Name of Spa: Lake Austin Spa Resort, Austin, Texas
Type of Spa: Destination Spa
Set right on a lake near Austin, Lake Austin Spa Resort is a friendly, low-key destination spa with great food, terrific programming, and a lavish new spa. Traveling alone? It's an easy place to meet other people.
The Setting at Lake Austin Spa Resort: Located about a half-hour northwest of Austin, Lake Austin Spa Resort is right on a green, glassy lake. It offers kayaking, pedal boat workouts, and tours on pontoon boats, even waterskiing lessons. The dining room has great views of the water and tree-lined bluff on the opposite shore.
The Spa at Lake Austin Spa Resort: This is a grandiose 25,000 square foot spa at the top of a hill, built from yellow limestone native to the Texas Hill Country. I enjoyed basking in the buff on “clothing optional” outdoor garden, with a stone fountain and outdoor shower. It has three pools, including a big pool barn that opens onto a sunny patio, and a full day of programming that includes classes on yoga, Nia (a form of dance exercise), tai chi, and lectures.
Treatments at Lake Austin Spa Resort: I always try to do something unusual, and was really amazed by the results from their acupuncturist, who can work with or without needles. ($120-$130 for fifty minutes). Massage-resistant knots melted away and after a little work on my right ear I could suddenly turn my head to the left much further. ("No one knows why it works," confessed the acupuncturist.
There are several places to get outdoors massages, including a large screened porch where you can enjoy the delicious drift of warm air from a ceiling fan and the burble of water from the fountain. It’s not as controlled an environment as a regular treatment room in terms of sound, so you might hear people walking by. At 80 minutes, The Ultimate Swedish Massage ($145) leaves you thoroughly satisfied.
Fun Texas-inspired treatments include the Texas Pecan Scrub and ($65 for 25 minutes) and the Ruby Red Grapefruit Refresher ($135 for 50 minutes). A large fig tree grows by the lake, inspiring “Fruits of the Shore” ($310), a 130 minute extravaganza that includes a fig-scented scrub and hydrotherapy bath, followed by a long, soothing massage with fig-scented lotion. This is so relaxing it’s a good evening treatment, right before bed.
Accommodations at Lake Austin Spa Resort: It's a small spa -- just forty rooms laid out in single file along an arbor-lined walkway, each with a little sun porch facing the lake. The most desirable rooms (#27 and up) overlook the lake. Interiors are comfortably rustic, with Spanish tiled floors and fabric covered headboards.
Rates at Lake Austin Spa Resort: Rates start at $1,280 for three nights, double occupany, with spa treatments additional. The rate includes meals and classes.
What’s Special at Lake Austin Spa Resort: The food is excellent – and you can dine in your robe. And don’t miss the talks by the effervescent and inspiring Dr. Deb Kern, executive director of lifestyle enrichment.
What Could Be Better: Dining room service is uneven (though plenty friendly).
Bottom Line: This spa is for you if you want a small, friendly, intimate spa with a laid-back but luxurious atmosphere.
This spa is not for you if want a top-notch hiking program. Development has cut off trails and you have to drive to “greenways” near homes.
Contact Info: Lake Austin Spa Resort 1705 South Quinlan Park Road, Austin, Texas, 78732, 1-800-847-5637, www.lakeaustin.com
