The only day spa in Ancaster inside a designated heritage house.
We are a full-service heritage day spa at 343 Wilson Street East, serving Ancaster, Hamilton and the western GTA. Registered massage therapy, Swiss and French facials, laser hair removal and couples packages, all under one historic roof.
A heritage day spa where the house is part of the treatment.
confirm headline wordingThe Spa at Ancaster, also known as Ancaster Spa, is a full-service day spa at 343 Wilson Street East in Ancaster, Ontario, serving Ancaster, Hamilton and the western Greater Toronto Area. It was founded by Zinnia Watts in 1996 and, under owners Rola and Sami Haddad, has operated since 2003 from a stone house built in 1872 and designated under the Ontario Heritage Act by Town of Ancaster by-law 78-88. The spa is led by spa packages and registered massage therapy, with a strong focus on facials using Swiss Valmont and French Guinot and Phytomer, plus laser hair removal, hands and feet, and body rituals. It is independently owned and can host large groups of six to seven guests or more.
The Spa at Ancaster is a full-service day spa in the heart of old Ancaster, Ontario, operating since 1996 and housed since 2003 in a restored 1872 stone house designated under the Ontario Heritage Act. Under owners Rola and Sami Haddad, it runs more than 6,500 square feet of treatment space and cares for guests from across Ancaster, Hamilton and the western GTA. The team includes six Registered Massage Therapists in good standing with the College of Massage Therapists of Ontario, alongside estheticians trained in Swiss Valmont, French Guinot and Phytomer skincare. Treatments span registered massage therapy, advanced facials, laser hair removal, hands and feet, body rituals and couples spa days, including two private couples suites — one with a double hydrotherapy bath and a working fireplace. confirm quick-answer copy & figures
Nearly three decades on, The Spa at Ancaster is still independently owned and remains one of the few spas in the region set inside a building formally designated under the Ontario Heritage Act. It hosts everyone from individual guests to private groups of six to seven or more, with the full run of the heritage house — treatment rooms, a wet room with heated granite massage tables, a sauna and steam room, a hair salon and two couples suites — under one roof. confirm continuation wording
Nearly thirty years in the heart of old Ancaster
The Spa at Ancaster opened in 1996, when Zinnia Watts started the business in the Village Green plaza. Demand grew quickly, and in 2003, after a careful restoration, the spa moved across the road into the 1872 stone house that has been its home ever since.
That building gives the spa something a strip-mall location never can. Originally named "Sunnyside," it was built in 1872 by David Richardson as a wedding present for his son, Dr Henry Richardson, and served as a doctor's home and office for generations. Guests walk into a restored heritage house with high ceilings, original pine and maple floors and a fireplace in the couples suite, not a clinical treatment box. The setting is part of the treatment.
Derek and Zinnia Watts bought the property in 2001 and put real work into it, adding steel beams to correct a century of central settling while keeping the original character intact. It is why the house still stands as solidly as it did 150 years ago.
Today, under owners Rola and Sami Haddad, the spa runs more than 6,500 square feet of treatment space, caring for guests from across Ancaster and Hamilton with registered massage therapy, Swiss and French facials, laser hair removal and full spa days.
Read the full 150-year history of the house →
Rola Haddad — writing the house's next chapter.
“I did not want to see something this rare disappear.”
Rola Haddad
Owner · The Spa at Ancaster confirm title & wording
I bought The Spa at Ancaster because I did not want to see something this rare disappear. There are very few day spas in Ontario working out of a building old enough to be protected under the Ontario Heritage Act, and even fewer that grew from the vision of a single founder.
Zinnia Watts opened this spa in 1996 and moved it into the 1872 stone house on Wilson Street in 2003. My job is to protect what she built, keep the team experienced and consistent, and bring the spa into its next chapter without losing the character that makes it worth the drive.
When you visit, you are not booking a slot in a chain. You are stepping into a house with 150 years of history and a team that treats you as an individual. That is the whole point.
Independently owned · Ontario Heritage Act designated · The same experienced team · Serving Ancaster since 1996
"It is set in spacious grounds with large trees, and its siting in a slightly raised position gives this quality house an imposing appearance, important to the Wilson Street streetscape."
What it feels like to walk in
You park behind the building and walk past the same 15-inch stone blocks Richardson's masons cut from the quarry in 1872. The front door is the original jointed oak that opened for Dr Henry Richardson's first patients.
Inside, the floor in the old waiting room is laid in two colours of maple. Up the staircase are the treatment rooms, a wet room with heated granite massage tables, a sauna and steam room, a full hair salon, and a couples suite with a double hydrotherapy bath and a working fireplace.
From the moment you arrive, the building does part of the work. The rest is up to a team that has cared for this community for nearly three decades.
Step inside the heritage house
Over 6,500 square feet across two floors: reception rooms with fireplaces, a wet room, a hydrotherapy suite, two couples rooms and more.
