Canyon Ranch - Lenox, MA Review

We pulled up to the Pavilion where the reception area is. Valet parking is included and seemed to be mandatory. We were warmly greeted; our suitcases were taken away and we checked in. We were given a nice tote bag and a water bottle along with This Week at Canyon Ranch which we lived by.

I recommend that since you will have some idea of what you might want to do having read the brochure sent to you, print out a spreadsheet of your schedules. This was really helpful since there were four of us. We always knew where the other ones were.

Rooms are not guaranteed until 3:00p.m. However you can arrive as early as 8:00a.m. You cannot have breakfast on that day (Unless you want to pay $55.00) but you have access to the entire resort and will be given a locker which is in the Spa area. I would highly recommend that you get there as early as you can to take advantage of all that Canyon Ranch offers.

The main area is called the Mansion. This is where most of the services take place such as Preventive and Integrative Medicine, Life Management, Nutrition, Exercise Physiology, Acupuncture and Healing Energy and Neuromuscular Therapy (NMT).

The Spa is 100,000 square feet. There are five gyms one of which is a very large fitness room; a Yoga Studio; a Pilates Studio; a 75 foot indoor pool; a seasonal 50 foot outdoor pool; indoor tennis, racquetball, squash, basketball courts; indoor cycling studio; indoor running track, and locker rooms that have steam and inhalation rooms, a sauna and whirlpool.

Staff includes Medical Doctors, Nurses, Exercise Physiologists, Psychologists, Nutritionists, and Physical Therapists. It is here in the Life Management department where you can see a licensed social worker perhaps and work on sleep management, anger management, life mapping, stress management, guided imagery, bio-feedback or relationship counseling.

Canyon Ranch has standard and deluxe rooms. They were lovely and even included a humidifier which was filled up each night with our turn down service.

The entire facility was perhaps the cleanest I have ever seen. I did not see a spot of dust anywhere. There was nothing in disrepair.

Canyon Ranch boasts many awards including being a ten-time winner in Conde Nast Traveler for Choice Award by Readers for a Top Destination Spa.

I recommend going to every lecture you can. Some include Pull the Plug on Pain, and Ayurveda & Yoga. I also had a free 45-minute consult with a nurse. This is complimentary. Other lectures included Healing Energy, Ultra Prevention and State of the Plate by a Nutritionist. Mindful meditation is one not to miss.

The classes I went to include Chi Gong, meditation, restorative Yoga, Tai Chi, and morning stretch.

There are many special services which you will pay for including a two part In-Depth Assessment done by an Exercise Physiologist; a Healing Energy Therapist; a two-part two-hour consultation with a Nutritionist called Healing Foods; Neuromuscular Therapy; facials and other spa services.

The food is exceptionally good. The dining room is very pretty and comfortable. You will find an excellent breakfast bar with a variety of cereals and at lunch and dinner a wonderful salad bar with items such as hummus and various marinated dishes. The main meals included veggie burgers, lobster tails, chicken pot pie and whole wheat pasta dishes. Dessert included homemade cookies, homemade sorbet and ice cream, rice pudding and a fruit platter.

Some tips:

Even if it is warm when you go bring a light jacket in case you go outside for a class or at night. Bring your camera especially if you go with other people. Most people wore workout clothes or shorts all the time. There were some people who seemed always to be dressed but that was their choice not mine. The Boutique sells sundries, magazines, books, CDs, clothes and many of the equipment you will use in Yoga class.

Canyon Ranch was a cell-phone free zone. However because so many people wanted to use them they are now allowed in your own room, an area in the hotel pavilion or a small area in the Mansion courtyard.

Children must be at least 14 years old and pets are not allowed.

Jo says

Canyon Ranch changed the lives of my husband and me. If you can't afford it, save up for this experience.

For 3 nights in a deluxe room you will spend $1,740 per person. Special Services are extra.