The sounds of a trickling fountain, the smell of fresh marine air and the view across the water enhance spa treatments at The Spa at the Tides Inn, in Irvington, Virg. The Chesapeake Bay spa is part of a resort complex perched at the edge of the 90- by 20-mile-long Northern Neck Peninsula (formed by the Rappahannock and Potomac Rivers near where they empty into Chesapeake Bay).
The 106-room Tides Inn is a 90-minute drive from the easy-to-navigate Richmond Airport. With its pool and tiny beach, 40-slip marina (yachts up to 150 feet), putting green and 500-acre Golden Eagle Golf Course nearby, it’s an integral part of a creek-studded waterfront community that dates to the plantation era. The area’s historic Georgian-style Christ Church (c. 1735) replaced a 17th-century wooden structure on the same property.
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Enjoy a signature Tides
of Change Massage |
The mission: feed your mind,
body and soul |
Dozens of guest rooms in the main house, gracious interior public spaces and a curved brick terrace face the vista shared by the spa…looking down the creek and across the water to the lush lawns and grand, mostly vacation, homes. The terrace is where chef T.V. Flynn hosts oyster roasts. His menu is studded with local flavors such as Chesapeake crabs and oysters and home-grown produce from his and the G.M.’s gardens, as well as the local farmers market.
The Inn’s spa is located on the lower level of the Garden House, and three of its six treatment rooms and the nail room overlook the fountain and waterfront. A shared open space runs its length and houses reception, the boutique and a lounge area where Virginia Breeze herbal tea and cucumber/lemon scented water are served.
Two new signature treatments incorporate OSEA skin and facial care products, which use nutrient-rich and organic seaweed harvested from the purest waters on earth. At the start of the 90-minute Tides of Change Massage ($165), essential oils are applied to the spine to calm and center the body while the therapist helps the client visualize a serene place. After a body brushing exfoliation, there’s a seaweed scrub application followed by a seaweed body mask that softens and conditions the skin and readies it for the hour-long massage. The 90-minute Tides of Change Facial ($165) uses high-tech marine-based serums, an algae skin tightener and mineral enzymes, and includes an uplifting facial massage.
Golfers, particular those arriving by boat or plane, appreciate the complimentary bags of clubs at the entry. Families, who find complimentary bicycles near the front door, relish the short, flat ride into town past gardens bounded by picket fences, to the village green, The Local (a popular gathering spot), The Dandelion (a clothing boutique) and the Village Needlepoint.
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