Rhode Island Hotel Spas – Hotel Viking – Spa Terre
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Rhode Island Hotel Spas / RI Day Spas / Spas in Rhode Island
Newport: Not Just a Summer Place
This Rhode Island seaside gem has plenty of attractions for every season of the year.
Oh, to live like the Vanderbilts. Lured by the cool summer breezes of Newport, R.I., from the hustle and heat of New York, like so many of their ilk, the Vanderbilts set themselves up in a nice little spread called The Breakers that overlooks the Atlantic Ocean.
But the Vanderbilts and other members of New York’s high society always waited until at least July before venturing to Rhode Island. Today’s visitors to Newport no longer wait until warm weather arrives to enjoy its diversions.
Newport as a summer-only destination is a notion that went out with the Gilded Age itself. This seaside town bustles year-round with historical hotels and grand inns, distinctive spas and restaurants, mansion tours, outdoor recreation, wildlife areas, the International Tennis Hall of Fame and much more.
Relax and Unwind
Many of Newport’s fine hotels feature full-service spas, where guests can shake off winter’s chill and rejuvenate with services such as massages, facials, manicures, pedicures, body wraps, tanning and more.
Hotel Viking, which enjoys a prominent location at One Bellevue Avenue in the heart of Newport’s historic Hill District, is the home of SpaTerre. A full-service destination spa, the 3,678-square-foot SpaTerre features three massage rooms; a couple’s massage room, wet room with Vichy shower, facial room, manicure/pedicure room, and fitness center with cardio machines and weights.
SpaTerre specializes in Balinese treatments and Thai body rituals using the healing powers of flowers and spices. The Balinese Massage, the spa’s signature massage, comes in either a 50-minute or 80-minute session.
“The Balinese Massage is a combination of acupressure, rolling motions and rhythmic strokes,” said Deborah Garman, SpaTerre director. “Percussion and skin rolling are also used. You are given the choice of four different aromatherapy oils that increase the relaxation. It is really a light-pressure massage designed to promote deep relaxation and to promote circulation.
“The Balinese Massage is also known to calm the mind. It is also the massage that is part of our Royal Treatment, which is an Indonesian ritual that a bride in Bali receives every day for 30 days before her wedding. It includes the Balinese Massage, tumeric exfoliation, followed by a cool yogurt splash. This is followed by soaking in a tub prepared with rose petals and infused with tropical fragrances.”
Relaxation doesn’t have to be a solo experience at SpaTerre. The couple’s massage room is a romantic setting for any of the spa’s massage experiences or rituals. Even children can get in on the action with SpaTerre’s Prince and Princess Menu, which features a variety of massages, kid and teen facials, a Twinkle Toes pedicure and a mini-manicure. The Ultimate Princess or Prince for the Day package includes a neck, back and shoulder massage, facial, manicure and pedicure.
Other Newport hotels with spas include the Vanderbilt Hall Hotel, Hyatt Regency Newport Inn & Spa, and the Newport Marriott Hotel.
Finding Peace
Friends Kim Fuller and Rachel Balaban always dreamed of working together. When they finally made that dream a reality—in the form of a business called Wabi Sabi Woman—Fuller and Balaban looked to Newport and a beautiful Victorian inn to kick off their introductory open house and host their first Wabi Sabi Woman wellness retreat.
“Wabi Sabi is being at peace with yourself and your surroundings,” said Fuller.
To help women find this peace, Fuller and Balaban are preparing to present their first workshop retreat, which will teach the tools needed for peaceful living. A Japanese tea ceremony, workshop on the Chakras, meditations, a skin-care demonstration and fun wardrobe assessment will be included in the Feb. 8–10 retreat, which will be held at Newport’s La Farge Perry House.
A luxury inn with five guest rooms, The La Farge Perry House is named for painter and stained-glass artist John La Farge and his wife, Margaret Perry La Farge. The inn is located within walking distance to shopping, museums and the wharf, where sailing and restaurants can be found.
