As you may have seen in our blockbuster 2022 WPG M&C TV lineup announcement, Winnipeg is all about wellness.
When you book your next business event here you can guarantee your delegates plenty of spots outside the conference that will keep them moving and motivated, or relaxed and meditated, depending on what they are looking for.
Whether you want to sweat, or are looking for some treatments that will really make you glow, here’s how to easily add wellness to your conference week in Winnipeg.
Sweat it up
Winnipeg is #blessed to have a number of great yoga studios and fitness centres across town.
For yoga at a glance, look to Modo Yoga’s multiple studios (including one just outside of downtown on Donald Street) for classes that range from challenging Kriya, hot flow and barre classes, to restorative and stretchy classes like Hot Hatha and Yin. Awesome Hot Yoga and Barre, and Peg City Yoga also have nice facilities too serviced by top-notch instructors.
Spin enthusiasts are in luck here too, with a number of great studios in the city including Saikel Indoor Cycle Studio, WPG Cycle, Wheelhouse Cycle Club, and Ignite Cycle & Strength—which also offers a wide range of strength and conditioning classes in its 1500 square foot training space.
For classes run by local celebrity in a gorgeous new studio, head to The Fitual in River Heights. Owned and operated by Chalnessa Eames, a former soloist in both Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet and Pacific Northwest Ballet in Seattle, The Fitual is a high-energy experience blending aerobics, dance, Pilates and light weights, and is guaranteed to make you sweat. The Fitual studio also offers high-intensity low impact Lagree classes that take place on a Megaformer, along with introductory classes called The Fitual Vibe.
Right downtown just up from Portage and Main you can find even more fitness classes at The Community, another locally owned and operated studio. Offering four dynamic classes – Crush, Camp, Cycle & Calm – The Community has all your fitness needs covered, including boxing. Crush at The Community provides an all-in-one 45-minute boxing workout that has you hitting the bag to epic beats in a dimly lit room. This is more than a boxing ring; it is an experience. With high-energy trainers coaching you through every interval and beat drop, the workout focuses on the basics of boxing, shadow boxing, floor workout (hi burpees!) and freestyle heavy hitting all the way to the end.
Spa it down
Winnipeg takes its spa-ing seriously.
If you are looking to wind it down after a workout or day on the convention floor, there’s no shortage of options–whether you are into a self-guided spa experience, or are looking for the whole indulgent package.
One of the city’s hottest (and coolest) destinations is Thermëa by Nordik Spa-Nature – a world-class thermotherapy facility in the traditional Scandinavian tradition. Located just 10 minutes from downtown in the forests of Fort Garry, this place has it all–from a holistic and delicious Restö where eating in your robes is a must; to outdoor thermal pools; a beach in summer replete with beer gardens; wood-fired pizzas and mist showers cascading from trees; to thermal pools; huge saunas and steam rooms; to heated hammocks and countless fireplaces. Treat yourself to a few rounds of the thermal cycle which includes a variety of dry and humid saunas, a dip in the polar pool (in winter, the waterfall is literally covered in ice!), and a relaxation session to relax your body. Make sure you take a seat in the Finlandia sauna in time for the Aufguss ritual–a combination of high heat and essential oils that will really get the blood flowing. Massages and other body treatments are also available onsite while we will leave you with this warning that we recently overheard from staff at the spa: "people aren't used to relaxing this hard." So keep that in mind that at the end of your day at Thermea. You will feel so blissed out, that after all that relaxing, your body will still want to relax more when you get back to the hotel. So perhaps don't plan on a grand night after.
Located within Inn at the Forks, right at the centre of Winnipeg’s most-visited tourism area, Riverstone Spa provides a chic setting for all your favourite treatments. Whether you’re in the mood for a mani, pedi, couples’ massage, hot stone massage or a stop at the lash and brow bar, Riverstone has you covered. Plus, after your treatment you can treat yourself to a glass of wine, local craft beer or craft cocktail at the hotel’s handsome restaurant, SMITH, which is located just down the hall from the spa.
Finally, there’s Ten Spa at The Fort Garry Hotel–a real proper place to get pampered. With a full suite of treatments and packages available, this downtown spa is the height of luxury with rain showers and plush robes to use before treatments, along with being home to the city’s only Turkish hamam ritual. This centuries-old tradition takes place in the spa’s heated marble and ambient steam room, where you are rubbed down with salts before having water gently poured over your limbs. It’s seriously so good.
The Fort Garry Hotel also offers Wellness Weekend Retreats on select dates throughout the year. These retreats are led by wellness experts and cover themes ranging from restoration, meditation and mindfulness, to a super chill weekend of “hygge” (perfect in the winter) or one focused on getting it all out via active boot camps. It’s a great way to end your stay in Winnipeg after you’ve spent your days networking at the convention centre. During your stay, you can also take advantage of the hotel's great new Fitness Centre. This attractive new gym is open 24/7 for guests and has everything you need to stay fit during your stay, including a Jacobs Ladder, a Peloton bike and treadmill, kettle bells, free weights, a rowing machine and an Echelon. With picturesque windows, there’s also plenty of natural light in the space to highlight the sleek design elements like the wood slat walls.
To learn more about some of the city’s unique and quaint neighbourhood spas, including the Japanese Pocca Poca Spa, Spa Botanica, The Face Bar, and Float.Calm, check out our guide here.