Inspired Mountain Magic at Primland

Primland, inspired mountain magic
Primland, rated a top 25 spa in the world.

My Primland obsession began in September of 2010. It has been exactly four years since my first visit to my favorite place. With every returning visit I am inspired by the people who make this magical mountain retreat come to life. My husband I and had heard about this amazing five-star resort, located in Meadows of Dan, Virginia, a 90-minute drive from our Roanoke home. I had not read anything about this resort until a friend of mine, Joey Beck, at Bella Magazine, urged me to “run, not walk” to this place. She knew I would love the spa and she was right!

This part of Virginia is very rural. Getting to the resort was a short trek. What happened after check in was so magical, that we rebooked for the following weekend while we were still on property!!! I vividly remember sitting in our robes on the balcony of #29 (still one of my favorite rooms) enjoying an excellent breakfast, as we watching a huge grounds crew, manicure the gorgeous golf course for hours. We could not believe we did not see a single golfer until almost noon on a Saturday! We spent the better part of the morning alternating between the balcony and the bed. We were enjoying some serious high thread count therapy in this deluxe suite. It baffled us that something so massive, so ultra lux, and so well staffed was not teaming with guests. In short, it was heavenly. Here is the magic– we were not alone! One of the wonders of this property is the feeling of having it all to yourself, even when it is booked.

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My first treatment in the spa was the same body treatment I requested on my latest visit, the Magic Lake Float. This treatment was so unique, it blew my mind! Let me explain. It is not uncommon to have a massage paired with a bath soak. What is unique about this combination is the Soft Pack tub used in the spa at Primland. The water in the tub is sealed and pressurized with a membrane over top of the tub water. On my latest visit, I chose the milk and honey option for my Magic Lake Float. My therapist this visit is Brenda. She is also my same therapist from my very first visit. Brenda lovingly applies milk and honey combined with Montana oil product to my entire body on a massage table in long strokes with her warm hands. Now covered in a thick white slather, Brenda helps me over to the Soft Pack bath tub. While seated on the side of the tub, she finishes applying more luxurious goop to my hard to reach bits and pieces, like the bottoms of my feet. Brenda helps me get settled on the top of the tub while still keeping me partially covered to insure my privacy and comfort. Once lying comfortably on my back, Brenda pushes a button on the soft pack tub. I am slowly lowered into the perfect temperature of bath water. I am warm, but not wet. The heat of the tub water and the nutrient rich ingredients work wonders on my dry skin. All products used in this spa are natural, and inspired by Native American Medicine.

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The room lights are now lowered. The candlelight, sounds, and smells of the room come to the front of my mind. Brenda, again checks my level of comfort and proceeds to give me an excellent head, neck, hand and foot massage. Amazing! But wait, there is more!!! While I am floating in this warm cocoon, she then applies cold marble stones to my pressure points on my hands, wrists, and feet. Whoa! The contrast of the warm tub and the cool stones is amazing. Brenda then wraps a heated towel under my neck and gently supports my weight. She is stretching my head and neck relieving any pressure that might have been there. I am now being floated by her in the tub while getting a very helpful gentle stretch to my upper body and neck. Kids? What kids? Teenagers? I forgot all about them!
Once Brenda is satisfied with my relaxed state, she steps out and says “I will leave you for some quite time now.” Relax and enjoy.” I am now left alone to enjoy the solitude. I really tune into the Native American music. I smell sage. I watch the candle flicker. I just I float, and enjoy the moment. When Brenda returns she tells me that she has left a towel for me by the shower for the next step of this treatment. She also places a towel on the floor so I will not slip. With a push of a button, my body rises up to the surface of the tub. The membrane now firm and supports me like a table.  I am instructed to shower off the preparation and return to the massage table in the same room. Brenda reminds me to take my time in the shower, and return to the massage table lying face down. Several minutes pass and I rinse off the milk and honey in the gorgeous, turquoise- tiled, rain shower. I was definitely moving slowly.I rinsed off, and enjoyed the steam. I also contemplated why it didn’t occur to me sooner to install a smooth river stone floor in my shower at home.

