Winter Retreats in New England: Top Spa Resorts
Discover the charm of New England during winter with its cozy spa resorts, offering a perfect escape filled with warmth, relaxation, and rejuvenation. From luxurious treatments to serene environments, here’s a look at some of the best spa retreats.
Fireside cocktails, blustery walks on the beach, and indulgent massages for your winter-ailed muscles.
Fact checked by Elizabeth MacLennan
For some, the U.S. Northeast hardly feels like a retreat in the winter, especially once the fresh blanket of December snow turns to mid-January slush. Yet New England, even in a season devoid of summer wildflowers or fall foliage, manages to retain plenty of charm during the coldest months of the year.
Corners of New Hampshire and Vermont offer world-class skiing, while near-empty coastal towns in Rhode Island and Massachusetts feature resorts with private beaches that winter guests often have entirely to themselves. Whether you’re looking for a quiet getaway to ring in the new year or a mini-break to recover from a holiday spent with family, these New England spa resorts are hygge central, equipped with menus of pampering treatments among other luxe amenities.
Twin Farms, Vermont
There are few places more charming in the winter than Twin Farms, where guests are mere steps from snowshoe trails, skiing, and ice skating — and even closer to massage tables and a brick-and-glass steam room with views over the snow-laden trees. At the property’s Bridge House Spa, you can enjoy a facial, a Himalayan salt stone massage, or the “fireside ritual,” which involves a fireside massage, hot bath, and glass of champagne.
The accommodations are just as next-level — this all-inclusive Relais & Châteaux resort offers suites, treehouses, and a set of 10 standalone cottages outfitted with fireplaces, stone hot tubs, midcentury modern accents, and wood stoves.
Cliff House, Maine
Cliff House, in Cape Neddick, Maine, sits on a jagged bluff overlooking the wild Atlantic Ocean. A waterfront room is essential, though not nearly as crucial as leaving the room to spend an afternoon at the on-site spa. Using products with ingredients sourced from the ocean outside your window, the treatments offered in the 9,000-square-foot wellness center — scrubs, wraps, HydraFacials, cupping, a dozen different massages — can help relieve tension, calm the mind, and soothe your wind-chapped skin.
Canyon Ranch Lenox, Massachusetts
A Berkshires hideaway that stays true to the Canyon Ranch name in its beloved cuisine and wellness offerings, Canyon Ranch Lenox marries Northeastern charm with upscale spa culture. The 100,000-square-foot wellness facility encourages fitness as well as indulgent relaxation. Guests can join one of the exercise classes on offer or create their own workout at the indoor tennis courts or 75-foot indoor swimming pool. How about starting your morning with a yoga class followed by a steam session and hot stone massage? Later on, you can return to the spa for an energy therapy treatment.
Mayflower Inn & Spa, Auberge Resorts Collection, Connecticut
Nestled within the Connecticut countryside, Mayflower Inn & Spa, Auberge Resorts Collection, is just a two-hour drive from NYC. The 58-acre inn boasts manicured gardens, meticulously curated interiors, and a culinary program helmed by Michelin-starred chef Jose Ramírez-Ruiz, and its romantic atmosphere is only enhanced when the property gets a fresh dusting of snow. The spa brings the best of The Well — body treatments, beauty services, fitness programs, personal care products, and all — to Mayflower. It features a hammam as well as holistic, Eastern-inspired wellness programming.
Topnotch Resort, Vermont
The pinnacle of luxury in Stowe, Topnotch Resort is beloved for its spa, a little oasis of relaxation tucked into New England’s Green Mountains. Massage options abound, including CBD massage and reflexology. After a treatment, don’t skimp on the time spent lounging by the spa’s stunning indoor pool. Though the Green Mountains are a major skiing destination, guests more interested in tennis can enjoy private lessons in the warmth of the resort’s indoor Tennis Academy.
Ocean House, Rhode Island
To describe Ocean House, an iconic Rhode Island hotel, as “idyllic” would frankly be an understatement. The property exudes old New England grandeur (think: Kennedy-chic), from the Victorian architecture to the private beach. Rest assured, though, there are some new-age touches as well, such as seasonal movie screenings and the fleet of Mercedes-Benzes on hand for guests to borrow. The fact that Taylor Swift has a house down the street only adds to the allure.
Bundle up for blustery walks on the beach, and indulge in a positively decadent seasonal treatment at the Ocean & Harvest Spa. A deep tissue massage or guided sound bath promises to soothe you to your core. As for accommodations, choose from Ocean House’s array of signature suites (the Tower Suite has two stories and comes with a private rooftop deck) and upscale cottage collection.
Chatham Bars Inn, Massachusetts
A turn-of-the-century mansion overlooking Chatham Harbor, Chatham Bars Inn is a must-visit property on Cape Cod. Visitors can stay in the main house, adjacent cottages, or ever-romantic spa suites. The spa is known for bespoke treatments such as the Ocean Massage, which uses hot stones to help ease your central nervous system and reduce fatigue. Besides massage therapy, the spa offers a seaweed body wrap, a range of facials, dermaplaning, mani-pedis, and more.
White Barn Inn, Auberge Resorts Collection, Maine
In Kennebunk, Maine, Auberge Resorts Collection’s luxe-yet-rustic White Barn Inn is home to waterfront cottages, suites with fireplaces and forest views, and an exceptional restaurant. White Barn Inn offers a deeply comforting sense of seclusion — and if that doesn’t relax you, the spa will. Sourcing stones from the Kennebunk River for hot stone massages and drawing inspiration from Native American healing practices, this R&R destination harnesses the power of its surroundings to rejuvenate guests.
