Monday was a treat day! My sister, mother and I went to the Roosevelt Baths in Saratoga. My sister had given us gift certificates last Christmas and we just got around to using them.
Saratoga Springs has a long history of natural mineral springs and was a hot spot for health. There were a lot of bath houses built and the Roosevelt Baths are one of the original ones. It was built in 1930. It was eventually bought by the state and became part of Saratoga Spa State Park. It is kind of referred to as a campus, I guess. Lots of buildings that look like this:
It is almost like an old university campus:
We have been to another spa in Saratoga and that one was very posh and more modern. The Roosevelt baths are original, which is pretty neat! Obviously some of it was modernized, like the locker area:
My sister took a picture of me in my robe. It almost looks like I am ready to go to a karate lession!
The three of us had different services. I had an aromatherapy bath and then a massage. Once you get changed, you go into the relaxation room while you are waiting for your treatment.
This is an area with tables and chairs. There is a section with teas and fruit as well.
There are also these nice lounge-y things:
This room was empty when I came in. I think I had one of the first appointments of the day. You can go back and forth to the steam room from here while waiting for your treatments.
Here is an original cast iron 1930s bath:
The mineral water is that brownish color. It’s also effervescent and you float like crazy! These tubs are super deep, too. It goes below floor level. When I sat upright, the water came up almost to my shoulders. I want a deep tub like that. For the aromatherapy part, you are given a teeny little bottle of an essential oil of your choice (eucalyptus, clary sage, pine or peppermint). I chose peppermint and you just sprinkle it in the bath.
After my bath, I moved over to the table in my room for a massage.
It’s funny how these pictures look a little like a prison LOL! It didn’t feel like that, let me tell you. I’ve never had a massage before, mostly because I have personal space issues and don’t like strangers touching me. But I thought I would give it a try. Orginally I was scheduled for a sugar scrub, but the person who does them broke her leg, so they gave me another service choice.
I liked the massage. It was a little hard for me to relax, but eventually I did. Once the massage was finished, it was into the steam room (no pictures there!) and then back to the relaxation room for a while.
My mom and sister popped out at different times. I was done before they were and enjoyed a nice shower and relaxing.
It was pretty late after we finished, so we headed out to lunch in Ballston Spa. Our first choice had a big wait list, so we tried a new restaurant. Henry’s Pub. It was good! I decided on an appetizer for a meal, which was the poutine with corned beef on top. I asked for a half portion, but they made a mistake and gave me a full portion:
They only charged me for a half portion, too. There was plenty to share.
We decided against dessert, but I got a kick out of the selections:
😀
We had a great day! It was definitely needed and long overdue. I definitely will be back to these baths again.
You deserved that Lori – how nice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That sounds like a lovely day! Like you, I’m not a fan of touching and honestly, I’ve never warmed up to being massaged – BUT – last time I had a spa day, I had a body scrub done and it’s now my favorite spa treatment! Do try and go back for a scrub.
Oh boy, that dessert list made me snort my coffee – hahahahahahaha!
We laughed a lot at that menu!
What an amazing place! It looks so beautiful and exhumes serenity! So glad you were able to go!
Me, too.
Thanks for taking us with you Lori… I love seeing places like that , that i will probably never get to see.. I feel the same way about a massage and my personal space and strangers touching me… so i get it.. I have never had a massage for that reason… now my daughter she would have one every day if she could… 🙂 Hugs! deb
I wouldn’t mind another massage, but I definitely want to try a sugar scrub.
This looks like an amazing day!!! I’m so jealous. 🙂 I love massages. A few years ago my insurance started covering 12 massages a year, so that is awesome. I get one once a month and it has helped a lot with my issues. Thankfully I’ve never had any weird or creepy experiences with massages, so it doesn’t bother me.
One tip for people if they want to get massages but can’t afford expensive ones, is to check out local massage schools. I used to do that years ago and it was pretty good. They are cheap and help the students out to get their hours for graduation.
That’s great that your insurance covers that kind of thing!
I’ve had a few massages, but am not super into them until I’m actually in the process. Until then, the thought of strangers touching me squicks me out. That deep bathtub looks amazing, though – now THAT’S the way to have a good soak!
That deep tub was amazing. How to fit one in our bathroom. That’s the question.
My favorite part of the post is the dessert menu 🙂 I’d like to try poutine sometime, but maybe with regular beef. Maybe I’ll try to make it myself someday!
Yeah, the corned beef was interesting, but I think I would just have it with the gravy and cheese – no meat.
LOL at the menu.
What a great day you had, lovely place too. I don’t like massages very much even though I’m relaxed afterwards. It’s because I’m impatience, it always lasts to long for me.
I want a mega-deep tub. I have no clue how that would work in my house though but it would be amazing!!! (Heck I’d settle for a tub without a metal track on it at this point).
I LOVE getting massages. My favorite aren’t relaxing though; there are only a handful of people here that can do therapeutic massages which is more about coaxing bloodflow into tight muscles and less about making it calming and relaxing (ie, it’s painful) but it makes such a difference to make and leg pain!
I laughed at the dessert menu too.