Winter at the spa
Reception room
Reception seating
Sitting room, for lunch and quiet time
Hydrotherapy bath
Hydrotherapy suite
Couples room
Second couples room
The Blue Room
Manicure room
Upper hallway
The front doorHow we work, and why it shows
Our registered massage therapists deliver real therapeutic care in a spa setting, and most guests can claim it through extended health insurance.
Treatments happen inside a designated heritage property, including a couples suite with its own hydrotherapy bath and fireplace. No clinic room can do that work.
We are known for our facials, using Swiss Valmont and French Guinot, alongside OxyGeneo and an FDA-cleared LED system. The line is named so you know exactly what is on your skin.
Everything happens under one roof in one heritage building. The team knows the space, and they get to know you.
Body & Soul: Harmony & Sensations
Our signature treatment for the mind, body and soul, and the one this heritage building was made for. It brings together the old-world Hammam tradition with the warmth of heated granite.
From $170 for about an hour and a quarter, or $250 for the longer version with an Indian head massage and blow-dry. Ask for it by name when you call.
View Package
- 01 A cleanse in our low-mist, high-intensity steam chamber
- 02 A full-body exfoliation with pure olive-oil soap on a heated granite bed
- 03 A relaxing massage to finish
- 04 Optional Indian head massage and blow-dry on the longer ritual
The couples suite
We have two private couples rooms, one with a double hydrotherapy bath, a shower, a seating area and a working fireplace. They are the most requested spaces in the building, and the reason guests drive in from across the region.
- Couples Getaway, from $580: private room with a double hydrotherapy bath, hydrotherapy for two, two facials and two massages
- Couples Retreat, from $485: a Body Glow exfoliation and a 60-minute massage for two, with the sauna and steam room
- Option to upgrade either massage to RMT ($600 and $520)
- Mother and daughter, group and girls' day experiences also available
Professional houses from Switzerland and France
Most spas use one house brand. We carry the lines that built modern skincare, each chosen for a specific result.
Valmont
Glacial-spring-water facials developed in the Swiss Alps, including our Hydration Facial and the Collagen Anti-Wrinkles and Firmness treatments.
Guinot
Paraben-free formulas, non-GMO plant actives, never tested on animals. Hydradermie, Liftosome and Beauté Neuve facials.
Phytomer
Marine actives from the Brittany coast, a mineral-based line for skin that prefers fewer chemical ingredients.
OxyGeneo
Exfoliate, infuse and oxygenate in a single session for immediate texture and tone.
Omnilux Contour
Medical-grade LED, FDA-cleared for fine lines and wrinkles, using red 633nm and near-infrared 830nm light.
Candela GentleMax
An alexandrite laser platform for hair removal, effective across all skin tones, targeting the follicle without affecting the surrounding skin.
What we are known for
Spa Packages
Signature half- and full-day experiences, including the Day of Indulgence and The Ultimate — room for large groups, spa parties and bridal bookings. A favourite for gift cards.
Massage & RMT
Our largest service. Registered massage therapists for relaxation, deep tissue, hot stone, pregnancy, Indian head and aromatherapy massage. Receipts provided for insurance.
Facials & Skincare
High-end skincare: Swiss Valmont, French Guinot and Phytomer facials, plus OxyGeneo, microneedling, dermaplaning and FDA-cleared LED light therapy.
Laser Hair Removal
Candela GentleMax laser hair removal, effective on all skin tones, plus waxing, threading and electrolysis.
Hands & Feet
Manicures and pedicures in a calm, hygienic setting: shellac on natural nails, sanitized tools and a single-use file you take home.
Body Rituals & Hammam
The Body and Soul ritual in the Mediterranean Hammam tradition, sea algae body wraps and hydrotherapy baths.
The credentials behind the care
Registered Massage Therapy
Massage is performed by six Registered Massage Therapists in good standing with the College of Massage Therapists of Ontario, and a receipt is provided for insurance. confirm CMTO standing and registration numbers
A real hiring standard
Every esthetician holds a diploma from a recognized Canadian school, or an International Diploma with certified Canadian equivalence, plus a minimum of two years in the day-spa industry.
Parking and full access
Free parking in large lots at the front and the rear, unusual for a heritage location, and the building is fully wheelchair accessible.
A designated heritage property
The building is protected under the Ontario Heritage Act by Town of Ancaster by-law 78-88, passed in December 1978.
The people behind the care
In an industry known for high turnover, much of our team has been here ten to twenty years or more, several of them through more than one change of ownership. confirm tenure figures
That continuity is the quiet reason guests keep coming back. You see the same faces, your therapist remembers your preferences, and the standard does not reset every time you book. Long-term staff relationships make for long-term client relationships, something a newer or higher-turnover spa simply cannot offer.
When you book a massage you can ask for a specific therapist, so here is who you will meet. Photos and full bios are being added, and any therapist who prefers not to appear in a photo is shown by name only.
Rola took over The Spa at Ancaster in December 2025, determined to protect a rare thing: an independent day spa inside a designated heritage building, built by a single founder and grown over nearly three decades. replace with Rola's real bio from her returned questionnaire
Owner since December 2025.
