Sugar Ridge, Antigua

By Mary Alice Kellogg

SpaWatcher dreams of a place where loofahs grow on trees. She also dreams of that perfect little spa that doesn’t need big bells and whistles to be impressive, where spirit of place and personalized technique rule.

She found it at Sugar Ridge Resort in Antigua, and first things first: many think that loofahs are sea creatures, like sponges. Not true. On a rambling nature walk with resident resort expert Vorn Johnson, she gathered enough loofahs to last a lifetime. Loofah gourds grow on vines; if given a chance get the ones that wind up around the trees as the ones on the ground can be soggy. Pick a brown-skinned one, peel off the paper-thin skin … then exfoliate to your hearts’ content.

Sugar Ridge, an intimate 60-room Caribbean contempoary resort set into a hillside incorporating lush tropical jungle and 360-degree views of the sea, beaches and headlands to Five Islands Bay, has that sense of place and more… including an onsite art gallery showcasing the vibrant, far-ranging style work of at least a dozen local artists. As a bonus, restaurants Sugar Club and Carmichael’s – voted the best fine dining in Antigua – draws savvy locals as well as guests from other resorts on the island.

But I particularly celebrate the spa, the only AVEDA Concept Spa in the Eastern Caribbean. As intimate and personal as the setting – four treatment rooms – the menu has the full range of massage, skin care and body treatments with the AVEDA mandate of botanically derived products. I chose the “Chakra Balancing Treatment,” buny choices would be as good. Why?

Because the technicians are local, have great energy, and fit the treatment to the client’s individual needs (sometimes changing mid-stream when the occasion calls for it). That’s what happened to SpaWatcher. Thinking I neeed an energy boost, aromatic massage and chakra pressure points told the lovely Sharon instead that major relaxation balance was in order. Here was a place where the technicians were Antiguan, well-versed in healing energy and the abundant island botanical bounty – mangos, guavas, black pineapple and every fruit and herb on earth thrive here. They know how to use it: I was balanced, relaxed and with senses heightened after.

There were other insights as well, not to be shared. But I knew that this spa and technician were the real deal. And that is what a good spa does. It gives one spirit of place, local botanicals, expert ministrations … and a bit of energy you didn’t have before. Brava Sugar Ridge!

P.S. The double rainbow over the resort after my treatment happens all the time, right?

INFO: www.sugarridgeantigua.com

 Mary Alice Kellogg, a New York-based writer and editor, is a recipient of the Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Award for Consumer Reporting. A contributor to many national publications, including Travel + Leisure, Conde Nast Traveler, Bon Appetit and GQ, she has reported from 120 countries and five of the seven seas to date… and counting.Visit MaryAlicekellogg.com

The incredible pool at the Ritz-Carlton Dove Mountain, Arizona

By Mary Alice Kellogg

SpaWatcher has a soft spot for the Sonoran desert of Southeastern Arizona, which happens to be where she was born and raised. Recently she hopped the next plane to check out the newest spa contender in the region that gave us Canyon Ranch and Miraval.

The Ritz-Carlton Dove Mountain resort, nestled into the Tortolita Mountains northeast of Tucson, has a glorious desert setting, with stately multi-armed sahuaro cacti standing sentinel and all the resort bells and whistles one could wish (including 27 holes of Jack Nicklaus-designed golf).

But the 17,000-square-foot Ritz-Carlton Spa here is a destination in itself, with 14 indoor-outdoor treatment rooms, cozy spaces for relaxing, and an ever-blue sky above (the region averages 300 days of sunshine per year).  I was immediately impressed by the lounges: separate and ample ones for men and women, each with its own outdoor whirlpools and fireplaces, all with a relaxing, Son of the Shiek oasis feel. A full menu of traditional and new treatments is on tap, using organic desert botanical products … as it should be.

I chose the “Embracing Your Elements-Balance” treatment, an 80-minute indulgence incorporating all the things I love: exfoliation (a full half-hour of skin-soothing bliss), a warm tub soak with mineral salts/essential oils and massaging underwater jets, and a full-body hot stone massage to top it off. This treatment, specifically created for Dove Mountain, will be rolled out in other Ritz-Carlton spas soon.

