The
Spa at Salish Lodge - Spa Review
The
Sound of Silence
by
Kim Fay
According
to a Snoqualmie Tribe legend, the 268-foot Snoqualmie
Falls is a mystical place where heaven and earth come
together. Its vertiginous grandeur demands reverence,
even from those who do not believe in the sacred. And
so it seems only natural that The
Spa at Salish Lodge, which sits on a cliff beside
the falls, emanates such a strong spiritual feeling.
This
sentiment is echoed by Joan Southon, the spa’s
director, who says, “When you walk to the bottom
of the falls, you can feel how sacred this area is.”
Her voice is soft and soothing, but it also carries
a trace of veneration—the same veneration that
is evident as we tour the spa and she describes the
pattern along the hand-crafted Shoji doors that reflect
the bell curve of life, and a crisscross wood design
that represents the meeting of the body and mind.
The
spa belongs to The Salish Lodge, a historic hotel 30
minutes outside Seattle. Once the “last stop”
outside the city for automobile travelers on their way
across Snoqualmie Pass, it is now a destination in itself
... especially since it added the spa in 1996. The architecturally
eloquent spa blends the design traditions of Japan with
those of the Northwest. It is a natural communion, one
that feels organic. Add the pervasive spirit of the
surrounding forested landscape, and the atmosphere is
complete.
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Upon
arrival at the spa, you are politely informed that you
are now entering a silent sanctuary. This edict applies
to more than just the treatment spaces. There is a gorgeous
soaking pool area; one pool is tiered above the other,
with a cascading waterfall flowing into the lower, and
from both you can gaze through floor-to-ceiling windows
across the road to Mount Si. Although the flow of the
water is melodic, it is the hush that you notice. The
silence in this spa is so profound that you can actually
hear it, much like the silence you hear when you venture
into the woods. This kind of quiet isn’t about
a lack of noise, but rather the lack of the kind of
noise—cars, loud voices and the like—that
is associated with civilization.
The
Lemongrass Body Elixir, first on the schedule, was preceded
by a footbath. This treatment has become a common part
of the spa experience, but often it comes at the end.
We liked it at the beginning; it relaxed us and got
us in the mood for our lemongrass scrub. The refreshing
smell of lemongrass was just as pleasurable as the scrub
itself, which paired vigorous scrubbing with a tranquil
head massage and one of the most soothing uses of hot
towels we’ve ever encountered. Draped over the
stomach, the warmth and the weight of the towels were
divine.
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The
scrub was followed by the spa’s signature heated
river rock massage, using polished stones from the Snoqualmie
River. While we mentioned our sore spots to the masseuse,
we didn’t expect her to be so intuitive. Having
snuggled warm stones between our toes, she began to
seek—and gently find—not only those places
we’d told her about, but those we had forgotten
to mention but were bothering us as well. Our only complaint:
that it had to end. It was the best massage we’ve
had.
The
spa isn’t physically large, and its layout adds
to the feeling of intimacy. This is why its impressive
range of spaces comes as such a surprise. Hidden away
are three Japanese-style massage rooms, a Tutami Thai
massage mat room, skincare rooms, a hydrotherapy rain
room and more. There is also a couples fireside treatment
room in a converted guestroom. With its river rock fireplace,
dark tapestry and earthy chenille blankets, it has a
warm masculine ambience, which helps men to feel at
home. In fact, the spa draws its fair share of male
clients because of the fact that it isn’t “girly”
and intimidating.
Once
done with our treatments, we plundered the gift shop,
which offers a library of books on wellness and a wonderful
selection of gift items. The spa's soaps were our favorite,
perhaps because they are so representative of the spa
itself. They are a tiny detail, but great care has been
taken with them, just as it has been taken throughout
the spa, from the Montana slate floors to the aromatic
cedar ceilings. If there was anything we felt was lacking,
it was a lounge-like meditation/waiting area. That said,
this was one of our most enjoyable spa experiences.
And we aren’t the only ones who feel this way.
The Spa at Salish Lodge is busy most of the time (although
you’d never know it—thank you, silence policy),
evidence of a pervasive desire to make the sacred a
part of everyday life.
Salish
Lodge & Spa
6501 Railroad Ave.
Snoqualmie, WA
www.salishlodge.com
(Updated: 07/10/08 HC) |