Once I towel off and get settled on the massage table, Brenda begins to work her magic on me, again. There is no chance that she is going to leave any knots in any of my muscles. She continues to give me a therapeutic massage. Magic Lake Float is listed as a swedish massage, but Brenda knows what I like. I prefer a little deeper massage than swedish, but not quit a deep-tissue massage. Brenda reminds me of my preference and adjusts the treatment to suit me, I don’t even have to ask!

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The fanning of eagles’ feathers and a chime remind me that this service is coming to an end, just as they invited me to relax and mentally check in at the beginning of my treatment. Typically, it is pretty hard to get up off the table after a good massage. Sometimes you feel a little woozy, dreamy, or sleepy after a spa treatment. After a long rest in my dreamy state, I am now able to read my animal medicine card that I picked at the beginning of the treatment. I can now meditate on the animal-inspired medicine from my card and its meaning from a book they provide. I just rest, sip tea, and enjoy the view of the golf course and a butterfly garden.

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Each visit to this magical place continues to make me daydream. Every visit a new facet of this gem is revealed to me as I explore all the activities and accommodations. I have been over a dozens of times and I have never not learned something new or not experienced something extraordinary. Many of these experiences inspired me enough to try to recreate Primland at my own home (that would be another blog post!). I continue to be inspired by the bespoke design of the Lodge, my time in nature, new activities I learn, and meals I have eaten at the chef’s table. I realize that I can never copy what is available to me here. It is not just the expansive land, beautiful scenery, and world-class activities. It is the people, too!  The people who guide me through Primland are amazing. I always feel inspired by their intuitive service and attention to detail. When I return home, I am inspired to apply a little mountain magic for my family in my own home.

I will now give you some of my favorite ways to experience Primland to the fullest…

I play golf and the Highland Golf Course is gorgeous and perfectly conditioned! I like to play nine on one day and the second nine on another day. That way, I have more time for other stuff like spending the day at the spa and lounging by pool. Recent renovations to the Primland golf course have moved up three tee boxes for the forward tees (#2, #3, and #9) and have made the course much more playable for ladies. I love to take pictures of the stunning mountains and nature while my husband is searching for his golf ball 🙂

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I love the tree houses and the fairway cottages. I have stayed in all of them. My favorite was the Golden Eagle with its view of the Dan River gorge…until they built the other two tree houses, Barn Owl and Cooper’s Hawk. They provide a little more privacy, yet still amazing views. Don’t forget to take your putter to your treehouse or fairway cottage. Those accommodations all have access to private putting greens. Barefoot putting in the moonlight with beverages is so fun! I love to watch birds fly below us from the  treehouse deck. Breakfast delivered to you in your treehouse is a must!

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The chefs table is mandatory for any guest that is a foodie. I prefer to spend a little extra to insure we have the table to ourselves. Three days’ notice must be given for this custom, seasonal experience. Three levels of wine pairing are available as well. If you don’t know Karl, the sommelier, you have not eaten properly at Primland, in my humble opinion. He is the best sommelier I have ever come across, and a conversation with him about your preferences will deliver you to the land of bliss with old favorites and new ones that you are probably not familiar with. I have learned so much about wine from him. He is truly a gem! He also does liquor tastings. I have really enjoyed bourbon and moonshine tastings as well (Not on the same visit! Don’t judge!!!)

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The staff will drive you if you ask. One cannot do nine flights of wine at the chef’s table and expect to be able to drive back to your house or cottage afterwards. I dont want to name any names, but trust me, even in a golf cart, driving after that many flights is a very bad idea (golf carts are given to fairway cottage guests). I have also arranged for them to drive us to and from Floydfest, a music festival in July, just 20 minutes away. They are always happy to accommodate.

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Every activity is exceptionally well planned and provides the highest level of professional training and equipment. I had a great golf lesson with Brian, the head PGA pro, and I still use one of his chipping tips on every round I play.

I now use a start chart app on my iPhone after an inspiring star tour we enjoyed. I now see the night sky in a differently and I can identify many constellations and planets.

I learned to shoot a shotgun at Primland. My first time shooting any gun ever, and I even broke several clays.

complimentary tea is served in the main hall each day at 4pm. All the fixings for smores are also set out every evening for your enjoyment.

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I learned to ride ATV’s, but I have to admit, I just wanted an excuse to see more of the property (ladies, they provide coveralls and boots to make our lives easier).

