SIERRAVILLE SIGHS
Oh, the lengths we will go to when relaxation is required.
Three and a half hours from San Francisco, up I 80 toward
Tahoe take a left at Truckee and drive for another 30 miles
on a curvy mountain road until you finally pull into Sierraville
Hot Springs Retreat Center with a sigh. This is a sister facility
to the better-known Harbin Hot Springs near Calistoga. The
two centers have similar offerings of a variety of healing waters,
health services and assorted accommodations. But comparing the
two doesn’t do either justice. Not a scene, no schmooze. There is
nothing like the intimate woodsy warmth of Sierraville Hot Springs.
You arrive at the main lodge with a sense of traveling back in time.
The rustic building with two story columns greets you with its wide
stairs to the grand deck entry, and once inside the lodge living
room welcomes with couches and cozy corners to cuddle into.
A full-service kitchen, TV room, yoga space and vegan restaurant
share the space. You can book a private or shared room here, stay
at the adjacent Globe Hostel, RV site or tent camping in the meadows
or forest hide-out. Prices range from $22 for camping to $77 per
person for a private room on the weekend. Because they are a clothing
optional facility they are required to operate as a semi-private
resort with nominal membership fee, $5 for the month, $20 a
year or $200 for a lifetime.
Nature or nurture, both have their advantages. Wake to the grand
mountain meadows out your tent flap, or pull your blanket to your
chin in your simple sweet hotel room. Either way, once you’ve settled
into your chosen zone it’s time to be tempted to the water’s edge. Up
the path, a copper covered geodesic dome sits over the central108
degree hot pool with sensual sand bottom. Hot enough to make
your skin sing, try to last a moment longer and then brave the
chilling cold dip. Fifty-degree water splashes from conch shells
into two blue tiled tubs. Just beyond is the Temple Dome warm
pool; a swimming pool-sized outdoor soak surrounded by sun
deck and vast valley views. Here they offer their unique water yoga
classes. Slower and often safer than land yoga, water yoga benefits
from the buoyancy of water to assist your fluid movement supported
by floating pool noodles. The newly completed dry sauna tucks into
the far corner. You can easily spend your time rotating around this
triangle of hot and cold, sun and steam and soak. But there is more.
The Phoenix spa center houses the treatment room’s individually
filled baths, and a full menu of massage, facial and body therapies.
Indulge in the Ultimate Spa Treatment with a personally blended
essential oil body scrub, followed by an aromatherapy body wrap,
full facial treatment, finished with a flower essence scalp treatment
with massage interspersed throughout the two and half hour long
luxury. Or create your own invigorating experience from their list
of spa add-ons. Reservations are recommended.
Finally to fully dissolve into the healing process you must experience
the floating massage modality called WATSU. Developed at their sister
site, Harbin, this system is described as having effortless deep tissue
impact. Practitioners have adapted Zen Shiatsu technique in warm
waters to release the muscle tension and allow greater access the
to the healing impact in the slow swirling style.
You can now say you have fully realized your relaxation. But you
can’t go yet. Not until you’ve discovered the real hidden gem of this
property. Walk the road past the lodge through the camping meadow
until you find the most charming waters of all. The Meditation Pool lies
out in the open air, surrounded by medicinal plants, in an unsculpted
garden. Young Aspen trees rustle in the fresh air next to the outdoor
shower, alongside the little deck. Leave your things here and slide
between natural rock walls into silky smooth lithium waters and settle
into the sand bottom pool where the water’s mellow temperature allows
you to lounge for a long soak. You’ll want to stay all day. But when your
fingers shrivel and the sun begins to set on your vacation you will wrap
up this perfect weekend and vow to make this drive whenever
relaxation is required.
