Why be sleepless in Seattle when you can be spa-ing instead? Just 30 minutes outside of Seattle's city centre, the Salish Lodge & Spa offers a great way to experience the natural beauty so abundant in the Pacific Northwest in comfort and style.
The magnificent Snoqualmie Falls, next to Salish Lodge & Spa
With a strong "locovore" influence, most of the spa menu items draw on ingredients indigenous to the region, such as huckleberries, honey and native herbs. Organic and natural are overriding themes, but are always incorporated with sophistication and skill.
The majestic Snoqualmie waterfalls outside find a reflection in an interior waterfall in the multi-level hot baths in the spa. Wet and dry saunas and a welcoming spa lounge add to the overall spa experience. Plush, comfortable chairs, soft lighting and an earth-toned colour palette encourage a relaxing and soothing environment.
I particularly appreciated the bowl of reading glasses provided next to the excellent magazine selection in the spa lounge. Perfect for reading in front of the cosy fireplace before or after treatments.
My “Honey from Heaven for the hands and feet” treatment (50 minutes, $115, which is around £74) incorporated honey from the Lodge's own honeybees.
The Asian-inspired room with wood-panelling and rice-paper doors set a tranquil tone. My therapist began by soaking my feet in warm water in a beautiful wooden bowl. One by one, she drizzled each foot with heated honey and massaged them. The perfect amount of deep pressure, combined with the sensual feel of warm honey, made this an unforgettable start to a unique treatment. The treatment continued on a comfortable massage table, where a warm lavender eye bag and a heated stomach wrap deepened my heavenly experience. Neroli-scented hot towels, a honey and oatmeal scrub, and a paraffin wrap were the icing on the cake. I exited the treatment room on a cloud of bliss.
The "Spa Club" gift bag containing the Lodge's home-made honey scrub, bath salts and cream allowed me to take home my wonderful Salish Spa experience, bringing back memories of honey heaven every time I took a shower...
How friendly and helpful the spa staff were. We also enjoyed the natural beauty of this historic location (the Lodge has been in operation since 1916 and in the 1990s the popular television show Twin Peaks was filmed there). With the awe-inspiring Snoqualmie Falls running right alongside the Lodge, it's hard to beat the incredible views.
The Lodge's restaurant is a foodie destination with a creative and delicious locovore menu and breathtaking views of the waterfall. "Culinary Destination" packages are available where you can choose from experiences such as mushroom foraging in the Cascade Foothills or multi-course feasts with a top Washington winemaker. A spa menu is available to order from whilst you enjoy the treatments and facilities at the spa.
Honeymooners, couples looking for a romantic retreat, vacationers and foodies would all love this destination.
We visited Salish Lodge and Spa in April 2012 www.salishlodge.com
Student Spy
10th April 2014
Spy Likes:
Good food; friendly therapists; decent music to listen to during a treatment; therapists who understand that exams make you feel really stressed.
Spy Dislikes:
Robes that are too big for people who are only five foot tall; swimming pools with no room to swim; too much healthy food.