My husband and I took a cooking class on anniversary visit. We learned how to make hand-dipped chocolates with a chef while pairing (drinking) wine and eating lots of chocolates…good times!

We have spent hours walking the extensive trails on this property and we are far from seeing all of them. We have also taken a guided hike with a naturalist to help understand many of the native plants and animals that make up this massive 12,000 acre nature preserve.

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The spa was named in the Top 25 spas in the WORLD by Travel and Leisure readers. Are you really just going to book “a massage” after what I shared here? The Shenandoah, Daughter of the Stars facial is an amazing experience and it deserves a post of its own.

So many activities and places to explore are already laid out for you, but I would encourage you to come up with your own fun ideas too. I went through a low-carb phase (thankfully that has passed), and arranged a three course “healthy low-carb” meal delivered to our tree house for a romantic, sunset dinner on the deck.

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This resort’s goal is to go above and beyond. My goal is to push the limits 🙂 Have you visited Primland? Let me know if I missed one of your favorite activities, I still have many left to try.

No special consideration was given to me other than being a paying guest at this resort. This is my life.

The Spa at Pinehurst Resort is ready for the U.S. Open

 

Pinehurst Resort
Pinehurst Resort

The grandstands are up and Pinehurst is preparing itself for a busy golf season.  The 2014 U.S. Open is being held in Pinehurst June 12th though the 15th. The Women’s U.S. Open will be played the following week. I had the good fortune to receive an invitation to a Pinehurst golf trip sponsored by the Women’s Golf Association of Blacksburg Country Club. It was my first overnight ladies golf trip. I am disclosing details of my golf game on my spa blog because, if you hit the ball as many times as I do, you would need a massage too! Besides, destination golf resorts and destination spa resorts go together like peanut butter and jelly. Rarely are pairings this good.

The Spa at Pinehurst
The Spa at Pinehurst

Day three of a four-day golf trip, I was able to find a few hours free from my group, and head over the Spa at Pinehurst. I was staying off property, but due to the scale of the spa, I had no trouble booking a massage. The spa has thirty treatment rooms! And, it offers a very large spa menu giving many options to explore. I had limited time after my round and before a group dinner, so I booked a quick massage on the fly, and spent some time in the indoor spa and lap pool area before and after my treatment.

Welcome to the Spa at Pinehurst
Welcome to the Spa at Pinehurst

Once I self parked at the spa, I was in, in a flash. I was super hot and pretty worn out from my most recent round of golf. It was not shocking to the staff to see me arrive right in off of the course, dressed in my golf attire. It was shocking to me, however, to be greeted by a spa staff member with the most amazing smile and a frozen smoothie just a few steps within the spa! I was welcomed with a frozen, strawberry goodness, handed to me before I even checked in. This is intuitive service!

The enterance sets the tone of a natural Southern spa
The enterance sets the tone of a natural Southern spa

My tight schedule only allowed enough time for a fifty minute massage with a little wiggle room on either side of the treatment to explore the spa. First thing, I had to grab a quick shower. I then wrapped myself up in the plush spa robe and took a look around before my treatment. They have a very serious fitness center with lots of cardio and weight training equipment. They also offer personal training and Pilates classes. Guests can even add Kinesio taping to treatments. It is a sports medicine taping method to help reduce pain and inflamation to sore muscles, while supporting a full range of motion during activities, like golf. Next, I found the salon. Normally, I do not book pedicures at destination spas, as I consider them part of my routine maintenance. I prefer to book treatments I can’t otherwise get at home. I must say that the pedicure and manicure area was extremely nice. They had multiple pedicure chairs and multipule manicure stations in the same area. It is obvious that they are set up for some large wedding parties and group outings. They also offered a full menu of hair care, at what I consider reasonable rates.

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Guests are asked to meet up with their therapist in the lap pool area. This area also has a coed hot tub. The woman’s locker room offered its own hot tub,  sauna, and steam rooms. Unique to this property, the spa offers services for children and teens. This spa has a separate treatment area where families can enjoy treatments in the same room with their children, and it has its own family lounge.

