Hecla Island is a Manitoba treasure. Hecla Island is a paradise for those who enjoy the outdoors, wildlife and bird watching. The Island also includes an historic Icelandic Village, walking trails through the Grassy Narrows Marsh, rugged limestone cliffs, beaches, a harbour, one of Canada’s best golf courses, and first class fishing.
Your visit begins with some time in the Unwind Lounge. Pour a cup of tea, stretch out on the white lounger and pull the blanket over your lap. Listen to the soothing spa music and anticipate just how wonderful your Massage in the Rain is going to be. You won’t be disappointed.
This is Salka Spa at Hecla Lakeview Resort. While wilderness and wildlife abound outdoors on Hecla Island, it’s pure luxury here at the spa. There’s a modern feel to the mostly white space with twinkling chandeliers to guide your way to treatment rooms. Perhaps a lavender and milk hydrotherapy session awaits you in that welcoming soaker tub.
Clockwise from top: (1) Hecla Lakeview Resort offers a family-friendly getaway in any season. (2) It’s hard not to doze off in the lush pedicure room at Salka Spa. (3) The spacious rooms provide touches of luxury along with microwaves and refrigerators.
And if you love water, Salka is for you. Every visit includes unlimited time in the spa’s dedicated pools. In the Nordic tradition, there are five stops including a warm mineral bath, jetted hot tub, icy plunge pool, aromatherapy steam room and a sprawling, hydrokinetic warm jetted pool with a natural pebble bottom. It’s adults only in this space. You may never want to leave.
Beyond the spa, Hecla Lakeview Resort is a gem in Manitoba’s boreal forest for weekend family getaways. There are 65 spacious guestrooms with ultra-comfy Sleep Number beds, luxurious bathrooms, microwaves, refrigerators and plenty of open cupboards for tucking away backpacks and extra footwear. It’s affordable too, with prices hovering around $95 in the low season and $130 in high season.
Kids (and the young at heart) won’t be able to contain their excitement over the three-storey waterslide in the family-friendly pool area, complete with a hot tub and swirl pool. In summer, the outdoor pool, splash pad and patio area is the perfect spot to spend an afternoon.
Clockwise from top: (4) Get some fresh air on the groomed snowshoe trails around the resort. (5) The Fish Taco Trio includes pan-fried pickerel fillets, lettuce, Roma tomato, green onion and a housemade chipotle sauce folded into lightly grilled flour tortillas. (6) The Unwind Lounge is the first stop in your Salka Spa experience at Hecla Lakeview Resort.
Seagull’s Restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, dinner and late-night snacks. Pickerel is prominent on the menu—you can have it nine different ways! A family favourite is the pizza—cooked on the ultra-hot oven just off the dining room. In a budget-friendly move, all kids meals are $6. Adults shouldn’t miss the Caesar, possibly Manitoba’s best.
There’s free wireless Internet throughout the resort and DVD movie rentals are also free. Pet-friendly rooms are available.
A visit to Hecla Island in any season must include significant outdoor time. In winter, there’s skating on the pond in front of the resort, ice fishing, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing on groomed trails and tobogganing. Summer offers swimming, cycling, beach volleyball and hiking. The Lakeview Hecla Golf Course next door has some of the most scenic and challenging shots in the province.
Hecla Island is roughly a two-hour drive north of Winnipeg. In winter, your last stop for gas is Riverton. It’s also a good idea to bring your own snacks. There’s a small store at the resort, but no other amenities on the island in low season. In summer, Hecla has a general store with gas, snacks, ice and supplies. The Gull Harbour Marina also has a small store, gas and a lakeside restaurant.