“Elements” means just what it says: be it Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal or Water, we all connect with each at one time or another. With therapist Jenn, I discovered that at the moment I was feeling … metal (this was based on birthdate and interview at the beginning of the treatment). As a result, all the oils and unguents and massage therapy went toward bringing out the best of that element and balancing the rest. The beauty of this treatment is that it changes each time you have it – as you do – and is so individualized that you can be confident that all the elements are in line at the moment. I could come back for Embracing Your Elements in a month or two and the treatment would be completely different.

The fact that this all took place in a huge suite with kiva fireplace, private outdoor patio and tub overlooking the mountains was a bonus. At the end of it all I contemplated demanding to stay in the suite all day, but, being too relaxed, could only whimper softly as I left. (Yes, you can book it for a whole day, and order lunch in. Bring a friend for couples or pal’s treatments, too.)

I repaired to the Spa’s main (co-ed) pool, one of the best I’ve experienced, a secluded pond with whirlpool, waterfall wall, outdoor firepits, tented day beds … and a most particular view. Hills with large rocks behind the spa bear ancient petroglyphs inscribed by the Hohokam people a thousand years ago. This long-disappeared tribe certainly knew the value of location.

Waiting for a spa lunch to be delivered poolside, I contemplated the fact that the Hohokam probably invented their own potions from local cactus and plants to recover from a hot day of putting art on rocks. I toasted them, their art … and the particular spirit of this desert spa, which brought SpaWatcher home.

THE RITZ-CARLTON SPA, DOVE MOUNTAIN

www.ritzcarlton.com/dovemountain

15000 North Secret Springs Drive

Marana, AZ 85658

 Mary Alice Kellogg, a New York-based writer and editor, is a recipient of the Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Award for Consumer Reporting. A contributor to many national publications, including Travel + Leisure, Conde Nast Traveler, Bon Appetit and GQ, she has reported from 120 countries and five of the seven seas to date… and counting.Visit MaryAlicekellogg.com

Stein Eriksen Lodge, an idyllic location in the equally idyllic Deer Valley

By Gerrie Summers

As much as I loathe freezing temperatures and only enjoy the sight of snow from the interior of a very warm building, Stein Eriksen Lodge in Utah, is one of a short list of places that could inspire me to take a winter vacation in a cold destination!

Stein Eriksen Lodge is the award-winning luxury ski resort of Norwegian skier and Olympic gold medalist Stein Eriksen, and is Utah’s only Forbes Five Star, AAA Five Diamond property. Located slopeside at mid-mountain at 8,200 feet in Deer Valley, Park City, Utah it’s a short 45-minute drive from the Salt Lake City airport.  The property has 180 rooms in four categories (Deluxe Bedrooms, Luxury Bedrooms, Luxury Suites and Grand Suites).  Each room is unique in architecture, room design and décor. The luxury suites feature gourmet kitchens, a living room and a master bedroom with stone fireplaces, oversized jetted tubs and hot tubs on the deck.  You won’t want to leave—trust me.

The Spa at Stein Eriksen Lodge

Award-Winning Spa

I was in Utah for an open house for the lodge’s spa. The spa has had a recent expansion to 20,000 square feet, including renovation of the pool deck, fitness center and locker room.  It now has 16 treatment rooms, including two couples treatment rooms and two wet treatment rooms.  The rooms are warmed and detoxified by handcrafted salt lamps.

The spa treatments incorporate indigenous ingredients such as cedar, sage and salts.  Signature treatments like The Great Salt Stone Therapy, Pigment Balancing Facial and Skier Boot Therapy (Hiker Boot Therapy in the summer season) are unique to the resort.   I tried the Hiker Boot Therapy after a hike of Wasatch Mountains (and my first chairlift ride!), that and the Signature Stein Massage helped with a surprising bout of altitude sickness.  (The spa also sells oxygen packs).

