Spa Utopia & Salon

*UPDATE: The spa manager contacted me with an apology and an offer to redo my manicure after I emailed them with my feedback. Glad I spoke to them directly, and I'm impressed with their customer service

I got a luxury gel manicure at the pan pacific location on Saturday. While the manicure was relaxing, items were clean and the employee was very friendly, I have to say the quality of the work was not what I expected, especially for a such a pricy manicure. I left with polish smeared around my cuticles and sides of my fingers (she redid a few nails), and the polish began chipping almost right away. It almost felt "soft" and not fully cured under the lamp. A few times when she got me to pull my hand out from under the lamp, I questioned if it had been long enough (as it hadn't always been even one cycle of the light) and she reassured me it had. I've had many gel manicures in the past, and this was both my most expensive and most poorly done I'm afraid. Gel manicures usually last me 2 or even 3 weeks before significant chipping, and I'm usually much rougher with my hands than I have been over the last few days. This manicure began wearing at the tips right away, and at day 3-4 I started getting big ugly chips. I had a previous visit at the langley location for a pedicure and it the quality of the work was much better.

I was prompted to book an appointment at spa utopia when an email was sent offering a mid week promo during the month of july. admittedly, this was my first massage since covid. i was disappointed to learn that they would not accept the stacking of the july pro of $25 off with the costco gift card.

the spa is a little hard to find, take the first automatic doors to the pan pacific, and the second set of elevators to CS (cruise ship) level. as soon as i walked through the doors, i was greeted immediately by the attendants at the front desk.

after checking in with olinda, i was shown to the change room and provided with a locker, towels, robe, and sandals. there were two attendants in the change room, keeping the place clean. i utilized the steam room before heading out to the large waiting room. there you can relax and enjoy a rooiboos tea concoction, coffee, tea, dried apricots, prunes, and unsalted almonds.

stephanie was my rmt and she was professional, she had a very calm and friendly demeanour. she was accommodating, asked if the pressure point was too much, provided a pillow to ease my back, and asked if the towel on my back was too hot. she gave me an option on scented body oils, lavender, sweet orange vanilla, or unscented, she focused on my areas of concern and worked to ease the knots in my back, neck, and shoulders. she was empathetic, avoided my arm area as i was just vaccinated yesterday, provided tips on yoga pose stretches, how to treat an injury, and suggested checking out insoles to relieve my feet.

i was offered a refreshing non alcoholic mimosa after my massage. the dressing room has three shower stalls, with shampoo, conditioner and body wash, a couple of change rooms, and a vanity with mouthwash, cotton swabs, and other various products.

i had an enjoyable and relaxing day and felt thoroughly pampered. total cost with tax, not including gratuity $205.80. they used to offer complimentary make up touch ups but this service is no longer offered, and no access to the hotel pool either.

I rarely give 5 starts as always room for improvement but decided it was worth it. I have been to many spas over the years and this one wins hands down. So why does it win?

The lounge is a relaxing space. It is not cramped (like some other downtown ones that are more expensive that I have visited). Maybe a little bit dated but that is okay. They are constantly refilling their signature tea, the coffee, cucumber water, lemon water and then the little dishes of oranges, dried fruit and nuts. Just nice little snacking things. You do get complimentary non alcohol drinks - I had a lovely cranberry dealcoholized sparkling wine drink. You are not rushed out of the space and can just sit by the fire and enjoy.

I was lucky to receive a gift card for my birthday that included three treatments.

I arrived 40 minutes before my first treatment so I could enjoy the steamroom and the sauna. I was the only one in both and they were bliss. First up was my RMT. This massage was wonderful. I do go for massages regularly and this guy was great. The pressure was firm but I could feel the knots leaving. Totally professional. No complaints.
Next up was my facial. I discussed my sensitive skin with the esthetician and she changed one of the products she was going to use. Totally happy with my treatmet and the products used. And finally the pedicure. I would say your average pedicure but no complaints. When I finished I sat in the lounge while my toes dried with another tea.

It was a great day and no complaints. Prices had gone up since I received my gift card but they honoured it with no problems.

A great experience and as I said, might not be the most newest or modern but it is definitely the Vancouver spa to come too. Pure Bliss.

1st view of entrance is nice, clean and professional
Products are high end spa products that are pricey.
Sauna/steam room women only I assume is small
But hot enough to relax. Sauna is upstairs with few more lockers. Simple necessity products 4 use deodorant, hair spray, H2O to drink, lotion.
Waitn area 4 services nice/comfy with more snacks, infused water, tea, coffee, non alcoholic mimosa. Robe/slippers given 2 walk to services.
Massage was professional & nice 4 basic service
Although not a fan of paying 20$ more for a registered masseuse versus non licensed!
Clara was nice would see her again for deep tissue next time! Pedicure was mediocre as most reviews stated the GEL polish is either supplied by nail tech or salon which shld invest in higher end gel. That doesn't bubble or require 5 coats? Or it's the light that doesn't function to heat Gel properly? Ladies were nice & social, everything seemed clean BUT I did have sense
That between the 2 that I watched one of them were following the other in the process N steps of doing the pedicure. Pedicure was ok. But was expecting a WOW factor! Massage chair was relaxing. I wld try them again to confirm my experience.

