Sometimes life’s craziness makes a visit to a spa a necessity. Whether for a massage, facial, mani/pedi, or time in the sauna, a day being pampered by cheerful, experienced professionals can melt away your stress and recharge your batteries, making it easier to face the challenges life brings. In short, it makes you feel better!

The Woodstock Inn & Resort Spa and Wellness Director Michelle Adams-Somerville and her team can help you plan the perfect spa day. She says, “To have the best spa day and get the most out of your spa day, we recommend you plan as far in advance as you can. Four to six weeks in advance is not unusual. Then you can be sure to get the spa treatments you prefer.”

She also notes that the ideal time to spend in the Inn’s spa is about four hours. Not only can you get massages, wraps, scrubs, facials, or just about any treatment you can imagine, but the spa also has a lovely great room with chairs for lounging, relaxing, and reading as relaxing music plays in the background. The spa offers cucumber and coconut water, herbal teas, and a variety of healthy snacks. Bring your swimsuit and you can spend time in the outdoor hot tub, pool, or Scandinavian sauna.

The spa has a concierge service to help you plan your day. Michelle recommends the Signature Experience—a 100-minute treatment that features the creation of your own signature aroma treatment products and includes a gentle, full-body exfoliation, followed by a hydrating body wrap in a heated cocoon blanket. While wrapped in warmth, you will enjoy a massage of your scalp and feet. Your treatment finishes with a full-body massage using your custom-blended shea butter lotion. If you like the products created for your experience, you can purchase them to take home.

Michelle also notes that more men are enjoying a spa day. She says, “Many want our facial exfoliation treatment and to have their nails done, which is part of good, overall hygiene and wellness. We offer gender-neutral scents in the products we use for treatments.”

Her final tip is to arrive on time. Depending on the treatment, you may need to arrive up to an hour or two before your appointment. (The spa’s changing rooms provide lockers, robes, and sandals.) This also gives you time to enjoy the steam rooms, hot tub, and pool or just to relax in the great room.

 “The earlier you arrive, the better,” says Michelle.