Escape the Ordinary for the Extraordinary - at least for a few days. Part 1: Destination and Accommodations

You’re retired.  Your job is in the rearview mirror and ahead of you are time, energy and a travel budget.  According to an AARP 2017 Survey, travel is at the top of 83% of Baby Boomers’ bucket lists.  You’ve looked forward to this after 30+ years and now it’s time to start planning some trips.  

Selecting accommodations, restaurants, activities, and above all, destination for this year’s Spa Warrior Getaway was not an easy task.  We require a combination of vacation recreation, unique (but not touristy) restaurants, a little shopping, an extra special spa experience, and something other than your garden-variety hotel.  To top it all off, beautiful landscape is essential!  Our destination needed to be friendly to all of those requirements.  

So great to wake up to this every morning!

To choose the destination, we researched places that would include beautiful landscape, great spa, and recreation.  Where could we go where we could do something we could never do at home - where we could see beautiful mountains, beach, or other landscape -and also has an amazing spa?  Shopping, eateries, and hotel would fall into place later.  From a short list of 4 options, we made our final pick and Sedona was our favorite.  With it’s breathtaking landscape, choice of several unique spas, and many hiking trails, it had the trifecta - aesthetic appeal, exceptional spa, and amazing recreation.       

We mixed botanicals and herbs to make body scrub in the L'Apothecary 

The great thing about booking accommodations at a spa resort (as opposed to hotel and spa separate) is that many spa resorts allow their guests unlimited use of the spa amenities throughout the stay.  So in selecting our accommodations, we narrowed our search to spa resorts.  With so many beautiful spas in Sedona, it was tough to choose one.  We looked for one that stood out above the others.  An extraordinary spa experience is more than just beautiful treatment rooms.  It needs to have something unique that we can’t get at home.  We decided on L’Auberge de Sedona Resort and Spa because of it’s location on the artistic, babbling Oak Creek (so relaxing), it’s gorgeous view of the beautiful Red Rock of Sedona, and the added treat of creekside massages.  

We chose one of the Vista Cottages, and so happy we did - we had the best seat in the house.  If you ever stay in a cottage at L’Auberge, I would suggest the Vista Cottage.  We had a 180-degree, panoramic view of Snoopy Rock, Giants Thumb, and Elephant Rock.  What a great wake-up we had every morning sitting on the balcony admiring the Sedona red rock.  Other great features of the resort were morning Yoga classes, creekside breakfast, and the exceptional spa.  

Besides having an indulgent spa menu at the L’Auberge Spa, Oak Creek is integrated into many of their treatments.  Our creekside massages were a real treat - it was so relaxing listening to the soothing sounds of Oak Creek during our treatments.  In between massages and facials, we spent a couple hours at the L’Apothecary Blending Station mixing up botanicals, herbs and flowers for take-home body scrubs.  

Sedona’s majestic red rock scenery and unique energy certainly was a great escape from the ordinary to the extraordinary.  Even if you only go for a few days, Sedona is definitely a bucket list getaway! 

Part II Next Week - Incredible Activities in Sedona