Update 11-26-03: Since the time of my visit,
the Tower Spa has outfitted every one of their 15 treatments rooms for
dual services, and each of their 60+ treatments can be enjoyed by two
people at the same time.
For
over 30 summers, I have driven through Whitefield, New Hampshire on
my way to Rangeley Lake in Maine. We often stopped on our journey at
Franconia Notch State Park, home of The Flume, The Basin and the now-collapsed
Old Man In The Mountain, the Village Bookstore in Littleton and when
our children were young, Santa's Village in Jefferson. Not much more
than a crossroads with a gas station, a couple of shops, a village common
and a few charming houses that are so typical of New England, Whitefield
never tempted us to stop. We never knew that hidden from view, just
over a ridge, on nearly 400 acres of wilderness and backed by almost
2500 acres of White Mountain National Forest, was one of New England's
old grand hotels.
An
exclusive summer retreat since 1865 for presidents and Hollywood stars,
it fell into disrepair over the years and eventually closed in 1986.
The Mountain View House was purchased in 1998 by Kevin Craffey, an entrepreneur
who invested $20 million in an historic restoration to re-create the
splendor of earlier times. The renovation saw 937 windows removed, 5,622
panes re-glazed, 78 miles of 135 year-oldexterior cedar siding restored
and painted, 38 miles of old mechanical
piping replaced and 2,520,000 square-feet of wallpaper removed. The
renewed Mountain
View Grand Resort & Spa opened its doors again in May 2002.
The Colonial Revival style resort now offers 145 guest rooms (larger
and more comfortable than the original 200), each with mountain views
- to the east is the Presidential Range, to the south are Lafayette
and Cannon Mountains, to the west are Vermont's Green Mountains, and
to the north is the Kilkenny Range. Additionally, the resort offers
a golf
course, conference
center, equestrian
center, tennis
courts, outdoor
pool and hot
tub, indoor
pool and whirlpool,
steam room,
fitness center
and a modern spa.
The
15-treatment-room Tower Spa is located on the fourth floor of the hotel.
It currently has a wet
room with Vichy
Shower, a Chromatub room, four couples treatment rooms (some with
a fireplace and one in the tower), multi-purpose treatment rooms and
The Salon with manicure,
pedicure,
and hair stations.
As large as the spa is, the entire fourth floor has been set aside for
its current configuration and room to grow (which is currently being
considered). The spa's most unusual feature is the 80-foot-high observation
tower
that sits over the hotel's main entrance and contains a couple's treatment
room and a Japanese-style Ofuro tub (more about this later!).
On
my drive to Maine this year, I stopped for a couple of days at the Mountain
View Grand. It was June, and the lilacs, New Hampshire's state flower,
were in bloom. The weather was pleasant, and the mountains still soggy
from the Spring rains. My spacious room was located on the second floor
and had a fabulous view. Amenities included a fluffy robe,
TV, window air conditioner, ceiling fan and bath
amenities. Nighttime turndown included a little stress-relief aromatherapy
packet to help me get to sleep (in case the fresh mountain air wasn't
enough!).
I
took the opportunity to visit The
Tower Spa on each day of my stay. On the first day, I climbed stairs
to the fourth floor and checked in at the reception desk. The area,
like the rest of the spa, was bright and cheery - pale
yellow walls and blond wood floors. The spa is tucked under the
rafters adding to the safe, comfy atmosphere and giving the treatment
rooms unique shapes with sloping ceilings and gable windows offering
panoramic views.
I
was escorted
to the Women's Lounge, put my clothes in a locker
and donned a robe and slippers. I tried the sauna,
helped myself to tea
and relaxed until I was collected for my first treatment - a soak in
the Japanese-style Ofuro hot tub at the top of The Tower. At the appointed
time, I was escorted out of the lounge. We climbed one set of stairs
and arrived in a room with two massage tables used for couples treatments
in conjunction with the Ofuro tub. We climbed another set of stairs
and emerged on the top floor of The Tower. Sitting in the middle of
the space was a cedar Ofuro tub with high walls, aromatic from the essential
oils added to it. The 360 degree view spanned tens of thousands of unspoiled
acres and 57 mountain peaks. The space was protected from the breeze
with sheets of plexiglass. I was left to disrobe and enter the tub on
my own.
I
climbed in the tub and enjoyed the whirlpool. I could not settle in
any one spot, though. I constantly slid around the tub's circular bench
admiring the views. This would be a fantastic place to be to enjoy the
Fall foliage, or a sunrise, or sunset. It would be even more fantastic
to share it with my husband. What a romantic spot! After
about 20 minutes, a voice on the intercom let me know that it was time
to get out, dry off and meet my therapist at the bottom of the stairs.
Pepper escorted me to a cozy treatment room for my Majestic Mountain
View Body Wrap, the Tower Spa's signature treatment featuring New Hampshire's
state flower, the lilac.
It
began with a dry exfoliation with rough, exfoliating gloves. It was
followed by a spray of lilac to calm the senses. Lilac body lotion was
then massaged into my skin and my body wrapped to give the skin a chance
to absorb the lotion. While wrapped, Pepper gave me a scalp, face, neck
and shoulder massage. Very relaxing! When the treatment was over, I
returned to the lounge with smooth, soft skin and got ready for dinner
at Juliet's
Restaurant where I enjoyed a delicious spa cuisine dinner. I borrowed
a book from the Eisenhower Library that evening and read myself to sleep.
The library was named after President Eisenhower - a frequent guest.
The
next morning, I visited the breakfast
buffet at Juliet's Restaurant, walked around the property and returned
to the sunroom for a yoga class with Dawn Berg - a great way to start
the day. I took another walk, and then it was time for me to head for
the the equestrian center for a trail ride. The afternoon was
again spent in the spa. This time I started with a Chroma Bath in the
Chromatub, the only tub of its kind in the United States.
