FASHION Magazine

He’ll have you at hello—or more specifically, at his handshake. With a firm but gentle grasp and smooth skin, soft from kneading oil into muscles all day long, you can just tell that these hands, belonging to Nael Dababneh, a massage therapist at The Hazelton hotel, are going to work magic.

Deep in the lower level below one of Toronto’s swishiest hotels, the Spa at the Hazelton is a study in neutral marble and frosted glass, with a mosaic-tiled lap pool and a eucalyptus steam room. Such a luxurious setting promises a fantastic body scrub and mud wrap (which certainly is delivered) but not necessarily a strong, therapeutic massage. But Dababneh’s baby face and sweet manner belie his masterful technique.