Southern Spas

By Angela Wibking

Southern ladies - and gentlemen - have always known how to relax. So it's no wonder some of the best spas in the country are located south of the Mason-Dixon line. Here are four new spa resorts that speak the language of relaxation with a charming Southern accent.

Spa in the Sky

Nestled high in the Blue Ridge Mountains, the 500-room Grove Park Inn has been the premiere resort in Asheville, N.C since it opened its doors in 1913. With the addition of its new $40 million spa, the Grove is likely to remain so for a very long time. Be sure to book a room in the main inn (there are two modern wings), with its Sunset Terrace overlooking the Blue Ridge Mountains, stunning Great Hall with two fireplaces large enough to burn 12-foot logs and one of the first atrium lobbies in the country. Public areas and guestrooms feature Arts and Crafts furniture and lighting fixtures dating from 1900-1940. Guestrooms also have modern conveniences like cable TV, coffeemakers, microwaves, mini-refrigerators and hair dryers.

There's golf, tennis, swimming and a sports and fitness center on the property. The new spa, however, is the star of the show these days. Rather than mar the Grove's pristine views of the mountains and golf course afforded from the Sunset Terrace, the spa has been built partially underground. Pyramid-shaped skylights, waterfalls and outcroppings of native granite are all that can be seen from the hotel. Once inside the spa, it looks like the subterranean pleasure palace of some arch villain in a 1960s James Bond film. High stone walls and cascading waterfalls define the common areas of the spa, while the tranquil treatment rooms and dressing areas feature all the latest in spa comforts. A dramatic grotto with mineral soaking pools leads to a terrace with an in-ground Jacuzzi hot tub overlooking the mountains. Treatments are as impressive as the look of the spa: My red wine and sourwood honey facial was sublime and my husband's hydro massage salt bath did wonders for a sore knee. For more information, call 800-438-5800 or go to www.groveparkinn.com.

Gone With the Stress

Scarlett O'Hara didn't sleep here but Julia Barnsley, wife of the original owner of the land now occupied by Barnsley Inn and Golf Resort in north Georgia, is said to have been the inspiration for Margaret Mitchell's heroine. Twice widowed and fallen on hard times after the Civil War, Julia once wrote in a letter "With God as my witness, I will never go hungry again" -- and we all know what literary hay was made with those words. If Julia or Scarlett were around today and staying at Barnsley Inn, they'd never be stressed-out again either.

The 1,300-acre resort is about 50 miles north of Atlanta, just west of I-75 near the little town of Adairsville, Ga. The accommodations are modeled on a 19th century pedestrian village, with 33 English-style guest cottages housing 70 suites lining landscaped gravel lanes. The ruins of Julia Barnsley's original plantation home and the museum located in the adjoining kitchen house chart the Barnsleys' romantic and often tragic history from 1840 to 1942, when the land passed out of the family. The resort's two restaurants are the slightly more formal Rice House, specializing in innovative interpretations of Southern classics, and Woodlands Grill, a casual eatery decorated in the style of an English hunting lodge or club with a hearty menu of grilled meat and fish entrees to match. Clay tennis courts, an 18-hole, par-72 golf course designed by Jim Fazio, an outdoor pool, miles of walking trails and the 5,500 square-foot spa and fitness center constitute the recreational facilities.

I visited the resort one cool, drizzly weekend just after Thanksgiving one November. After a busy morning of Christmas shopping at a nearby outlet mall, followed by an afternoon of walking the Barnsley grounds and touring the museum, I decided a 60-minute massage was in order. The spa is just a short walk from the cottages and features five treatment rooms, a couple's room, relaxation rooms where juices and herbal teas are served, and men's and women's changing rooms with saunas and steam rooms. The massage was first-rate and I especially liked the invigorating mint oil by Jurlique, an Australian-based line of organic body products, that was used. For more information on the resort, call 877-773-2447 or go to www.barnsleyinngolf.com

Let the Spa Times Roll

New Orleans knows how to party - but it also knows how to kick back. That's why when you stay at the Ritz Carlton New Orleans on Canal Street, you'll not only enjoy the most luxurious accommodations in the city, you'll also have access to the best spa in town.

Since New Orleans has such a strong French heritage, the Ritz has recreated certain spa treatments once enjoyed by Marie Antoinette and Napoleon themselves. The Four Hands Massage, for example, was reputed to be a favorite of the French queen and involved two eunuchs from the harem of the Sultan of Morocco. Now updated, the Ritz version has two trained therapists performing a symphony of massage movements over the entire body. Hot oils, mixed with essential oils and plant and flower extracts are also applied to the body and the treatment concludes with an application of warm moist towels.

Legend has it that Napoleon's bathing ritual ended with a shower of eau-de-cologne followed by a hard bristle brush massage on his shoulders and back. The Ritz' version of this is Napoleon's Royal Massage, which begins with a hydrotherapy soak, surrounded by citrus slices. A Swedish massage, infused with eau-de-cologne follows, after which any man is sure to feel like conquering the world.

The spa at the Ritz features private relaxation lounges for men and women, as well as luxurious dressing areas with personal care amenities. The spa is adjacent to the hotel's equally impressive fitness and wellness center, which features steam rooms, sauna, whirlpool, exercise studio and weight room. We found the indoor resistance pool here especially intriguing. A flip of a switch turns the calm water into a strong underwater jet stream. Swimming against the stream provides an aquatic workout unlike any other. Afterwards, reward yourself with a soak in the nearby Jacuzzi. For information or reservations, call 800-241-3333 or go to www.ritzcarlton.com.

Serenity at Sandestin

Most people think just being at the beach is relaxing enough, but the Hilton Sandestin's new Serenity by the Sea Spa takes relaxation to another level. Located within the 2,400-acre Sandestin Resort community, the Hilton overlooks the Gulf of Mexico on the Florida Panhandle. Being right on the beach, it's not surprising that the hotel's new spa is decorated in soothing sea-inspired tones of green and sand. There are private lounges for men and women, each featuring steam room, sauna, cascade whirlpool and refreshments. The private dressing areas are also elegant and fully stocked with grooming amenities. Each treatment room has comfort control heating and cooling units and top quality music and lighting systems that maximize the massage, facial or body treatment experience.

After working out in the spa's well-equipped fitness facility one day, I indulged in a 90-minute European facial that included both hand and foot treatments. This meant that those parts of the body were dipped in warm paraffin and wrapped in plastic while my facial took place. Serenity uses Sothys, a French skin care line that I found soothing indeed. The spa offers several types of facials, plus an array of massages, body masks and baths, manicures, pedicures and hair services. Just steps from the spa itself, Hilton guests can enjoy the beautifully landscaped pool overlooking the beach. For more information, call 866-622-9595.

Photos by Virgil Fox