Spa Road Trip: Where to Spa in Upstate New York

In 1993, the Oneida Indian Nation opened Turning Stone Resort Casino in Central New York’s Verona, between Utica and Syracuse. In 2004, the four-season establishment tried its luck with the debut of The Lodge—to amazingly successful results. The Lodge, now an AAA Four Diamond hotel, is a win-win, courtesy of its all-suite accommodations and its Skaná Spa; Skana, the Oneida word for peace, complements The Lodge’s Adirondack Great Camp esthetic and restores with rituals—including the Sage & White Pine Hot Towel Massage (50/80 mins; $115/$160)—that fuse nature, modernism, and Oneida healing principles.

Learn more about Skaná Spa at Turning Stone.

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Local artist Kumi Korf designed August Moon Spa with an Asian esthetic in mind. Seven Asian-themed treatment rooms (each boasts a whirlpool tub) are founded on the five elements of nature, and interiors feature meticulous details such as woven grass walls, Japanese prints, and ceramic tea pots. Spa-goers have their pick among unique services like the Sake Soak (25 mins; $35) and the Cayuga Cabernet Scrub (50 mins; $115), which uses regional grape seeds. If you’re a workout aficionado, try the valley-view exercise room—or pay a visit to the resort’s adventure center concierge for ideas.

Learn more about August Moon Spa at La Tourelle Resort.

Images courtesy of August Moon Spa at La Tourelle Resort

Buttermilk Falls Inn & Spa takes a no-fuss approach—this B&B-esque, country-style inn in the Hudson River Valley, a little over one hour outside of Manhattan, is full of charm.  The airy, 3,000-square-foot spa captures Hudson River views and adopts an eco-friendly feel, using geo-thermal and solar panels to heat the facility’s sauna, steam room, and mineral-based current pool (the inn’s farm-to-table restaurant, organic working farm, and flowering sculpture gardens should also be mentioned).

Learn more about Buttermilk Falls Spa.

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Not keen on being in the car for too long? Copperhood Spa Retreat may be a good choice; nestled in the Catskills Mountains, on 40 woodland acres overlooking Garfield Mountain and the Esopus Creek, it’s just a two-hour drive from New York City. The 14,000-square-foot spa is inspired by European spa tradition and calls upon the luxury of ancient Roman baths (interiors come complete with Travetine marble floors, no less). Indulge in the 60-foot indoor pool, or try one of the treatments taken in the hydrotherapy suite, equipped with a Vichy shower, Scotch hose, and tub.

Learn more about Copperhood Spa Retreat.

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Traveling to Phoenicia? (Budget Travel once voted it “one of the top 10 coolest small towns in America”—it’s under three hours from the city and 25 minutes from Woodstock.) Here resides Mahasukha Spa at Menla, a mountain retreat situated in a 320-acre natural forest preserve in the Catskills. Pure mind-body rejuvenation is the goal at Mahasuhka, which means “great bliss,” comprising a myriad of components to help you heal along the journey, including: a vegetarian menu, a Tibetan-inspired spa, an in-house Tibetan doctor, and menu of treatments combining Ayurvedic, Tibetan, and western techniques.  

Learn more about Mahasukha Spa at Menla.

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Long known as an ideal place for a romantic rendezvous/getaway, with its idyllic Monet-painting-meets-French-country ambience filled with gardens, lily ponds, and guest suites with cozy fireplaces and claw-foot soaking tubs, Mirbeau Inn & Spa is a Forbes Four Star and AAA Four Diamond winner, as well as a Spafinder Wellness 365™ 2013 Readers’ Choice Award winner for “best for romance.” Its spa executes an identical romantic feel, casting a starry-eyed tone with fireplaces in treatment rooms, an aqua terrace with Jacuzzi, and spa resting area with heated foot pool.

Learn more about Mirbeau Inn & Spa.

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Brimming with Old World charm, the award-winning, Victorian castle-like Mohonk Mountain House resides in the Hudson Valley, 90 miles from NYC’s constant activity. Not only do its 40,000-acre surroundings inspire, but its spa treatments do as well: Rituals such as the Signature Elements of Nature—Mohonk Red Massage (80 mins;  $185), honoring the Mohonk red witch  hazel grown on site, and the Solutions for Modern Living series coincide with calming amenities, including a solarium with stone fireplace and outdoor heated mineral pool.

Learn more about The Spa at Mohonk Mountain House.

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There’s a lot to be impressed about when it comes to the Gideon Putnam Resort: A.) it’s set in a historic Georgian-Revival-style mansion in the 2,300-acre Saratoga Spa State Park, a national historic landmark district; B.) it’s been said the resort helped popularize the practice of “taking the waters”; and C.) the eco-friendly Roosevelt Baths & Spa has 43 treatment rooms with bathtubs so you can experience the resort’s signature effervescent mineral baths (mixed with hot fresh water), heated at 97° F.

Image courtesy of Gideon Putnam Resort            

You’ll feel nothing but inspired at Mirror Lake Inn Resort & Spa, set in the Olympic village of Lake Placid, with the Adirondack Mountains looming in the distance. Originally built in 1883 as a private residence, the inn maintains its Old World vibe (interiors include a stone fireplace and antique stained-glass windows) with updated amenities like the spa. Relaxation “sanctuaries” include inviting fireplaces, whirlpools, and steam rooms, perfect for unwinding after a sporty day outdoors.

Learn more about Mirror Lake Inn Resort & Spa.

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Another Lake Placid property, the rustic-chic Whiteface Lodge in the Adirondack Mountains, a short drive from Whiteface Mountain, conveys the story of the area’s Great Camps and its heritage as a former Winter Olympics host. Some of the timber to build the resort was milled on site, and its spa pays homage to the great outdoors (the Hiker’s Retreat [50/80 mins; $155/$180], the Outdoorsman Facial [50 mins/$140], and the Great Outdoors Facial [50 mins/$140] are among the treatments available).

Learn more about The Spa at The Whiteface Lodge.

Image courtesy of Whiteface Lodge