Meadowood, nestled into a 250-acre property outside the lovely Napa Valley town of St. Helena, an hour and a half north of San Francisco, is so beautiful that you don’t really need a spa to feel pampered and relaxed. Its gorgeous townhouse-style rooms with wood-burning fireplaces and treetop views are tucked into private cul de sacs. The property’s two heated pools along with golf course, tennis courts, and hiking trails offer plenty of distraction, and its 3 Michelin Star restaurant helmed by renowned chef Christopher Kostow means you never have to leave the property.
But if you want a massage on top of all of this splendor, Meadowood can provide that, too. I indulged in a blissful 90-minute aromatherapy massage, certain to be even more blissful when Meadowood’s brand-new spa facility opens next fall. Right now the spa is in a charming-but-basic building near the pool; the new spa will feature eight treatment suites with men’s and women’s relaxation gardens with saunas, steam rooms, and whirlpools.
Meadowood’s focus is on its personally tailored Eco-Fitness program—which goes beyond the four walls of the spa.
Meadowood’s focus is on its personally tailored Eco-Fitness program — an echo of its restaurant’s individually-created menus — which goes beyond the four walls of the spa to encompass the property’s four and a half miles of hiking trails and other sporting activities. And after all that fitness and relaxation, Meadowood is happy to arrange a car to escort you on a wine tasting tour of the area.
For the conferenced-out business traveler or the weary San Francisco native, Meadowood can feel like a complete vacation in a single night.
Pamela Redmond Satran
Pamela Redmond Satran is a novelist and an entrepreneur who lives in Los Angeles.