Innkeeper Midge Knerr maintains a casual yet intimate feeling amid the grand scale of the three-story inn. Guests are encouraged to sample the selection of fresh fruit and homemade pastries and cookies (Knerr is a former restaurant chef) and free to help themselves to drinks from the refrigerator.
The La Farge Perry House is the perfect setting for the Wabi Sabi Woman wellness retreats, which need a quiet, relaxing ambience. The inn’s wide halls and large common areas are a good fit for the weekend’s yoga/stretching classes and group sessions.
A Place to Snuggle
During the chilly winter months, a fire crackles in the fireplace in the sitting area just off the beautiful country kitchen. Armed with a cup of hot tea, cocoa or mulled cider, guests would be hard-pressed to find a cozier setting to spend a cold winter’s night.
Knerr has set up such a welcoming atmosphere, guests often return for three- or four-day stays during the middle of winter to find refuge from the harsh winds and bitter temperatures of the season.
“I have one businesswoman who comes down from New York and stays for three or four days,” said Knerr. “She hardly ever leaves the house. She’ll either stay in her room or curl up with a book by the fireplace. But this is her time to relax and unwind.”
As cozy as it may sound to stay warm inside the elegant La Farge Perry House, guests may find it just as relaxing to venture outside for a brisk walk. Participants of the Wabi Sabi wellness retreat will do just that—no matter what the weather—in keeping with the program’s philosophy that achieving peace can be found through nature and exercise.
A Place by the Sea
The La Farge Perry House is a sister property to a true gem among Newport hotels: The Chanler at Cliff Walk. Located just yards from the ocean, this AAA Four Diamond Award winner boasts 20 rooms, each decorated in a different historic theme.
A complimentary glass of wine at check-in lets guests know they will be staying in the lap of luxury. Canopied beds with exquisite Fili D’oro linens, antique fireplaces (in many of the rooms), and bathrooms of marble or granite outfitted with heated floors, multihead showers and Jacuzzi tubs let guests know comfort is The Chanler’s top priority. Complimentary turndown service and butler-drawn baths with tea lights and rose petals let guests know they will be well taken care of for the duration of their stay.
Though the Chanler is housed in a mansion just as beautiful as any on Bellevue Avenue, guests need not worry that modern amenities have been forgotten. Each room features a flat-screen, cable/satellite-equipped TV; CD player; DVD player (the hotel offers a free DVD library); and complimentary cable and wireless Internet access. The Chanler’s elegant Spiced Pear restaurant offers fine dining with spectacular ocean views.
Yet despite these wonderful, over-the-top amenities, perhaps The Chanler’s greatest asset is its stunning position alongside the ocean at the beginning of Newport’s famous Cliff Walk.
An Ocean View
No matter the time of year, hearing the waves of the Atlantic Ocean crash against the rocky shore is an exhilarating sound. For those strolling along Cliff Walk, the only thing interrupting that sound is an occasional “hello” from fellow walkers.
Cliff Walk, a National Recreation Trail, winds along Newport’s eastern shore through the backyards of the town’s famed mansions. It begins at Memorial Boulevard near Easton’s Beach, or First Beach as the locals call it, and ends three-and-a-half miles later at Ledge Road near Bellevue Avenue.
Along the level path, walkers can drink in the magnificent ocean view on one side, then stare in amazement at the incredible works of architecture on the other. At 40 Steps, a staircase leads about two-thirds of the way down the cliff to a viewing ledge—a popular spot to watch surfers ride the waves even in January.
Farther south of the 40 Steps are the beautiful grounds of Salve Regina University, which encompasses four oceanfront mansions along Cliff Walk. Next door to the university is The Breakers, the home of Cornelius Vanderbilt and largest of the Newport mansions. One of the most intriguing sites along Cliff Walk is the Chinese Tea House, which sits on the grounds of Marble House, another mansion built by another Vanderbilt (William K.). The teahouse’s distinctive roofline can be easily seen from the walk.
