The Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge or a little farther south of your route the Mohonk Mountain House. I have never actually stayed at either but have heard good things. Lucky you!! Enjoy....wherever you end up!

Happy Birthday!

Try a Google search for resorts or B&Bs in the Berkshires (link to the visitor site below).

Canyon Ranch is in Lenox, MA, and it is on the way. Also in Lenox is the Cranwell Resort.

This post was edited by diane_nj on Tue, May 13, 14 at 12:18

OMG! Canyon Ranch is on the way! I'm totally doing that. How did I not figure that out on my own? I have been joking about a week at Canyon Ranch all year! I'm dying to go. A week would never happen but two nights? I can do that. diane_nj, thank you!

For a 50th, you gotta do Canyon Ranch. A bit out of your way, but nothing else will do, esp if you will be solo.

Only other choices are Porches and MOCA in Williamstown, which are very nice but a couples thing not solo. You will also go thru Saratoga Springs which is nice but no real high end spa.

LOL Sueb, my first thought when I read your post was "must be a trick question, Sueb has to know about Canyon Ranch"!!!

Somehow it just didn't occur to me that it was along that route. I am calling soon! (Suddenly lost interest in seeing my kid and wondered, what if I just skip Syracuse and go directly to CR?...nah, can't do that.)

In a couple of weeks our family will be visiting relatives in southern VT. I thought, wouldn't it be fun if we went to Canyon Ranch for a couple of days? I checked the website and saw they had a student special. Awesome, my teenage daughters will be free!

I called and spoke to a very nice woman. She explained that there was a minimum three night stay to get the special and you had to use one of their mid level packages. I thought, bring it on! The kids are FREE! Sadly, even with free kids, the quote was around $7,000. Dreams dashed. Guess we'll stay a few extra nights at Gramma's house. :)

Have fun Sueb!

{{!gwi}}

This post was edited by deee on Tue, May 13, 14 at 17:05

Yes, well, it is definitely a splurge, but nothing else compares and for a 50th, well, you only get one!

It depends on the time of year and the day you arrive. I'm arriving on a Sunday, which puts me in a less expensive category. It's still a splurge at $2500 for two nights, but I'm totally worth it. ;)

Yes you are! :-)

If DH needs any convincing, send him here and we'll set him straight!

Sueb, you are most definitely worthy. My 17 year old and 20 year old ... not yet worthy.

If you are interested in a yoga and wellness retreat you could also look at Kripalu in Lenox. I have visited numerous times over the last 20 years and always leave enormously refreshed and settled. I stay in the basic rooms which are very simple and share hall baths but they have more upscale digs if you prefer. I do their Rest and Relaxation program which gives you lots of free time and you can participate in the various workshops and yoga classes as much or as little as you like but they also have teachers and programming. They have lots of well known coaches and teachers. The food is amazing by the way. It's definitely more New Age than Canyon Ranch but the other plus is that it's loads cheaper. They have a wonderful Health/Wellness services suite and I have tried all kinds of interesting treatments there (and loved it). The grounds have woods and walking paths and you can kayak in Stockbridge Bowl while listening to Tanglewood. I have no investment or business tie to the place but am just a very very happy customer of almost 20 years.

sueb20-

I've never heard of Canyon Ranch, so can't comment in it, but outside of Syracuse there are two places, Skana, a spa at Turning Stone Resort (read: casino), a Native American owned place in Vernon, NY (right off the Thruway) that I've heard is wonderful and Mirbeau, a spa in Skaneateles, NY, about 20 minutes west of Syracuse, so not on your way home.

Full disclosure: I'm not the spa type and have never been to one, so can't comment personally, but both Skana and Mirbeau have excellent reputations locally. Mirbeau also has beautiful, Giverney inspired gardens and a great restaurant that I have been to a few times. Plus Skaneateles is a beautiful town and is a lot of fun to poke around for a day or two.

sandyponder

sueb20, I haven't been to the CR in Lenox, but I have been to the one in Tucson, and enjoyed it very much! Have a wonderful time!

sandy, I had looked at the Mirbeau web site the other day. Now I am reconsidering my whole plan. Maybe I could just go to Mirbeau for the whole 4 nights which eliminates the drive in the middle of my "vacation" and also, the only thing that concerns me about staying such a short time at Canyon Ranch is that I will feel compelled (because that's just how I am) to sign up for every single thing, whereas if I could go for a week (someday) I'd feel more relaxed. I'm worried that I'd turn my two days of relaxation into an overscheduled scenario that would resemble real life too much.

If I were to go to Mirbeau, I could check in Fri., get a massage, go see DS on Sat., then settle in and do a couple other treatments on Sun,/Mon, explore the town (which I have heard great things about), etc., and maybe even pop back over and take DS out to dinner or lunch before I leave.

Still considering!

Please say hello to Flint Hall for me when you are at SU. It was my freshman dorm. Nearly died every day hiking up those stairs!

I went back to visit and stayed at The Skyler Hotel. It's a fun funky place and you might enjoy it.

Sorry, I can't recommend a spa.

Kripalu sounds fabulous...just what I need..thx for the recommendation. I've been tempted by vipassana, but not sure I could do a day of silence, let alone 10... But this sounds like something more up my alley....

ded, I expect we'll be trying out a variety of area hotels over the next four years! For drop-off and parents' weekend, we have reservations at the Jefferson Clinton Hotel.

Ded -- DS is in Day (Days?) Hall right near Flint! Good thing he's an active guy in good shape. If he passes his audition he will also be playing his euphonium (a big horn) in the band, so that walk with his music case is going to be super fun.

Just thought I'd check back and report that I did decide on Mirbeau. I will be there Fri-Tues (not this week...but I wish) and will see DS probably on Sat. for lunch or whatever he wants to do. I have almost a full day of spa treatments on Mon. (Massage, facial, lunch, mani, pedi) and otherwise plan to go for walks, read, and explore the town of Skaneateles. Any recommendations for that area, let me know...

I think I may be celebrating this birthday more than anyone has ever celebrated a 50th birthday. Already went to Bermuda with close friends, being taken away to Woodstock VT in a few weeks with other friends, have a party being planned by DH (with assistance from 3 girlfriends), and then wrapping it all up in a solo spa trip. How lucky am I?

We have had a super stressful year, so it's really fun to have good things to look forward to.