Sumptuous Spa Retreats

Resorts that Cater to the Mind, Body, and Spirit

By: Anna Driscoll
Published February 28, 2012

Winter is winding down and spring will soon be upon us.  What better way to welcome this season of renewal than with a sumptuous spa getaway?

A luxurious spring break escape doesn’t have to be long and involved – and it doesn’t have to come with a luxurious price tag.  A three-day spa retreat can be as rejuvenating as a full-blown vacation.  Plus, in most cases, you don’t have to stay at upscale resorts in order to enjoy their spa facilities.  Simply book a spa service or two, then spend as much time as you'd like relaxing in the steam rooms, saunas, whirlpools, and other amenities that are available to those who are using the spa.  At the end of your day of bliss, head to a nearby bed and breakfast and sleep in a comfortable, welcoming (reasonably-priced) room.

Read on to discover four spa-centered resorts where you can relax and recharge from head to toe.

Ocean House Resort and Spa
Watch Hill, RI
(Price for 60-minute massage - $125)

If you’re in the mood for a contemplative spa experience, where you might be expected to curl up with a good book rather than curl into a challenging yoga pose, the Ocean House Resort and Spa will undoubtedly fit the bill. This amazing Victorian style property is perched high atop Rocky bluffs overlooking the ocean.  The property is reminiscent of a bygone era, when seaside New England was the preferred escape for railroad barons and newspaper giants. Its sprawling porches, lavish sitting rooms and expansive windows with breathtaking ocean views invite guests to stop, relax and take in a deep breath of fresh ocean air. The OH! Spa takes up 12,000 square feet of the main hotel building and offers seasonally changing treatments that are inspired by the ocean. Take a seat in their vast marble, herbal steam room before enjoying a beach stone massage or marine facial. No matter what treatments you choose, you’re sure to leave the Ocean House Resort and Spa feeling refreshed.

Tempting Treatment: Ocean Experience Treatment
This full body refresher begins with a sea-salt exfoliation, which will leave your skin feeling bright and soft. Next, sit back and relax as your body is cleansed of toxic substances with a detoxifying sea mud wrap. Finally, come back to the present with a massage designed to reawaken your senses with organic baby laurel and eucalyptus oils.

For more information about the Ocean House Resort and Spa, please visit www.oceanhouseri.com.

Lake Austin Spa Resort
Austin, TX
(Price for 50-minute massage - $160)

Condé Nast Traveler readers have voted the Lake Austin Spa Resort the #1 spa in North America - not once, but twice. If you’ve ever set foot on the property, it’s easy to understand why. A spa resort is supposed to be all about relaxation; but often times, the pretentious feel of the spa itself can keep you from achieving a fully relaxed state. Not so at Lake Austin, where the décor reflects the unique warmth of the Texas hill country. The owners of the resort want you to feel like you’re spending the weekend at your best friend’s lake house. And you would be lucky to have friends with a house that held 40 Saltillo-tiled guest rooms, each with its own trellised front porch where you can sit at night, wrapped in your hand-crocheted afghan throw (included in the many amenities) enjoying the bright stars that dot the expansive Texas sky. The spa houses 30 treatment spaces, several of which are located outdoors, including the outdoor couples suite, where you can experience the bright smells that waft over from the organic herb and wildflower garden. The treatment menu offers a wide variety of traditional and non-traditional treatments designed to awaken your senses, rejuvenate your appearance, and relax your soul. The resort also hosts a variety of programs to enrich the lives of their guests, including mother/daughter weekends and a “For the Love of Books” Club, where like-minded authors are invited to a wine and cheese gathering, where they can interact with guests, discussing literary topics in a casual setting.

Tempting Treatment: Gifts of our Garden
The garden at the Lake Austin Spa grows over a thousand different herbs, medicinal plants, spices and native Texas wildflowers, which are all used in different spa treatments. In the Gifts of our Garden package, the therapist handpicks herbs from the garden tailored to suit the needs of the guest. These herbs are then combined with Shea butter for an exfoliating body scrub, followed by an aromatherapy shower, full body massage and wrap. *Interesting option - the Lavender Chamomile version is offered at night to help you drift off to sleep in a cloud of lavender aroma.

For more information about Lake Austin Spa Resort, please visit www.lakeaustin.com.

Gideon Putnam Spa Resort and Roosevelt Baths
Saratoga Springs, NY
(Price for 60-minute massage - $85)

Walk in the graceful steps of Fred Astaire and Cary Grant as you enjoy the history of the Gideon Putnam Resort. After over seven decades of continuous operation, this upstate New York fixture has perfected the art of luxury and opulence. Located in the majestic foothills of the Adirondack Mountains, this property sits on 2,200 acres of the Saratoga Springs Spa State Park. Guests can enjoy a host of fitness activities amidst the natural beauty of this historical area. Saratoga Springs became a desirable spa destination in the 18th century, when its mineral water baths were first said to have curative effects. Those same mineral waters are a staple treatment today at the Roosevelt Spa, where they are said to help cure a myriad of skin diseases, help increase metabolism, and offer enhanced immune function. The spa has several individual bathing rooms, where mineral baths are drawn and heated to 97 degrees. Guests can enhance the benefits of these effervescent bath waters by adding one of several herbal blends.  In addition to the mineral baths, guests can choose from a menu of standard spa treatments, including an impressive list of facial treatments, massages, and body treatments.

Tempting Treatment: Moor Mud Wrap
If you’ve worn yourself out while snowshoeing, hiking, or playing golf at the nearby 18-hole championship golf course, your sore muscles will thank you the moment you feel the natural heat of the Moor Mud Wrap. The healing mineral mud is combined with medicinal herbs to provide a comforting experience from head to toe. It’s followed by a rinse in the famed mineral waters and a hydrating cream application to seal in the therapeutic benefits of the mud.

For more information about Gideon Putnam Spa Resort and Roosevelt Baths, please visit www.gideonputnam.com.

 

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