I had the best experience here! Everything was very clean, sanitized and organized. They really did an amazing job of creating an experience as soon as I entered the door. Staff was fabulous and I had the best massage I have ever had. This spa had great attention to detail with a new hair tie being offered, clean robe & sandals and everything needed for before and after treatments. I enjoyed the eucalyptus steam room as well as the dry sauna prior to my massage. They had iced face cloth towels, a variety of teas, coffee and snacks. The music was really relaxing and it was an extremely soothing environment. They did a fabulous job of keeping up to date with electric massage tables to adjust height and to a seating position at the end of the treatment. The products here are my favorite too. I love the mineral makeup and aromatherapy associates facial line as well as the moor spa too! I hope to come back again the next visit to Vancouver. Fabulous!

So-called RMT practitioner wasn't skilled nor experienced, very disappointing. He wasted too much time tapping(!) allover my body and gently rubbing oil, followed by unsure moves that didn't feel so good and ended up giving me neck pain and tight muscles here and there.

In my many years of using spa services, I've had very rare instances where I didn't enjoy my massage, something that I didn't expect to happen at Spa Utopia.

My wife also had a bad experience. She didn't find her masseuse competent, and wasn't feeling well after the massage.

I won't be going back to this place.

I was a little nervous booking a spa here because of some really poor reviews on Yelp and TripAdvisor. However, I do think it's a good value, considering the services are quite a bit cheaper than comparable spas at hotels downtown, particularly for an RMT massage.

I'll breakdown my entire experience step by step.

Booking
- It was simple to view availability and book an RMT massage online.
- Oddly enough, a Spa Utopia staff called a few days later and tried to change my appointment from 4:30 pm to 5 pm, which I did not want because this would have shortened the amount of time I could use in the facilities after my treatment. The facilities closed at 6 pm that day (Sunday). They were pushy about it but I was firm on keeping my appointment time. The time should not be available online to book if it was not "optimal" enough for the RMT.

Upon arrival
- After signing a waiver, they bring you on a short tour of the facilities. The women's side has 3 showers, 2 toilets, and 4 change rooms on the bottom floor. The top floor also has an additional change room and shower.
- You are given a locker with a robe, towel, and sandals.
- I would recommend grabbing an access card to the pool right away if any are available, as they have a limited amount. I had changed into my bathing suit and everything before going to get a pass, but they were out.

Spa facilities
- Since all the pool cards were out, I decided to try the sauna. It's a dry sauna that is quite small, probably enough for 3 people max. However, it wasn't too busy, so I had the entire sauna to myself.
- There are cool eucalyptus towels outside the sauna, as well as by the steam room. These were great to pair with the hot rooms.
- Tried the eucalyptus steam room as well before the massage. I liked the scent, but I'm not really used to the intense moisture so I preferred the sauna.

Pool
- It is an additional $10 to get access to the pool and fitness centre for 3 hours. Well worth it, in my opinion.
- To get to the pool, you have to exit the spa, go down to the lobby, enter another set of elevators, and head to the 8th floor. It's kind of weird to walk around in your robe and sandals, but whatever.
- The outdoor pool is saltwater and a good size. It is not deep, I could stand comfortably throughout.
- There are lots of chairs to lounge on, but most were taken. Not many of them have shade.
- Hot tub was nice and a good size. For some reason, though, the water only went up to the chest.
- Beautiful panoramic views of Coal Harbour.
- You can order food and drink on the deck.
- I checked out the facility here, and they have a large sauna in the bathroom.
- Fitness room was well equipped, and there's a steam room in that bathroom.

Relaxation lounge
- After the pool, I showered, changed, and went to the lounge.
- Had another glass of the tea and apple juice, which you can make yourself. There's also coffee and a selection of teas to choose from.
- There are some dried fruits and nuts available. I only tried some of this, and it was okay. Personally not a fan of dried fruits and nuts.
- Selection of magazines to choose from, and plenty of comfortable couches to lounge on.

Massage
- They call your name from the relaxation lounge on the dot. Martyna was my RMT, and she actually came and got me a few minutes before, which I appreciated.
- Martyna asked for my main reasons for getting a massage. She told me the entire process and I decided on a full-body massage, with focus on the shoulders.
- The massage had a combination of hot towels, choice of massage oils, and different pressures. I mentioned that it was okay to put a little more pressure, and I was happy with the pressure Martyna gave. She checked in with me a few times, as well, to ensure it was the right amount.
- It was the full 50 minutes.
- At the end of the massage, I was offered a complimentary glass of wine (3oz) or juice.

