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In This Case a White Spa is the Ultimate Luxury
"Wow, that spa is so clean!" Those were the first words my brother-in-law, Bill Formby, said when I asked him how his massage was at the new Mayflower Spa this weekend. I had to laugh because there are so many extraordinary aspects of this new spa that could be mentioned (the setting, the artwork, the spaciousness, the quality of treatments), but he reminded me that for many people cleanliness is still the ultimate measure of spa quality. And this one gets an A+ for cleanliness.My husband and I did our annual trek to the country this weekend to see the color change. We usually drive up to the Mayflower Inn in Washington, Connecticut for lunch during the peak color season, but this year we decided to stay overnight since my twin sister and her husband, Bill, were there for a five-day spa vacation.
Part of the reason why this spa is super clean is: Because it has to be. Adriana Mnuchin and her daughter, Lisa Hedley, who are the proprieters, were brave enough to select white as their dominant color - with accents of the most beautiful eggshell, pale blue, yellow, and celedon. When entering the 20,000-square-foot facility, everyone is asked to take off their shoes and put on slippers. Dining room chairs are in plush white fabric (can you believe such a thing?), lounge chairs are in creme and white upholstery with white chenille throws, etc. Draperies are of various white sheer fabrics, the tiles are pale mosaics in very light colors with a hint of shimmer, and the entire pool and Jacuzzi are tiled so that while you are swimming light dances on the water. Even the book coverings in the library are mostly white!
This kind of detail is what makes the Mayflower Inn and Spa so extraordinary and why it has already garnered praise (such as Good Morning America naming it the No. 1 Spa in America after it was opened only a few months), and why it made the cover of a recent issue of Luxury SpaFinder Magazine.
I would love to hear feedback from those who read my blog! Please post a comment by clicking on the link below that reads "Comments."
Labels: Andriana Mnuchin, Bill Formby, cleanliness, Connecticut, family, Good Morning America, Lisa Hedley, luxury, Luxury Spa Finder, Mayflower Inn, Peter Ellis
posted by Susie at Monday, October 23, 2006
4 Comments:
Suzie,
On a recent visit to Germany, I enjoyed a day at a spa in which everyone was naked. After the initial surprise, I realized that I loved the feeling of naturalness that this nudity gave me. In fact, after the sauna, the steam room, and the various pools and showers, I felt the best I've felt in years.
Now, the question is, where can one go to a spa in the USA where this wonderful feeing of naturalness is available?
Suzie, there is a small rustic "resort" in Sierraville, CA, called Sierra Hot Springs (www.sierrahotspring.org) where the swimming and soaking pools are clothing optional. Some people (not many) choose to wear swim suits, and nobody will laugh at you if that is your choice. Similarly you can choose not to be draped duriing spa treatments.
The Spa at the resort is run by a young lady named Carol Reed. My wife and I can highly recommend deep tissue massages by both Carol and another therapist named Gudrun (pronounced Good-DROON). We both prefer female therapists, but everyone that Carol hires seems to be excellent.
If you have never had one, I highly recommend a WATSU session with Carol. Watsu, as you know, is water shiatsu massage. I don't find it quite as therapeutic after workouts as a deep tissue table massage, but it is the most relaxing, calming, serene, out-of-body experience that I have ever had. You are floating naked and weightless in water that is about the same as your body temperature while Carol manipulates your limbs, neck and torso throughout the pool. It has to be the closest thing to being back in the womb that we can experience on this earth.
The resort has two primary pools that are both clothing optional. One is a larger swimming pool with water at 98-99 degrees; and the other is an enclosed hot soaking pool with water temperature between 104 and 112. The water is naturally heated by geothermal activity beneath the property and contains a therapeutic amount of sulpher without being overwhelming.
The resort also serves outstanding cuisine on the weekends with a small kitchen serving an intimate dining room. All meals are made with organic food with one vegetarian entre available each dinner as well as excellent seafood and meat.
