Whether it’s a historic mansion, a getaway in the mountains, lakeside serenity, or oceanside revival, these New England spas are the perfect places for relaxing and pampering.

These days, getting the spa treatment can take you far beyond a facial and a pedicure. More and more, people are choosing luxury spas not only to get ready for a special occasion, or to relax after one, but as its own celebration destination. In New England—and beyond—there is a destination for everyone. Whether you want to be pampered, or active, or both, it’s all here.

George Washington Slept Here
At the Wingate Spa in Stratham, New Hampshire, you can be pampered in a luxurious setting rich in history. The Wingate House was built in 1786 by John Wingate, whose father, Paine Wingate served as a senator from New Hampshire in the first Congress of the United States. Local lore has it that in 1789, Washington was received as an honored guest at The Wingate House.

Although the Wingate is a full-service salon and spa, they can offer special accommodations for bridal parties. As Jenn Woodside, Bridal and Event Coordinator, tells me, “One of the things that makes our spa unique is the size of both the building and our staff—we have a staff of more than forty people, so we can handle large or small groups.  We recently worked with a bridal party of twenty-two people!”

Their new Bridal and Events Suite allows brides to have a private area for themselves and their bridal party and family members to get hair and make-up done along with other spa treatments. It also offers a changing room, space for photography, and a catering area. As Jenn says, “We have also hosted several teen parties, birthday parties, and family reunions in the space. It is just such a nice, private, and inviting area for the groups.” 

The Wingate recently rec-eived an award for best skin and hair care in the Exeter/Stratham area and has been named one of the Top 200 Spas in the country six years in a row. They offer a signature Pedicure of the Month. “Our recent Piña Colada Pedicure was offered with an individual Pineapple Upside-Down cake and was a great success.”

They have also become the largest destination in New England for couples services. Last year they did more than 800 couples treatments including massages, facials, and pedicures. Afterward, each couple is treated to champagne and chocolate-dipped strawberries in the Wingate’s tea room. Their popular Wingate Tea includes scones, fresh fruit, cheese, crackers, and assorted teas.

They offer a brunch, a wrap luncheon, dessert platters, and champagne as well as special menus working with On the Vine in Exeter.
Jenn tells me that many of their groups come back year after year to celebrate with family members and friends. A bridal and event coordinator is assigned as a personal contact from beginning to end, handling the details of each party, ensuring its success. “Many clients say they feel relaxed as soon as they enter the spa. It has a very warm, welcoming, and relaxing feel—almost like a home away from home. It really is the perfect place for a salon or spa retreat.”

It Takes a Village
If you’d like to chill out in New Hampshire’s gorgeous Lakes Region, the Cascade Spa awaits. This full-service day spa is part of a complex of four inns, seven restaurants, and fifteen retail shops all within the fourteen acres that is the Inn at Mill Falls. With 1,000 feet of frontage on Lake Winnipesaukee and views of the White Mountains, it would be hard to find a lovelier place to relax and renew.

Michelle Brown tells me, “Our Cascade Spa has an exclusive VIP couple’s suite, steam room, indoor-outdoor pool, and fitness center. We also have an experienced and highly respected team of therapists. The majority of them have been with us since the doors opened in 2004. They love what they do and it shows!”

Their most popular bridal services are manicures, pedicures, as well as special occasion hair and makeup artistry. They have a dedicated Spa Bridal Coordinator to plan each bride’s experience in the spa. “The level of service our brides receive is second to none. We complete the wedding experience by offering in-suite hair and makeup services,” Michelle says.

The Cascade Spa’s “Girls Day Inn” and “Girls Night Out” packages offer the ultimate spa experiences for reunions and all-girl getaways. For corporate clients who come for meetings or retreats, they offer stretching breaks, chair massage, and a full elixir bar of energizing drinks.

Signature treatments include their Lake Embrace Body Treatment, their Signature Anti-Aging Facial using the exclusive antioxidant Idebenone.™The Cascading Raindrops treatment uses warmed essential oils dripped onto the back like raindrops.

Weather permitting, treat yourself to an outdoor massage in a gauzy gazebo at water’s edge—pure bliss.

A Mountain Retreat
If the White Mountains are your idea of paradise, plan an escape to the lovely Inn at Thorn Hill in Jackson, New Hampshire, a boutique inn with not only a spa but an outstanding wine list and a top-notch chef. This is an ideal location for small get-togethers, intimate weddings, or a romantic getaway for two.

This award-winning country inn in the heart of the mountains is the perfect getaway anytime of year. Rooms, suites, and cottages feature fireplaces, Jacuzzis, and steam showers. Their spa facility features heavenly massages, hydro massage, rubs, wraps, facials, and nail treatments. Their award-winning massage therapist has created their signature Revive Restoration, a complete mind-body healing therapy.

Their much acclaimed chef comes from five star and five diamond establishments and is a James Beard award winner. Menu offerings might include Organic Duck with Crisp Cauliflower, Cherry Tomatoes, Organic Spelt, and Dried Cherries; Diver Scallops, Cracked Bulgur Wheat with Sweet Onions, Smoked Bacon, and Fennel Compote; or Tumeric-Braised Wreckfish with Roasted Zucchini with Red Pepper Harissa and Crispy Bread. Specially created spa lunches are also available.