In November, the spa completed and opened the 3, 000 square foot Verdani wellness center.  The wellness center offers cardio sculpt; mat Pilates and yoga classes, as well as pre-ski stretch and after-ski stretch sessions.   Also that month, the spa was awarded the Forbes Five Star Award, making it the first spa in Utah to receive the industry’s highest designation, joining 30 leading spas in the world.

WHAT TO DO BESIDES SKI

Dine at the award-winning Glitretind restaurant, which features a classic and elegant dining experience, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner menu created by Executive Chef Zane Holmquist. There are private wine seminars with Sommelier Cara Schwindt, offered in the 10,000-bottle wine cellar. Or have lunch at Royal Street Cafe, which features  comfort food and signature libations like the Blue Mojito and Holly Berry Martini.

Park City

Ten minutes away is Park City, and you can visit boutiques and galleries along Park City’s quaint historic Main Street. Pay a visit to the Park City Museum with exhibits on Park City’s history, including The Dungeon, located in the original territorial jail in the basement of the historic City Hall.  It has an interesting touch screen exhibit of the city’s bad guys, featuring actors portraying jail cell inhabitants—pretty spooky, really.  Must be a great draw at Halloween!

Located conveniently at the bottom of Quittin’ Time Ski Run, High West is the world’s only ski-in gastro-distillery. Proprietor David Perkins gives a spirited (pun intended) tour of the High West Distillery & Saloon.  Tours are free.  Sigh, the whiskey is not.

For more information on Stein Eriksen Lodge, visit www.steinlodge.com.

  Gerrie Summers has been writing professionally for over 30 years in the areas of entertainment, beauty, lifestyle, travel and wellness. A New York-based writer, she has been the Travel Adventures columnist for Today’s Black Woman and now writes the blogs Summers Retreat and The Tranquil Traveler.

Aji Spa, Arizona

By Mary Alice Kellogg

An Arizona native, SpaWatcher wonders: where’s the resort where views from an award-winning restaurant include wild horses roaming free in the desert distance, luxe rooms incorporating true spirit of place … and a spa sanctuary where authentic local plants and tribal culture come together in singular and memorable treatments?

Of course SpaWatcher found it. At Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort, the art, heritage and culture of the owners – the Pima and Maricopa tribes of southern Arizona – are everywhere, from the culturally-themed guestrooms, to the “new Native American cuisine” at the resort’s AAA Five-Diamond Kai restaurant. Set on the 372,000-acre reservation outside Phoenix, Wild Horse Pass has the requisite challenging golf courses (two of them), tennis, horseback riding and – a couple of miles away – the casino. And yes: wild horses do indeed make frequent cameo appearances in the surrounding landscape.

Treatment room at the Aji Spa

But what brought me here was something more intriguing: the resort’s 17,000-square foot Aji Spa, which boasts “the world’s most autentic Native American spa services.” To test that, I chose the Pima Medicine Massage, which promised to incorporate energy work and ancient techniques to achieve relaxation “with traces of spiritual healing.”

This isn’t precisely New Age; the Gila River Community can trace its origins and culture back to 300 B.C., after all. The fact that my massage/energy session would be conducted by Belen Stoneman, a Pima spiritual healer and cultural caretaker who created most of the treatments at Aji – which means “sanctuary” in the Pima language – sealed the deal.

Stoneman – barefoot, wearing traditional dress and with flowing long black hair – began our session by asking me what issues were weighing on my mind. I immediately spilled. Taking my hands in hers, she spent a few moments in silent prayer – moments in which I immediately began to relax, feeling a palpably warm healing energy. During the course of a one-hour full-body massage, she used creosote spray, oils made from local plants, and gentle yet effective accupressure and bodywork techniques passed down for generations of healers to release stress and install mind-body-spirit balance. This was more than a massage, of course; a sense of peace, trust and restoration was present throughout. The scent of burning sacred sage signalled the end of the session and, during our post-massage conversation, I knew that Stoneman truly was a gifted healer, the real deal. I felt lighter, more focused and, with her parting words, the recipient of some mighty wisdom that I carry with me still.

