Now is the best time to surrender your mind, body and spirit to the wellness offerings in Calistoga, beginning with time spent soaking in the detoxifying mud baths of Calistoga.
On a winter’s early evening, the temperature outside may drop to a chilly micro-climate 35 degrees or lower, but the outdoor mineral pool at Roman Spa Resort is set at body temperature. Fifteen minutes is all you need to get your mind and body primed for a few hours of relaxation. Drape your bathrobe over your bathing suit and head to the Baths at Roman Spa, which is about a one-minute walk across the resort. From here, check your belongings on hold (including that wet bathing suit) and you’ll be escorted to the mud room, where you can choose complete privacy or include a plus-one…your choice! Inside this room is a tub-like structure filled with authentic volcanic ash mixed with peat moss and geothermal waters to make a heaping concoction of mud. Enter with assistance or on your own to maneuver your body atop the mud. It is best to stay on top of the warm mud (unless you like it hot, hot, hot) and scoop from the top until your torso is covered. There will be a “check” during the 20 minutes you lie on the mud, with lemon water and a cool cloth folded and placed on your forehead. It is important to keep hydrated during this intense detox session.
Once your time is up in the mud, carefully remove your body and head to the neighboring shower stall to wash it off and then step into the mineral water-infused jet-bubbled tub for a nice soak. More lemon water and cloths will be served before your time is up and you head to a room for some downtime. Relax. You’re worth it, and you’re in Calistoga!
Whether you book a half-hour or hour-long massage, know that your time to detox is not over. Enjoy the process and then slowly dress and head home knowing that you’ll benefit from a few days of the best sleep.
Karyn Granrud, a journalist who visited Calistoga to experience the mud baths, shares:
“Everyone needs to take some time out to enjoy a rejuvenating hot mud bath and massage. We stopped in to the Baths at Roman Spa to take a deep breath and relax. We were treated to a mud bath and mineral water Jacuzzi tub. Don’t be squeamish with this experience. Just get in there and do it! Trust me on this one. The attendants are all professional and come and go with complete warning. I never felt awkward while there. Ok… finding the mud on your body later is awkward, but being there wasn’t.
Once the muscles were warmed up, we were ready for our massages. It was all I could do not to fall asleep on the massage table. I left the baths feeling like a new person ready to face the world again.”
An excerpt of this post first appeared on Karyn Granrud’s blog, Pint Sized Baker where she shares amazing desserts and sweet destinations.