My wife and I spent several long weekends there with spa treatments scheduled each day and plenty of time to relax sun bathing and soaking. Be careful not to get too much sun on parts of your body that don't see much sunshine!
The busier times of the year are summer and winter (ski season) so sunny fall weather is also an ideal time to go. Please don't expect much in the way of amenities if you visit. You can stay overnight at the Lodge or the Globe Hotel in town (1½ miles away). The Lodge has a porch where you can sit or lie and watch the world go by and a parlor with couches, a wood stove and a few books. The scenery is beautiful. If you have time you can take a hike or two through the woods or fields.
We live in Reno, Nevada, about an hour away. Today I will be leaving in about ½ hour to get a 2-hour therapeutic massage with Gudrun and a few hours soaking in the pools. Hopefully I will see you and your husband there sometime in the future. It is located about 30 minutes north of Truckee, CA, at the intersection of State Routes 89 & 49.
I hope that this information is useful for you. Fred
Suzie, there is a small rustic "resort" in Sierraville, CA, called Sierra Hot Springs (www.sierrahotspring.org) where the swimming and soaking pools are clothing optional. Some people (not many) choose to wear swim suits, and nobody will laugh at you if that is your choice. Similarly you can choose not to be draped during spa treatments.
The Spa at the resort is run by a young lady named Carol Reed. My wife and I can highly recommend deep tissue massages by both Carol and another therapist named Gudrun (pronounced Good-DROON). We both prefer female therapists, but everyone that Carol hires seems to be excellent.
If you have never had one, I highly recommend a WATSU session with Carol. Watsu, as you know, is water shiatsu massage. I don't find it quite as therapeutic after workouts as a deep tissue table massage, but it is the most relaxing, calming, serene, out-of-body experience that I have ever had. You are floating naked and weightless in water that is about the same as your body temperature while Carol manipulates your limbs, neck and torso throughout the pool. It has to be the closest thing to being back in the womb that we can experience on this earth.
The resort has two primary pools that are both clothing optional. One is a larger swimming pool with water at 98-99 degrees; and the other is an enclosed hot soaking pool with water temperature between 104 and 112. The water is naturally heated by geothermal activity beneath the property and contains a therapeutic amount of sulpher without being overwhelming.
The resort also serves outstanding cuisine on the weekends with a small kitchen serving an intimate dining room. All meals are made with organic food with one vegetarian entre available each dinner as well as excellent seafood and meat.
My wife and I spent several long weekends there with spa treatments scheduled each day and plenty of time to relax sun bathing and soaking. Be careful not to get too much sun on parts of your body that don't see much sunshine!
The busier times of the year are summer and winter (ski season) so sunny fall weather is also an ideal time to go. Please don't expect much in the way of amenities if you visit. You can stay overnight at the Lodge or the Globe Hotel in town (1½ miles away). The Lodge has a porch where you can sit or lie and watch the world go by and a parlor with couches, a wood stove and a few books. The scenery is beautiful. If you have time you can take a hike or two through the woods or fields.
We live in Reno, Nevada, about an hour away. Today I will be leaving in about ½ hour to get a 2-hour therapeutic massage with Gudrun and a few hours soaking in the pools. Hopefully I will see you and your husband there sometime in the future. It is located about 30 minutes north of Truckee, CA, at the intersection of State Routes 89 & 49.
I hope that this information is useful for you. Fred
Clothing Optional (but mostly nude) Co - Ed Mineral Springs in Northern CA
One of my favorite places in the world is Orr Hot Springs a few hours north of San Francisco. It has a very bohemian, unpretentious, vibe but it is in a stunning setting in the mountains, incredible drive up. It's not a luxury resort, has a more youth hostel vibe to it. Very affordable. Almost every there is nude and its very natural, like being back in the Garden of Eden. Hard to get in touch with them since they don't answer the phone much. Must have reservations though or you could be turned away.
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