Among the accolades the Inn at Thorn Hill has received are high marks on Condé Nast Traveler’s “World’s Best Place to Stay Gold Lists,” rating the number 22 spot in October 2005, the 27 spot in 2006, and 22 for 2007, no small feat for a family-owned country inn. In 2003, Traveler named the inn the highest-rated lodging restaurant. I can personally attest to the quality of the food, wine, and service, not to mention the stunning mountain views.

By the Seashore
For those who crave a saltwater experience, The Breakwater Inn and Spa in Kennebunkport, Maine, has the feel of an elegant summer cottage, just steps from the ocean. Its ambience inspired by its location, the Breakwater is a seaside sanctuary. Pastel hues, granite, marble, and Brazilian cherrywood accents create a light and inviting vibe. (Aqua-colored etched glass partitions brought sea glass to mind when I visited.) Clients can soak up the gorgeous views from the Relaxation Lounge while reclining on one of the chaise chairs with a cup of tea. 

Spa director Melanie Valliere tells me, “Our Signature Services were created to be a bit unique to The Breakwater Spa. The Relaxation Massage is one of our most popular services and is a beautiful integration of Swedish massage, light Thai stretching, Hawaiian Lomi Lomi, and acupressure. The customized blend creates a state of deep relaxation and wellness to those who receive the treatment.”

Melanie says that for bridal parties, “Manicures and pedicures are always popular, but many brides partake in a series of facials a few months before their wedding to prepare for that special day. Our Body Bronzing treatment is also popular amongst brides, bridal parties, and wedding guests as it offers a fresh body glow without the damaging effects of UVA and UVB.” The Breakwater Spa also offers medical esthetics including chemical peels and microdermabrasion for rejuvenating the complexion.

The Breakwater Spa uses only the finest spa product lines, including Sonya Dakar, Thalgo, and Red Flower. Their knowledgeable staff of massage therapists, aestheticians, and nail technicians take great pride in their profession and offer the highest level of service, but also provide guests with the information they need to take their spa experience home with them.

After a workout in their fitness center overlooking the ocean, visit the Spa Café. A spa lunch can be preordered and the menu includes spa specialties like a low-fat lobster salad wrap with mango, cucumber, and preserved Meyer lemon yogurt; or grilled salmon on a bed of mesclun greens with fresh soybeans and chickpeas with a pomegranate vinaigrette. Since the Breakwater Spa is set within The Breakwater Inn, guests can choose to make their day in the spa an overnight stay in one of the inn’s luxurious suites.

West Meets East
Canyon Ranch in Lenox, Massachusetts, is an offshoot of the original Tucson, Arizona, location. They also have a facility in Miami and a spa aboard the new Cunard liner, the Queen Mary II. The Lenox location is housed in a stunning mansion nestled in the Berkshires. Each location has an impressive menu of rejuvenating skin care and body treatments including massage and therapeutic bodywork; mud, salt, aromatherapy, seaweed, and ayurvedic treatments; facials and masks. Program advisors help guests plan their days and schedule personal services, workshops, and activities, resulting in a personalized experience.

The Lenox property is surrounded by lush green lawns and the surrounding woods. A reflecting pool and formal gardens appear outside the climate-controlled, glass-enclosed walkways.  However, the focal point of Canyon Ranch in Lenox is the historic marble and brick Bellefontaine Mansion. Built in 1897, the mansion exemplifies the property’s New England charm with its original library wing containing 10-foot-high bookcases and a wood and marble-trimmed fireplace.

The heart of Canyon Ranch activities in Lenox is the 100,000-square-foot spa complex with exercise, weight training, and cycling gyms; yoga and Pilates studios; indoor tennis; racquetball, basketball, and squash courts; indoor swimming pool, indoor running track, massage and bodywork rooms; and skin care and beauty salons.

Canyon Ranch is also the place to go for in-depth preventive health-care assessments and guidance. Guests may choose private consultations or workshops in lifestyle change, transition, and stress management. A smoke- and alcohol-free facility, professional consultants are on hand to create personalized programs for disease prevention, weight loss, or smoking cessation. Guests interested in food planning can take healthy cooking classes and receive nutritional consultations.  Canyon Ranch is a pioneer in developing spa cuisine—food that is both nutritious and created with the highest gourmet standards with dishes like Lamb Osso Buco, Broiled Trout with Cucumber Lemongrass Salsa, and Sweet Potato Tartlets with a Blue Corn Crust.

But they go beyond the meditative and tranquil, offering more than fifty fitness classes and activities daily for energetic and fitness-minded clients, including an extensive outdoor sports program that features group hiking, biking, tennis, canoeing, kayaking, sculling, snowshoeing, and downhill and cross-country skiing. A variety of spiritual fitness classes, such as yoga, tai chi, chi gong, and meditation are offered daily.
Whatever your goals, tastes, and idea of pampering may be, New England has an incredible range. Plan your relaxation celebration!

P. K. Edwards is a freelance food and travel writer based in southern Maine.