11 times and counting. I just love it at the Grail. Whenever I arrive I always get such a warm welcome from guest services staff and receive big hugs immediately. This time I was greeted by Finn (family dog) in the parking lot and it just made arriving so special. What a warm welcome! Before I set foot into the Great Hall I always take a deep breath and take it all in. That room is just so magical and I feel a real sense of peace there. A friend joined me this trip and although it was her first time she was already talking about the next time less than a day in. I guess everything I'd been telling her and promoting about the Grail rang true (I do tend to go on and on about The Grail every chance I get to anyone who will listen). Had the absolute pleasure to have many conversations over the weekend with the founder and owner, Madeleine. She is just a beautiful soul inside and out. I've had the good fortunate to meet up with her all 11 visits so far and that makes it extra special. I feel so honoured to know her personally. In the past year alone I've been there 4 times. There's just such a pull that keeps me coming back. Can't say enough about my "happy place." Thank you Madeleine for creating this home away from home for so many. See you again soon. xoxo

I feel like the negative reviewers want Grail Springs to be just a more affordable version of a typical corporate spa. That's frustrating because Ontario has no shortage of those kinds of places. Whereas Grail Springs is thoroughly unique. The focus is on health and wellness, but not the kind of health and wellness where you're working out hard in a gym for two hours and then ordering the high-protein skinless chicken lunch. The morning yoga is gentle, and I always learn something new about my body and how it works. If you want yoga that burns calories and tones your thighs, there are plenty of other places to choose from. The nature walks are similarly educational, and give me a good, gentle uphill walk through beautiful woods. There's a philosophy at work here, and that's what makes the place special. You deliver yourself into their hands, and in return you get a carefully curated experience, high quality treatments, a luxurious room with amazingly peaceful views of water and fir trees, and very thoughtful (optional) programming every evening. You eat what they serve, in the portions that they have (carefully) chosen. I'm gluten free and they were very accommodating - I just had to tell them in advance. I do tend to overeat, so one of the reasons I love Grail Springs is that their meals reset my eating habits and encourage me to eat mindfully. It's enough food, and because I don't have temptations around me all day long, I find it easy to stick to it. Then I'm truly hungry when meal times come around, and I savour every bite. Some people bring extra food, and the first time I came, I brought along a handful of protein bars in case I got hungry. But I realized that right-sizing the food portions is part of the experience at GS, and I never ate them. The meals are vegan because that's part of the philosophy, and they are beautifully presented, truly healthy and delicious. I'm amazed at how much better the food is here than a place like St. Ann's, which isn't working with any of the same restrictions but produces rather bland dishes in portions that don't make me feel good afterwards. I come in the winter, when the huge stone woodburning fireplace is always on, and its scent fills up the incredibly cozy great room on the lake. There are about a dozen guests, and I end up chatting with most of them. It's more affordable at this time of year -- I would say including treatments, it's probably half the price of St. Ann's and twice the quality. But again, it's not for everyone. If you're trying to decide between this and another spa, I think you just have to be honest with yourself about what you want. Don't pick this one just because it's cheaper if what you really want is a more conventional experience.

Pros: Grail Springs is in a lovely setting on a small lake. The atmosphere upon arrival was relaxing. The beds were comfortable and the room is spacious enough. The yoga classes were amazing and the teachers Jason and Tanya were very knowledgeable. The grounds were nice to walk around on. The staff were friendly. Cons: The food served was not worth the money. We were served pasta 2 nights in a row. I'm not celiac and don't require gluten free but that's what was served. There was a set menu with no other choices offered and only one serving allowed. My friend and myself both only had a couple of bites of the penne Alfredo and could not eat anymore. The romensco sauce served on the side was good but we were only allowed one serving. For breakfast, the gluten free waffles served were very dry and only had a small amount of fruit on top. Friends visited here last year and complemented the food served. They showed me photos. The presentation looked beautiful. This was not the case with the food we were served, it looked pretty bland. I found out that chef Chris had left when I wanted to book a cooking class with him. I have no idea who the cook was and no cooking classes were offered with them- a red flag. I've had some amazing vegan food and the food served there was below par. The hot cold circuit was disappointing as well. I've been to much nicer places with the circuits. There were 2 small soaker tubs, a dry sauna and a cold plunge tub. There was dirt all around the deck to prevent slipping on any possible but non existent ice. It blew in our faces and got on our hands and feet while getting out. Summary: I do not plan to go again unless I know there will be an amazing chef there. For what was charged, it was not worth the money.

