Pleased New Year everyone! Are you prepared for 2015? My holidays had been really good, on the quiet side, but lots of time spent with close friends and household, and of course my small RoyRoy! With the new year comes the usual self-evaluation, resolutions and hopes of doing items just a little bit better in the year to come. I have a entire slew of “to-do’s” that I won’t bore you with, but did want to share my plans for a exciting weekend I have coming up. In order to really begin the new year off with a bang, I’ve dedicated this coming weekend to rejuvenating my physique and soul. On Saturday a buddy and I are splurging on a complete day spa experience with all the bells and whistles and on Sunday I am participating in a Working Women’s Retreat at the Miramar Retreat Center in Kingston, MA, a Catholic center that hosts several various varieties of retreats for guys and ladies of all ages. I’m hunting forward to spending some time on me, which is not some thing I’m especially very good at. I commit a lot of time “with” me, but look to overlook to perform “on” me – if that tends to make any sense.
But let’s get back to Spa Day 2015! We spent some time researching distinct spa experiences in our area and I figured I’d post our best 4 contenders this week, finishing up on Friday with our final selection. I will update the post subsequent week with a review of the encounter.
When searching for a fantastic spa expertise, a all-natural “go to” is Canyon Ranch in the Berkshires. I did a 3-day remain in the middle of February several years ago and I still look back wistfully at the knowledge – it was fabulous and so worth each and every penny! The setting for the spa is the Bellefontaine mansion – a treat for architecture enthusiasts.
Constructed in 1897, Bellefontaine had been a private home, seminary and then a boarding school, but when the Zuckermans,  owner’s of Canyon Ranch, saw it, it was empty and gutted by fire. Applying their philosophy of producing harmony with the surroundings, the Zuckermans decided to restore the mansion whilst adding New-England-style buildings in maintaining with the neighborhood region, a classic getaway location that was as soon as residence to Nathaniel Hawthorne, Herman Melville, Edith Wharton and Norman Rockwell.Canyon Ranch’s architects worked with the nearby historic preservation board to be positive that their restoration of the Mansion’s exterior and gardens was fully authentic, utilizing components and methods constant with the turn of the final century. In addition, they meticulously restored the beautiful Library, the only room that had not been destroyed by fire, to its original dignity.
The grounds are beautiful year round. I went in the winter soon after a nasty ice storm had hit the region. I drove by means of it to get out there (I wasn’t missing my vacation for any old ice storm!!) and even even though there was snow on the ground, the place is gorgeous. The “campus” is set up so that a single require in no way really go outside (a bonus in my book) even though there are several great outdoor factors to do such as snow shoeing, cross nation skiing, hiking, etc.
The library is just beautiful and was spared by the fire that after ravaged the home.
The pool is beautiful as had been the workout rooms and facilities. The separate men’s and women’s locker rooms held steam rooms, saunas, cold plunge baths (no thanks!), hot tubs, and the usual showers, etc. I appear classes in breathing,  free physique movement, and a dance class as I recall. The employees was beautiful and very supportive of someone who is definitely not a health club rat or coordinated in any way. They had been all ages, shapes and sizes themselves, as a matter of fact. There have been also cooking classes and demonstrations in a gorgeous kitchen.  I went mid-week, mid-winter, so it was largely females, or older husbands/wives/couples.
What I had wanted at the time (and nonetheless do) was an expertise that was all paid for up front, without having getting to be concerned about prices or costs as you go along permitting you to merely appreciate the experience. It created such a distinction. As a matter of truth, I definitely think that any vacation of any sort need to be paid for with cash saved ahead of time versus putting it all on plastic and paying afterwards. It makes the entire expertise so a lot better, significantly less stressful, and such a treat!
The meals were carried out in a common dining room with table service exactly where you could dine alone if preferred or ask to be seated with a group. I identified either to be really comfortable and everybody there was really open and friendly.  The meals was “healthier gourmet” and was really great. Given that I’m not considerably of a foodie I’m not the best judge, but it was beautifully presented, balanced dining with lots of variation. They do not serve alcohol (even though you can BYOB in your area if you want) and you had to request issues like salt. I will admit that by the end of my 3 days, I was jonesing for a ham sandwich (salt!). I did ask for salt for the chicken burger I was consuming and they happily brought it.  The portions had been controlled, but it was okay to ask for seconds.  It was fundamentally about understanding what appropriate portions are and not overdoing factors.
The rooms are lovely, but the point of being there is not to hang out in the room. As I recall, they never provide space service so that guests all consume in the dining room.
Because I was there in the winter, outside dining wasn’t taking place – but how lovely does this appear?
In the finish, we decided against Canyon Ranch basically simply because their packages and specials all commence at two-night stays, which is not what we were looking for.  We had been taking into consideration 1 evening stays due to schedules, but practically nothing longer.  But, I do plan to go back at some point, that is for positive!
As I stated above, for the rest of the week I’ll be profiling the other three spas we regarded (not in any specific order) and finish of on Friday with our final option! It is a cold, cold week here in New England – so the siren song of hot tubs and massages are maintaining me going!
If you are searching to produce the property of your dreams, make contact with me to talk about the possibilities! 
::Surroundings::