Pool area of the Aji Spa

Leaving the spa, I saw a magnificent hawk tracing whirlwind patterns in the blue sky above me, following me for a few moments until it … vanished into thin air. A parting spirit sign from the Pima medicine woman? You betcha: that’s my journey and I’m sticking to it.

Native plants are used in all the spa’s Indigenous product line, including creosote, sage, willow bark and other Sonoran desert plants. Every month, Stoneman herself gathers about 100 pounds of creosote alone, talking to and blessing each plant as she goes. A spa where even the unguents have sacred origins? Aji had me at “hello.” It will you, too.

Wild Horse Pass Resort

Mary Alice Kellogg, a New York-based writer and editor, is a recipient of the Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Award for Consumer Reporting. A contributor to many national publications, including Travel + Leisure, Conde Nast Traveler, Bon Appetit and GQ, she has reported from 120 countries and five of the seven seas to date… and counting.Visit MaryAlicekellogg.com

By Mary Alice Kellogg

Normally SpaWatcher is skeptical about the spa-casino combo. She has frequented many a casino resort spa – for research, of course – and too often found that exiting a massage only to run into a giant gaming floor does damage to her alpha state. Can relaxation and roulette happily co-exist?

You betcha, if the Turning Stone Resort and Spa in the farmland of central New York State is any indication. Owned by the Oneida Nation, the complex has the requisite contemporary hotel tower, show room, gaming, entertainment venues, nightclubs and surprisingly sophisticated fine-dining.

But it is the locale of the resort’s Skaná Spa that surprises… not to mention the world-class spa itself. Connected to the low-rise VIP hotel wing, The Lodge, filled with historic and contemporary Native American art and sculpture, all glass, stone and rich woods, surrounded by fountains, gardens and fields, it is a world away from the sleek goings-on nearby. Goodbye big city buzz, hello elegant serenity.

The two-story spa has a relaxing décor of stone and light wood against a light-green color palate, with murals, fountains, buffalo skin rugs, an indoor herb garden, separate men/women relaxation rooms and a warming fire pit in the reception lobby. Sculpture and art throughout – even in the treatment rooms — reflect a singular, soothing Native American vibe.

What dazzles – quietly – even more is the treatment menu. There are the requisite massages and wraps, of course, with most incorporating a true spirit of place, using herbs, essential oils and traditions reflecting the spa’s location and Oneida heritage. I chose the 110-minute Oneida Journey, given in the spa’s private VIP Suite. This expansive space with its own private steam, sauna, bath, treatment and relaxation rooms and garden, would be a wonderful place to live in, period.

A 20-minute soak in a huge tub filled with warm water, Evergreen Essential Oil and fresh rose petals in a sun-drenched room was just the beginning. Next: a full-body exfoliation with an Indian Sasparilla and black clay concoction, left on the skin as I was wrapped in warm towels for the full detox/relax effect. After a shower, it was time for a thorough revitalizing massage with White Pine and Bergamot oils. Overall, I felt my skin, muscles, and spirit had benefitted from a week in a private spa. Bliss is too bland a word to describe the feeling – which, by the way, lasted for days – but I was too darned content to think of another one.

If all casino-based spas – or most spas in general — followed Skaná’s approach and attention to detail, what a fab world this would be. I had indeed taken a unique journey and emerged the better for it. As a treatment souvenir, my therapist gave me a small handcrafted “dreamcatcher” sculpture to take home. This bit of spirit now hangs in my apartment, a physical expression of Oneida “sanuhtunyuheke,” or peace of mind.

Of course I could have tried my luck at the casino that night, but after the Oneida Journey, I had already hit the jackpot.

