Riverside Spa

Had a wonderful spa pedicure with 3 friends. The staff were wonderful. The pedicure and foot massage perfect. The added touches were the warmed neck pillow and blanket as well as the chocolates delivered to our chairs. They now carry a line of nail polish that dries in 20 minutes. This was a totally relaxing experience and I’m sure to return in the future.

I had a good time here … I had the riverside ritual package from 10:30 to 3 pm. My facial was very good!!! I was happy with it! The pedicure was ok… Very average… Nothing special… the manicure too… I had to remove it after 3 days… Even when I don’t even wash dishes… I think is overpriced for what they have to offer… So my suggestion would be or they reduce prices and make them accordingly to the service they offer … Or they improve service to make it a good value for their customers …

Five stars goes to Kate (Kathryn), a certified massage therapist that just gave me the best, most mind blowing massage. I have a sore shoulder and she just melted my pulled muscle away.
Other reasons to go to Riverside Spa. 1) Lots of parking 2) clean and spacious steam room 3) cucumber water, raspberry lemonade, and a variety of teas to sip 4) while eating cookies 5) in a comfortable relaxation room 6) and multi-​faceted showers with 7) organic shampoo/​conditioner and body wash.

This is a review for the «Enhanced Organic Facial» ($ 140)
I just moved to Calgary and have been looking for a new place to get my monthly facials. Back home I would get maybe 2 per month and my esthetician was a wonderful Hungarian lady. I had a friend recommend Riverside to me, so I decided to check it out.
The facilities, staff, products were all wonderful, but I want to discuss the actual facial process here. So upon entering the room and getting ready, my esthetician informed me that she was going to include a hand/​arm massage and a scalp/​neck massage. I would really rather not waste the time allotted on massages because I am not paying for a massage. I politely asked her to skip the massage and focus on the actual facial. She obliged kindly. Great.
Everything seemed ok, she slathered on various wonderful smelling products and talked to me about life. The extraction time came and she literally did extractions on my face for about 3 minutes. After she had finished, I felt my face and had to point out areas that she neglected to extract. I really am not an expert esthetician, but I don’t like having to ensure quality control on my own facial. She took care of the areas that I pointed out and finished up the facial with more great products.
I used to live in a place where there is a lot of competition between spas, and as a result, only the best spas survive. I understand that Calgary’s standard of service may not be as excellent as what I am used to. I get it, it’s okay. But for $ 140 to get a facial where the extraction phase is less than 5 minutes is ridiculous to me. I can use various products myself but I cannot perform certain facial aspects on myself without damaging my skin, hence the need for a esthetician. I did not feel confident in this estheticians ability to do a great facial. I also did not like the «massage to take up time» tactic. None of this is malicious, of course, but this spa should step up its game for the price point.
I will come back here, but only purchase the «signature facial» and save myself $ 25.

Came here for a 60 minute massage and enjoyed the session. Also took advantage of the eucalyptus steam room and had some tea and cookies.
Friendly staff
Only problem was the showers were clogged and water was up to my ankles –yuck
I’m sure they would have fixed it by now, but I will ask them again before I book my next massage

Today is Valentine’s Day and I thought I’d pamper myself with a massage as life has been stressful lately. ‘For the past week I’ve also had a cold. I got up excited and prepared for my my massage thinking it was at 2:30PM. The weather was so amazing for my walk with the dog before my appt. and I was just feeling very blissful. It’s abit of a round about in driving to get to the spa and when I got to my anticipated parking the lot was full. I circled around three times with parking everywhere simply marked «private parking, ‘will tow if unauthorized» and as my dog was in the vehicle while I’d be in the spa I started to feel stressed. I finally parked somewhat illegally near the entrance with a note by the windshield indicating where I’d be if there was issue.
When I got to the reception I was immediately told rather accusatorily that my appt. was actually at 2PM. My appt. would be «docked» for the time I was late. I had been at the spa once before when I was aware I was actually running late and they had made sure to «dock» me then. The use of that word just made me suddenly feel very angry. This was my special time and now I was being told to «hurry up and get ready», I might as well make the best of the time I had left! The receptionist left to get the mgr. who, without any empathy for what had obviously been a slip in attentiveness for me in noting the time of my appt, simply told me what the receptionist had just finished saying, «to make use of the time left as they were going to charge me the full rate whatever I decided to do.» If there had been any empathy on any staff member’s part about their being sorry I was missing my special time, ‘that they’d make me a special tea, ‘that I’d really enjoy a long sauna after to make up for it, anything positive and reassuring it would have reframed the moment of upset for me immediately, ‘however this was just about «we’ve already got your credit card info, ‘you’re getting charged, you’ve inconvenienced our perfect punctual selves and so I just stormed out. The last time I was there for the «docked» facial which was actually very nice I went to the reception to pay later and had to wait for a good half hour while they tried every one of my credit and debit cards initially making me feel like my credit cards were being rejected till they finally realized their system was down. I did not complain then however I guess their time is far more valuable than mine.
This experience really was a disappointment on a day where I had set myself up to have an awesome relaxing experience. I think that Riverside Spa should clearly mark where the «overflow parking» is with proper signage so you don’t stress getting in for starters. I think that when people do come in late you can still make them feel great and welcome and focus on the positive without dwelling on the obvious as the majority of people do not want to be late, ‘we are rushing around all day trying to do our best and mistakes happen, ‘that is why we are usually visiting a spa, ‘to decompress a little.
I know the interior of the spa is beautiful, ‘the products top notch, I have no idea how my massage might have went however I lost my appetite to try as the initial presentation upset me so. I guess in the end everyone loses if you hold to grudges so leaving quickly let me let go of my negative emotions about the greeting I received at Riverside Spa and get back to work at rediscovering the magical way I had felt before arriving. A «spa experience» should start when you walk in the door and that didn’t happen for me today here.