I
was led to the hydro tub room, showed how to start the program and left
to climb into the tub by myself. I got in the water which had been scented
with essential oils, started the program and reclined in the tub. The
252 air/water massage jets massaged the bottoms of my feet, moved up
my legs, paused at the hips and got my back and shoulders, then repeated
the pattern. While the water was soothing my body, submerged colored
lights were changing the color of the water - blue, green, pink, white
- to help realign the body's chakras. As the tub stimulated my senses
of smell, sight and touch, my sense of hearing was being addressed by
the tub's surround-sound speakers playing relaxing music.
A
soft knock on the door let me know that it was time for my next treatment.
I carefully climbed out of the Chomatub, dried off, put my robe on and
joined Nicholette, my therapist, outside the room. She escorted me across
the hall to the wet treatment room for my Balinese Boreh Massage. I
started on the wet table. My body was exfoliated with a mixture richly
scented with ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg which was rinsed off under
the Vichy shower. I then moved to a massage table where a soothing cream
was rubbed into my skin. This treatment is said to be good for blood
circulation and bringing warmth to the entire body. It certainly leaves
the skin silky smooth!
The Tower Spa offers
over 50 services include massage (Swedish, aromatherapy, Indian, deep
tissue, four hand, stone, craniosacral, Balinese Boreh, Champaca Bali,
Swiss Cascade, Egyptian, in-room, upper basic, reflexology), facials
(custom European, gentleman's, deep pore cleansing, "C" &
"Sea," rosacea and sensitive skin, seaweed, back, eye treatment),
body wraps, hydrotherapy (Vichy shower, Japanese-style Ofuro tub, 252-jet
Chromotub) manicures, pedicures, hair removal, make-up services and
salon services (all hair services begin with a stress relieving neck
and scalp massage).
The
Tower Spa is particularly well-equipped to handle treatments for two
- friends, couples, mothers and daughters - since it has a number of
couples treatment rooms (some with fireplaces and one in the tower).
In fact, the spas offers a number of spa packages for two:
The Best Friends
Package
A chance to relax together while sharing the moments and memories
that made you friends in the first place. A 50-minute massage each,
plus either a European facial or a Deluxe manicure and pedicure followed
by a delicious Spa Cuisine lunch.
Romantic Getaway
The deluxe two-night package begins with a bottle of premium champagne
for couples to sip while sharing a luxuriating soak in the Japanese-style
Ofuro tub. The bath is followed by sensuous side-by-side aromatherapy
massages and the afternoon finishes with champagne and canapés in
the intimacy of a private lounge, complete with a blazing fireplace.
Includes accommodations for two nights which includes a special nightly
turndown service with massage oils and breakfast each morning.
A casual meal in Nicky Finn's is available on check-in night and the
following evening, a romantic dinner for two is offered in Juliet's.
Wedding
events at the Mountain View Grand are very popular, and complete wedding
packages are available. The resort offers a number of of unique on-site
locations perfect for a wedding ceremony including a folly
chapel and in front of an antique five-tiered water fountain with
a backdrop of mountain views. To complement the weddings held at the
resort, the spa offers special wedding packages:
The Mother and
Daughter Package
Perfect for a bride-to-be and her mom, a Mother’s Day treat or
anytime mothers and daughters want share some relaxation and bonding.
The package consists of two side-by-side aromatherapy massages, plus
two facials or two deluxe pedicure/ manicure, followed by a Spa Cuisine
lunch for two in Juliet’s.
The Wedding Day
Bridal Package
All the attention a bride deserves to be perfectly prepared on
her special day. An aromatherapy body polish for glowing skin, a lovely
French manicure and a beautiful Updo with veil placement and wedding
day make-up. This package can be broken up in two days.
The Bridal Party
Package (For 4 people)
With all the hectic activity leading up to the wedding day, this is
a perfect way for a bride to thank her wedding party and to share
some relaxing time together. Aromatherapy body polish treatments followed
by French manicures and a shared Spa Cuisine lunch. Additional wedding
party members can be included for an additional charge.
The Tower
Spa also has a teen program to help young people establish early healthy
lifestyle habits. With a few basic cleansing and nutritional pointers,
young people can learn to manage outbreaks and blemishes while integrating
skin care habits that will benefit them throughout their lives. This
informative full day package includes:
-
A
Teen Facial with deep pore cleansing and a skin care lesson
focusing on cleansing, exfoliating, toning and moisturizing plus
the importance of incorporating sunscreen into daily regiment.
-
A
Deluxe Nail Grooming Treatment with nail care instruction
customized to target both young men and women. This includes a
foot aromatherapy bath, reflexotherapy massage, nail trimming
and foot mask, a treatment of the hands and nails, a hand massage
and special nail nurturing lotion application.
-
Either
a 30-minute Nutritional Consultation or a 30-minute Make-up
Lesson.
-
A
healthy Spa Lunch to help teens learn to incorporate healthy
food intot he usual adolescent diet of soft drinks, pizza, burgers
and fries.
Other
children can have fun at the Northern Lights Children's Center while
mom and dad are at the spa or enjoying a game of golf, riding horses,
hiking or skiing.
Activities
(other than the spa) include cross-country skiing, snow shoeing, snowmobiling,
downhill skiing at Cannon Mountain and Bretton Woods in the winter and
badminton, croquet, bocce ball, horseshoes,
tennis,
shuffleboard,
swimming in the outdoor
pool, relaxing in the outdoor whirlpool, golf nature trails
for hiking, biking and horseback ridingand fishing, canoeing and boating
in nearby rivers and lakes for warmer months. An indoor pool, whirlpool,
fitness
center, library and indoor gamesare available year-round.