Ottawa's spa scene covers a lot of ground: brisk downtown lunch-hour facials, converted heritage homes turned full-day retreats, and a Nordic thermal village tucked into Gatineau Park. This list was put together from Google ratings, Tripadvisor and Yelp reviews, and each business's own website, looking for spots that keep earning praise for their staff, their facilities and what customers actually walk away saying.
1. ISO Spa
Area: Centretown, 464 Bank Street · Specialty: floatation therapy, massage and facials · Rating: 4.9 on Google (570 reviews)
ISO Spa is Ottawa's only downtown floatation therapy centre, built around several i-Sopod float tanks alongside more familiar spa treatments. Reviewers consistently mention how clean and calm the space feels, and staff are described as down to earth and knowledgeable rather than overly scripted. It suits anyone curious about sensory-deprivation floating as much as someone after a straightforward massage or facial.
2. Third Avenue Spa
Area: The Glebe, 784 Bank Street · Specialty: Aveda facials, esthetics and gel manicures · Rating: 4.8 on Google (278 reviews) · Since: 1998
Billed as Ottawa's only fully licensed Aveda Concept spa, Third Avenue has been operating in the Glebe since 1998. Customers repeatedly single out estheticians by name for their warmth and technical skill, and gel manicures are noted for holding up for weeks without chipping. It runs on the pricier side, which reviewers frame as the trade-off for consistently attentive, personalized care.
3. Peppermint Organic Spa
Area: Manotick, about 15 minutes from downtown Ottawa · Specialty: organic massage, facials and medi-spa treatments · Rating: 4.8 on Birdeye (1,183 reviews)
Peppermint operates out of a restored heritage building in Manotick and builds its treatments around organic, high-quality products rather than the usual spa-brand lineup. Reviews highlight the knowledgeable, attentive staff and a genuinely relaxing atmosphere, though a few note the historic building has some accessibility limitations. It's a good pick for anyone who wants a destination spa day outside the downtown core.
4. UPPLIVA Nordic Spa
Area: Hintonburg, 1140 Wellington St. W · Specialty: urban Nordic thermal circuit, massage and holistic facials
UPPLIVA brought a compact Nordic thermal circuit, cedar sauna, eucalyptus steam room, cold plunge and rain shower, into Wellington West, making it Ottawa's first urban Nordic-style spa. Reviewers describe the staff as welcoming and the space as consistently clean and well kept, with the sauna-to-cold-plunge circuit as the main draw. It's a fit for people who want the Nordic spa experience without a drive out of the city.
5. Holtz Spa
Area: Downtown Ottawa, 135 Rideau Street, 2nd Floor · Specialty: full-service day spa, massage, esthetics and hair salon · Rating: 4.5 to 4.8 depending on platform (333+ reviews)
Holtz calls itself Ottawa's largest full-service day spa, combining massage therapy, esthetics, a hair salon and on-site food service under one roof on Rideau Street. Reviews describe a genuinely luxurious atmosphere with staff who are communicative and attentive throughout longer treatments, though a small number of reviewers have flagged pricing as steep. It suits anyone who wants to book hair, skin and body treatments in a single visit.
6. Nordik Spa-Nature
Area: Old Chelsea, Quebec, about 10 minutes from Ottawa-Gatineau · Specialty: outdoor thermal baths, saunas and Nordic spa circuit · Rating: 4.4 on Google (12,600 reviews)
Nordik Spa-Nature is billed as the largest spa in North America, with ten outdoor thermal baths and nine saunas spread across a property on the edge of Gatineau Park. Recent reviewers highlight the property's cleanliness and a newer no-phone policy that keeps the grounds quiet, alongside praise for the winter sauna rituals. It's the pick for a full-day thermal circuit experience rather than a quick treatment.
7. Vivianna Day Spa
Area: Downtown Ottawa, 130 Albert Street, Suite 212 · Specialty: facials, massage and body treatments · Rating: 4.7 on Google (200 reviews)
Vivianna has been operating downtown for more than two decades, and reviewers keep coming back to the facials in particular, with several naming specific estheticians for their facial massage technique and skincare advice. Feedback across Tripadvisor and Google points to a high, consistent standard of care and a staff that's professional without feeling clinical. It works well for a downtown lunch-hour or after-work appointment.
8. Ezcape Spa & Wellness
Area: Orleans, 900 Watters Road · Specialty: massage, facials, manicures and pedicures · Since: 2005
Ezcape has been running in Orleans since 2005 and offers a wide service menu built around four registered massage therapists plus a full esthetics and salon team. Reviewers describe the ambiance as relaxing and the staff as friendly and not pushy, with the pedicure massage chairs coming up often in feedback, though a few mention inconsistent pricing on manicures. It's a solid option for east-end residents who don't want to drive downtown.
9. The Spa Day Retreat
Area: Kanata, 26 Castlefrank Road, with a sister location in Bells Corners · Specialty: facials, massage and esthetics using Eminence organic skincare · Since: 1996
Operating since 1996, The Spa Day Retreat is set in an 18th-century former farmhouse in Kanata, with its sister location in Bells Corners housed in a converted 115-year-old church. Reviewers praise the calming, historic setting and the skill of the estheticians, describing it as a good spot for a girls' day out, though a handful mention occasional scheduling hiccups. It suits anyone in the west end looking for a full spa day rather than a single treatment.
10. Sage Wellness
Area: Centretown, 340 Gladstone Avenue · Specialty: massage therapy alongside chiropractic, osteopathy and acupuncture
Sage Wellness pairs registered massage therapy, using Swedish, Thai, prenatal, sports and myofascial techniques, with a broader multidisciplinary clinic offering chiropractic, naturopathy and physiotherapy. It positions itself explicitly as an inclusive, 2SLGBTQIA+ proud space, and reviewers point to practitioners who listen closely to what a client needs rather than running a standard script. It's a good fit for anyone who wants massage therapy alongside other health and wellness care in one place.
How We Built This List
This list was compiled from public web sources, including Google, Tripadvisor, Yelp and Birdeye reviews, and each business's own website. It is not a paid placement, and ottown has not tested or visited any of these businesses. It was last reviewed in August 2026. Ratings, review counts and founding years are included only where a source confirmed them; details ottown could not verify were left out.