Lap pool and relaxation area
Lap pool and relaxation area

My therapist for today is Joyce. I booked a 50 minute massage. My therapist helped me adjust my treatment to my needs. Joyce recommended an aromatherapy massage with a scent to match my desired outcome.  I was hoping this massage would help relax my sore muscles. I had been chasing a little white ball for days, and it had been exhausting. I was included in a tournament, so I was a little stressed out about following all the rules of play (my first match play tournament), new players, unfamiliar courses each day, and of course, I was mildly dehydrated. My dehydration was partly due to the heat, but mostly due to the very social evenings with friends (glug, glug). I needed to rally. I had one more fancy dinner scheduled at Southern Prime in a few hours. I also needed to be ready to play again the next day at a challenging course, Mid South. We chose the grapefruit essential oil. It did help perk me up while she worked on all my tired muscles. Joyce has a great touch. Deep tissue massage by request, yes, Ma’mm!

Once we finished up, I had just enough time to hang out in the most amazing whirlpool. What made this one so perfect at this resort was the amount of pressure the jets gave off. The coed tub also featured five mini waterfalls that are positioned just above your shoulders to deliver a powerful stream of water. The whirlpool was exactly what I needed after multiple days of golf. I was definitely getting a second wind. The spa offers all the hair care, body lotions, and shaving stuff that I needed to get ready for my dinner. I was all spuced up, refreshed, and ready to meet up with my friends for a great meal.

A very powerful, jetted hot tub.
A very powerful, jetted hot tub.

Like many visitors to the Pinehurst area, golf is the main reason to visit. I would imagine many golf widows are more than happy to stay at this reasort just for the spa. Knowing that you can book spa treatments without staying on property is key! Everything in the Aberdeen, Great Pines, and Pinehurst area is all very accessible and nothing seemed to be more than a quick ten minute drive. The Pinehurst resort is completely booked for PGA staff, players, media, and corporate guests during the 2014 U.S. Open. The Women’s Open, however, it is not! Packages are available to stay on site. Some packages include breakfast, passes to the tournament, and spa services, all the more reasons to love women’s golf.

When I return to Pinehurst, I will plan to stay on property with my husband, as so much has changed since our first visits, nearly 20 years ago. I also want to play #2, the course for this year’s Open. The treatment I wish I had had time for on my visit was The Heart and Sole treatment. It is a three-hour body treatment with a peppermint pine pedicure. Based on my golf experience, those are two areas that could have used some more tender loving care on this visit. Joyce also shared with me a sample of the Thero-marine mud ritual. She was explaining to me the self heating properties of this wild-harvested algae infused mud. She applied some mud on my arm to give me an idea of what the treatment is like. I will also be putting that treatment on my bucket list. The Pinehurst Massage includes a unique dry brush technique using pine straw. I first booked that treatment, but due to the quick hit I needed to get through my final round, we adjusted my treatment to include aromatherapy and deep tissue massage. Pinehurst may have redesigned the rough on the iconic #2 golf course to meet the needs of a challenging U.S. Open, but I assure you there is nothing rough about this spa!

 

Where was your best Golf/Spa trip?

 

No special treatment was given to me other than being a paying guest at this spa. A very special thank you to my friend and BCC member, Leigh, the professional golf staff, WGA committee, and members of the Blacksburg Country Club. The bar has been set!!! This is my life!

 

 

Grapefruit Brulee Ritz-Carlton Grand Lakes Orlando

Pretty Please with sugar ON TOP

Spa food taken to a new level at the Ritz-Carlton Grande Lakes in Orlando, Florida. Fresh Florida Grapefruit is topped with a tablespoon of sugar and caramelized! Look for Grapefruit Brûlée on the menu or at home, break out that seldom used kitchen torch for an easy and impressive breakfast. I chose this simple recipe to share as it is so easy to duplicate. I called down to the kitchen and the staff told me they just used a tablespoon of plain white sugar. I think this is a perfect example of fresh ingredients used in the peak of season need little to no alteration. Florida grapefruit are in season from November through May of each year. Thanksgiving through Christmas is generally concidered the peak of citrus season. The PNC Father Son golf Tournament is held during the second weekend in December.

An awesome spa breakfast to start my day during the PNC Father Son Challenge.
An awesome spa breakfast to start my day during the PNC Father Son Challenge.
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