Heated basalt stones combined with hands-on Registered Massage Therapy. The warmth softens tight tissue so your therapist can work deeper with less pressure. Because your session is delivered by an RMT, your receipt is insurance-eligible.
What it actually is
Heat does half the work, so your therapist does not have to push
Basalt is volcanic rock. It holds heat unusually well, which is why it has been the stone of choice for this work for as long as the technique has existed. Your therapist heats the stones in a temperature-controlled water bath and tests every one before it touches you.
Two things then happen at once. Larger stones are placed and left in position over areas where tension collects, quietly warming the muscle underneath. Smaller stones are held in the hand and worked over the tissue using the same strokes your therapist would use with their hands. Warm muscle gives more easily, so the same result takes less pressure. If deep tissue has ever felt like more than you wanted to tolerate, this is the version of that work that does not fight you.
The difference that matters
Most hot stone massage is a spa service. Ours is massage therapy.
It is the same stones either way. What changes is who is holding them, and whether your extended health plan will pay for it.
Hot stone at Dolphin Dive
Registered Massage Therapy- Delivered by a Registered Massage Therapist, registered with the College of Massage Therapists of Ontario
- Receipt qualifies for extended health reimbursement, like any massage therapy visit
- Health history taken and reviewed, with the session adapted to what your body can handle
- Stones used as a therapeutic tool, not a scented add-on
Hot stone at a typical spa
Relaxation service- Usually delivered by an esthetician or a non-registered therapist
- No insurance receipt, so the full cost comes out of your pocket
- Little or no health screening before the heat goes on
- Built around the experience rather than the tissue
Why people book it
What hot stone is good for
Tension that has not budged
Heat makes stubborn tissue more pliable, which is why a stone can reach a knot that hands alone have been circling for weeks.
Depth without the bracing
If you want deep work but tense up against firm pressure, warmth gets you most of the way there before your therapist leans in at all.
Circulation
Local heat draws blood to the tissue being worked. Skin flushes, muscle warms, and the area becomes easier to treat.
Sleep
The most common thing clients report is sleeping unusually well the night of a hot stone session. It is the reason many rebook.
A nervous system that switches off
Sustained warmth is one of the more reliable ways to drop out of a stress state, particularly if winding down is the part you find hard.
An hour that is only yours
If you are deep in the caring-for-everyone-else phase of life, this is a genuinely restorative use of an hour, and one your benefits may help pay for.
What to expect
How a session runs
Screening and warm-up
Your therapist checks your health history and asks where you are holding tension, then spends the first few minutes warming the tissue by hand. No stones yet.
Stones placed and worked
Larger stones are positioned over the areas you named, buffered with a towel. Smaller stones are worked over the muscle by hand, with the therapist alternating between stone and bare hand throughout.
Finish and settle
Stones come off before the end and the session finishes hands-only, so you are not leaving straight off the heat. Drink water afterwards and keep the rest of the day gentle.
Temperature is set to you, not to a dial. Say something the moment a stone feels too warm and your therapist will adjust it. That instruction is not politeness, it is how the treatment is meant to be run.
Sessions
Choose your session
Prices are before HST. Insurance receipts are issued for every session.
Already booked a massage? Add hot stones.
Heated stones worked into your back, shoulders and feet during a therapeutic or postpartum massage. Adds 15 minutes to your appointment. Choose it as an add-on when you book. This is a targeted warm-up rather than the full protocol below.
Hot Stone Massage
60 minutes- Full-body stone placement and stone work
- Delivered by an RMT
- Insurance receipt provided
- Good if this is your first time
Hot Stone Massage
90 minutes- Everything in the 60, with room to work
- Time for legs, feet and hands as well as back
- Stones stay on long enough to do their job
- The one to book if you carry a lot of tension
Hot stone is not suitable during pregnancy. If you are expecting, our prenatal massage is designed for you instead, and hot stone is a good thing to come back for afterwards.
Who books it
A good fit if you are
Your therapists
Two RMTs offer hot stone at Dolphin Dive
Ajay Singh
A Sutherland-Chan graduate with clinical experience at Toronto General Hospital and community clinics across the GTA. Calm, structured and evidence-based, with clear communication at the centre of every session.
Read Ajay's profileNicolette Charboneau
A Registered Massage Therapist working with families through pregnancy, postpartum recovery and everyday tension, and one of the therapists parents at Dolphin Dive book with most.
Read Nicolette's profileQuestions
Frequently asked
Is hot stone massage covered by insurance?
At Dolphin Dive, yes, in the same way any of our massage therapy is. Hot stone here is delivered by a Registered Massage Therapist, so you receive a massage therapy receipt that you can submit to your extended health plan. Coverage depends on your individual plan, so check your massage therapy limit if you are unsure. This is the main practical difference between booking hot stone with an RMT and booking it at a spa, where the full cost usually stays with you.
How hot are the stones?
Warm rather than hot. The stones are heated in a temperature-controlled water bath and your therapist tests each one against their own skin before it goes anywhere near you. Placement stones sit on a towel rather than directly on bare skin. It takes a few minutes for the heat to fully come through, so speak up whenever a stone stops feeling comfortable and it will be adjusted or removed.
Can I have hot stone massage while pregnant?
No, and we will not book it. Heat applied this way is not recommended during pregnancy. Our prenatal massage is built for pregnancy instead, with side-lying positioning and full bolster support. Hot stone is a good thing to come back for once you are postpartum, and it is a genuinely restorative option at that stage.
What is the difference between the hot stone add-on and a full hot stone session?
The $25 add-on brings heated stones into a massage you have already booked, focused on the back, shoulders and feet, and adds 15 minutes to your appointment. A standalone hot stone session is the full protocol from start to finish: full-body placement, stones worked throughout, and the whole session built around them. If you are curious, the add-on is a low-commitment way to find out whether you like it.
Is hot stone massage a spa treatment or actual therapy?
Both, and there is no need to choose. It is a genuinely relaxing hour, and it is also massage therapy delivered by a registered practitioner who takes your health history, works to what your tissue needs, and issues a claimable receipt. Nothing about it being pleasant makes it less therapeutic.
Should I book hot stone or deep tissue massage?
Deep tissue if you want focused, firm work on a specific problem area and you tolerate pressure well. Hot stone if the tension is widespread, if you find firm pressure uncomfortable, or if the thing you most need is to stop being wound up. Warmth lets your therapist reach depth without pushing as hard, which suits people who tense up against firm work. If you are not sure, book either one and tell your therapist what you are after. They will adapt.
How will I feel after a hot stone massage?
Most people feel warm, loose and noticeably sleepy. Drink water, avoid anything strenuous for the rest of the day, and expect to sleep well that night. As with any deeper massage work, you may feel some tenderness the next day. If anything feels off beyond that, get in touch and let us know.
Book your hot stone massage
60 or 90 minutes with a Registered Massage Therapist in London, Ontario. Free parking, inside ActivityPlex on Commissioners Road East.
Hot Stone Massage Therapy
Heated basalt stones combined with hands-on Registered Massage Therapy. The warmth softens tight tissue so your therapist can work deeper with less pressure. Delivered by an RMT, so your receipt is insurance-eligible.
Book by Treatment
Dolphin Dive Baby and Family Wellness
112 - 1305 Commissioners Rd E,London, ON
N6M 0B8
contact@dolphindivebabyspa.com
View Staff & Treatments
