TRAVEL
THE LODGE AT WOODLOCH LOVE IN THE QUIET VALLEY By Sandy Samuels
an you remember the last time you sat by the fire listening to a live performer, even one singing behind a Plexiglass barrier? Marc Von Em, a talented vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter gave us the gift of “normalcy” by singing James Taylor, Harry Chapin, Nat King Cole, and a myriad of folk, rock and soulful songs, his way. It was wonderful, especially after a languid afternoon in and out of the sauna, steam, whirlpools, and swimming pool. Couples have nuzzled in this land of love since the time of the Delaware Indians, who snuggled in one-room bark wigwams near the riverbanks; they named their home Poconos, which translates to “quiet valley between two mountains.” The region’s pristine Delaware River and its lakes, streams, ponds, woodlands, and hilltops lured future generations to the area, especially honeymooners. If they drove on country roads, as I did this January 2021, they might have seen polka-dotted snow patches, waterfalls frozen to rock faces, smoke rising from farmhouse chimneys, mega-stacks of split wood, and long, slate fences.
POCONO PERFECTION When The Lodge at Woodloch first opened in 2006, I couldn’t wait to visit because I knew that top spa consultants, Ginny and John Lopis, had influenced its conception and design. I was aware of their work at Canyon Ranch in Arizona, The Cloister at Sea Island in Georgia, and Doral Saturnia, in Miami, all of which were their former prestigious clients and some of my favorite spa destinations. For his part, my late husband was always eager for a romantic getaway and especially for one in northeastern Pennsylvania, where he had spent the happiest time of his youth at Camp Navajo, in nearby Honesdale. And a romantic retreat it was. We both appreciated the beauty of the place, the natural environment, the many roaring fireplaces, and co-ed whirlpools. He was unabashedly happy that there was a bar (an atypical spa amenity), and we both enjoyed the refined dining atmosphere. Years later, and even alone, I found the calm, beautiful, and magical ambiance of Woodloch a welcome antidote to stay-at-home COVIDera life. On a secluded, 500-acre parcel amid a forest, the venue is adjacent to the privately-held, 1200-acre tract that’s part of Woodloch Pines, the Kiesendahl family’s ever-popular, 900-room, family resort. The timeless architecture of this sprawling, warm and detail-laden, selfcontained hospitality and wellness complex reminds me of a contemporary Adirondack camp, with gorgeous woodwork, slate walls, coffered ceilings, and vaulted 17.5-foot-high window walls that integrate the dramatic woodland backdrop. FEBRUARY 2021 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 23