My partner bought me a gift certificate to Riverside Spa for our third wedding anniversary, and when he did so, I got really upset at the cost. At the time I was unfamiliar with Riverside, and didn’t know anything about it, but my $ 350 anniversary gift left me somewhat agape.
My certificate, however, was used at a particularly stressful time (just following the end of the first year of grad school), and ended up being a real God-​send. It bought me basically a day at the spa. I had a massage, a facial, and a pedicure. And while each of these treatments was wonderful in and of itself, the best part of Riverside Spa is the ability to linger in their wonderful terrycloth bathrobes. They have this lounge they call the relaxation room, and it stood true to its name. The music in the relaxation room, lighting, and generaly comfort made this a place to truly unwind. The organic cookies, lemonade (LOVED the lemonade), and tea all made it a place where my school stresses melted away.
Overall, I had an excellent experience at Riverside. Finding it proved a little more difficult than I thought it would be, and the outside of the building yielded little promise, but once inside my journey and the exterior were soon forgotten. If you’re in need of some pampering, definitely head to Riverside Spa.

It’s the best Spa we have found in Calgary.
Recommended for couples massage. The staff are professional & the service has always been flawless.
The place is old, but very well maintained and run.

The entrance to this place looks like it’s straight out of Wyoming in 1987, but once you’re upstairs in the spa area things are a lot fresher. I’ve been for massages a few times and have consistently been impressed with the massage therapists’ communication and technique. I actually leave here feeling like I’ve had a massage– unlike, say, at Spa Ritual. The women’s change room has great showers and a fantastic steam room, though lockers are a little small and cramped. The lounge has a few comfortable chairs, beverages (herbal tea, lemonade and cucumber water) and snacks (three kind of cookies– two are wheat-​free, though not gluten-​free). I’ll be spending all my Health Spending Account here!

As I was finishing up a particularly stressful school semester, I thought about booking a massage as a treat to celebrate the end of the semester and the start of summer. From past experience, I now know that massages at busy spas need to be booked a few weeks in advance to get a good selection of appointment times. My default spa for massages has been Stillwater Spa, but I wanted to try something new this time. I had a fantastic pedicure at Riverside last year (see previous 5-​star review), so I thought it would be safe to bet that the massages would be great too.
The massage was everything I’d hoped for. My RMT asked me what areas I wanted to focus on, and checked a few times if I was happy with the pressure. In addition to the usual legs and back, she worked on my neck and shoulders, and even a bit of hands, scalp and face.
The spa is very clean and has a pleasant atmosphere. The amenities include snacks in the waiting room, robes, sandals, lockers, rainfall showers, and a crazy good steam room. For me, a spas extra amenities are only as good as their steam room, and the steam room at Riverside is top notch. The steam has a very soothing eucalyptus scent. My friend was sitting only a couple meters away, and at peak steaminess, I couldn’t see her!
The massage at Riverside is a bit pricey, but still less expensive than Stillwater. I will definitely be booking my next massage here!

Curse my procrastinating ways! I knew well in advance that the hubby was going to have to engage in a «telecon» with his work right smack in the middle of one of our Calgary getaway days. Had I thought about doing this even one day ahead of the meeting, I would have been able to book a blissful 90 minute service with super skilled therapist «Emily» versus the 30 minutes of what was left of her time when I called a mere 20 minutes before!
The facility is small but perfectly cozy and amenable to all of your needs including organic teas (with the coolest steeping devices I have ever seen and that is coming from a «tea snob»!) and cookies in the waiting lounge, five shower heads in the stalls (that was a first for me) and a scrumptious steam room with what smelled like a combo of rosemary and orange oils sifting thru my senses.
None of this would have mattered however if the massage I booked were lousy. Quite the contrary, Emily was… and I say this with a decent amount of experience behind me in this regard, thee BEST massage I’ve ever had hands down (no pun intended)!!! Not only was the pressure just precisely what I needed for my chronically aching lower back, she used no annoying elbows or otherwise jolting body parts to make her point. Here’s the huge kicker: I ordinarily find any sort of conversation beyond «how’s the pressure?» during a massage to be the opposite of relaxing. I actually had a good conversation with Emily *while* being perfectly relaxed; didn’t even know that was possible.
Though with the exchange rate, the 30 minutes + facility use was on the steeper end, this was definitely a «you get what you pay for» kind of deal that was for the best. And besides, I was on vacation! Such a shame I live 25,000 km away.

