol-άs’ NuFace microcurrent treatment.

Other standout treatments include the Gazebo massage, where guests can enjoy a close view of the sea cliffs while enjoying a stimulating massage, weather permitting. With hot summer weather and breezy waterfront winds, it’s not always the serene environment spa-goers are looking for. “It may not be for everyone, but we get requests for it,” says Patriquin.

Five-Star Training
What truly makes Dol-άs Spa stand out is the comprehensive staff training program. Each therapist goes through up to two weeks of training every new season, to learn about or refresh their knowledge on products and spa protocol. “Five-star therapists are not made in schools, day spas, working for themselves, or in massage clinics,” says Patriquin. “They are made in five-star properties. We make five-star therapists here.” 
The training also emphasizes the importance of individualizing the experience for each guest that enters the spa. “If you ask 10 people, 10 people are going to give you a different opinion on what luxury is and what five-star is,” says Patriquin. “And since we individualize it, we meet every client’s expectations.”

What truly makes Dol-άs Spa stand out is the comprehensive staff training program. Each therapist goes through up to two weeks of training every new season, to learn about or refresh their knowledge on products and spa protocol. “Five-star therapists are not made in schools, day spas, working for themselves, or in massage clinics,” says Patriquin. “They are made in five-star properties. We make five-star therapists here.” 
The training also emphasizes the importance of individualizing the experience for each guest that enters the spa. “If you ask 10 people, 10 people are going to give you a different opinion on what luxury is and what five-star is,” says Patriquin. “And since we individualize it, we meet every client’s expectations.”

Due to its remote location, hiring the right staff is no easy task. Patriquin networks with schools across Canada to advertise spa therapist openings. Accommodations are provided to all staff members as an added incentive to working at the resort. “Being in a rural area, it’s very hard to find rental,” she says. “It’s convenient for managers and directors to have the staff live on the resort as well because the business levels change so frequently that we to have them here and can call them quickly.”
It seems that Dol-άs Spa can be the perfect place for guests and spa employees to find a real East Coast escape. After all, it’s in the name.

Dol-άs Spa
Size: 30,000 square-feet
Number of treatment rooms: 8
Number of staff: 6
Retail: Cellcosmet, Dermalogica, Jane Iredale, Comfort Zone, Molton Brown, OPI, Dedicated Clothing, Artizan