At this cold, dark and snowy time of year, many of us crave an escape to a tranquil location. The Sundara Inn & Spa, located in Wisconsin, fits the bill perfectly. It’s tucked away in a 26-acre pine forest and is accessed from a long, winding road. When you arrive, you’ll be amazed at what awaits. Delightful accommodations, fine dining, luxurious spa treatments, a tranquility garden and meditation trails are just some of the offerings here. It’s a great place to soothe your soul.
The Sundara philosophy is that of total wellness, including the four cornerstones of spiritual, emotional, mental and physical balance. This destination spa is for adults only, and so is a perfect place to spend with your significant other or for a girl’s weekend away. The tranquility of the pine forest and the surrounding natural beauty add to the sense of escape and getting back to nature and to yourself. Plus, it offers a world-class experience in the middle of the heartland.
Stay and Relax
Sundara Inn & Spa offers 26 suites, each offering either pool or woodland views. Each room features a king featherbed, spa bathroom and fireplace. Reserve a bigger suite for a sunken sitting area and screened-in balcony. To really get away from it all, rent a villa, the largest of which has a gourmet kitchen and wraparound porch.
The outside of the main building has an infinity pool, outdoor fireplace and waterfalls. Guests will feel a sense of restoration and calm here. It’s truly a beautiful and exquisite place.
Enjoy the Soothing Spa
The spa here features 16 different treatment rooms and a wide variety of pampering possibilities. If you are visiting with your hubby, book a Spa Together room so you can experience side-by-side treatments. You can even use the spa suite, which features a soak bath, if you want to indulge in more than one treatment at once.
Sundara uses signature spa products made from botanicals and minerals indigenous to the Wisconsin Dells area, including Cambrian sand which makes for a wonderful exfoliator.
Enjoy a variety of soothing massage treatments, such as an Apple Cinnamon Hot Stone Massage, the Warming Glow Massage and a series of Chakra massages that focus on authentic Indian healing principles. Many facial treatments are also offered, including the Fountain of Youth Facial and a Decompress From Stress Treatment, which focuses on the back, shoulders, head and face.
Full-body treatments are especially indulgent, and Sundara delivers some great ones. Try an Ocean Essence Organic Body Wrap or a Shea Body Butter Indulgence, which combines both a wrap and a massage. You can also truly indulge in a soak bath treatment, including the granddaddy of them all, the 130-minute, Berries & Bubbles Divine Spa Escape. Enjoy berries and sparkling wine with your soak, and then relax with both a massage and a facial.
All Sundara guests can enjoy the Purifying Bath Ritual, a self-guided treatment in the bathhouse sanctuary. It begins with a rainfall shower and exfoliation treatment, and then progresses to a body mist, aroma steam, cooling rainfall shower, hot pool, cool plunge pool and ends in the relaxation lounge. From here, you can indulge in other treatments if you wish.
Find Peace in the Tranquility Garden
A new addition here is the Tranquility Garden, which is adjacent to the outdoor pool area. This terraced patio garden includes waterfalls and spectacular views of the pine forest. It’s an oasis of calm, where guests can relax and enjoy the healing powers of silence and stillness. Guests are asked to refrain from conversation here and simply enjoy the solitude. Here is your own little corner of paradise.
Enjoy a Stroll on the Meditation Trail
Another recently completed feature at Sundara is the Meditation Trail, which winds through the pine forest where the retreat is located. Seven meditation stops along the way help you with your meditation experience and correspond to the seven chakra, or energy centers, in your body. A relaxing woodland hammock retreat awaits you at your journey’s end, where you can reflect on your journey and the beauty surrounding you.
Dine in Style
You have several dining options here. Either have food delivered to your suite, enjoy dinner in the Radiance Rotunda or eat poolside at the Infiniti Edge Dining Cabana. Whatever you choose, you can expect a menu of seasonally fresh cuisine that is both healthy and delicious.
Begin your day with the breakfast buffet, which includes the spa’s signature granola, egg frittatas, fresh fruit and more. Items on the lunch menu include a grilled salmon BLT, a vegetarian Sundara wrap and a variety of soups and salads. You can also order a shot of wheatgrass or some orange coconut water!
Save room for dinner, during which you can indulge in a jumbo lump crab cake, Cornish game hen or seared scallop salad. Start your meal with a variety of appetizers, like bacon-wrapped dates or baked local brie.
This month, Sundara is celebrating its 10th anniversary and is offering many specials to its guests. Enjoy discounts on facial add-on treatments and the Cinnamon Hot Stone Massage. If you’re celebrating your 10th wedding anniversary in December, you get 50 percent off one spa service. Also, any boutique purchase or overnight stay gets you into the drawing for a $110 gift card or spa credit.
Enjoy getting away to Sundara Inn & Spa, where you can become one with nature and rediscover yourself at the same time.
Photo Credit: Sundara Inn & Spa Website