There are certain Montréal experiences that become part of the city’s identity. Bota Bota Montreal, spa-sur-l’eau is one of them.

Floating in Montréal’s Old Port, the former ferry turned wellness destination has spent more than 15 years creating an unusual proposition: escape the city without actually leaving it.

This summer, that experience got considerably bigger.

The Best Kept MTL team was invited to the official launch of Bota Bota’s new Pavillon, and what struck us immediately wasn’t simply the additional space. It was how different the new vessel feels.

Modern. Bright. Open.

There is greenery almost everywhere, waterfalls and water features woven into the experience, and enormous windows revealing the river and surrounding landscape from entirely new angles. At certain points, you can even look back toward the original Bota Bota floating beside you.

It feels familiar, but decidedly new.

The original Bota Bota and new Pavillon together on the water.

Meet Bota Bota’s New Pavillon

Officially opened on July 15, 2026, the Pavillon adds nearly 2,000 m² (20,000 sq. ft.) to Bota Bota’s wellness universe. Docked perpendicular to the original vessel, the expansion was created to add new spaces for relaxation while strengthening Bota Bota’s connection between water, architecture and well-being.

Designed by Sid Lee Architecture, the Pavillon doesn’t try to isolate you from Montréal. It does almost the opposite.

The architecture frames the river, gardens and city outside, making the surrounding landscape part of the therapy.

And experiencing it firsthand, that’s probably the biggest difference we noticed.

Where the original boat can feel intimate, darker and cocoon-like, the Pavillon feels lighter, greener and more panoramic.

Wide interior water circuit surrounded by plants and floor-to-ceiling windows.

The New Experience to Try: Aufguss

If there’s one addition we’d put high on your list, it’s Aufguss.

Aufguss ritual in action – this is the strongest experiential image in the set.

The Pavillon introduces a spacious sauna specifically designed for these ceremonies, with huge windows overlooking the water.

Aufguss takes the familiar sauna ritual considerably further. Guided sessions combine heat, aromatic elements and carefully choreographed towel movements to circulate the hot air throughout the sauna.

It’s part wellness ritual, part sensory performance. See Bota Bota’s current Aufguss sessions

Panoramic sauna overlooking the river.

The Water Circuit, Reimagined

Of course, thermotherapy remains at the heart of Bota Bota Montreal.

The ritual is beautifully simple: hot, cold, rest – repeat.

But the Pavillon gives that familiar circuit a completely different atmosphere.

There’s a panoramic outdoor bath, an immersive indoor bath incorporating light, sound and vegetation, and new cold baths featuring a lighting experience inspired by heart-coherence principles.

The abundance of plants is particularly effective. Rather than feeling decorative, the greenery softens the modern architecture and creates little pockets of nature between the pools.

Panoramic sauna overlooking the river.

Then head outside.

Outdoor panoramic bath overlooking the canal and industrial Montréal landscape.

This might be one of the Pavillon’s best features: the views keep changing depending on where you are.

One moment you’re looking across the river. Another gives you greenery and waterfalls. Then Montréal’s industrial heritage appears in the distance. Turn around again and you’re looking directly at the original Bota Bota.

Don’t Forget the Bota Bota Classics

The new Pavillon deserves the attention, but we’d resist spending the entire visit there.

Part of the fun now is moving between old Bota and new Bota.

The original floating spa continues to offer the thermal experiences that made the destination famous, while massages and body treatments can turn a few hours of thermotherapy into a proper wellness day.

And if you’re looking for something beyond the traditional spa experience, check Bota Bota Montreal’s programming before choosing your date. See upcoming Bota Bota events

From wellness programming to special events and seasonal experiences, there’s increasingly a reason to choose when you visit rather than simply booking any available afternoon.

Planning Your Bota Bota Montreal Visit

Overhead view of the Pavillon’s outdoor bath sitting directly beside the water.

Bota Bota sits on the St. Lawrence River in Montréal’s Old Port, giving you something surprisingly difficult to find downtown: the feeling of physically leaving the city while its skyline remains right in front of you. The spa combines its water circuit with treatments and dining in the same waterfront environment.

Want to make a spontaneous visit? Check Bota Bota Montreal walk-in access

For reservations, current pricing and available time slots: View Bota Bota Montreal prices & booking calendar

Best Kept MTL’s Take

Looking through the glass toward the sauna and baths.

The Pavillon doesn’t feel like Bota Bota simply added another boat.

It feels like the concept has grown up architecturally.

The brighter interiors, contemporary design, greenery, waterfalls and expansive windows create a completely different relationship with the surrounding water. Most importantly, those new vantage points make you rediscover the original Bota Bota — and Montréal itself — from perspectives you haven’t seen before.

For newcomers searching for a spa in Montreal, the expanded Bota Bota is now an even more compelling introduction to the city’s wellness scene.

For those of us who’ve been before? The Pavillon gives us a very good reason to get back on the water.

Keep Exploring Montréal

Bota Bota is only one of the experiences that makes Montréal worth exploring beyond the obvious. Looking for more local discoveries? Explore our guide to the places, neighbourhood finds and unexpected experiences worth adding to your list.