Discover the Serenity and Explore this New Unforgettable Wellness Getaway in Collingwood, Ontario
Collingwood, Ontario beckons as the ultimate destination for your spring and summer adventures. Nestled just 2 hours north of Toronto, it offers a perfect escape for a rejuvenating “staycation” amidst nature’s beauty. Whether you seek thrilling outdoor activities like biking and hiking or crave the tranquility of sandy beaches and scenic vistas, Collingwood has it all.
For those prioritizing health and wellness this summer, Collingwood emerges as an oasis for mind and body rejuvenation. Dive into a world of laid-back luxury at Vortex, a cutting-edge wellness studio that’s revolutionizing self-care. Through innovative, science-backed technologies and immersive experiences, Vortex offers a transformative escape from the stresses of daily life. Each self-guided session is designed to increase energy, decrease stress, and shift you into a higher state of well-being.
This summer let’s infuse our leisure pursuits with the essence of wellness. Whether you seek adventure or serenity, Collingwood invites you to recharge, renew, and rediscover yourself amidst its breathtaking landscapes and innovative wellness offerings.
Our team discovered this new unique, wellness facility that is taking the spa experience to the next level. This vibrant, state-of-the-art wellness facility is where science-backed technology meets mindfulness. Vortex offers private wellness sessions to level up your mind and body, shift your state, and leave you feeling fantastic. The goal is to flip the script on self-care to help you increase energy, decrease stress, and feel good fast in a cozy, luxurious space. If you want to feel energized, boost immunity, and feel healthy and rested, this facility offers many services to choose from. We asked co-founders, Daniel James and Steve Mcrea all the questions to help you understand why Vortex is worth putting on your summer schedule this summer.
Q&A With Vortex Co-Founders Daniel James and Steve Mcrea
As the creators of this unique concept wellness facility, what was the idea behind Vortex Wellness?
While it would be a great story to say that we’d always dreamed of opening a place like Vortex, it sort of just happened. Steve was practicing Naturopathic Medicine in San Diego and I was singing, songwriting, and doing graphic and web design. We travelled to different places and noticed different wellness technologies emerging and learned about the different methods and benefits of the “biohacking” lifestyle that was popular on the west coast. While still living in California but knowing we were moving back to Canada, we started talking about the idea of bringing a wellness studio to Collingwood; a place where not just one but many different technologies came together under one roof. We arrived home in Canada the week they closed the borders in 2020; basically, Vortex was our pandemic project. We did a lot of research on different technologies and ultimately made our choices based on what we were most excited about and what could make the biggest impact in people’s lives. While attempting to conduct market research we realized we were creating something new that Canada hadn’t seen yet – at least not in the way we wanted to do it; high-tech, high-vibe, self-guided, casually luxurious, and fun. While many small businesses were closing, Vortex was preparing to open. After living in fear for years, we felt many people would be ready to empower themselves in their health and wellness journeys. The buzz around town began before our doors were even open, so we were greeted very warmly by the community once we opened in March 2022.
How are you redefining wellness and self-care?
The biggest thing that sets us apart is that our sessions are self-guided. We set you up, tell you how things work, then we leave you alone – we want people to experience next-level ‘me time’. We create experiential wellness sessions that use technology designed to increase energy and decrease stress. Next, we promote the idea that self-care should be a common practice and not something that you need to earn. That’s why we offer sessions that last between 10-60 minutes – we’re doing our best to remove the excuse that people don’t have time to take care of themselves. We provide a quick, sweet escape from day-to-day life. All of our sessions are complimentary to each other and there’s no right or wrong order to do anything. So whether people want to do one thing or everything, we provide the space to either get cozy for a while or get in and get out. We are adamant that self-care is not selfish and it should be prioritized for people to live and give their best. If you recharge your battery first, you have more energy to give to others. Too often we wait until our power is low or empty to fill ourselves back up; Vortex makes it easy to reconnect with yourself and recharge your mind and body.
What makes your facility different from other spa facilities?
Most notably, we’re not a spa. We’re a new brand of wellness experience presented in a studio format with various tech-driven sessions. We’re challenging traditional spa culture by introducing a more inviting, efficient, and fun approach to wellness in an atmosphere of laid-back luxury. Sure, big, fancy spas are great, but how often can people carve out hours and hours for all kinds of lengthy treatments? Not to mention the cost associated with this style of self-care; there are spas where a facial or a massage is around the same price as a monthly payment for our memberships. We aim to make self-care more approachable and affordable so people can feel their best more often. We offer an alternative to wellness that doesn’t mean hanging out with half-naked strangers drinking cucumber water and listening to whale music while you wait for a massage therapist to talk your ear off when all you want to do is relax.
