December 30, 2005

Sonoma Spa

The European Bathing Ritual is unlike anything I've experienced in Europe: exfoliating body polish, warm tub, hot tub, cold shower, steam room, sauna, and then cold shower. What a rigmarole that is; how is one supposed to get anything done? It does leave me feeling very relaxed however and I'm doing it every day.

I'm spending a few days in Sonoma, California at The Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa. It's an extremely nice place to be. It's very high quality but totally un-snobby. If I had a partner, I would bring them here; instead I'm spending a few romantic days with myself. I've never been to a spa before, partly because I thought that spas were for women, but I'm finding it very refreshing.

The Inn is styled like a mission from the outside and has rooms of very high quality inside: it has just been refurbished. Tonight I chatted with six new friends next to the enormous fireplace in the living room. The Inn also has a high quality restaurant — though it is quite expensive at $65 for a three course dinner.

You can get any kind of treatment you like at the spa: facials, stone treatments, and every kind of massage. There's also something called a foot ritual, which sounds sort of kinky. The baths are filled with natural mineral water heated deep below the ground. Above the baths there is a beautiful mural of the sun and the moon.

Since Sonoma is in the middle of the Northern California wine country, the Inn can be used as a base for wine tasting expeditions or for local hikes and bike rides — they have bicycles for hire.

There is a special rate available at the moment because it's off season: $199 per night, including the Bathing Ritual each day and drinks by the fire at night. I highly recommend it.