A twenty or so minute drive from the historic Napa Valley Wine Country lies Calistoga, California which is elegantly seated in a terraced garden hillside. I spent a few days there recently and experienced a few restaurants, hotels and spas. Top notch on this list is the quaint and tranquil Lavender Hill Spa, a few minute walk from downtown Lincoln Avenue.
Imagine a harmonious blend of Napa Valley Wine Country beauty with exotic Asian influenced statuary and art and oh, btw, they have this lovely serene garden which is to die for: private rooms for couples to take in tub soakings and massages and more. Think: Serene, Unique, Charming, and Intimate. I absolutely loved the environment as it felt like a private escape from life itself.
What I loved most about this place was the intimacy and the service. Go on a visual journey with me and you’ll see what I mean.
The tubs. And did I mention it’s not just a private room, but a private cottage? They have two to accommodate couples so be sure to book early.
They have a number of ‘bath’ treatments to choose from before your hour long massage, which btw, is actually a 60 minute treatment, not the pathetic 50 minutes that most spas now adhere to. You can have a relaxing combination of traditional Swedish massage, reflexology and acupressure or a deep tissue massage immediately following your bath treatment. You can also have a hot stone massage or an aromatherapy treatment, which includes products to help you hydrate and tone. Facials are also done on-site and include more beautifying treatments as well as more healing ones which help relieve stress, sinus congestion, and headaches.
Bath treatments include the following: (I opted for the seaweed bath since I wanted a purifying bath but not one that would be too detoxifying since I had a massage the previous day).
Volcanic Mud Bath: This one-time-use bath is prepared with our unique blend of Calistoga indigenous volcanic ash, white sea kelp, therapeutic mineral salts and lavender essential oil. Not the traditional “thick mud” this sophisticated treatment revitalizes the body and removes impurities while promoting healing and relaxation.
Seaweed Bath: Inspired by the great spas of Northern France, we have designed a superior treatment to relieve stress and reduce tension. Liquid seaweed combined with lavender essential oil stimulates the release of toxins and replaces them with depleted minerals such as potassium and iodine. Other benefits include reduction of cellulite and improved circulation.
Aromatherapy Mineral Salt Bath: Designed to relieve fatigued muscles and joints while drawing impurities from the skin, leaving it feeling soft clean and delightfully fragrant. Our exclusive essential oil blends balance and heal body, mind and spirit. Choose from French Lavender, Siberian Pine, Anti-Stress, Sunny Citrus or Eros.
Thai Bath: The innovative use of essential oils and herbs in Southern Thailand were the inspiration behind this treatment. Milk, used throughout the Orient to nurture and exfoliate the skin, is combined with white sea kelp and an invigorating blend of mandarin, tangerine and neroli essential oils to relax muscles reduce stress and improve circulation.
Seasonal Bath: As the seasons change, so does their unique treatment offerings that focus on the season at hand. They offer a Whipped Cocoa Bath to the exotic Jasmine and Rose or our immune enhancing Herbal Bath Wrap.
I would strongly recommend this place. Let’s put it this way: I was surprised by such a warm, inspiring, healing and authentic place so close to such an overly commercial area. If you’re heading to Napa, go mid-week, get away from the crowds and book yourselves into a treatment or two at this place. While I was hosted for my treatment, all opinions expressed here are my own and I was in no way, asked to speak on behalf of the spa nor was I paid by the spa. Bottom line, the place rocks!
For more on spas and retreats, visit out Spas and Retreats Section. (also see Top Spas in in the world and Top American Spas).
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