SKANÁ THE SPA AT TURNING STONE RESORT AND CASINO Verona, NY; 1-800-771-7711

MARY ALICE KELLOGG, a New York-based writer and editor, is a recipient of the Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Award for Consumer Reporting. A contributor to many national publications, including Travel + Leisure, Conde Nast Traveler, Bon Appetit and GQ, she has reported from 120 countries and five of the seven seas to date… and counting.Visit MaryAlicekellogg.com

By Mary Alice Kellogg

SpaWatcher looked forward to The Spa at Trump SoHo opening, particularly since the buzz promised a heady Moroccan ambiance. Could this newest entry in the Manhattan relaxation sweepstakes revive memories of  SpaWatcher's  weekend taking the waters with Rick and Isla in Casablanca?

Indeed it did, but with noticeably more water. A two-floor, 11,000-square-foot beauty with indoor/outdoor relaxation lounges, Assyrian-shaped ceilings tiled in Capiz shells, woven-mesh chandeliers, two-story waterfall wall, and courtyard with plashing gold marble fountain, the Spa at Trump SoHo nonetheless retains a distinctly sleek SoHo vibe. 

While there is an extensive menu of up-to-the-minute treatments, the big draw is the authentic men's and women's hammams — the only ones in New York City — inspired by hotelier Ivanka Trump's travels to the Middle East. The hammams' domed ceilings and lavishly mosaic-tiled walls put one right in the mood for Middle East bathing rituals.  I chose the 45-minuteTurkish Hammam treatment, which began when my Hammam Attache  –yes, there are such people — ushered me into a mosaic room of elaborate-patterned blue glass tiles. Having tiptoed into the Tepidarium, I was instructed to lie down on a heated (120 degrees) white Calacatta marble "belly stone" which took up most of the floor space.

After a full-body loofah banished dead skin cells, my attache began pouring pans of hot water all over me to accelerate sweating and detoxification.

Detox accomplished, pans of warm water followed and then   my favorite — an application of oil-based castile soap applied with a traditional handmade Kesa mitt. Completely covered in white bubbles at least six inches high, I felt like Doris Day in a movie bathtub. Which is to say: Day-licious. Pans of cooler water washed off the bubbles, then cool-down applications of icy water got my circulation going. An all-body spritz of rosewater finished the treatment.

My euphoric epidermis was rejuvenated and toned. More surprising was the treatment's afterglow effect: like having had a steam, sauna, massage and stress-relieving day at the spa — all rolled into 45 minutes.

Sipping ginger/lemongrass tea and nibbling on dates in the relaxation lounge,  SpaWatcher realized she had journeyed to the Middle East, sans jet lag. She thanked hotelier Ivanka Trump — was that her red Ferrarri parked outside? — for the inspiration — and the free loofah.
THE SPA AT TRUMP SOHO
246 Spring Street, New York, NY 10013

By Mary Alice Kellogg

SpaWatcher is pleased to note that two new — and radically different –  spas have bloomed in New York this spring. One is an intimate oasis, the other an opulent  blockbuster we'll explore in Part Two of Spa and The City.

The first to open is Spa Merge on West 57th Street. A sleek yet cozy model of the ideal urban day spa, its minimalist, tranquil decor contrasts mightily with the Midtown bustle outside. Particularly impressive here is the absence of shared public changing rooms; each of Merge's 9 treatment rooms is self-contained with its own locker/safe, massage table, mirrored vanity, and private bathroom with shower for maximum privacy. Celebrities and CEOs take note.

Spa Merge has an ambitious menu of medical treatments (skin peels, pre-natal massage), the latest high-preformance facial technology (Skin Ceuticals and Naturopathica products), beauty offerings (airbrush tanning, eyelash extensions), and a full array of massages for singles and couples. But after a long winter's angst, SpaWatcher chose — rather, needed — the one-hour Detox Wrap.

To begin, my Gotham-weary skin was exfoliated with a Lemongrass Mimosa Body Scrub rich in essential oils and sea salt. This was followed by a Vichy shower, where overhead warm water jets calibrated to pressure points gently washed away the scrub. I was too relaxed to move when my technician slathered warm seaweed paste all over me, then wrapped me in warm towels and foil to let it all sink in. A happy discovery was that the seaweed paste would not have to be rinsed off  — I've never relished having to get up and shower when I'm in an alpha state. Instead, it absorbed beautifully in the 20 minutes I resembled a baked potato. (I think there was a scalp massage, too, but was too comatose to be sure.)

