“Strange that so few ever come to the woods to see how the pine lives and grows and spires, lifting its evergreen arms to the light.” ~ Henry David Thoreau (wall inscription at Pinehurst spa)
WORDS: Barbara Perkins
Located on 2,000 acres in the south central sandhills of North Carolina, Pinehurst has hosted more golf championships than any other site in the U.S. In 2014, Pinehurst will host the first U.S. Open and U.S. Women’s Open championships to be held back-to-back.
The excellence of Pinehurst extends beyond the eight golf courses, however, to the resort’s 24 tennis courts, five swimming pools, two croquet courts, one lawn bowling field and a boathouse on the sands of a nearby freshwater lake. Squeezing in golf-free time here is an absolute must. So, to compensate for a morning spent mystified by the devious greens of Pinehurst’s infamous No. 2, I dedicated an entire day to spa.
While many spas claim to offer both men’s and women’s services, few provide an atmosphere that is posh, yet un-fussy enough for both. Pinehurst does.
A handsome, 31,000-squarefoot spa, its manly wooden walls and soaring cathedral ceilings are warmed by an earthy color palette and lots of natural light.
Don’t even think about bringing your Blackberry or cell phone–this space is all about the unwind. A modern, spacious and freestanding spa with 28 treatment rooms, it offers more than 40 different services. It also features a hair and nail salon, fully equipped state-of-the-art fitness center, indoor lap pool, separate men and women’s locker rooms, a teens-only lounge, steam rooms, saunas, showers and whirlpool baths.
Pinehurst’s signature treatments and accompanying products draw on the region’s indigenous elements and scents. The pine-salt scrub, magnolia body masque, and holly berry lotion are each exceptional. Another slam-dunk is the Carolina peach full-body exfoliation treatment, a peach-and-pecan scrub followed by mango-infused shea butter; it sounds delectable enough to eat.
When I visited, every ache, pain, strain and sore muscle I had was screaming for relief. Taking my cue from the well-informed and personable front desk staff, I went with the 70-minute Champions’ Massage. I was not disappointed. A full-body, deep-tissue wonder rub, combined with mild pressure hot-stone treatment for feet and back, this massage unfurled muscles I never even knew existed.
I finished the day off with a taste of southern hospitality–a spa lunch, served in wicker baskets with silver flatware, devoured while I lazed away the remains of the day, contentedly rocking in an appropriately manly, over-sized chair set out on the spa’s wide, wonderful and welcoming front porch. It was a veranda fit for a king–and his queen.
The Spa at Pinehurst Resort
80 Carolina Vista Drive
Village of Pinehurst, NC 28374
Telephone: (910) 235-8507
www.pinehurst.com
