Do you also like spas? I want to know about all the spas.
March 8, 2017 8:38 AM Subscribe
I want nothing more than a schvitz and a soak and then to lay around in a bathrobe on a chaise drinking herbal tea (perhaps followed by more sauna and soaking). Pittsburgh, for all of its many fine qualities, utterly lacks any such opportunities (as far as I know). Until I can make it to Therme Vals, where should I point my vehicle to get such an experience, preferably for less than one meeellion dollars.
I already know about the Bedford Springs resort and have been several times. My lord, it is expensive. I go because I love the Bedford Baths and I looooove the spa lounge with the comfy chaises and fluffy blankets and fireplace and big window looking out on the garden. If I could get that somewhere else without the $200/night hotel room and $30/plate restaurants, and the $150 massage, this is something I need to know about.
I'm looking for recommendations for spas in the eastish and northish area of the US (and Canada I guess, though that's kind of a haul)--they do not need to also have hotels attached, they do not even need to include a huge menu of services (I like a massage but eh, I can get one of those at home). They do need to have top notch wet areas and saunas and they also need to be encouraging of people staying as long as they want. My ideal day is sauna -> cold plunge -> warm soak -> loll around on a chaise like a beached whale -> repeat, in beautiful, well-maintained, quiet surroundings.
Where does one go for such an experience (keeping in mind that my home base is Southwestern PA, which has limited rail and air connections to anywhere else)?
I already know about the Bedford Springs resort and have been several times. My lord, it is expensive. I go because I love the Bedford Baths and I looooove the spa lounge with the comfy chaises and fluffy blankets and fireplace and big window looking out on the garden. If I could get that somewhere else without the $200/night hotel room and $30/plate restaurants, and the $150 massage, this is something I need to know about.
I'm looking for recommendations for spas in the eastish and northish area of the US (and Canada I guess, though that's kind of a haul)--they do not need to also have hotels attached, they do not even need to include a huge menu of services (I like a massage but eh, I can get one of those at home). They do need to have top notch wet areas and saunas and they also need to be encouraging of people staying as long as they want. My ideal day is sauna -> cold plunge -> warm soak -> loll around on a chaise like a beached whale -> repeat, in beautiful, well-maintained, quiet surroundings.
Where does one go for such an experience (keeping in mind that my home base is Southwestern PA, which has limited rail and air connections to anywhere else)?
I can't vouch personally, but Berkeley Springs WV is on my to-do list. It's three hours from Pittsburgh. Because yes, to my knowledge we're pretty lacking (so I'm also commenting to follow along...)
posted by librarianamy at 9:40 AM on March 8, 2017
posted by librarianamy at 9:40 AM on March 8, 2017
NYC: Russian Turkish Baths
Northern NJ: BRC Day Spa
I know a lot more Korean day spas, and they're nice, too, but they don't schvitz in the same way.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 9:46 AM on March 8, 2017
Northern NJ: BRC Day Spa
I know a lot more Korean day spas, and they're nice, too, but they don't schvitz in the same way.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 9:46 AM on March 8, 2017
A few Korean spas (like I said, they aren't set up specifically for the cold water/hot sauna schvitz, but they still have hot and cold areas and are very nice):
SoJo Spa Club (new, looking forward to visiting)
Spa Castle
King SPA & Fitness
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 9:52 AM on March 8, 2017
SoJo Spa Club (new, looking forward to visiting)
Spa Castle
King SPA & Fitness
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 9:52 AM on March 8, 2017
This may be tangential to your question, but I'd probably be remiss if I didn't suggest you go up the, uh, highway and bathe in chocolate at Hershey, PA.
posted by Huffy Puffy at 10:08 AM on March 8, 2017
posted by Huffy Puffy at 10:08 AM on March 8, 2017
Do they have Float spas or centers near you? Like this?
posted by jbenben at 10:26 AM on March 8, 2017
posted by jbenben at 10:26 AM on March 8, 2017
I haven't yet been (but am planning to go soon), but there's a proper banya in Mississauga, Ont. Same dealio as the Russian Turkish Baths (which I lubs), only not New York.
posted by Capt. Renault at 11:00 AM on March 8, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Capt. Renault at 11:00 AM on March 8, 2017 [1 favorite]
Spa Castle, aforelinked, is the most relaxing place on earth.
posted by Smearcase at 11:46 AM on March 8, 2017
posted by Smearcase at 11:46 AM on March 8, 2017
In NYC, Aire Ancient Baths is legit amazing, tho instead of a lovely view, it has fancy marble floors and jillions of atmospheric candles in an underground area. If you don't get a massage, it's about $80 to spend two hours padding from heated pool to really hot heated pool to bubble pool to salt-water pool.
posted by joyceanmachine at 11:54 AM on March 8, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by joyceanmachine at 11:54 AM on March 8, 2017 [2 favorites]
Montreal! Both Bota Bota and Spa Nordique have what you want.
Spa Nordique has free Herbal tea and cucumber water, as well as loungers in which to sit around in a robe (complimentary!) and sip the aforementioned tea.
And Montreal is a ton of fun.
posted by csmithrim at 1:33 PM on March 8, 2017
Spa Nordique has free Herbal tea and cucumber water, as well as loungers in which to sit around in a robe (complimentary!) and sip the aforementioned tea.
And Montreal is a ton of fun.
posted by csmithrim at 1:33 PM on March 8, 2017
Interestingly the spa at the MGM casino in Detroit is all these things.
posted by dpx.mfx at 2:02 PM on March 8, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by dpx.mfx at 2:02 PM on March 8, 2017 [1 favorite]
The Olympus Women's Spa in Lynwood, WA is about the best place on earth. It's a Korean style bathhouse with multiple hot pools, steam room, sauna, a bunch of other heated rooms, lounge space, cafe, and services galore.
It's in a strip mall and looks like nothing special from the outside, but is ahhhh-mazing.
Washington State is very pretty in July & August.
posted by brookeb at 3:03 PM on March 8, 2017 [2 favorites]
It's in a strip mall and looks like nothing special from the outside, but is ahhhh-mazing.
Washington State is very pretty in July & August.
posted by brookeb at 3:03 PM on March 8, 2017 [2 favorites]
You should do on your next trip to Europe do a visit to Budapest.
posted by yoyo_nyc at 3:30 PM on March 8, 2017
posted by yoyo_nyc at 3:30 PM on March 8, 2017
I quite enjoyed the spa in Las Vegas at The Bellagio. It's an expensive hotel but Vegas has plenty of cheaper accommodation and you don't need to be a guest to buy a day pass to the spa.
posted by serelliya at 5:12 PM on March 9, 2017
posted by serelliya at 5:12 PM on March 9, 2017
Fellow Pittsburgher, I share your pain. Hop a plane to NYC and get thee to Juvenex.
posted by ReginaHart at 5:58 PM on March 10, 2017
posted by ReginaHart at 5:58 PM on March 10, 2017
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by kevinbelt at 8:49 AM on March 8, 2017 [1 favorite]