Sierra Hot Springs
Resort and Retreat Center
www.sierrahotsprings.org
521 Campbell Hot Springs Road
Sierraville, CA 96126
530-994-3773
By Hilary Nichols
www.hilarynichols.com
415-517-9323
Three and a half hours from San Francisco, up I 80 toward
Tahoe take a left at Truckee and drive for another 30 miles
on a curvy mountain road until you finally pull into Sierraville
Hot Springs Retreat Center with a sigh. This is a sister facility
to the better-known Harbin Hot Springs near Calistoga. The
two centers have similar offerings of a variety of healing waters,
health services and assorted accommodations. But comparing the
two doesn’t do either justice. Not a scene, no schmooze. There is
nothing like the intimate woodsy warmth of Sierraville Hot Springs.
You arrive at the main lodge with a sense of traveling back in time.
The rustic building with two story columns greets you with its wide
stairs to the grand deck entry, and once inside the lodge living
room welcomes with couches and cozy corners to cuddle into.
A full-service kitchen, TV room, yoga space and vegan restaurant
share the space. You can book a private or shared room here, stay
at the adjacent Globe Hostel, RV site or tent camping in the meadows
or forest hide-out. Prices range from $22 for camping to $77 per
person for a private room on the weekend. Because they are a clothing
optional facility they are required to operate as a semi-private
resort with nominal membership fee, $5 for the month, $20 a
year or $200 for a lifetime.
Nature or nurture, both have their advantages. Wake to the grand
mountain meadows out your tent flap, or pull your blanket to your
chin in your simple sweet hotel room. Either way, once you’ve settled
into your chosen zone it’s time to be tempted to the water’s edge. Up
the path, a copper covered geodesic dome sits over the central108
degree hot pool with sensual sand bottom. Hot enough to make
your skin sing, try to last a moment longer and then brave the
chilling cold dip. Fifty-degree water splashes from conch shells
into two blue tiled tubs. Just beyond is the Temple Dome warm
pool; a swimming pool-sized outdoor soak surrounded by sun
deck and vast valley views. Here they offer their unique water yoga
classes. Slower and often safer than land yoga, water yoga benefits
from the buoyancy of water to assist your fluid movement supported
by floating pool noodles. The newly completed dry sauna tucks into
the far corner. You can easily spend your time rotating around this
triangle of hot and cold, sun and steam and soak. But there is more.
The Phoenix spa center houses the treatment room’s individually
filled baths, and a full menu of massage, facial and body therapies.
Indulge in the Ultimate Spa Treatment with a personally blended
essential oil body scrub, followed by an aromatherapy body wrap,
full facial treatment, finished with a flower essence scalp treatment
with massage interspersed throughout the two and half hour long
luxury. Or create your own invigorating experience from their list
of spa add-ons. Reservations are recommended.
Finally to fully dissolve into the healing process you must experience
the floating massage modality called WATSU. Developed at their sister
site, Harbin, this system is described as having effortless deep tissue
impact. Practitioners have adapted Zen Shiatsu technique in warm
waters to release the muscle tension and allow greater access the
to the healing impact in the slow swirling style.
You can now say you have fully realized your relaxation. But you
can’t go yet. Not until you’ve discovered the real hidden gem of this
property. Walk the road past the lodge through the camping meadow
until you find the most charming waters of all. The Meditation Pool lies
out in the open air, surrounded by medicinal plants, in an unsculpted
garden. Young Aspen trees rustle in the fresh air next to the outdoor
shower, alongside the little deck. Leave your things here and slide
between natural rock walls into silky smooth lithium waters and settle
into the sand bottom pool where the water’s mellow temperature allows
you to lounge for a long soak. You’ll want to stay all day. But when your
fingers shrivel and the sun begins to set on your vacation you will wrap
up this perfect weekend and vow to make this drive whenever
relaxation is required.
Sierra Hot Springs
Resort and Retreat Center
www.sierrahotsprings.org
521 Campbell Hot Springs Road
Sierraville, CA 96126
530-994-3773
By Hilary Nichols
www.hilarynichols.com
415-517-9323
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