For those who want their nature a little more on the wild side, Newport delivers on that front, too.
Norman Bird Sanctuary
Encompassing more than 300 acres of forests, ponds, streams, salt marsh and beach, the Norman Bird Sanctuary—established in 1949 by Mabel Norman Cerio for the preservation and protection of birds—hosts year-round environmental educational programs, including camps, walks and meditation classes.
One of the best ways to enjoy the sanctuary is to set off on foot on one of 10 marked trails, which are open daily year-round. The aptly named, mile-long Hanging Rock Trail leads to a picturesque rock formation that bears an uncanny resemblance to Pride Rock from the Disney film The Lion King.
Along the way, hikers will notice a form of rock called puddingstone or Purgatory Conglomerate. Created thousands of years ago during the last Ice Age, this rocky substance makes for a difficult walk, but the views from Hanging Rock are worth the effort.
From the top of the ridge are stunning views of the ocean, Gardner Pond, Sakonnet River and the grounds of St. Georges School. On the way back, hikers may choose an alternate path, which will take them through a more forested area of the sanctuary and under a canopy of mature oak, hickory, cedar and maple trees.
Tennis, Anyone?
Another Newport attraction that can be enjoyed any time of the year is the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Housed in the historical Newport Casino, the hall was founded in 1954 by James Van Allen as the National Lawn Tennis Hall of Fame. It was renamed in 1986 and was recognized by the International Tennis Federation as the official hall of fame.
The museum is a veritable walk through history and not just for tennis fans. Those interested in architecture will note the building’s designer—famed architect Sanford White. The displays, which take visitors through each era of tennis from the 12th century to the present, are located in the former club rooms of the casino. (The Newport Casino was never a place for gambling. Casino comes from the Italian word for little summer house.)
Eighteen galleries covering 20,000 square feet feature interactive displays, videos, photographs, various memorabilia and trophies. Among the more interesting items are the players’ outfits, especially the ones in the Ted Tinling display. His racy outfits, which included lace panties, actually got him banned from Wimbledon for a time.
Outside are the last 13 grass courts in North America. Tournaments are held on the courts, which are also open to the public.
The hall of fame recently announced its 2008 members: Michael Chang, Mark McCormack (posthumously) and Eugene Scott (posthumously).
Ready, and Action
The rich and powerful of the Gilded Age weren’t the only ones to see Newport’s assets. Hollywood has had its eye on the ocean-side town for decades, and the ocean-front mansions provide the kind of glamour that belongs on the big screen.
Modeled after the Trianon in Versailles, France, Rosecliff was built by Hermann Oelrichs and his wife, Theresa, for the purpose of entertaining on a grand scale. The Rosecliff ballroom—the largest in Newport at 40 feet by 80 feet—served the Oelrichses well and, in turn, served future movie directors well, too.
The mansion was the setting for two popular movies in the 1970s—The Great Gatsby, starring Robert Redford and Mia Farrow, and The Betsy, starring Laurence Olivier and Katherine Ross.
When Hollywood returned in 1994, the ballroom landed a starring role. Arnold Schwarzenegger twirled his way across the dance floor under the ballroom’s trompe-l’oeil-painted ceiling in True Lies. Three years later, Stephen Spielberg brought his slave rebellion epic, Amistad, to the great halls of Rosecliff.
Marble House is another mansion that has seen its share of cameras and film crews. As its name suggests, the mansion was built from 500,000 cubic feet of white marble and is considered one of the greatest neo-classical homes in the U.S. The former home of original owners William K. and Alva Vanderbilt was most recently one of the locations for this year’s Katherine Heigl hit, 27 Dresses.
Another recent movie, 2007’s Dan in Real Life, starring Steve Carell, filmed scenes at Newport’s Easton Beach and along scenic Ocean Drive and included shots of the Newport Bridge. The movie also included extras from the Newport area.
Filming is set to begin this year in the Newport area on The Clique, a movie based on a series of novels by Lisi Harrison.
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