Featured photo Adobe Stock/ Monroe. All other photos courtesy of Inns of Aurora
Visit Aurora for a spectacular spa-weekend getaway filled with wellness attractions and dining destinations in the Finger Lakes.
In the Finger Lakes region, on the shore of Cayuga Lake, is the quaint village of Aurora, a National Historic District that occupies less than one square mile. The village is home to Pleasant Rowland’s Inns of Aurora, a collection of five distinct properties that spread across the charming village. These properties include the Aurora Inn, known for its elegance; E.B. Morgan House, with its artistic flair; the funky Rowland House; contemporary Wallcourt Hall; and the tranquil Zabriskie House.
Added last summer, the resort’s spa is a holistic wellness sanctuary in the heart of nature (innsofaurora.com/spa). The space offers the same attention to design details, customer service, and genuine hospitality that guests find at the Aurora Inns themselves. Eleven years in the making, the spa reflects Rowland’s desire to give visitors an added resort experience and solidify the Inns as the premier wellness destination in the Northeast.
The spa blends seamlessly into the bounty of nature in which it is situated, atop a hill overlooking Cayuga Lake. Every treatment room has a window; it’s positively sybaritic to have a lavender aromatherapy massage while gazing out at the fields of lavender.
Provided by Rasa Spa (a fixture in the wellness field in the Finger Lakes), services include an illuminating facial that utilizes Rasa’s holistic approach to antiaging and acne-prone skin; a hydrating facial with a marshmallow-whip hydrating mask; therapeutic cupping massages; prenatal massages; sports massages offering either total relaxation or a more vigorous treatment; and aqua treatments, like hydrotherapy circuits, saunas, and steam rooms. Hair, nail, and makeup services are also available, as are day passes.
An outdoor heated pool is ideal for a dip, and a firepit allows you to commune with nature no matter the temperature. Seasonal packages — ranging from a summer wrap and scrub to a winter hot-stone session and Anada (scalp treatment) — are all part of the spa’s overall wellness philosophy. After a service, guests can avail themselves of the thoughtful Spa Café, which serves a seasonally inspired grazing menu, including some lovely Finger Lakes wines.
While staying at The Inns, guests can attend an Outdoor Survival Skills workshop, complete with its own dedicated outdoorsman; kayak on the lake, fish, practice archery, or take a hike.
In town, guests and visitors often dine at The Inns’ two restaurants. They may also partake in activities like a cooking class, enjoy a culinary experience at Aurora Cooks demo kitchen, visit several wineries, or head to Mackenzie-Childs to shop for home decor, furnishings, and hand-painted pottery. From $495
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