Weave into nature and soothe your soul at The Meadowood Spa

It’s sort of a perquisite for a luxury hotel to have a spa, but The Meadowood Spa at Meadowood Napa Valley is anything but rote. Located just 10 miles north of Yountville in St. Helena on a 250-acre estate, this sanctuary-like retreat is as captivating as it is tranquil.

The ambiance

The air here is infused by the sun-warmed bark and dill of the crisp Redwood trees that make up the acres of lush greenery surrounding this iconic wine country enclave. The scent follows you through the gates and into the entrance where a majestic oak tree is preserved and celebrated. Architect Howard Backen and his team intentionally designed around this tree, perfectly guarded with a circular iron fence, to bring the natural elements of this wellness oasis to life.

The unique flora and fauna of the surrounding Napa Valley is embodied throughout the spa. As you soon as enter the white window-paned doors, you’re instantly at ease with its calming color palette rooted in warm grays and browns combined with rustic-modern structures.

The entire Meadowood Spa is a series of suites and walkways that create an indoor / outdoor living space. Handmade Shibori Rust Silk wall hangings from local artisans grace the walls of the locker room hallway and entrance. Stone fountains line the treatment walkway to set the soothing tone as guests make their way into their treatment suites. The walkway was designed in such a distinct way that when it rains, a natural waterfall is created against the walls of the walkway for a truly serene experience.

The treatment

The spa is a unique, all-suite concept to give you a true sense of retreat and privacy. Each suite includes a private bathroom and steam shower and a built-in seating lounge area in front of large sliding windows that open out to forested views. All treatments last at least 90 minutes and begin with a conversation with a spa therapist who will customize a treatment specifically to your needs.

We chose The Essential Journey, the starting point for all treatments. Our experience began with choosing a smooth, flat stone and writing a word (e.g. “patience”) to set our intentions. A pre-treatment seven-minute aromatherapy steam shower in our suite followed and then a decadent 60-minute massage using Glycelene, a luxury skincare product exclusive to the spa. Indigenous ingredients from the estate like California poppy, bay laurel and black walnuts were uniquely added to this product. Bonus: It’s delightfully light and doesn’t leave you feeling sticky in your spa robe after the treatment. A Glycelene lip balm was also applied during the treatment.

Post-treatment, we were treated to a house-made elixir of strawberry ginger kombucha.

The Essential Journey is included in any of the spa’s six packages, each one created with a strong sense of place celebrating the Napa Valley. They include:

From the Vines, a vino-based massage and facial
From the Garden, a treatment that will change ingredients seasonally
From the Earth, a black walnut scrub and hot stone massage
The Air We Breathe, which focuses on recovery through a detoxifying mud wrap, invigorating leg scrub and Hydrafacial

The facilities

You can choose to book additional time in your spa suite to truly take advantage of its amenities. The space is designed so that you won’t have to relocate or move during your spa day unless you choose to use the relaxation gardens.

There are two relaxation gardens, one for women and one for men, that are open for spa guests pre- or post-treatment. Each features lounging areas, a Eucalyptus steam room, dry cedar sauna and mineral soaking room.

Because there are only eight suites on site, there is minimal foot traffic happening throughout the spa so the relaxation gardens felt extremely quiet and secluded.

Also on-site are two 350-square-foot boutiques, one that carries the spa’s luxury skincare products along with local beauty and cosmetic brands, and another that carries high-end items like uncommon fragrances, sophisticated knits, cashmere travel throws and leather journals.

The food

Its culinary program crafted by Meadowood Grill chef Victoria Acosta allows you to enjoy a full meal—not just light spa bites. Chef Acosta designed an exquisite culinary menu that’s healthy, delicious and accents the elements of the spa’s treatment menu. The beverage menu includes a selection of fresh and cold pressed juices and wines by the glass, half and full bottles.

Three to four dishes off the menu are recommended for a full meal for one person. Our favorites include: the orange blossom bowl with avocado, white miso and nori; a fresh watermelon dish with roasted corn; a hearty cheese and charcuterie plate with Meadowood honey, violet mustard and walnut crisps; and wheatgrass elixir with pineapple cider vinegar and turmeric.

Special services

For an elevated and special spa experience, the Treehouse Retreat is a specialty room that can be booked and offers another private space in the spa. Partly open to the natural elements, the room includes a fireplace and hand-hammered copper tub for custom baths. The space offers a great option for couples and guests who wish to lounge together.

We were lucky enough to experience this unique private room where we draped ourselves in sumptuous flax linens and enjoyed our culinary selections and a forested view of the Redwoods from the rustic bed and earthy leather chairs.

What else you should know

Meadowood Spa is easily one of the world’s most luxurious spas and Forbes agrees. The Meadowood estate is part of an elite group of only 11 hotels in the world to receive a Triple Five-Star Award from Forbes Travel Guide. The estate earned Five Stars in all three categories: hotel, spa and restaurant. Anonymously evaluated, the guide focuses on rigorous standards for graciousness, thoughtfulness and a sense of personalized service. It places a special emphasis on how guests feel and what they will remember most about their time spent at the property. Magical and memorable, our experience at Meadowood Spa truly lives up to that standard.

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