I have never considered myself a spa person… until a couple of years ago when I was given a gift certificate to Riverside Spa. I still might not be a spa person, but I am definitely a «Riverside Spa» person.
This is a wonderful place to get away from your family, pets, work and any other things that cause stress. The atmosphere is peaceful and calming. It is a beautiful spa without being pretentious.
I’ve been here probably a half dozen times and I have yet to have a service I didn’t love or meet an employee who wasn’t really nice and professional. The facials are great but by far my favourite services are the hot stone massage and the glacial pedicure. That’s not to say other massages and pedis/​manis etc aren’t wonderful though!
All the spa basics are supplied-​robes/​slippers etc. The changes rooms are a good size with nice showers and a steam room. There aer a lot of treatment rooms so they can accommodate a fair number of guests at one time. The pedicure area has a nice view of the nearby neighbourhoods and they chairs are very comfy.
The lounge has a nice fireplace and an array of seating. It is usually pretty quiet in there unless a few loud talkers come along. I will admit sometimes I’ve wished the staff would comment to louder guests when they notice them so that the lounge can remain calming. There is a selection of tea, water lemonade and great little cookies for you to enjoy while you wait for your services.
I think their prices are pretty good and the location is easy to get to. This is a great place to take some time for yourself or to treat a special someone. I took my mom here while she was visiting for her birthday for a mother daughter morning and it was great. They are consistent in service delivery too which keeps me coming back.

Initially the staff was pleasant on the phone and help me decide on which services to book. The day of my appointment my new car would not start and this had never happened before. My appointment was in 20 minutes so I called and explained the situation. The service staff told me I would be charged the cancellation fee which was equal to the entire service fee — $ 190!!! I asked to be passed to a supervisor who told me the same thing and was subsequently passed to the owner (William Ast) who told me: ‘It is not my problem as to how people decide how to get to their appointments but our cancellation policy is very strict’. Even though i explained my car not starting was completely out of my control he proceeded to tell me to ‘get a cab or get someone else to drive me’. I did ask if I got there right away if they would honor my massage; however, they shortchanged me by about 20 minutes. I needed to go to work the next day and figure out what was wrong with my car so I had to leave the spa and go home and get my car sorted by the dealership. Unfortunately something that was supposed to be a stress relief turned into a huge stress. I was so upset at the thought of throwing 200 $ down the toilet I rushed there just to use it and had my car on my mind and everything that needed to be done the whole time. It’s too bad the worst person I had to deal with there was actually the owner — he made it very clear to me they are not in need of any new clientelle and he will screw you over to make his money. I am not poor and I have frequented a number of spas around the city — even without his cockiness I would have to rate this spa mediocre at best. The shower drain didn’t work so my feet were floating sludge (in a 5 minute shower). If you want a spa go to a real one and don’t waste your time on this and if you do make sure nothing unexpected that is completely out of your control comes up.

From the outside, it doesn’t look like much. Once inside, the receptionists were friendly and let me to a typical locker area. I changed into the provided robe and thongs and had a seat by the cozy fireplace and had some tea and cookies. The masseuse came and let me into the room. During the massage, I could tell she had a bit of a cold. She kept trying to hold back a cough, clearing her throat, and was sniffling. This kind of put me off. The massage was pretty good itself. Once the masseuse left the room, I could hear her coughing for a long period of time. This experience could have been better without the cold germs floating all around me.

I’ve been a returning client for a few years now. It takes a lot of positives to make me go back to a spa and they’ve done it for me! I usually go in for massage therapy because all their therapists are so awesome! Dan only hires the best! Their prices aren’t super outrageous and they do not act all «hoity toity» like some high end spas do. I’ve had a pedicure done here as well and I thoroughly enjoyed the view of Edworthy Park through the large window. Breath taking! Oh, and the esthetician did a great job on my feet and toes as well! :o)
The reception staff is ALWAYS professional, unlike some places I’ve been to before. Everyone is super friendly whether it be on the phone, out front, in the waiting area or in the locker room.
Parking is usually available. It was a bit hard to find the first time but once I found it, it was no problem at all. I love the tea and cookies they serve. They also have organic lemonade on ice in a pitcher. YUM!
I am a forever client for sure! I always look forward to my next visit there. I hope they never close down! *2 thumbs way up!!*

I enjoyed my trip to the Riverside Spa today. Lovely relaxing atmosphere. The steam bath is great, and I had a pedicure. The operators are friendly, professional & competent. Thank you Crystal!
Robes & slippers are supplied. The pedicure chair had various settings for roller massage, vibration & heat which I controlled by remote. I was given a warm neck wrap, and someone appeared with a tray of chocolate at some point.
Snack on healthy biscuits, fine selection of teas, cucumber water & my favourite; Zora’s organic lemonade. The products used are primarily natural, the black cherry cream was wonderful. All are locally made where possible and are also available for retail on check out.
Comfortable chairs and lounges to relax on with snugly throws where you are not rushed. The gas fireplace adds ambience and the place is super clean. Wonderful place to pamper yourself for a few hours. A necessary addition to any self care program. I will be back.