Mud-Bath Emporiums

by John Vlahides02:55 PM February 05, 2008 4 comments »

Spa Pool

If you can’t shake winter’s chill, get into hot water in Calistoga, that famous 19th-century spa town at the north end of Napa Valley. Sitting directly atop volcanic hot springs, Calistoga is chockablock full of hydrotherapy spas and mud-bath emporiums. (To learn what a mud bath is, watch the slideshow on the main Calistoga page, where you can also find tips on where to stay and eat.) I won’t lie to you: Some of the town’s spas are dirty, what with all that mud slinging. Stick to the following places for maximum cleanliness.

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The first-choice Indian Springs was founded in 1861, and it remains the town’s premier mud-bath emporium because it has the best real estate. Sitting atop a boiling hot springs, the resort has an unlimited supply of 230º water to feed the baths and giant swimming pool. Best of all, the spa uses 100% volcanic ash, mined from their own property. (Most spas use a combination of ash and peat, but nothing detoxifies as effectively as ash.) For the full treatment, follow your mud bath with an hour-long massage. Men and women are segregated, as at all mud-bath emporiums. Afterward, bite into an unlimited supply of juicy orange slices and slather on the spa’s own delicious cucumber body lotion. Perfect.

The second-choice Dr. Wilkinson’s opened in 1952, and uses a combination of two-thirds ash and one-third peat. The sensation is different; the mud is waterier and more buoyant. I prefer the feeling of heavy, dense mud bearing down on me, but if you tend to get claustrophobic, you might prefer the Doc to Indian Springs.

The new fancy-pants spa is Solage, an Auberge du Soleil property that opened this past summer. The mud baths here aren’t the traditional sort. Instead you choose the type of mud you want from their ‘mud bar,’ and paint it on yourself while swilling wine. Afterward, hit the circuit of hydrotherapy tubs. Men and women are segregated in the bathhouse, which means you can go nude. Solage is very un-Calistoga, geared toward the new-money LA set, not folksy old-school Californians. I’ve toured the property, though I haven’t yet had a chance to soak here. Overall I find the high style a bit aggressive for this sleepy town, but if you’re a skirt-and-sweater traveler, you might just love it. I’ll report back as soon as I’ve had a bath here. Meanwhile, if you’ve been to Solage, feel free to post a comment at the bottom of the page. I’m eager to get others’ feedback.

For traditional spa treatments, you have several clean-hands options. The top-choice Lavender Hill Spa has treatment rooms inside several small cottages built into a hillside. It’s ideal for couples’ fango-mud treatments (paint-on body masks) and couples’ massages (though the room where they do the couples’ massages gets a bit of road noise from Hwy 29 outside). The service—attentive and polite—is some of the best in town. Can’t plan ahead? Ask about the 20% discount on same-day treatment appointments.

Mount View Spa is one of the prettiest in town because it was designed by the folks at Joie de Vivre, who then (alas) lost the contract on the spa. Mount View is a good backup for classic treatments, aromatherapy baths, and lube jobs with Dr. Hauschka products. Nine treatment rooms mean more available appointments.

Happy Thanksgiving!










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