Traveling

Wellness treatments abound at spas not far from home

BY SHERYL NANCE-NASH

Wellness is the word of the moment. In a post-pandemic world, who isn’t looking to exhale, hit the reset button and move forward to the next chapter in their life story?

Increasingly, wellness and travel go hand in hand. The Global Wellness Institute predicts that wellness travel will grow by 21% annually, expanding the market to more than $1 trillion by 2024.

If you’re among the masses who are ready for a transformative trip but don’t feel ready to jet to the Maldives, no worries. Plenty of top spa getaways designed to help you reset and relax are within a few hours’ drive of the Capital Region. Here’s a look at some of the spa getaways close to home.

MIRAVAL BERKSHIRES RESORT & SPA

Lenox, Massachusetts

Guests at this exclusive resort just 90 minutes away from the Capital Region are encouraged to put down distracting digi- tal devices and live in the moment. Go home with memories of nature walks, guided meditation, energy sessions with aura photos, slow flow yoga, hikes, celestial sound bathing, floating meditation, journaling and more. The Life in Balance Spa is where you’ll find otherworldly treatments like the Obsidian and Sage Detoxifying Ritual, 100 minutes in a gravity-defying float through a mental, spiritual, and physical “cleanse” and a full body massage. The spa also offers Vasudhara, a Miraval exclusive. This 50-minute experience helps ease muscles with Thai stretches and a warm water float.

 miravalresorts.com/berkshires

NIAGARA CROSSING HOTEL & SPA

Lewiston, New York

This charming boutique hotel is a great home base for exploring the nearby Niagara Falls and getting yourself some spa action at the same time. Pamper yourself with spa packages like the “Lewiston Retreat,” a full-body experience designed to get your groove back, your energy flowing optimally and balance your body’s natural biorhythms. The magic comes from lymphatic dry brushing, scalp massage, full-body massage, and the grand finale, a lemon essential oil foot treatment.

 niagaracrossinghotelandspa.com

Mohonk Mountain House

New Paltz, New York

A short drive from the Capital Region, this Victorian castle resort features 40,000 acres of forest. Start your de-stressing by hiking some of the 85 miles of trails, paddleboarding on the lake, dancing or taking a tai chi, yoga or meditation class. Relax in the outdoor heated mineral pool or try forest bathing by a mindful walk along the cliff trails and lake. Pamper yourself at the spa with an exfoliating body glow designed to invigorate the circulation system, or the Mohonk Red Massage, a combination of Swedish massage and traditional Thai stretches.

 mohonk.com

Topnotch Resort

Stowe, Vermont

You can’t go wrong with the backdrop of the Green Mountains and 120 wooded acres at the foot of Mount Mansfield.

This AAA four-diamond resort is home to the Equestrian Center, which offers trail rides, horseback riding and carriage rides. Get your mind off everything but the ball at the resort’s Tennis Academy. Also available to try are Pilates, aqua aerobics, yoga, and other fitness classes. Catch your breath in the spa’s 60-foot solarium pool and whirlpool with cascading waterfall or an R&R CBD Massage. Want to do more for your body and soul? Consider booking a reiki, cranial sacral or energy healing session.

 topnotchresort.com

Bota Bota

Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Bota Bota gets the award for creativity. This spa is a boat anchored in the St. Lawrence River in the heart of Old Montreal with wonderful views of the city’s historic port. The popular water circuit is said to work out the kinks in your mind and body. This relaxation procedure begins with a hot, dry sauna, followed by a quick immersion in a cold bath (1560 seconds long). The cap to the water circuit? Twenty to 30 minutes of relaxing in a hanging hammock. Bota Bota also offers massages like Lomi Lomi, an hour-long inner journey, and Shiatsu, where touch is used to restore circulation and improve the flexibility of muscle tissue. The Winds and

Tides treatment is a sugar exfoliation with full-body hydration and a scalp massage. Finish off your visit with a meal at Bota Bota’s La Traversee. Try favorites like the pork meatballs and veggie burgers.

