This Plush Spa Retreat In The Finger Lakes Is The Winter Warm-Up You Need

Winter in the North East is long and cold. After 15+ years in New York City, I’ve developed plenty of coping methods (hot toddies, combat boots, cashmere sweatsuits) but the main one being: escape. While Mexico in February sounds grand, it’s not always practical, especially in these bizarre times. So when I can’t fly somewhere warm, I drive somewhere cozy where I can warm up. Par exemple: an all-day spa where I can steam in the sauna then cuddle up by a fireplace for the night? Oui and oui. This year, my boyfriend and I discovered the Spa at the Inns of Aurora, which fit the bill and made for an unforgettable last-minute, luxury retreat.

Let’s start with the Inns of Aurora. As the name implies, there are actually five sprawling mansions spanning the property plus two restaurants, a village market, an activities center with daily yoga, a demonstration kitchen offering cooking classes and of course… le Spa. Fireplaces and cozy nooks are everywhere, each inn decked to the gills with their own personality. Quirky designs by Mackenzie-Childs give one of The Rowland House an Alice-in-Wonderland quality, while the newly opened Zabreskie House feels more like a seaside retreat. While not the ocean, the E.B Morgan House does face Cayuga Lake, and its 1800s stone architecture may inspire fantasies of living in another era. 

The artwork, however, is as modern as it comes. The owner of the resort, Pleasant Rowland, is the founder of a little (huge) doll business that you may have heard of called American Girl. Lucky for us, she’s invested some of her fortune into an impressive art collection that is on display throughout the property. Works of expressionism, modern, and pop art from the likes of David Hockney, Wolf Kahn, and Helen Frankenthaler just to name a few. We toured the art, I took a surprisingly lovely yoga class and we dined on property. However, my favorite dining experience of the weekend was in nearby Geneva at FLX Table, where we indulged in a multi-course wine-tasting, and “dinner party style” feast for the senses. If you can get a reservation, do it. 

And now, for the real reason we came… the spa. Opened only around 6 months ago, the spa is 15,000 square feet of tranquil heaven. On the advice of the receptionist, we arrived 3 hours before our 4 pm massage appointments in order to immerse ourselves in the full experience. And let me tell you, we didn’t waste a minute. The spa and its café are complimentary for anyone purchasing a treatment. We started with a dream lunch in the very contemporary café, which included unlimited servings of crudité and dips, soup and salads, roasted veggies and healthy snacks galore. If only they’d let me take the chic chairs home, I would have. 

From there, we put on our giant cushy spa robes and settled into a lounge chair to digest. Eventually we took several rounds between the sauna and steam-room before moving to the hot and cold pools and the outdoor waterfall. We lounged, we napped, we swam, we sweat, we soaked, we read by the fire, we got another snack and before we knew it; it was massage time. 80 minutes of medical massaging later and I emerged relieved of my shoulder pain and feeling spoiled, grateful and a little loopy. 

Who knew this kind of relaxation was available so near to the crowded streets of NYC? Well, now you do.

Natalie Decleve aka "Natty Style" is a Holistic Personal Stylist based in New York City. Natalie brings style and clarity to the wardrobes and lifestyles of men and women all around the world. Effortless, confident, thoughtful. Find her on Instagram @natty_style.

[Photos courtesy Inns of Aurora]