For years, northwest Calgary suffered from a lack of good spas. That might finally be beginning to change with the opening of Leela Thermal House, a brand-new concept spa in Northland (formerly the Northland Village Mall). When I learned that there was a new spa in the neighborhood I quickly booked in for a visit, and thought I would share my experience here with you in this review.
Leela Thermal House is partnered with Leela Eco Spa, which opened in Calgary in 2009 and has since expanded to both Winnipeg and Toronto. Leela Thermal House is not a traditional spa, however. While they do offer massage therapy from registered massage therapists (RMTs), the real draw here is the private thermal therapy rooms.
In this review I’ll talk about my experience visiting Leela Thermal House in mid-November 2025, about six weeks after the spa opened. I hoped that booking at that time would give the owners time to work through any opening hiccups, and my experience would be close to what you could expect if you were to visit today.
Note: Like always, I paid in full for my visit to Leela Thermal House and did not disclose that I am a blogger.
Arriving at Leela Thermal House
The confirmation email that I received when I booked recommended that I arrive fifteen minutes early, so I did. It turns out that was unnecessary if you fill out the waiver online at the time of booking – five minutes is all you need.
The receptionist greeted me and confirmed my reservation time. She handed me a tote bag that contained a robe, a towel and a plastic bag (for wet swimsuits, more on that below). She also gave me a plastic jar full of seaweed scrub, which I was requested to use after my last sauna and cold plunge, due to its oily texture.
You’ll be asked to leave your shoes at a rack by the front door and wear the provided slippers into your thermal suite. I recommend bringing a pair of flip-flops or slides to wear when you leave (more on that later).
The Private Thermal Wellness Suite
The layout of each private thermal suite is long and narrow. The space is designed to accommodate one or two people; there’s definitely enough room for one person, but I think it would be a tight squeeze with two people.
At one end you have the door, which opens into the hallway and has a very tiny little lock that speaks when you lock or unlock the door. On the back of the door there are two hooks for hanging your items; I recommend bringing a large bag so that you can put all your clothes in one bag and hang it on the hook during your session. There’s also a basic bench that could seat two, or where you could put your clothes and purse if you can’t hang them all.
There were also three (!) emergency alarms in my cabin: one by the door, one in the sauna and one attached to the plunge pool. I was told that they sound throughout the entire facility if pushed.
The Sauna
At the far end of the room you’ll find your sauna cabin. There were two towels inside my sauna, in addition to the one in my tote bag. The sauna was set to 85° Celsius, which is on the low side of what I’m used to from European saunas but still warm enough to get you sweating. The sauna is large enough for two people to lay down (one on the upper bench and one on the lower) or for two people to sit side-by-side on the top bench.
I don’t remember seeing a clock inside the sauna, but there was a large digital clock above the door at the opposite side of the room that could help you keep track of how long you’d been inside.
The Plunge Pool
Immediately outside the sauna is the plunge pool. The pool is about the size of a small bathtub in length, but significantly deeper. Of note, though, is that it was only about half full for my visit. I didn’t bring a thermometer to measure the water temperature, so I would describe it as cold but not icy.
If you’re coming as a couple, note that there is a sign indicating that only one person can use the plunge pool at a time.
The Shower
Beside the plunge pool there is a rainfall shower with glass on two sides. There was also a handheld showerhead that sprayed from the top, not from the side (you’ve been warned!).
Inside the shower there were dispensers with shampoo, conditioner and body wash (labeled in tiny writing), but nowhere to put your own products.
As you can see from my photo above, between getting out of the plunge pool and showering in an open shower cabin, the floor in my thermal suite got quite wet. The sandals they provide will also get wet, so either pack a pair of flip-flops to wear when you leave or consider bringing your own hand towel to dry your feet when you’re back in the waiting room.
The Tea Station
Immediately inside the door you’ll also find a water and tea station. The large bottles contained plain water and lemon-infused water, while the kettle was intended to be used with the chamomile and spearmint tea bags they had provided.
Oddly, the tea box had room for a third type of tea called “Happy Day”, but it was empty. To me, it’s those little touches that separate truly flawless guest experiences from run-of-the-mill spa bookings. I actually opted not to make tea as the sauna suites are glass-free, meaning you’d have to be pouring hot water into one of their plastic cups. I’m sure I get enough microplastics in my daily life without adding tea in plastic into the mix, and I hope that in the future they switch to a different type of tea cup.
The Thermal Spa Experience
I chose to reserve the thermal suite for ninety minutes, which was the middle option. Sixty-minute and two-hour bookings are also available. The lights in my suite were already (very) dimmed when I arrived, and the receptionist gave me a choice of three music styles to play during my stay.
