By Kathy M. Newbern and J.S. Fletcher © 2010
(Part 1 of 2)
Happily, we were present at the glamorous grand opening of the spa at the venerable Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa (GPI) in 2000, complete with outdoor laser-and-music show projected on the ancient rock walls followed by a ballroom extravaganza.
Our arrival at the underground spa a decade later featured far less fanfare, but we still found the eye-popping features and top-notch service dating back 10 years.
Coming in at $42 million for its 43,000 square-feet, the multi-level facility has maintained its reputation as one of the best in the country.
Four-thousand tons of native granite were used inside and out to construct the subterranean spa, a serene, sky-lit grotto topped with a glass roof. Sixty-three thousand gallons of water flow through its waterfalls, pools, and hot tubs. There's a mineral pool with underwater speakers; two therapeutic waterfall pools; an outdoor pool and hot tub with a fireplace to take the chill off the air; hot and cold contrast pools in the locker rooms; and a lap pool boasting a rock-encased fireplace and 6,500 pinpricks of fiber optic lights that create a star-studded night "sky."
That’s just the physical description. The treatments are so out of this world that they're aptly named The Heaven Series
Ten years ago Fletcher had the top-of-the-line treatment in that series, “Fire, Rock, Water and Light,” named for the spa's design elements inspired by the resort's mountain-side setting in this "Land of the Sky."
It starts with exfoliation using a concoction of buttermilk, brown sugar and honey. ("I wanted to lick myself," said one patron.) A bath ensues containing buttermilk, sourwood honey (the indigenous factor) and botanicals. A body wrap and facial come next, followed by the big finish: a gentle waterfall/Vichy shower massage, complete with strategic placement of hot stones and ice.
This visit, Kathy sampled the 80-minute Mountain View Massage performed in one of the two matching pagodas by the outdoor hot tub and fireplace area.
On our first visit, the elevated pagodas were open-air and a great spot for a spa lunch. Now, they’re enclosed but a long, horizontal, window remains for those fabulous views of the Blue Ridge Mountains, for which the resort’s location is famous.
The roomy pagoda holds the massage table alongside that window and a fireplace at one end – the perfect setting for a massage. The table was covered with a blue wrap sporting GPI’s logo and a tray of the three massage-oil choices for the treatment. I selected Citrus Detoxifying; other swere Rejuvenating and Relaxing.
My therapist Jacinthe – who had a beautiful French accent and hails from Montreal – explained the benefits of the three oils and asked about any special massage work I needed, any places to avoid, and what pressure I preferred – all the right questions.
She started me out face up with a scalp and face massage after asking permission to use oil on my face. She then placed an eye pillow over my eyes and a heated neck pillow under my neck and moved on to my feet and arms. I especially enjoyed the hot towels she wrapped on each foot when my face-up portion of the massage was completed.
A nice touch was how she presented each of the external elements. First, for instance, she slowly drew the eye pillow over my closed lids to let me know she was about to apply it. She did the same with the hot towels, gently pulling each across my leg, then foot, before applying.
Another treatment detail was that following each “section,” like my back, she applied a sports massage cream from the Spa’s Epicuren line of products. She explained that it would be especially good for tired, sore muscles. This light cream was a nice finish.
Face down in the cradle, I noticed Jacinthe had placed a steam towel that hung in a U just below my face. She explained the fragrance was Frankincense, which helps respiration and relaxation. “I can remove it or refresh it at any time; jut let me know,” she added.
Besides delivering a great massage, the therapist was especially interested in my comfort, asking about the pressure multiple time, the room temperature and the music volume – all great signs of good training and an emphasis on making the client comfortable.
But one of the most delightful aspects of the massage was something that neither the spa nor the therapist could control: I just lucked out that my Mountain View Massage was delivered in the rain. The sound of the rain outside the pagoda was a delightful enhancement to a wonderfully delivered treatment.
As Jacinthe walked me - umbrella extended - back to the women’s lounge inside the spa, I told her it was a shame they couldn’t offer that rain element every time. She agreed, laughing.
She had one final flourish for me: To celebrate my birthday spa visit, she presented me a glass of champagne, a pair of chocolate-covered strawberries and a long-stemmed rose.
What a nice finish to my Mountain View Massage in the rain.
(Read more about Grove Park Inn’s spa in Part 2, please.)
If You're Going: Call 800-438-5800 or visit www.groveparkinn.com to make reservations.
Fun Fact: You can star in your own romance novel set at the Grove Park Inn, YourNovel.com's For the Ages. On a getaway for autumn’s "leaf season," the starring couple explore all the resort has to offer, from its world-class spa and exquisite cuisine to a one-of-a-kind history lesson. An insightful guide accompanies them back through the years where they meet some of the historic Inn’s most notable guests, such as Thomas Edison, Harry Houdini and F. Scott Fitzgerald. Even the Pink Lady, the resort’s resident ghost, plays into what they learn about life and love during their adventure.
If you enjoyed this story, you might also enjoy these:
• Other Stories by Kathy M. Newbern
• Stories by J.S. Fletcher, International Travel Examiner
• @FletcherNewbern
• @YourNovelcom
Luxury Travel Examiner Kathy M. Newbern and spouse, J.S. Fletcher, report on luxury destinations, spas and cruising around the globe. They are award-winning members of the Society of American Travel Writers and created YourSpaReport.com and YourNovel.com, their personalized romance novel business.
Comments
Lots of history in this place.
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