I booked a 3 night stay last minute and decided NOT to read any reviews until I returned home - maybe I should have read the pros and cons from various sources first... Two nights would have been sufficient to go through various body/mind, holistic, relaxation treatments. I'm sure the owner is going to jump out at me as soon as I post this 3 star review, but let me explain my reasoning - bullet points at the bottom - so read through please. The room with fireplace and queen bed was spacious and comfortable - bathroom decent size with a large corner tub. The TV in the room is archaic and operating "Jellyfin" app to see channels was a joke - but hey....you are not supposed to be in your room, right, but when you are paying well in excess of $550/night, there are certain expectations....you can only spend so much time in public spaces! The staff all extremely helpful and friendly - can't say enough about them. I met many first timers along with a lady returning for the 5th time. The owner has been running the place for 30 years BUT the property is up for sale. Maybe some changes will be made?? I would love to see updates to the menu. The website advertises all snacks and meals are included, however, there is one snack served each day exactly at 3:45 pm and it is just one sweet piece and a tiny glass of the daily 'elixir' - but you are allowed to have just one glass!! Lunch and dinner are 3 course pre-set vegan menus (they do take gluten intolerance into account). Breakfast offerings on 2 of the 3 mornings were sweet (like waffles) - not good if you don't have a sweet tooth - so toast was the only other option. Having visited resorts across the globe with wellness in mind - healthy food is a HUGE part of the process, but why must it be vegan only? Having no meal selection for lunch or dinner was disappointing, but I guess with just 13 rooms on site you cannot offer a full menu to guests. I drove home and stopped by the grocery store for a big piece of fish for protein tonight (.....sigh.... yum). Other items on my mind: * none of the people offering treatments are RMT. The BRIGHT spot was Sandi offering Thai Massage (which is extra) - but 100% worth it. * Sign up sheets for hot tubs and sauna?? The space on the deck is massive and the tubs are teeny tiny. * Sign up sheet for hiking a trail? * If you don't show up for dinner on time - they will knock on your door.... * Treatments depend on which program you signed up for, but lying on a magnetic mat for 30 mins with headphones on to cleanse the body...? Not sure it was worth it or did anything....maybe you just need to believe??? * Scheduling of treatments. My first day was booked with 4 treatments back to back to back to back. Had to fit in a nature walk, breakfast and morning yoga that were there anyway. I managed to move one treatment to the second day, as it was hectic. They take the control of booking your appointments away from you - I do NOT agree with this. I like to know what treatments are planned for the duration of the stay at check-in time - not the morning of the day with a little card set outside the breakfast room that you. * Lack of fitness facilities. I believe that overall wellbeing includes physical fitness along with great food, quiet time, yoga and other modalities of treatments. Sitting around and enjoying treatments and vegan foods did not address the need for working off the lunch and building an appetite for dinner. In summary, lots of money for a place in Bancroft.

A friend and I just spent 3 days at Grail Springs. What is most difficult to capture in words is the "ambiance/culture" that you feel as soon as you walk in. The dining room, great room and treatment rooms exude tranquility. Everywhere you look attention to detail is present in the beautiful decor. All staff are personable, professional and always looking for ways to add to your stay (e.g. during our first meal we requested ice; a server brought it to our table for all remaining meals and brain stormed solutions one evening when the ice maker broke). The food was creative, delicious and plentiful (I am not vegan or vegetarian). I would say I wasn't a huge fan of the vegan desserts, but I did appreciate the attempts to replicate classic desserts. The daily yoga/meditation classes are relaxing and geared to beginners. The evening talks covered a variety of wellness areas; the "fill your cup" presentation was outstanding - both in content and the dynamic presenter. Tours of the gorgeous, well-maintained wooded trails were fantastic. I am an avid, experienced hiker, yet, the tour guide pointed out many details, animal prints, and tree markings, that I had not previously noticed. The spring- fed lake is clean and tranquil. Waking each morning to gaze directly onto the lake was pure heaven, as was sitting in the adirondak chairs at the end of the dock. With respect to spa treatments, my scalp and foot massage was everything I hoped for. Although I found the Vibracoustics and salt inhalation therapy session relaxing (because of the co-ordinated music and bed vibration), I couldn't discern any difference in the air, or my breathing, as a result of the salt particles. I will definitely return! Anne M.