When my husband recently deserted me to go heli-skiing in Canada, my daughter suggested that instead of staying home alone, I should spend the week at a Spa. Why this had never occurred to me to do before, escapes me. Firstly, because I love being pampered and secondly, because it turned out to be one of the best weeks of my life!
A quick google search of Spas in Colorado brought up St. Julien’s in Boulder. This funky, college town is nestled against the foothills of the Rockies and enjoys over 300 days of sunshine a year. I’d only spent the day here before, but I’d liked it and the thought of spending time close to home, but not too close, appealed.
Within minutes of picking up the phone I was booked into a kingbed room with a view of Boulder’s famous “Flatiron Mountains”. And less than two hours later, down the Interstate from my home in the Rockies, I was being warmly greeted by the hotel staff and shown to the Spa where I had a pedicure booked.
Positive the therapist would run screaming when she got a glimpse of my feet that had been squashed into ski boots for a good part of the season, Renee, was instead the picture of discretion. I was given a glass of water, offered grapes and dipped my feet into a swirling, warm bath. An hour later, my lower legs and feet, scrubbed, massaged, primped and nails painted, I emerged feeling as if a quarter of my body was already on the way to feeling restored. In an effort to feel fully restored I booked a sugar body scrub and revitalizing facial for the following day.
Proud of my pretty pink-painted size tens, I padded around the hotel in the hotel provided robe and slippers and went to check their restaurant menu. Not in the mood for dressing up – or dressing at all, for that matter, I opted for room service.
I caught up on emails via the free wireless internet in my room and my smoked salmon walnut salad was delivered 20 minutes later with a smile and the good wishes of my waiter to have a good night. There’s something wonderfully decadent about lounging across the bed, eating and watching really trashy TV programs. Ever wondered where they find those people in the People of Walmart emails – just take a look at some of those reality television shows – particularly ones dealing with repossessions, bounty hunting and anyone who lives outside the law!
Dinner finished, I decided on an early night as I had a book to write during my sojourn. However, sleep didn’t come easily as the plot of a new story teased at my consciousness. Midnight found me typing the first words of book four of the O’Malley Men series, about firefighting brother, Adam. Two hours later, I had over 3,000 words down and was ready for sleep. This time it came blissfully quickly as I sank into the soft-as-a-cloud mattress and pillows. Such bliss!
After a late breakfast of smoked salmon bagel, which was so delicious, I couldn’t wait for breakfast the following morning to order it again, I wandered into the spa for my Body Scrub and Vichy Shower. Having never experienced one of these before, I had visions of myself glowing in the dark, I’d be scrubbed red raw.
I was greeted by my therapist and directed me to lie on a bed in a room that looked like an enormous shower. I was draped for modesty and Mary set about massaging the rare as hens’ teeth (apparently) sugar into my legs. Far from being rubbed raw, this was an amazingly relaxing experience. I tried not to think how much dead skin was being rubbed away after a winter spent two miles high in the dust dry atmosphere of the Colorado Rockies. Backs of legs, back, shoulders and arms rubbed, it was time for the Vichy shower. As I lay on the bed, several gentle jets of water washed the sugar away as my therapist used a hand-held spray to gently wash away the last of the sugar crystals. Then it was time for my tummy, front of legs and arms to be given the treatment. I was then toweled off and massaged with a soothing palm oil butter. I emerged feeling re-energised and extraordinarily clean and smooth!
Kerrie welcomed me into the facial room where I lay on a heated bed and it was deemed my skin was in desperate need of a Revitalizing Treatment – recommended for mature, fatigued, dull, sun-damaged, pigmented, and sluggish skin types. Since I felt my skin pretty much slotted into all those adjectives, I lay back and let Kerrie do her best. I tingled when the alpha-hydroxy exfoliant was applied and felt nicely burned when she applied a paprika mixture to help the alpha absorb. None of this was unpleasant and I satisfied myself with the knowledge that the more it tingled, the more help my skin probably needed. A soothing cream was then massaged in, a honey scented mask applied and hands massaged while this did its magic. An hour later my skin felt like a two year old’s bottom and I was practically drooling with pleasure. But wait, my ecstasy dose wasn’t over yet. Then followed a hot oil head massage and foot reflexology. By the time I left the salon I was floating on air.
Back in my room I ordered a Caesar salad for lunch, then took a restorative nap. I awoke at dusk, took care of emails and started work again. I was so absorbed in my new story, that I forgot about dinner and worked till 3am.
This pretty much became the routine for the week. Wake late, take a walk around historic Boulder, shop, back to the hotel for lunch followed by an afternoon of indulgence at the spa. Dinner in front of the TV and then back to work!
By day three, I was making plans as to how I could stay in this magical place for the rest of my life. I’d gladly sell my first-born (and subsequent issue) in order to do so. I was loving being able to go to bed when I wanted, rise when I wanted and eat what and when I wanted. No children asking: What’s for dinner? No husband saying: It’s late, come to bed!
I finished up my week of indulgence with more massages of body, feet and head, facials, splurged on a body mud masque but didn’t care for it nearly as much as I’d enjoyed the sugar scrub. By the end of the week, I'd worked my way through just about every therapist at the spa and left the hotel vowing to return soon.
By the end of the week, I’d written over 20,000 words towards my new book and felt revitalized, re-energized and ten years younger. As Ryan, one of the many wonderful staff at the hotel, opened my car door, wished me a safe journey home and hoped he’d see me again soon, I decided that if I had a money tree, I’d live in a spa hotel forever!
What’s your secret indulgence? What would you do, where would you go if you had a week completely to yourself, to do as you wished?
Cheers!
CC Coburn
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