Unwrapped and with skin already glowing, moisturized and positively giddy, my technician delivered the piece de resistance: a gentle full body massage and application of Juniper, Mandarin and Bergamot-infused shea butter. Sigh.

Dressing in my private room, I savored a spa snack of cranberry juice and button-sized cookies. Not only did I feel like springtime –I smelled like it too.

Spa Merge at Hilton Grand Vacation Club, 102 West 57th Street, New York, NY.

By Mary Alice Kellogg

For those who think that the American Revolution and contemporary exfoliation are clashing concepts, SpaWatcher is here to say they are not. A visit to the Spa of Colonial Williamsburg proves the point.

Colonial Williamsburg — 301 landmarked acres encompassing 88 original and 500 reconstructed historic buildings — takes history seriously. So, when the decision was made to open a 3-story, 20,000-square-foot Spa two years ago, attention was paid to spirit of place, from decor to treatments. All signature treatments, in fact, are based on five centuries of meticulously researched Colonial, African and American Indian relaxation and healing practices.

Housed in an historic building — a brick Georgian Revival beauty, the former site of the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum — the Spa at Colonial Williamsburg has a time-warp Southern charm and calm, with original exposed brick walls, natural light from oversize windows, handcrafted metal fixtures and sconces throughout, and, in a nice touch, separate relaxation lounges for men and women.

I chose the two-hour 18th-Century Colonial Herbal Spa Experience because, as it happens, the 18th century was a good one for wellness in America, being the era when doctors officially realized that cleanliness could be a good thing. Glancing at a replica of a 1772 home-recipe book in the lounge, I learned that, even then, folks were whipping up home-spa scented waters, oils, and bath salts like mad. (Reading a two-page recipe for herbal lip salve, I gave thanks to today's Gods of Product that enable me to point, click and purchase.)

My late 1770s healing journey began with a warm lavender, chamomile and rosemary foot bath, historically correct herbs from the period. This was followed by a full-body exfoliating scrub using essential oils, raw sugar, ginger and orange, a concoction to detoxify the skin and increase circulation. A face and scalp massage came next and, after a warm shower and 50-minute full-body massage, I was pleasantly comatose.

If this sounds like a modern spa treatment, that's the point: many of the products and procedures we take for granted today are based on the experiments of two centuries ago.

I was happy enough to embrace spirit of place, so much so that, before the end of the treatment, my therapist managed to get my spirit  –  which had evidently been floating on the ceiling in a fetching 18th century taffeta ball gown — back into my body.  Trust me — it happens.
 
THE SPA OF COLONIAL WILLIAMSBURG
Williamsburg, Virginia, USA

800-688-6947

MARY ALICE KELLOGG, a New York-based writer and editor, is a
recipient of the Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Award for Consumer
Reporting. A contributor to many national publications, including
Travel + Leisure, Conde Nast Traveler, Bon Appetit and GQ, she has
reported from 120 countries and five of the seven seas to date… and
counting.Visit MaryAlicekellogg.com

By Mary Alice Kellogg

Like many of us, SpaWatcher thinks "sauna" and "Sweden" are words joined at the hip. But after a visit to Stockholm's sleek Sturebadet, she now thinks Sweden and "Sami Zen" is an even better match.

The Sami, nomadic indigenous people of the Arctic Circle, knew how to spa before the term was invented, using heated "bote" healing stones to draw out negative energy or discomfort, and native plants and oils for well-being as they roamed. SpaWatcher knows all this because she is in a replica of a teepee-like Sami tent, with rough-wood walls and artificial stars twinkling overhead, a candlelit space constructed within the Sturebadet especially for this spirit-of-place  treatment.

