I was invited this week to Canyon Ranch in the Berkshires by their Director of Sales, who I sought out in Las Vegas at Virtuoso Travel Week, because I have potential group business for them and needed to better understand the property. I was delighted how easy they make it to arrive and will send a driver to greet you at the Albany Amtrak station or at either Albany or Bradley International Airports, and they will drive you back at the end of your stay. For New Yorkers without cars, this is great! I feel recharged and reset after just two nights at this 126-room destination spa, so I am daydreaming about what a full week here would do.
While I knew Canyon Ranch would have excellent fitness and wellness programs, I was surprised by all the quality, quirky art throughout the entire property. They offer their own top-rate arts and culture program too and provide free transportation to nearby venues like Shakespeare & Company, Jacob’s Pillow, and Tanglewood, where the Boston Symphony Orchestra perform all summer. The resort can make a picnic dinner for you to enjoy as you listen to a concert and relax on the Tanglewood lawn!
If you can put down the cell phone to re-engage your mind, body and spirit, Canyon Ranch and destination spas like this can bring real change to your life. Canyon Ranch also utilizes the latest technologies like using DNA samples to customize nutrition advice and has licensed doctors and highly-qualified experts on staff to provide the best in wellness care. They group their health and healing programs into Medical, Life Management, Exercise Physiology, Nutrition and Complimentary Therapies. There are SO many offerings here, and a guest told me their doctors are terrific. Last but not least, they're a Virtuoso property, which means I can secure exclusive amenities for your stay.
Whether you have a milestone celebration, a need for a wellness program to spark lasting changes, or just want to come and explore the arts, history and natural beauty of the Berkshires, I recommend staying at Canyon Ranch and letting these super-kind and smart people look after you. I felt especially comfortable being here alone, so it's ideal if you need to get away - to find yourself again.
If you want to be more active on your next spa trip, below are some adventurous retreats full of fitness activities in spectacular surroundings. Spoiler alert: Canyon Ranch makes the list!
Article excerpt below by Becca Hensley originally appeared in August 2014 issue of Virtuoso Traveler.
Forget blood and tears; sweating never felt so good. Spas today dial into the value of well-earned endorphins and happily used muscles. Offering movement classes, organized games, training, and casual competition, they celebrate the human need for motion. Jump-start a lifestyle goal or discover a new side of yourself at these boot camp-style meccas.
1. Dolder Grand Spa
The Dolder Grand, Switzerland
In the chic hillside haven that is Zürich’s 173-room Dolder Grand hotel, one wing is devoted entirely to health. The enormous spa center – 43,000 square feet, to be precise – celebrates that sinewy physique the Swiss perfect so effortlessly. Here, a state-of-the-art gym, treatment salons, kotatsu foot baths, saunas, infinity pools, a boxing center, and a cadre of personal trainers await fitness-seeking guests. Three whirlpool tubs with views of Lake Zürich sit on the outdoor terrace – a reward for a day well played. Special boot-camp packages help motivate guests, as do splurge meals at the hotel’s two-Michelin-star The Restaurant, helmed by Heiko Nieder.
2. The Spa at Canyon Ranch
Canyon Ranch, Massachusetts
Check into Canyon Ranch in the Berkshires and prepare to be wowed by its extensive fitness activities and wellness programs. From canoeing to kangaroo-jumping classes to healthy cooking courses and weight-loss clinics, this 150-room all-inclusive, no-tipping getaway specializes in transforming lives. Medical check-ups, saunas, cycling studios, and group support are part of a five-day Jumpstart to a Healthier Life program.
3. Life in Balance Spa
Miraval Resort & Spa, Arizona
Tucson’s 117-room Miraval Resort challenges guests to reach for the stars with a bevy of self-discovery activities. Whether it’s tightrope walking 40 feet above desert sand or taking a cardio kickboxing class, the experiences prove the adage that you learn something new every day. Miraval’s Girls’ Getaway package provides a daily $150 resort credit per person, all meals, unlimited activities, full access to the fitness center and spa, and complimentary transfers from Tucson International Airport.
More Spa Retreats:
Contact me for a reinvigorating retreat surrounded by natural beauty!
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