I am pretty sure that I am not the first mother who dreamt about running away from home, but I am one of only a few women I know that actually did it! Now, I don’t want to get into the wretched details of what would drive a mostly sane person into ditching the kids with the husband and taking off. It is in the past after all, and all is forgiven. Let’s just say that our base requirements involve an annual Mother’s Day card, and a meal that we didn’t have to prepare on that one day of the year. Our basic needs were not met! Woodrow Wilson saw the wisdom in celebrating mothers way back in 1910, and it is observed as a national holiday! Apparently, nobody sent a memo to our families!
I will say this, I was not alone in my pursuit of rest and relaxation, I had a partner in crime. *Fancy, (let’s not use name real names to protect the guilty) and I had come off a very long year of family medical illnesses, deaths, and teenager shenanigans. One afternoon we decided to run off, the day after Mother’s Day to be exact, and that is precisely what we did. We did not leave forwarding details, we did not ask permission, and we did not really have a plan. We headed off to parts unknown. I stashed her Blackberry, and I unplugged mine. With one quick phone call, we headed off to a budget friendly spa, the Lakeview Fontana, in Bryson City, North Carolina.
We felt every bit as adventurous as Thelma and Louise. We stopped at a random winery about halfway to the spa. We were living large. No kids, no husbands telling us what to do, and no time frame of when we might return home.
Our arrival to this hidden getaway was pretty late at night (Hello! Winery, we blame you!). We were left a note at the front desk. It told us where they had left the key and to help ourselves to the honor bar in the dining area. This spa was tucked away, just off of the main road. It was once an old school, road side motel. It has been lovingly restored. Rooms had new bamboo floors, fluffy beds with white bedding, and of course, a serious spa! My gamble had paid off! It was so cute! It was rated one of the top ten budget friendly spas by Travel and Leisure.
We easily settled into the flow of the property. Each morning we enjoyed the beautiful and tasty offerings for breakfast, including: French pressed coffee, juice, yogurt, granola, pastries, fresh fruit, and hard-boiled eggs. After a leisurely breakfast, we treated ourselves to very luxurious treatments in the spa. This schedule left us time to spend the afternoon by the pool or take a drive into one of several little towns to explore, eat, and shop. By evening, another spread of local wines and cheeses were prepared for happy hour. We loved happy hour! They have the most amazing view of a lake and we could sip, or gulp (don’t judge) our wine and take in the sunset.
We booked two treatments for every day that we were there. Our innkeeper was awesome. We informed her of our “fugitive mom status” and that we were not sure exactly how long we would be staying. She was happy to accommodate us and I’m pretty sure she was all about maximizing our adventure. She did point us towards a casino in Cherokee, to a great little bistro in Bryson City, and some great sandwiches near an amazing white water rafting and kayaking area. I have chosen to not include pictures from the Cherokee Casino or the Paula Deen Restaraunt in the Casino, because, “what happens at the casino, stays at the casino.”
What you need to understand about this spa is how well-trained the staff are. Most of the staff have worked, in the past, at the Grove Park Inn. The Grove Park Inn in Ashville, North Carolina, is definitely on my top ten spas in the United States list. My friend *Fancy, would not feel comfortable spending an inordinate amount of money on herself, particularly with our, “runaway and ditch the kids with their fathers,” situation. The guilt would have been too much for her. We basically got the same level of service of a luxury spa for a third of the price.
The treatment rooms are separate from the rest of the hotel and just steps from the dining area. The treatment rooms were quiet, and some rooms were able to leave the door open, to enjoy the sounds of spring while getting our massages, body wraps, and facials. The massage tables were heated, and pneumatic, so the vibe of the treatment definitely felt high-end. No flimsy tables here. Each room also had a shower for their extensive body treatment menu. Those therapists did magical things with steamy hot towels! The signature aromatic hot towel massage is not to be missed. After back to back 90 minute treatments daily, we forgot we had children!
In conclusion, it is best to buy your mom a Mother’s day card and take her out for a meal. Our five-day retreat was well deserved and it recharged us to return home and continue on with our full-time care giving gigs. I believe our tab for the week at Lake View was less than a thousand dollars. That does not include the $500 cash advance at the Cherokee Casino or the excellent shopping at a Native American Museum in Cherokee. So yeah, I think we all learned a lot that week 🙂
Tips for your trip; They offer yoga retreats and girlfriend packages. Bryson City is in the southern part of North Carolina near Cherokee, but also very near Dollywood and Gatlinburg, Tennessee (a favorite place for many to get hitched). Lake View Fontana is a secluded resort and perfect for a romantic getaway. This resort is also perfect for outdoor lovers of all sports. The US National whitewater center is just minutes away. Breakfast is served daily, but no room service is available, so feel free to pack in some of your own treats. Also note, we have both been treated much better since our return and Mother’s Day cards and gifts are now awesome.
Have you ever run away from home? Where did you go?
No special treatment was given other than being a paying guest at this resort. This is my life.