Tradition-rich, the 80-minute Sami Zen begins with an exfoliating salt scrub with essential oils, then segues into a 15-minute soak in the tent's huge wooden tub, filled with mineral-rich warm water and chamomile bath bubbles. A facial with Kerstin Florian products and warm stones is next, followed by a full-body hot stone massage using warmed birch bud oil, beloved of the Sami for its antibacterial properties.

As if this weren't relaxing enough, Jojk music, a modern form of Sami traditional "from the heart" songs, at once calming and otherworldly, plays softly throughout the treatment. The total effect is a relaxing journey to another world   in the middle of one of the world's most contemporary cities.

Sturebadet itself is Stockholm's oldest, largest, and most exclusive spa, founded in 1885. The current facility dates from 1989, and while tucked into a glitzy shopping mall, is an oasis of tile and light wood, sporting everything from hydrotherapy circuits, saunas (natch), and a chic caf‚ to an elaborately tiled Art Deco/Moorish indoor swimming pool. The treatment menu is extensive, from basic Swedish massage to the latest therapies but, for my money, the Sami Zen is the best way to meld treatment and tradition in a singular setting. Skoal!

Sturebadet, Stockholm

By Mary Alice Kellogg

SpaWatcher has been fond of Mohonk Mountain House for years, and she's not alone. This venerable National Historic Landmark hostelry a scant two hours from Manhattan has attracted guests since 1869 with Catskill Mountain views on one side and a glorious glacial lake framed by giant boulders on the other.

Owned by the same family since its beginning, the rambling stone-and-wood resort buildings have endless parlors and niches in which to read, charming Victorian guest rooms with working fireplaces, and balconies with rocking chairs from which to enjoy the views. Its 85 miles of hiking trails are punctuated by benches, many with plaques commemorating the families who have loved the place for generations (Norman Vincent Peale's has a particularly fetching vista). Horse-drawn carriages continue to bring guests to the impressive Sky Top overlook. Mohonk remains, happily, an oasis of time-warp bliss.

When Mohonk opened a new 30,000-square-foot spa three years ago — the first addition to the hotel since 1902 — this spirit of place was preserved with sun-drenched indoor/outdoor relaxation areas, wicker rocking chairs and blazing fireplaces, the building blending seamlessly into the aesthetic. The ambitious treatment menu reflects Mohonk, too: I chose the "Shawangunk Grit" Body Treatment not the most felicitous monicker, to be sure, but named for the surrounding Shawangunk mountain range beloved of rock climbers.

The treatment uses pulverized, quartz-rich bits of the eponymous rock to exfoliate. I am afraid, very afraid, but needn't be. It starts with a warm fragrant bath oil and sea salt soak in a high-tech hydrotherapy tub for the first 15 minutes. The tub has an arsenal of relaxation features — soothing jets, and underwater lights corresponding to the body's energy chakra centers. I spend the first few minutes trying to figure out how I could buy one just like it, even though it's larger than my apartment.

Next came the "gunked" part. Led to another treatment room, it was time for a full-body exfoliation beginning with a gently applied mix of sea salt, oil and … powdered local boulders. All divine. After showering away bits of salt and scenery, a liberal application of moisturizer was followed by a guided 15-minute "power nap," my therapist quietly intoning something about an island, a mineral pool, the stars — unusually bright at Mohonk. I was out like a light.

The relaxing effects of this lasted for two days, long after I reluctantly checked out of my circa-1899 tower room (No. 638, flanked by private balconies overlooking lake and valley. Sigh.)

My first call upon returning was to my dear friends Harvey and Estelle Jacobs. Fifty-four years ago, they had spent their honeymoon at Mohonk. I told them they'd find this treasured place little changed and, if they couldn't climb the boulders these days, then the boulders could come to them. Gently. In the spirit that is Mohonk.

The Spa at Mohonk Mountain House; 1000 Mountain Rest Road, New Paltz. NY

MARY ALICE KELLOGG, a New York-based writer and editor, is a recipient of the Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Award for Consumer Reporting. A contributor to many national publications, including Travel + Leisure, Conde Nast Traveler, Bon Appetit and GQ, she has reported from 120 countries and five of the seven seas to date… and counting.