|
FrontRangeLiving.com -> Escapes -> Spas
 MOUNTAIN
SPAS: SCENERY, SOLITUDE AND LUXURY
By Heidi V. Anderson
Photos by Steve Chinn
We all deserve and need to treat ourselves. Surround yourself
with natural or man-made beauty. Spend time gazing at Colorado's peaks or relax in a room filled with artwork and plush furniture.
Take a day of
solitude, to contemplate the big mysteries of life or simply let the mind
wander. Perhaps the best treat is when an attendant's sole job
is to help you relax. On special days, it can be all three at once.
And that's just what I experienced on a recent visit to the Cordillera Spa.
It's often difficult to find time for myself, as family, friends, work and other
demands fill up most of my days. But I returned from a day at the spa
rejuvenated after a mere seven hours in one of the most luxurious places in
Colorado.
 The day started with a drive up to Cordillera, which is an easy day trip from
nearly anywhere on the Front Range. I left I-70 shortly past Vail and started
the short drive up the hill, not expecting much more than a simple retreat.
Instead, I found a castle. The lodge could have been plucked from a mountain in
Europe and dropped here in our state, but it would have required a very large
pair of hands, indeed. Not only does the lodge house 56 guest rooms, but it also
contains a restaurant, meeting rooms, and, of course, the spa.
The receptionist made me feel right at home, even though my own home lacks
two swimming pools, a workout room, a sauna, and rooms where my job is to sit
still as someone massages my feet. She gave me a short tour of the spa and then
took me to the private locker room, where I changed into a soft robe and
slippers.
Then it was off to the aptly named relaxation room, where spa visitors are
invited to wait between appointments. As I reclined on the couch with a cup of
soothing tea and an engrossing novel, I already was experiencing what I had come
to the spa for – and I had yet to undergo any of the four treatments I had
signed up for. So I somewhat reluctantly left the gentle lighting and soft
pillows to head to the room for my first appointment, a facial.
There are facials, and then there's the facial at Cordillera. I'd love to be
able to tell you all the details, such as how the contour-lifting massage and
acupressure exercise work, or how the Spirit of Cordillera facial revitalized my
dry skin, but I was too busy enjoying the neck massage, hydrating hand therapy
and other treatments to ask questions. I do know that if any of the other facial
treatments (the spa offers six total) even come close to the one I experienced
in terms of making me feel special, I could happily end my day there.
 I had started my visit in the late morning, so my next "task" was
to eat lunch. I ordered a healthful, deliciously light meal from the Restaurant
Picasso, one of four restaurants at Cordillera, and sat at a table next to the
indoor pool. A waiter delivered my meal, and I gazed out the windows at
snow-topped peaks as I ate a delightful spring salad. I opted not to eat by the
outdoor pool, as I was protecting my newly hydrated face from the sun, but I did
peek outside at the New York and Sawatch mountain ranges.
After lunch, it was back to the relaxation room to await my next appointment.
The therapist arrived and asked me if I was ready to get stoned. I was. So she
led me to the LaStone therapy room, where she placed warm stones on my back,
arms and legs while she massaged me. I've had plenty of traditional massages,
which the spa offers as well, along a Thai Massage and Reflexology Massage, but
I've never had one quite so soothing. The treatment really, well, rocked.
 Then it was on to what I affectionately nicknamed the room of mirrors. It's a
room with three thrones and lots of wall mirrors, and here I was treated to one
of the most peaceful pedicures and manicures I've ever had. The manicures are
European style, where you place your hands on a pillow on your lap as the
manicurist transforms them, and perhaps that's why I subconsciously picked
"All Roses Lead to Rome" for my nail color. The manicurist informed me
that orange was the hot new color this year, but I'll save that for another
time.
Then it was back to the relaxation room, where my excuse was that I needed to
sit and further protect and dry my nails. In reality, though, I wasn't ready to
end my day at the spa. In a perfect world, I would have spent the night in one
of the lodge's guest rooms, but I had had to make the drive back to the Front
Range. So instead, I took a calming shower and headed out to the gift shop,
where I purchased an aromatherapy candle so that I could bring a bit of the spa
home with me.
As a writer living on a writer's salary, I can't afford to treat myself to
this experience often. But, given how beneficial it was, both physically and
emotionally, I will certainly do so again. After all, I deserve it.
And so do you.
A few notes on Cordillera. If you're thinking that the mountain lodge and spa
is only for visiting during ski season, please don't. True, the spa's sports
massage relieves tired muscles after a day of skiing, but this is a year-round
resort area, and the spa is open accordingly. If you're heading up to the Vail
or Beaver Creek valleys for any spring, summer or fall activities, such as
cycling, hiking, golf, or gondola or hot air balloon rides, you might consider a
treatment or two at the spa.
|
MORE SPAS:
Ski spas have mushroomed throughout the ski towns to accommodate not only
skiers, but visitors who don’t ski and look forward to a less vigorous endeavor. We’ve
also included two spas that are notable (The Broadmoor and Gold Lake), but are not
connected to skiing: see our story on The
Broadmoor and Gold Lake Mountain Resort.
The Lodge & Spa at Cordillera, P.O. Box 1110, 2205 Cordillera Way,
Edwards, 81632; 800-877-3529 or 970-926-2200; www.cordillera-vail.com.
Allegria at Park Hyatt, 100 E. Thomas Place, Beaver Creek, 81620;
970-748-7500; www.allegriaspa.com.
Spa Struck at The Charter, 120 Offerson Road, Beaver Creek, 81620;
800-976-2225; www.spastruck.com.
Bachelor Gulch Spa, Ritz-Carlton, 0130 Daybreak Ridge, Avon, 81620;
970-748-6200 or 970-343-1138; www.ritzcarlton.com.
Aria Spa & Club at Vail Cascade, 1300 Westhaven Drive, Vail, 81657;
970-479-7029 or 888-824-5772; www.vailcascade.com.
The Spa at Vail Mountain Lodge, 352 East Meadow Drive, Vail, 81657;
866-476-0700 or 970-476-7721; www.vailmountainlodge.com.
Sonnenalp Resort, 20 Vail Road, Vail, 81657; 970-479-5656 or 800-654-8312;
www.sonnenalp.com.
Swiss Hotel & Spa, 20 Vail Road, Vail, 81657; 800-526-0590; www.swisshotelandspa.com.
The Peaks Resort & Golden Door Spa, 136 Country Club Drive, Mountain
Village, P.O. Box 2702, Telluride Mountain Village, 81435; 800-789-2220 or
970-728-6800; www.thepeaksresort.com.
The Broadmoor Hotel and Resort, 1 Lake Avenue, Colorado Springs, 80906;
800-634-7711; www.broadmoor.com.
Gold Lake Mountain Resort & Spa, 3771 Gold Lake Road, Ward, 80481;
800-450-3544 or 303-359-3544; www.goldlake.com.
|