Of note, the Leela Thermal Spa website indicates they are “textile-free”. Where I’m from that means you use the facilities in the nude, without a bathing suit. Instead, you place a towel between your bare skin and any surface that you touch, like the sauna bench or the side of the plunge pool. I was surprised when the receptionist gave me a plastic bag for my “wet swimsuit” and then didn’t mention that a swimsuit was optional.
I more or less followed the recommend sauna circuit three times during my visit, going from sauna to plunge pool to shower. Since I was solo I brought a book to read in the sauna, but the lighting was so low that it was difficult to read.
I also brought a few skincare products from my own house to use during the thermal experience. I brought my Baiden Mittens, the world’s most expensive and most wonderful exfoliating gloves, along with a deep conditioning mask for my hair. I also packed my own face wash and body lotion.
I can see that there is limited space but I would have liked to have somewhere more comfortable to sit while I drank my lemon water and my mocktail. In Europe, spas will often have reclining lounge chairs to relax between sauna sessions, and the hard bench didn’t really compare (especially when half of it was covered with my purse and the skincare products I’d packed).
🍒 The Best Spa Beverage I’ve Ever Had in My Life
About fifteen minutes into my hydrotherapy session I thought I heard a knock at my door. I stepped down from the sauna, wrapped myself in my robe and found a girl outside the door holding a drink. I had forgotten that when I checked in I was offered a choice of mocktails to be delivered to my room, and I chose their virgin amaretto sour.
I cannot tell you how good this drink was. It is unbelievable to me that a non-alcoholic amaretto sour could be so delicious. I have been to spas (and cocktail bars) all over Europe, Asia and North America, and this was easily the best drink I’ve been served at any of them.
So, the point of this section of the review is that if you generally like amaretto, cherry or almond flavor, accept their offer of a mocktail and thank me later. Also if they discontinue this free mocktail let me know so I can cry to myself.
Accessibility
Of note, I didn’t feel that the private hydrotherapy room I was assigned was very accessible. It was a fairly large step down from the sauna bench to the floor, and if you slipped you’d hit a glass wall. Similarly, it was a large step up into the cold plunge pool, and a large step back down onto the slippery, wet floor to get out. I can’t recommend this experience (at this time) for anyone with mobility limitations.
Massages at Leela Thermal Spa
Leela Thermal House also offers massages, which can be booked together with a hydrotherapy session. Their booking system schedules the hydrotherapy first, followed by the massage. They offer three types of massage:
- Standard Massage
- Cupping
- Hot Stone Massage
All services are sixty minutes and performed by a registered massage therapist (RMT) so they will be covered by most extended insurance plans.
I didn’t opt for a massage because it didn’t fit with my schedule for the day, but I would consider trying one in the future. Years ago I did have a massage at the Leela Eco Spa downtown, and it was perfectly acceptable.
Other Facilities at Leela Thermal Spa
There is a single-stall bathroom for customers. As it’s down the hall from the treatment rooms and visible from the waiting area, you’ll need to get dressed (or at least wrapped in your robe) to use it. Personally, I’d recommend trying to avoid using the bathroom mid-visit, instead going when you arrive or when you depart.
I didn’t see a hairdryer or any styling products, meaning you’ll presumably have to go home to get ready if you have plans for later in the day.
Where to Find Leela Thermal Spa
Leela Thermal House is located in northwest Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It’s in Northland, which used to be called Northland Village Mall or just Northland Village. The exact location is beside Noodlebox and across from the Plaza Apartments building.
There is ample parking behind Leela Thermal House if you’re coming by car. If you’re using Calgary Transit, bus #8, #82 and #105 stop within 250 meters of the spa. The nearest C-Train stations are Dalhousie and Brentwood, but neither is within comfortable walking distance.
Is Leela Thermal Spa in Calgary Worth It?
If you’re like me and you sorely miss European spa culture, whether it’s a Finnish sauna, a Turkish hammam or a German baden, then an afternoon at Leela Thermal House could be just what you’re looking for. I could see a visit being especially nice during Calgary’s cold, dry winters, as it’s between one and two hours of warm humidity and relaxation.
If you’re looking for a spa that is more treatment-focused, with a range of different spa services, this probably isn’t it. But if you’re just looking to relax, and maybe get a massage, then it’s worth checking out (especially if you can get the massage portion of your visit reimbursed by your insurance!).
Love reading about spas around the world?
Check out my reviews of QC Terme Roma and QC Terme Milano, two famous spas in Italy.
You might also like my insider guide to Turkish baths in Turkey, which I wrote after my third trip to Istanbul.
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