Mohonk Mountain House

The Spa at Mohonk Mountain House is carved into a natural glacier-formed stone bluff overlooking Lake Mohonk. More than 600 tons of quartz conglomerate stone excavated from the site was recycled into stone walls, fireplaces, and retaining walls featured throughout the spa's interior and exterior. In order to create a feeling of "outside from within," Saratoga Associates (the architectural firm that designed the new spa) incorporated more than 200 windows and local timber beams and cedar shingles are used throughout the 30,000-square-foot spa. Two 80-foot-long glass-enclosed verandas connecting to a solarium with a stone fireplace provide views of the lake. Other features include an indoor pool, an outdoor heated mineral pool, and 16 treatment rooms. The men's locker room has a TV lounge, while the women's features a tea bar. A 2,000-square-foot "green roof" terrace, located off the fitness level, is planted with native flora and fauna; it provides a natural insulation for the building below (cutting down on energy needed to heat and cool). The environment also plays a strong role in the spa menu, which is made up of treatments using indigenous ingredients. The Signature Elements of Nature: "Mohonk Red" Massage begins with a relaxation breathing technique, followed by a massage with the spa's signature body and bath oil and "Mohonk Red" witch hazel. Acupressure, Swedish, and Hawaiian lomi lomi massage, and traditional Thai stretches are used. The treatment ends with a guided power nap and a face spritz, and spa-goers receive a complimentary flacon of the spa's signature oil to take home. The spa's fitness center has a motion room for Pilates, yoga, qi gong, and other offerings. (When the weather is mild, classes may also take place on the green roof.)