 botabota.ca/en/

Whiteface Lodge

Lake Placid, New York

The Whiteface Lodge offers rustic luxury with views of the Adirondack Park. Complimentary fitness classes like Pilates, yoga and aqua aerobics, as well as tennis, pickleball and basketball offer workout options for those who want more of the many outdoor activities that have made the Adirondacks a popular vacationland. The indoor and outdoor pools and hot tubs are perfect after a day of hiking mountain trails, biking, kayaking or canoeing, or in winter, ice skating. The lodge’s spa is ranked among the top 100 spas in North America by Conde Nast Traveler and is not to be missed. The spa’s signature Whiteface Arnica Recovery Wrap includes exfoliation with arnica-infused sugar, followed by an arnica-infused shea butter masque to seal in the healing herb, topped off with a deep tissue massage with arnica oil. Or maybe The Lodge Mud Wrap, a detoxifying full body mud masque, is more your style. Whatever your needs, Whiteface Lodge can likely fulfill them.

 thewhitefacelodge.com

Mandarin Oriental

Boston, Massachusetts

The Spa at the Mandarin Oriental stands out for its unique treatments like Himalayan Singing Bowls, a treatment where the resonating instruments are placed on and around the body. Soft vibrations and sounds help balance the body as the massage therapist gets to work. Another favorite is the Inner Strength treatment, a blend of healing and balancing

You'll find indoor pools at Topnotch Resort, left, and Whiteface Lodge, below.

— Photos courtesy of venues aromatherapy oils combined with massage to relieve tension and anxiety. Visitors can also enjoy a crystal steam room and vitality pools. The fitness center is decked out with Peloton bikes, a strength training circuit and free weights Kinesis wall, and more.

 mandarinoriental.com/en/boston/back-bay

NEMACOLIN WOODLANDS RESORT

Farmington, Pennsylvania

Nemacolin, snug in the countryside, is all about decompressing. The Holistic Healing Center has an array of options to set you on a better path, be it salt-water float therapy, cryotherapy, acupuncture, infrared sauna therapy, reiki, personalized tai chi sessions, yoga sound baths, vibrational massage or Tibetan bowls. And that’s just for starters. The spa also includes chocolate strawberry pedicures and warm stone facials. Consider trying one of the signature treatments like the Dream Catcher, which turns to the wisdom of Native American therapies and Hawaiian Lomi Lomi massage. You’ll start with ritualistic music and the burning of white sage. The nearly two-hour treatment includes cranial sacral, reiki and bodywork guaranteed to send you straight to Zen.

 nemacolin.com

KRIPALU CENTER FOR YOGA & HEALTH

Stockbridge, Massachusetts

Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health is so much more than a training site for those interested in becoming yoga instruc- tors. With the Kripalu R&R experience, a quick retreat can include as much or as little as you like. Start your day with a silent breakfast, spend your morning with a guided hike or self-care, life skills, or posture workshops. Join a noon Share Circle or YogaDance. After-lunch options include meditation, guided hikes and Ayurveda workshops. Late afternoon options include yoga and meditation classes and after-dinner classes include blissful bedtime yoga, sound healing, and community circles. The food is good and five-star tasty. Come for the day or book a longer stay to really unwind.

 kripalu.org

The Lodge At Woodloch

Hawley, Pennsylvania

How fast can you say relax? The innovative treatments at this adults-only resort are designed to help you do just that from almost the moment you enter the property. The resort offers more than 50 wellness offerings, including meditative walking along a labyrinth, yoga, and vibrational sound therapy that combines powerful vibrations and sound to relax you immediately. Refresh yourself with the Himalayan Salt Sauna and Tyrolean Bucket Shower. For those who like a workout in between relaxing, the Lodge has a spinning studio and rowing room with WaterRowing rowing machines. The current buzz is about the new Snow Room, where visitors can experience and benefit from the pairing of hot and cold therapy.

 thelodgeatwoodloch.com

The Lake House On Canandaigua

Canandaigua, New York

Located right on Canandaigua Lake, this resort offers a plethora of outdoor activities as well as plenty of spa opportunities. Soak up the good vibes at the resort’s creekside barrel sauna that recalls the tradition of purification rituals. The Willowbrook Spa’s Detox Deluxe features 90 minutes of bliss breath work, acupressure, purifying massage, body scrub, and an infrared body wrap with scalp treatment. Having trouble sleeping? Their deep sleep body realignment includes slow rhythmic touch, a scalp massage and sleep-inducing teas and tinctures as well as an Amethyst Biomat to help balance your body. The spa also offers a series of skin care options, too.

 lakehousecanandaigua.com