The Gentle Traveller: Grail Springs

They had us at meditation gardens, a spring-fed lake, a quartz crystal outcrop, Rocky Mountain horses, and nearly 100 acres of forested trails.

So it made our day when we were also served extraordinary gluten-free vegetarian food, were spoiled with gracious staff, and had spa treatments that went much deeper than our skin (although our skin had never felt so radiant).

Grail Springs was sustainable for our heart, spirit, mind and body.

Gluten-Free Vegetarian Food

Detox is the key here and it starts with a glass of mud in the morning: Deep Moor Mud from Vorarlberg, Austria. Don’t worry, it’s diluted in water.

All three daily meals are prepared based on Madeleine Marentette’s book, Grail Springs Holistic Detox. (She’s also the mastermind behind Grail Springs.) Executive Chef Tomoko Kominami sparkles in the kitchen, whipping up the tastiest gluten-free vegetarian meals.

Our favourite part? She ordered us to eat dessert because it was mostly made with nut butters and creams, so it was an important part of our protein intake. Yes ma’am!

Healing Spa Treatments

The spa doesn’t offer treatments solely for the outside (no hair salon, manicures or pedicures) but ones that enhance detoxification and promote healing.

We signed up for time in the infrared sauna (complementary), reiki, and the signature Austrian Moor Mud & Vichy Rain Shower Therapy (using the same mud we drank every morning).

We were also curious about the Aura Photo & Reading, an image of our chakras through a Biopulsar® machine that reads organ health, body aura and chakra activity. It was a great indication of the strengths and weaknesses in our system. This is also done at the end of the stay to compare the results.

Mineral Capital of Canada

They say diamonds are a girl’s best friend, but in Bancroft, the land is famous for its quartz crystals. A horse whisperer named Richard and an artist named John (Tomoko’s husband) take guests out on horseback and on daily hikes through the nearly 100 acres of trails, up to the crystal outcrop, and then back to the quiet lake that Grail Springs is built beside.

Forest Eco-Tabins

Although they have gorgeous rooms to sleep in, we loved their eco-tabins a few minutes walk from the main house. These are essentially tents with no electricity or running water (you use a composting toilet and the toilet and shower facilities in the main house), but the interiors are lovely. They’re spacious and set at the edge of and in the forest.

While some stay for 2-night wellness weekends or 21-night retreats (and others still for juice fasts), we were guests for three days and felt huge changes within our bodies as they detoxed and healed.

The most pronounced change, though, was in the shifting of our thinking, the new ideas for cooking at home, and the positive lifestyle wisdom we gained from both staff and other guests. We hope to continue what we started at Grail Springs and bring it to our daily lives.

Packages run from 2-21 nights, include meals and programming, and range in price from $550-$10,950. 

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