Getaway Spa Weekend
Sometimes, a girl just needs to get away for the weekend for some well-deserved relaxation and rejuvenation. I found these luxury hotels within driving distance. Whether you’re looking for a girls weekend, a special way to celebrate an anniversary, or just some time for yourself, ladies (and men) can pamper themselves while indulging in the finest spa treatments. Just make sure you don’t enjoy yourself so much that you don’t want to come home.
Mayflower Inn & Spa 118 Woodbury Rd. (Rte. 47), Washington, CT, 06793. (860) 868-9466
Stately English country house-inspired resort with a stunning spa that offers an extensive range of therapeutic programs on 58 manicured acres in the idyllic Litchfield Hills, near the Steep Rock Preserve. Daily activities range from the rigorous (hikes in nearby Steeprock Reserve, aquatic Pilates) to the introspective (Reiki yoga, specimen-tree lectures). Take the 4.5-mile hike that starts at the Mayflower driveway, and goes into the Steep Rock Preserve, past the Shepaug River, and through the quaint town of Washington, CT.
Buttermilk Falls Spa 220 North Road Milton, NY 12547. (845) 795-1310.
Buttermilk Falls Inn & Spa is a bit of a hideaway along the scenic Hudson River, but don’t let the B&B style frontage and secluded nature of this inn fool you. The Buttermilk Falls Inn & Spa is a perfect combination of elegance and rustic charm, complete with plush furnishings and antique touches throughout the inn. As one of the premier eco-friendly spas in New York, The Buttermilk Spa employs a green philosophy when taking care of guests. All products are organic and natural, with many of the ingredients coming from the inn’s own garden and bee hives. The naturally crafted spa products are used for a full line of spa treatments including facials, massages and body treatments. The sauna, steam room and endless pool are also heated using solar and geothermal energy.
Canyon Ranch. 165 Kemble Street, Lenox, MA 01240. (413) 637-4100.
The 120-acre Berkshires sibling of the Canyon Ranch Tucson Arizona spa, the programs at this 100,000-square-foot spa are the same: fitness and relaxation training, medical examination, treatments with practitioners ranging from music therapists to Chinese herbalists, behavior modification sessions, and other self-improvement sessions. The instantly-calming Berkshires location and the fitness, nutritional and spiritual programs at the 126-room resort are just the beginning. Guided hiking and bike tours, cooking classes, canoeing and more than 40 daily fitness classes.
Glenmere Mansion 634 Pine Hill Road, Chester, NY 10918. (845) 469-1900
The restoration of the Glenmere mansion in the lower Hudson Valley means we no longer need to cross the Atlantic for a taste of Tuscany. Housed in a tasteful, Italian-inspired villa, this boutique hotel enjoys a seductive location on 150 acres in the farmlands of the lower Hudson Valley. The Spa features a marble-clad Moroccan hammam and bathhouse with a “Costa Rican” waterfall and an extensive spa menu including the ultimate 2.5 hour hammam treatment. For relaxing like old-school high society, activities include croquet and garden tours.
Spa at Norwich Inn 607 W Thames St, Norwich, CT 06360. (860) 886-2401.
A weekend at the Norwich Inn, working out is as important as chilling out. The southeastern Connecticut inn offers enough exercise classes—body sculpting, cardio, Pilates-inspired “mindful movement”—to satisfy the most obsessive fitness nut. If you prefer getting outdoors, Norwich offers tennis, golf, and swimming in a 25-meter indoor pool. Meditation, relaxation, and yoga classes—plus dozens of spa treatments such as Ayurvedic Shirodhara, which includes mas-sage and a drip of heated, scented oil—can help you wind down. The rooms are country chic, with dashes of wicker.
Lodge at Woodloch 109 River Birch Lane, Hawley, PA. (866) 953-8500.
The Lodge at Woodloch, opened in June 2006, is an exclusive 57-room luxury destination spa offering complete spa programming in a strikingly beautiful natural setting. Guests are enticed to explore the spa’s lush 150 wooded acres and meditate by the banks of its private 15-acre lake. The spa’s programs, classes, and therapies encourage personal awakening and are geared toward lasting lifestyle changes. In Tree, the signature restaurant, gourmet organic cuisine is as tasty as it is nutritious.