Shari came to massage therapy after years working in corporate Toronto, drawn to hands-on work that helps people feel better. She graduated from the Canadian College of Massage and Hydrotherapy in 2014 and has been a Registered Massage Therapist for around twelve years. Her treatments range from Lomi Lomi, the traditional Hawaiian massage, to deep tissue and Swedish massage, and what she enjoys most is helping clients relax and feel their best. Away from the spa, she practises yoga, runs, and spends time with family and friends.
Registered with the College of Massage Therapists of Ontario. Graduate of the Canadian College of Massage and Hydrotherapy, 2014. add CMTO registration number
Dana has been part of The Spa at Ancaster for nineteen years, with twenty-two years in the profession. She found massage therapy as a patient first: sent to an RMT for relief from headaches, she watched them fade and wanted to help others the same way. She trained at the Canadian Therapeutic College and also holds a diploma in Cosmetic Technique and Management from Sheridan College. Her specialties are deep tissue and trigger point therapy, Swedish massage and stress reduction, and she finds helping clients regain comfort, mobility and wellness the most rewarding part of the work. Away from the spa she stays active walking her two Frenchies, escapes to the cottage and the boat, and will happily tell you that coffee gets her started while wine and girlfriends keep her going.
Registered with the College of Massage Therapists of Ontario. Diploma in Registered Massage Therapy, Canadian Therapeutic College; diploma in Cosmetic Technique and Management, Sheridan College. add CMTO registration number
One of our six Registered Massage Therapists. add bio, years of experience and specialty from her bio form
Registered with the College of Massage Therapists of Ontario. add registration number
One of our six Registered Massage Therapists. add bio, years of experience and specialty from her bio form
Registered with the College of Massage Therapists of Ontario. add registration number
One of our six Registered Massage Therapists. add bio, years of experience and specialty from her bio form
Registered with the College of Massage Therapists of Ontario. add registration number
One of our six Registered Massage Therapists. add bio, years of experience and specialty from her bio form
Registered with the College of Massage Therapists of Ontario. add registration number
Our estheticians deliver the Valmont and Guinot facials, OxyGeneo, microneedling, dermaplaning and LED treatments, with many on the team for ten to fifteen years. The same care extends to hands, feet and the salon. add each person's name, role, years and a short bio from their bio forms
add credentials per person
Meg is a Registered Nurse who runs her own practice, Bella Vita Injectables, from a room within the building. Cosmetic injections are her service rather than the spa's, but having a licensed nurse on site speaks to the calibre of the people who choose to work here. confirm full name and College of Nurses of Ontario registration
Registered Nurse, College of Nurses of Ontario. confirm registration
Recognized for heritage and for service
The building and the business have both been honoured, from conservation bodies to a national travel magazine.
Heritage Property Conservation Award
Hamilton LACAC/MHC, for outstanding contribution to the conservation and restoration of Hamilton's built heritage at 343 Wilson Street East.
WestJet up! Magazine Value Awards
Winner in the Spa category, recognized for providing great value to travellers.
Heritage Trillium Award
Ancaster Horticultural Society, for an outstanding contribution to the beautification of Ancaster.
Ancaster Heritage Days
A long-standing part of the community, from hosting a heritage-parade tea room to supporting local causes.
Where to check us out
Every claim on this page can be verified. Here is where to look.
The Spa at Ancaster by the numbers
Answers, before you ask
Is The Spa at Ancaster the same as The Spa on Wilson?
What makes The Spa at Ancaster different from other spas nearby?
How long has The Spa at Ancaster been in business?
Is the building really a designated heritage property?
Is The Spa at Ancaster independently owned, or part of a chain?
Who owns The Spa at Ancaster?
Do you serve Hamilton and the surrounding area?
Can you accommodate large groups?
Do I need to book in advance, or can I walk in?
Is there parking, and is the spa wheelchair accessible?
Where is The Spa at Ancaster, and when are you open?
Serving Ancaster & Hamilton
The Spa at Ancaster sits in the heart of old Ancaster, minutes from Hamilton and the surrounding communities, with free parking on site.
When we are open
Holiday hours are often extended around Christmas and Mother's Day. We are fully wheelchair accessible.
Spa experiences worth gifting
A gift card from The Spa at Ancaster is a day in a heritage house, not a number on plastic. verify package prices
What we choose, and why
We restored it — we didn't replace it.
When the Watts family restored the house in 2001, they did the harder thing. Rather than gut it, they added foundation pads and steel beams beneath a century of settling and kept the original maple floors, oak doors and stone facade. The result is a building that is both protected and fully working.
The same standard, for your skin.
We apply the same thinking to skin. The Guinot line we carry is made with non-GMO plant actives, kept free of parabens, and never tested on animals, per Guinot's own standards. And the building itself is fully wheelchair accessible, so the experience is open to everyone.
Take a day for yourself
Book a treatment, plan a couples spa day, or call us and we will help you choose. We look after the rest.