What people love about Vortex is they truly have time to themselves because all of our sessions are private. For example, at a spa you share a sauna; at Vortex you get your suite with your sauna, shower, a big screen TV, your fridge with water and cold aromatherapy towels, and weights and bands to tone and stretch if you like. The power of Vortex lies in the ability to choose your wellness adventure. You relax and reconnect with yourself, get a quick hit of human connection from other visitors or our amazing staff, and go back into the world as your best self. People always leave lighter and it’s a beautiful thing.
Why Collingwood Ontario as your first location?
Collingwood is an absolutely beautiful town surrounded by nature and it has become a breakout wellness hub and a haven for health and recreation. I was lucky to be born and raised here and Steve grew up as a weekender at his family’s place at neighboring Blue Mountain. It may sound odd, but coming from San Diego back to Collingwood we saw a lot of similarities – they’re both active, four-season towns that celebrate their surroundings and are home to an ever-growing wellness community. Additionally, we’d already lived in big cities and were ready for a change. We knew taking on a brick-and-mortar business would require all of our attention so we needed to be happy where we lived. Now we’re happy in Southern Georgian Bay making a living making other people happy. Returning to my hometown has been one of the best decisions we’ve ever made!
Tell us about the unique technology available in your facility. What are the services available and walk us through how to get the best experience?
First things first, you can book online, call ahead, or walk in. When you arrive at Vortex we take your jacket, give you a pair of cozy wool slippers, and take you into the Vortex Lounge where you can hang out before, between, and after your sessions. You have access to our wellness bar, full of intentional water (bottles etched with various mantras to raise your vibe), tea, and locally-made wellness shots. You can help yourself to the various tarot and oracle decks, handheld vibration massagers, or grab a book from the ‘Self Help Shelf’ – this space is the place to reconnect with yourself. We have 8 amazing sessions to choose from and the details are available on our website.
Do you have any advice on what service customers should try for their first visit?
We are lovingly stubborn about this. People always want to be told what to do, but our goal is to empower people to make the choices on their wellness journey. Yes, we know Vortex might seem overwhelming to people, but that’s a good thing; we’ve got lots of ways to make you feel good. This is the easiest way to think about it: we’re a wellness theme park with 8 different rides. Which one jumps out to you that you’re most excited about trying? Do that one first! Once you’re here, you’ll catch the vibe, see the space, and likely talk to other visitors about their experiences, then you’ll get excited for the next one. We’ll tell you how a session is intended to make you feel and the associated benefits, and if that lights you up, it’s a good sign you should give a whirl.
We’re also always happy to share our personal favourites. While we love all our sessions dearly, we of course have our go-to’s for self-care. I think the NuCalm session is the best thing since sliced bread, and I think Steve loves the infrared sauna more than he loves me.
How many hours should you prepare to spend time in the facility? Can Torontonians drive home the same day or do you recommend booking accommodations?
The whole premise of the Vortex experience is that you make it what you want. It’s a ‘choose your wellness adventure’, after all. You can choose as many sessions as you want to do. We have people drive up from the city all the time and spend anywhere from an hour to 5 hours here. Some people head back home, refreshed and recharged. Some stay overnight and come back the next day for more sessions, or they explore the amazing town of Collingwood and all the surrounding area has to offer. There are beautiful trails, a gorgeous waterfront, and great restaurants – it’s become this amazing playground for the wellness lifestyle.
Are there health requirements people should know when visiting the facility?
Like anything you’re trying for the first time, each session has its precautions and contraindications. For the most part, unless you’re dealing with a major health concern, there shouldn’t be an issue. Some of our sessions deal with heat, light, and frequency, and depending on what’s going on in your body, you’ll want to visit our website for all the specific session details if you have any concerns.
Is there a minimum age requirement?
We’ve created an incredible space for people to escape for a few minutes or hours; that’s why we try and make sure parents have a place away from kids and teenagers. That said, while we are an 18+ studio, we’re flexible on a case-by-case basis. We understand the importance of physical and mental health in the
developing years and we do have a fair amount of teen athletes who come to us for fitness recovery. Anyone who is under 18 can speak with us to find a good time to visit and must come with their parent or guardian. If you’re mature, well-behaved, and potty-trained, we can talk about a visit to Vortex.
Why is self-care and being proactive when it comes to your mental health more important now than ever?
As I like to say, the world is a beautiful place… and it can also be an out-of-control dumpster fire. Most of us are living in a heightened state of fight-or-flight and our nervous systems are shot from a constant onslaught of negativity, disruption, and division. Taking a break from the chaos does not make you a bad person, it makes you a responsible one. We believe if everyone had a regulated nervous system the world would be a much different and happier place and our mission is to help people get there and stay there.
We see the “Vortex effect” every time someone comes in for a session or two and leaves lighter. We know when we help people feel good that their vibration ripples out into that person’s sphere and beyond. The more that we tune in and take care of ourselves, the more capacity we have for kindness, compassion, and joy – and we love that Vortex can be a catalyst for that kind of positive impact.
For more details, you can visit. Vortex Wellness website or
Vortex Wellness Instagram Page
