Canyon Ranch 2008

Okay, so Mom and I spent the hottest weekend possible in Tucson this July - and loved every minute of it. For Mother's Day I got Mom a trip to Canyon Ranch Spa and I went along as her cheerleader. We spent a crazy 5 days sweating and exercising, loofa-ing and soaking in the tub. It was awesome.

The grounds were beautiful and our suite superb. We each had a bed in the big bedroom, and there were two separate bathrooms (one with a giant soaking tub and a big window), a washer and dryer, and a living room. I think the suite was larger than our house. Right around the corner was a pool and I spent several hours there reading and sitting in the hot tub.

Also nearby was the spa complex, where each of us spent many hours a day. All of the treatments were in there - from massages and facials to body work like salt scrubs, Ayurvedic treatments, and the sweat lodge. The exercise rooms were in the spa building too, as were the racquet courts, the gym, and...best of all...the women's locker room. I know this will sound bizarre, but hear me out.

When you arrive at the Ranch, you get a locker for your entire stay, as well as slippers to wear in the spa. Robes and towels are abundant and fresh, and I grabbed one anytime I went in. The locker room had huge showers, a steam room, sauna and inhalation room (tea tree and peppermint oils in steam), two whirlpools and a cold plunge, a naked sunbathing patio and a quiet room. I took at least one nap in the quiet room, snuggled in my robe under a chenille blanket with cool cucumber and mint water at my reach. Fresh squeezed orange juice every day at 4pm - in the locker room! Need a razor? No problem. Need an icy cold towel? No problem. Need anything? No problem.

I got ambitious my first full day at the Ranch and started with a World Dance class. It was only 45 minutes and I wasn't the oldest there (nearly the youngest, I think), but I was dead beat when that was over. I headed for the locker room and spent a couple of hours just chilling out inside. Actually, I found it to be the most relaxing place in the spa. No phones, no noise, just the sounds of water and quiet whispering. It was perfect.

I had a couple of spa treatments while I was there - the first was a North African hammam-type treatment, complete with a coffee ground and lime pit rub down, and a soak in a tub full of rose petals. The treatment was luxe, like nothing I can get in Seattle. It was a perfect start to the weekend, and made me realize that as long as a bathroom has high enough ceilings and appropriate lighting, you don't have to have windows. Sure, it feels subterranean, but peaceful.

The second spa treatment I had was the Shirodhara, an Ayurvedic treatment in which oil is dripped onto the forehead. I was led through the treatment carefully, and it was extremely meditative. I left exhausted but relaxed. This is something I can easily get in Seattle and will probably look into it more.

The third - and most challenging - treatment I had was a Native American sweat lodge-type treatment, made appropriate for Ranch visitors, but still very hard and very tiring. Kevin was my guide, part Lakota and part Navajo I think - superb. We had Miles Davis playing for the whole first hour - intense body work in the hydromassage tub, and then deep tissue work in the steamroom. It lasted almost 3 hours, and I drank about 10 containers of water, about 16 oz each. Afterwards I was drained and disoriented, and I went back to the locker room where I slept a bit and rested before dinner. I loved it.

As I said, it was beautiful being there and I'd go back again if I could save the money to do it again. I think Mom really enjoyed herself too - eating that well and playing racquetball our last two nights - we both slept well and felt great as we left. I'd totally encourage people to go, if you can get past some of the hokey stuff.

Here are some pictures from our trip. There were lots of animals on the property, although the one I really wanted to see (a javelina) never appeared. Boo.