Makeup touch-up
- At the end of your visit, you can head to the makeup counter for a complimentary makeup touch-up. It's very basic. I was offered an eyebrow filling in, concealer, eyeshadow, and liner.
- This was just okay. I felt like the makeup artist put in minimal effort in this.

Some takeaways would be to make sure you schedule your service with plenty of time to enjoy the facilities if you choose to. My 50-minute massage was at 4:30 pm, and the spa closes at 6 pm, so I had planned to arrive early to make the most of the pool and spa amenities. I did relax in the lounge until about 6:30 pm and no one rushed me out. Honestly, if the service had been any later, I wouldn't have been able to take my time in the facility. It's really ridiculous that they had tried to move my appointment later, so minus a star for that.

Overall, it was a great first spa experience for me. All the staff were very nice, and I was pretty happy with everything, other than the phone call. I'd recommend it if you have it covered by your benefits. However, I'd never pay $145 plus tax for this myself!

I was given a gc for Christmas and was excited to try it. I was given a very basic Manicure at the nv locatio that didn't even last past a week with more than a few chips... I found it overwhelming when I walked in as the front staff, the locker part
was confusing, different staff assistance,
told the sauna was fully booked so I wasnt able to try it and they had difficulty processing my payment and tip which would seem like a basic procedure...and not cheap! But was given a few pieces of nuts and dried fruit .. :)

Had gone to Pan pacific location several times previously for the spa experience including the pool. Booked online and did not see that pool is no longer offered with a spa booking. When inquired they showed me an old print out but it's not currently on the website. Overall the amenities are not hotel spa quality experience without the pool offered. Both the steam and sauna is very outdated with very minimal capacity. There were no snacks offered like other hotel spa. They cited Covid reasons to reducing pool capacity however this is very contradictory to the cleanliness overall in the locker room and considering there were 5-6 people jammed in a 2-3 person steam room. Would not recommend for a hotel spa experience - as other hotels include the pool with spa packages.

I don't think I ever would have ventured all the way down to Pan Pacific hotel for a 55 minute RMT massage appointment if I didn't receive a gift card from my sister. And I'm so glad I did.

If you don't plan on using the hotel's parking lot...After entering the hotel you walk straight towards the screens until the very end of the hallway and take the escalators down to the CS floor to reach the entrance of spa utopia.

I suggest coming half an hour earlier if it's your first time here just to explore some of the facilities they offer and enjoy some of the complimentary snacks and drinks they offer. It's also great if you're the type that likes to chat, cause you might have an extremely enjoyable conversation with some of the other spa guests. At least I did.

When you first enter the spa, there's a room full of merchandise you can purchase.

After going through the glass doors, if it's your first time there.... they'll give you a form to fill out and a quick tour of the spa. And part of the reason I deducted a star was because I felt my tour was a bit rushed compared to what I witnessed other people got out of their tours. The staff who gave me the tour, never told me her name, about the showers, the pool or the complimentary snacks or drinks. However, the rest of the staff were fabulous and made me feel extremely at home.

Anyways, I digress... so if you're early, you can spend your time in the lounge flipping through magazines or make small talk with your friends while enjoying a nice cup of tea/ coffee, while snacking on healthy dried snacks. And when it's time for your appointment, someone will call out your name in the lounge.

The room for the massage was very nice and quiet. I love the fact that the massage beds are heated. Note: if you think the room is too quiet, you can ask your masseur/ masseuse to turn up the volume for the spa music.

My masseuse was a gem! Monica Addy's the name. Probably one of the better masseuse I've had. Her strength was on par with some of the male masseurs. And that's really saying something as I usually find female masseuse lacking in strength. My Swedish massage was pure bliss! She started off with asking me if I had any problem areas or past accidents. Then she asked whether I wanted the scented (lavender or spring scent)/ non scented massage. After the relaxing massage, I was given a wide selection of complimentary drinks to choose from. I got myself a white wine :9 It was nice and fruity. It would be nice if i was told what kind of wine I was being served though. I quite enjoyed it.

And after all that, you can go back to the lounge, use their sauna, take a quick shower (rosemary mint shampoo, conditioner and bath gel) and or go to the outdoor pool/ hot tub up on the 8th floor with a pretty nice view. You'll need to take 2 different elevators though. Although impossible, It'd be nice if they had an indoor pool option ... especially for a rainy/ cold day.

Overall, I really enjoyed my experience here with just a couple of minor hitches. Will definitely come back again when I feel like pampering myself though.

I love Utopia Spa and have been attending it for years.
BUT, not the one on Canada Place.
This location is very outdated and the service is not so great.
MASSAGE: I had 50 minute massage Designed for you. The massage started 5 minutes late and also ended 5 min earlier. That makes it 40 min only, but they still charged me full price. Quite annoying when the price is pretty high.
FACILITY: steam room needs to be renovated. It's a bit moldy.
And seems like massage room's floor is being washed with a rotten rag, because it smells like it when you walk into the room.