Closs Crossing: Ontario's Private Nordic Spa Retreat

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A Nordic spa in the Ontario forest

Everyone books a flight when they want to feel far away, but Stillwater Den is tucked into the trees in Lanark County, and it gave me the deepest reset I have had in years. It is fully private, it sleeps four, and every single thing here is built to help you slow down, from the sauna and the cold plunge to the hot tub under the stars. You do not need to go anywhere or do anything, and it is an easy drive rather than a whole expedition.

Here is everything the stay includes, how to book it, what to pack, and exactly how I run the spa ritual so you get the very most out of it.

The shape of it

First. Book your stay and pack light, because the robes and towels are already there waiting for you.

Then. Settle in and run the Nordic spa ritual, moving from hot to cold to rest, a few rounds over.

After. Wander the trails, do gloriously nothing, and let the quiet do its quiet work.

Tina's Rule

Book direct at closscrossing.ca. Your dates go straight to Alison and James, the hosts who pour so much care into this place, and it is the simplest way to lock in your stay.

How to Book

Lock in your stay

Booking is refreshingly simple, and I always go straight to the source.

Book direct at closscrossing.ca

Straight to the Hosts

Head to closscrossing.ca, choose your dates on the Book page, and you are set. It is the easiest way to reserve, and it keeps everything with Alison and James, the hosts who built this whole place.

Made for two, or for four

Private · Sleeps 4 · Pet Friendly

The Den is fully private and it sleeps four, so it works whether you want a quiet escape for two or a slow weekend with your favourite people, and because the whole collection is pet friendly your dog is welcome to come along too.

If your dates are taken

The Sister Stays

The same hosts also run The Loft and the Cabin Treehouse just nearby, so if the Den is booked you still have two gorgeous options to fall back on.

Tina's Tip

Go midweek if your schedule can stretch to it, because the whole place feels even quieter, and it is always worth checking the site for current rates since those move with the season.

What to Pack

Pack light, it is mostly there

The best part about a Nordic spa stay is how little you actually need, because the luxury robes and spa towels are already waiting for you. Here is everything I would bring.

A swimsuit. You will be moving happily between the sauna, the cold plunge, and the hot tub, so bring one you love.

Sandals or slip ons. Something easy to wear out on the deck between soaks.

Warm layers. Cozy socks and a hat if you are coming in the cooler months, because that fresh forest air has a real bite to it.

Groceries and a bottle of wine. The kitchen is fully equipped and the wine glasses are ready and waiting, and I stock up in a nearby Lanark County town on the drive in so I never have to leave once I settle.

Something slow. A good book, a journal, or honestly nothing at all.

Bug spray. For the walking trails and the meditation forest in the warmer months.

Your dog's essentials. They are part of the family, and they are welcome here.

Tina's Tip

The one thing I always leave behind is my rigid schedule, and I promise you will not miss it for a single second.

The Ritual

How to run the spa ritual

This is the heart of the whole stay, and it is so much simpler than it sounds. The magic lives in the contrast between hot and cold and rest, repeated a few times until your whole body finally lets go.

Start with heat

Step One · Sauna

Climb into the sauna and stay until you feel loose, warm, and a little heavy, which is usually somewhere around ten to fifteen minutes, because this is where everything begins to soften.

Then go cold

Step Two · Plunge or Bucket

In the warmer months this is the cold plunge, and that first shock is honestly the best part. The plunge and the outdoor shower are seasonal though, so in the colder months when they are closed, the Nordic rinse bucket is your cold swap. Give the rope a pull and let that rush of cold water do exactly the same job.

Now rest

Step Three · Settle

Wrap up in a robe and let your body settle for about ten minutes, out by the fire table, in front of the indoor fireplace, or curled up in the screened in sunroom, and please do not skip this part, because the rest is where the reset actually happens.

Repeat, then finish

Three or Four Rounds

Move through hot, cold, and rest three or four times, noticing how much lighter you feel with every round, and then finish in the hot tub under the stars, because there is truly no better way to end the night.

Tina's Rule

Always finish on rest or the hot tub and never on the cold, and drink far more water than you think you need, because this ritual works up a serious thirst.

Before You Go

Make the most of the quiet

Walk the trails slowly. The walking trails and the meditation forest are right outside the door, and they are best wandered with no destination in mind.

Watch for wildlife. Keep an eye out for the deer and birds that move through the property, especially in the quiet of early morning.

Actually unplug. Put your phone in a drawer, make a slow coffee, and let yourself do nothing, because that is the entire point of coming here.

Come in shoulder season. Fewer people around, cooler air for the sauna and plunge, and the forest at its very prettiest.

One Last Thing

Leave a whole afternoon with no plan at all. Some of my favourite moments were just a robe, the fire table, and the trees, with absolutely nowhere to be.

Closer than you think

Three days in the forest, one very good sauna, and not a single flight. Stillwater Den completely won me over, and it is so much closer and easier than most people believe. If you make it out there, I would genuinely love to hear how it went.

See you in the forest,
Tina · @travelwithtina · travelwithtina.ca