New York Times - 36 hours in Whistler
Yoga, though not as thrilling as skiing, is certainly safer and more relaxing. Walk-ins are welcome at Solarice Wellness Spa (202-4230 Gateway Drive, 604-935-1222; www.solarice.com), where the 90-minute gentle vinyasa class is ideal for beginners (20 Canadian dollars). The large second-floor yoga room is warm, light and soothing, with picture windows on three sides perfect for a relaxing workout. Add an hour long Swedish massage for another 120 Canadian dollars, or choose from a full range of spa treatments, including a paprika or rosehip facial, seaweed or mud body wrap, and a salt glow exfoliation or a sugar scrub.
The Globe and Mail
..... Commonly known as cupping, but sometimes described as middle-class leeching, the healing therapy also claims Cate Blanchett, Ralph Fiennes and Kate Moss among its devotees. But it's more than just a celebrity fad. Cupping has been used by acupuncturists in China since the third century BC, when cups were fashioned out of animal horns..... ....Lisa Skerritt also uses cupping -- combined with acupuncture -- to treat sports injuries at the Solarice Wellness Centre + Spa in Whistler, B.C.
"[Cupping] can enhance athletic performance by bringing blood flow to stagnant skin and muscles, loosening adhesions, lifting connective tissue and stimulating the peripheral nervous system," she explains. "It's the best deep-tissue massage available."
It also helps the mind, Dr. Skerritt says, noting that she used it to treat victims of sexual abuse and people suffering from alcohol and drug addictions when she worked at a clinic in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside.
"People who have been sexually abused are reluctant to be touched.
Acupuncture and cupping are less invasive than massage, and you don't have to take all your clothes off. And because it has a strong effect on brain chemicals and serotonin, it can really help people who are depressed but might not want to do psychotherapy."
Fodor’s
In addition to the many terrific hotel spas that have arrived on the Whistler scene in the past few years, Solarice Wellness Centre & Spa is worth a visit for its drop-in yoga, Pilates, tai chi, and meditation classes. The center also offers a mix of Eastern and Western spa treatments as well as Chinese Medicine (acupuncture, Tui Na massage, and others), and Naturopathic therapies.
Sue Frause, Special to The Province
Published: Tuesday, March 28, 2006
- Solarice Wellness Centre + Spa: Located on the second floor of the Whistler Information Centre in the heart of the village, this is where the locals come. But visitors are welcomed warmly, too.
Along with its seven treatment rooms, two steam showers and a yoga and Pilates studio, there are a variety of wellness therapies offered here.
I had an appointment with Dr. Lisa Skerritt, a doctor of Chinese medicine who owns the spa with her partner Dr. Amy Rein, a registered psychologist.
As a virgin in the acupuncture world, I was enlisting Dr. Skerritt's expertise to aid in easing the pain of an old knee injury. She employed acupuncture, cupping and moxibustion (the burning of mugwort) during the hour-long treatment, and the results were impressive.
This is a casual, Whistler type of place. Clients show up right from the slopes, dressed in ski gear, as they head for a yoga class or take advantage of the many spa treatments.
The Apres-Sport is a two-hour package that would be ideal after a hard day on the slopes or trails. It includes a Chinese Herbal Mud Wrap, Aroma-Steam, Sports Massage and Facilitated Stretching.
Solarice Wellness Center + Spa, 202-4230 Gateway Dr.; 604-935-1222; www.solarice.com
© The Vancouver Province 2006
GolfWeek
BY JEFF BARR
The skinny: The center is far more than just a place to get a soothing massage. Drs. Amy Rein and Lisa Skerritt own and operate Solarice, which integrates Eastern and Western methodologies. Traditional massage, neuromuscular therapy, myofascial release, herbal medicine, acupuncture, facials and body wraps.
Seattle Gay Blog
… I had a massage there (sic at Solarice) yesterday and it was heavenly. Ask for Chris, a martial arts specialist off duty, who is amazing with his hands.
Best spa - Pique NewsMagazine 2005
While Whistler was built on adrenaline, sometimes it’s nice to release the endorphins as well. To help relax our aching joints and muscles, Whistler probably boasts the most spas per capita of any town in Canada – maybe in the world…...In second place was the Solarice Wellness Centre and Spa, which offers a wide range of traditional spa treatments –15 categories on the list, as well as wellness workshops and classes in Yoga, Tai Chi and Pilates. Check out their Web site at www.solarice.com for a better look.
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