State-of-the-Art Pampering Nestled in the Beauty of Nature

By Regina Adams

Just two months ago, The Spa at Woodstock Inn & Resort debuted the first dedicated spa in the resort’s 218-year history. From the physical design to the variety of luxurious treatments offered, The Spa is a celebration of light, nature and harmony, and offer spa-goers a haven within the quaint town of Woodstock.

The Vermont luxury spa continues to celebrate its unveiling with a Grand Opening Package that includes accommodations in a standard guestroom outfitted with charming details such as colorful hand-dyed wool blankets and Vermont original artwork, $100 credit towards spa treatments, and a hearty Vermont breakfast for two in the resort’s sun-filled Main Dining Room. The package is priced starting at $278 per night based on double occupancy and is available through December 23, 2010, subject to availability (blackout dates apply).

Housed in a 10,000 square-foot LEED-certified structure, The Spa, a $10 million new build, provides a nature-inspired ambiance and is a celebration of the seasons, which carries through to the full spa menu. Each season, a different signature treatment will take center stage among the extensive selection of year-round spa offerings. Mirroring the four seasons of Vermont, each 100-minute treatment draws upon natural outdoor elements like pumpkin spice, deep forest, vanilla maple and berry bliss.

The Spa’s a la carte selections include massages, facials, body treatments, waxing, and a choice of treatments specifically for men and teens. The Spa will use organic skin care products from Eminence, Naturopathica and Spa Ritual.

The Spa is designed to maximize light and the surrounding views with indoor and outdoor relaxation and contemplation spaces, including the “Great Room” where guests can relax pre- and post- treatments surrounded by double-height, vaulted ceilings, custom furnishings and a wood-burning fireplace. The outdoor meditation courtyard will have a sauna, fire pit, hot soaking pool and a flowering tulip tree that will mark the passing of seasons.

In the ten luxurious treatment rooms, guests will relax on treatment tables adorned with organic cotton linens and Vermont organic wool blankets. Steam rooms will be infused with seasonal aromas. The luxurious “Natural Gatherings Suite” will be an ideal space for small groups and special occasions and feature a private bathroom with generously-sized shower facilities, a wood burning fireplace, deluxe treatment tables and an oversized traditional Japanese cedar soaking tub.

Along with the new spa, Woodstock Inn & Resort provides guests with a number of recreational and dining options to enhance their stay. Guests can dine at The Red Rooster, the resort’s fine dining restaurant. Open for lunch and dinner the menu emphasizes fresh, local ingredients, including specialty cheeses, shellfish and heirloom fruits and vegetables, sourced from the best purveyors in New England. Resort activities include a 18-hole Robert Trent Jones designed golf course, a 41,000 square foot Racquet & Fitness Club, which includes indoor and outdoor tennis courts, indoor racquetball courts, a 30-by-60 foot indoor lap pool, a whirlpool, workout equipment and a steam room and sauna. Guests can also enjoy downtown Woodstock filled with antique shops, art galleries, boutiques, restaurants, specialty food markets and more.

For more information, visit www.woodstockinn.com or call (888) 481-8802.

The Perfect Travel Fragrance

By Elise French

Ever wish you could bring perfume along when you travel without worrying that it will add too much weight or wind up spilling inside your bag? And when we transition from our work briefcase to our chic nighttime purse, wouldn’t it be nice not to have to make the choice between bringing along a scent OR everything else we need ~ like our wallet, keys, lipstick, etc.? Well, our problems have been solved!

New from Lavanila Laboratories are 2 products sure to make the on-the-go lifestyle a bit more convenient. The new 1oz. Healthy Fragrances and Vanilla Lavender Healthy Fragrance Roller Ball are great for the busy woman and consummate traveler.

1 oz. Healthy Fragrance Collection ($39): A 100% healthy collection of intoxicating, warm vanilla blends, now available in petite bottles designed in the same chic style as the original size. Petite Lavanila one-ounce fragrances are an elegant addition to any vanity or travel bag with their sleek, scaled-down design. Wear vanilla your way with the easy-to-layer Lavanila Healthy Fragrance Collection – Pure Vanilla, Vanilla Coconut, Vanilla Grapefruit and Vanilla Lavender.

Vanilla Lavender Roller Ball ($19): Lavanila’s best selling roller-ball collection expands with the luxury of vanilla lavender. Reapply discreetly with the purse-friendly roller-ball and experience the calming benefits of lavender on-the-go. Pretty and portable, the new Vanilla Lavender Roller-Ball fragrance offers all the natural luxury of its larger counterpart, without the extra weight and risk of spills ~ and trust me, they smell heavenly!

All Lavanila products are formulated exclusively with all-natural and organic ingredients. Unlike traditional fragrances on the market, Lavanila scents are free of chemically-laden alcohol, petrochemicals and phthalates and instead contain natural ingredients such as pure essential oils, 100% natural botanical extracts, spring water, and organic sugar cane alcohol.

Visit any Sephora store or Sephora.com for more scents, deodorants, information, and to get your roller ball fragrances now (they’re perfect as stocking stuffers, too)!